Archive: Around Town

In days of old, towns and villages had just one supply of fresh, clean water, and that was the community well. People would walk from their houses to the well carrying their buckets or casks in which to collect water. Along the way they might meet friends and chat for a while. Once they arrived at the well, they would take their place in line chatting, listening and observing others. In some villages, notices were posted near the well to inform the people of important events or the “latest” news.

"Water on the entire Drake Road is a non-issue at this point.  It's a dead issue."  That's what Lansing Town Supervisor Steve Farkas told residents of the road after a petition showed that most people eligible to vote on a water district don't want it.  But by the end of Wednesday's meeting it was apparent that the project isn't entirely dead.  What was evident was that there is a lot of confusion among residents about what the process is, who initiated the project, and what it would cost.

Our Schools are Safe, but are they Safe Enough?

The tragic events the past two weeks in schools across the country have once again given each of us pause to consider whether or not our schools are as safe and secure as we want and need them to be. In recent days, I have heard community members on more than one occasion mention that “This is Lansing; it couldn’t happen here.” While we all pray that that forever be the case, it is crucial that the school and community, together, take all necessary steps to ensure the utmost safety and security of our children while they are in school.

Last spring, the District Shared Decision-Making committee resolved to make school safety its primary area of focus for the foreseeable future. At our September 2006 meeting, it was agreed that an expert in the field of school security should be consulted. As a result, the district has succeeded in securing the services of Mr. Brian Hill, school security expert, to first engage the district committee and, thereafter, each of the building committees in a review of each component of their emergency plans. Mr. Hill has, for the past three years, assisted school districts in Putnam County and northern Westchester County in reviewing, amending, and improving their emergency response plans. A former FBI agent and school administrator, Mr. Hill possesses significant insight and experience in emergency response planning.

In the last school board meeting Lansing Middle School art teacher Lee Iannone asked for approval for a different kind of student trip to Italy.  "The trip would be focussed more around art," said High School Principal Michelle Stone.  "Traditionally the trips we have taken outside the country have been focussed on language development, instruction, and culture.  This would look at a different aspect."

After getting the idea for an art trip, Iannone approached high school French teacher Amanda Zerilli, a veteran of arranging student trips for Lansing students.  "She gave me amazing copies of everything she does," Iannone says.  Using a travel service already approved by the school board for foreign language travel, the trip will cost an estimated $2,500 per student.

The Lansing library is a mess.  There are panels missing from the ceiling, wood chips everywhere, and book shelves covered with plastic sheets. However, after all the construction is complete, the library will be bigger and better than ever!

The layout of the library will be almost completely changed. What was previously the back of the library will now be the entrance, with cement stairs leading up to the door.  Acting as the lead man for the project is Mr. Dawson, who was working on the front steps. He explained the process for making the steps: 1) Stacking cement blocks. 2) Fill the blocks with concrete. 3) Add the finishing touches.  He currently has finished stacking the cement blocks, and will soon be filling them in.

All Saints Catholic Church and Lansing United Methodist Church (LUMC) have a lot in common.  They are just down the street from each other.  They often conduct programs and events together.  Each has a thriving, family-oriented community within their congregations.  They are very successful in the sense that they are growing.  And both are struggling with their success.  

Pet of the WeekHi I’m Cornell! I am a neutered male brown tabby.  I am a very handsome boy and I hope you will come and visit me at the SPCA.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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When President Reagan deregulated television in 1984 I thought it was a good thing.  Supply and demand, good old American competition.  Rah rah!  But now I'm wishing he hadn't done it.  It's hard to find any shows for all the commercials.  If it weren't for the cable company offering Digital Video Recorder that lets you fast-forward the commercials, I'd probably cancel my cable service.

The worst is the assault of the Fucillo Auto Mall commercials.  They are loud, they are obnoxious, and they are not fun to watch.  And they are everywhere, on every channel.  However, now that election season is upon us, campaign commercials are giving Fucillo a run for his money.  To the point where I almost long for a Fucillo commercial to break up the onslaught of negative campaigning.

You work hard to provide a comfortable living for your family. But you also need to think about what might happen to them after you're gone or if you become incapacitated. That means you need to start planning. And the best time to begin is now, no matter what your age - because the future is not ours to see.

To properly provide for your family, you'll need to take quite a few steps. Here are some of the most important ones:

There was quite a crowd at Lansing Elementary School last Monday to honor Jonathan Howe as he presented hat and mitten racks to the school.  Howe, who graduated from Lansing High School last Spring, led the project in fulfillment of his Eagle Scout requirements.  "Ms. Engels brought this project to my attention," Howe told the group.  "She suggested this project be done, and I thought it was the perfect project.  Since I've been at Lansing my entire life I figured I could contribute somehow.  So this is what I did."

Members of Troop 48 attended an international Brotherhood Camporee at Wellesley Island State Park from September 29- October1, 2006. The Camporee alternates yearly between Morrisburg, Ontario and Wellesley Island, N.Y. and is hosted by the Loyalist District-Boy Scouts of Canada and Hiawatha-Seaway Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Lansing's Sewer Committee met Wednesday to discuss concrete answers for questions the public has been asking since it presented the project to the Town Board.  But the big news was that Cargill has committed to donate to the project.  "(Manager) Steve Horn has said the upper management will give us $125,000, payable over five years, starting this year," Andy Sciarabba reported to the group.  "He said that would be relayed to us in a written document by the end of October, but he said verbally, 'You can count on it.  You can publish it.  You can tell everybody about it.'"

This was good news for Sciarabba and Noel Desch, who have been soliciting donations from large companies and organizations, including Tompkins County.  Cargill is the first to pledge, which will help reduce the cost to individual land owners.  The total estimated charge for a typical single family house hooked up to the sewer is $854 annually.  But that is a 'worst case scenario' figure.  Sciarabba and Desch hope to raise enough in donations to reduce that figure to $548.