Saturday evening brought a sizable crowd to Lansingville, where Andra and Chuck Benson hosted a benefit for a fistula hospital in Ghana.  Guests paid $50 per person to enjoy hors d'oevres and wine, live music, and a stunning view of Cayuga Lake and Lansing.  "The hospital will be treating local women who suffer this kind of chronic incontinence as a result of childbirth," says local organizer Sally True.  "They'll be treated there.  It's a course of treatment that takes anywhere from ten days to four months."

Pet of the Week Hi there my name is Nicky. I am a neutered male gray and white cat. I am nine years old and I am declawed. I need a great home so come and visit me at the SPCA.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Ask IMOAsk IMO

Lansing's Advice Column

Email your questions to IMO at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dear IMO,

I have just graduated from college with a degree in American History. Though I wish to continue my studies and eventually teach, I want to take a year off and find some work outside of what I have normally pursued. My parents are not happy with the idea, but are willing to let me explore for a year. I do not want to join the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, but I want something that is both challenging and will give me some skills that I can use in life. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Phil

Aurora, New York—Wells College’s 140th Commencement exercises will take place at the Aurora Inn this Saturday, May 24, at 10:00 am. The College will confer degrees on 84 members of the Class of 2008, including nine from the Ithaca area.

The graduates and their guests will hear remarks from Wells trustee Gail Leftwich Kitch, executive director of MacNeil/Lehrer’s By The People. Ms. Kitch’s talk is entitled “What is Possible,” which she intends as a statement rather than a question.

Frank Towner and Theresa Witaker are no strangers to emergencies. That’s what they do, it’s what they’re trained for.

Both Towner and Witaker recently found themselves using the CPR/AED skills they’ve trained for. Towner, Associate Executive Director at the Ithaca YMCA and a Lansing volunteer firefighter has had to use CPR/AED twice in the last six months. Both unrelated incidents involved people who developed a heart arrhythmia after physical exertion. Towner’s response,  “It’s just part of the job. I’m just happy that I had the skills to make a difference.”

A Lansing Family Traverses a War Zone to Visit Lansing's Partner School

Harold and Cindy van Es conceived of Partnership of African and Lansing Schools (PALS) four years ago, so it was inevitable that they would visit the school.  Over this school year's holiday break they finally got to do that along with daughter Marlene, and sons Martin and Pieter.  The trip was a bit more than they bargained for when they found themselves traversing a war zone in Western Kenya.  While there they met with Principal William Kabbis, the school board, families, students, and staff at the school.  A few weeks ago the Lansing Star sat down with Harold and Cindy as they recounted their adventure.

Albany—State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio has announced the kickoff of his "Summertime Reading Olympics" program and is inviting local school children to take part in this special activity designed to encourage reading over the summer season.

"This program is designed to get children to realize the rewards of reading by encouraging them to exercise their imaginations and make reading a daily event this summer," said Senator Nozzolio.  "At the end of the summer when I receive their Summertime Reading Journal, I will be able to see what books local children are reading and will know that they continued their education during the summer months.”

Pet of the Week Hi there! My name is Tia. I am a female calico cat who is in need of a great home. I am a small cat but I am also very cute. I need a loving home with great people to take care of me. So please, come and visit me at the SPCA.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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If you put a 41 cent stamp on a letter this Monday it will be insufficient because the US Postal Service rates are going up.  Starting May 12 it will take 42 cents to send a first class letter.  Lansing Post Office's Steve Funcell says that people have been coming in early to get one cent stamps so they can use up the 41 cent stamps they already have.  But he expects long lines next week when the rates officially go up.  ""People will come in and wait in a long line just to buy a few one cent stamps even though it may not be a pressing issue for them," he says.  "I think the businesses are more on top of it.  It's more of a problem for individuals."

On July 1, 1885 the rate for a one ounce letter was two cents.  It didn't go up until November 3, 1917 when it was raised to three cents during World War I.  It actually went back to two cents again in 1919.  It didn't reach three cents again until 1932.  But in 1958 it went to four cents, which started a more frequent gradual rise.  It went up twice in the '60s, four times in the '70s, five times in the '80s, three more times in the '90s, until it reached 34 cents in 2001.  Next Monday will be the fifth time the rates have risen in the 21st century.  And with each price rise there has been a need for one cent stamps.  "We've had one cent stamps for probably 150 years or so," Funcell says.

This Saturday (May 10th) the Ithaca Community Childcare Center (IC3) on Warren Road will be holding their third annual truck show.  Chaired by Julie Darby and Bethany Woodman, the truck show is the center's second biggest fund raiser for its scholarship fund.  This year the pair say it is bigger and better than ever, featuring 55 vehicles of all kinds.  "The SWAT bus is always a big hit," Darby says.  "Police cars, ambulances.  This year we have the Time Warner Weather Chaser.  They're going to bring the weather van with a green screen and allow children to do a ten minute mock weather broadcast, and a video of themselves to take home free.  That will be from 11 to 1.  I-100 Classic Rock Radio is coming back again with Cat and Mark DJing broadcasting live from 10 to 2."