Archive: Around Town

The weather reports looked horrible.  Rain all day with a chance of thunderstorms.  And indeed it was raining on Tuesday morning. "We really count on this for our scholarship," said Lansing Lions Club President Linn Davidson around 9am that morning.  "It makes a big difference if we can have a real good day today."  By 11am when the Lion's 45th annual 4th of July Picnic was about to begin the rain had stopped.  Except for isolated drizzles, the weather held for the rest of the day including a few appearances by the sun.  All 1650 chicken halves had been sold before 3pm.

Postal worker Bob Sturm was awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Town of Lansing last Friday, after 11 years in the Lansing Post Office, and 23 years with the U.S. Postal Service.  "People will probably never see that high level of service again," said Town Supervisor Steve Farkas.  Farkas says the suggestion for the award was made by Lansing resident Claus Nyberg, and Town officials immediately embraced the idea.

On June 23 Lansing's class of 2006 graduated.  Many were given scholarships or awards that they had earned over four years of accomplishments.  Here is the list of those who were presented with awards:

Roughly a century ago, the vast majority of North America's hops was grown in Central New York. Today, few people even recognize the plant, despite its stellar combination of durability, quickness and unique charm. And since it's after nine p.m., I can also mention that hops is the vine whose flowers ('cones') are used in beer making.

Hops is typically propagated by rhizomes, which are underground storage organs very similar to roots except that true roots don't sprout new stems the same way as rhizomes. A rhizome usually spreads out laterally underground, and when conditions are right, new stems arise vertically from the rhizome and pop out of the ground. The hops rhizome can be dug in fall, cut into smaller pieces, and then new plants can be grown from the pieces. Traditionally, hops vines were grown on oversized trellises, 20' or 24' tall, like gargantuan clotheslines.

Mike SiglerIt has been six months since Mike Sigler started his first term as a County legislator, representing the Town of Lansing.  Much has gone on this year and we felt it was time to check in with him to talk about some of the issues the County is facing, and how he is representing the Town.

He agreed to meet at Collegetown Bagels on his way to a County Board meeting.  There he talked about taxes and spending, being in the minority party on the Board, development and more.

Ask IMOAsk IMO

 Lansing's Advice Column

Dear IMO,

Over the 4th of July holiday, I saw a lot of people lighting off fireworks. I’m just as patriotic as the next guy, but what surprised me most was the number of children who were doing the lighting including my neighbors’ kids. Do you think children should be allowed to light fireworks? I think it is very dangerous even when there is adult supervision. What can I do to convince them of the danger involved with fireworks?

MP

Dear MP,

All fireworks are dangerous, especially to children. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in 2004, over 9,500 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries in the United States. Eight people died as a result of their injuries. During the summer, children 14 years and younger sustained about 40% of injuries related to fireworks—a surprising statistic to IMO.

Between now and the end of July, residents of Tompkins County have an opportunity to nominate their favorite views to be included in a listing of the County’s best scenic resources.

The Tompkins County Planning Department is leading an effort to identify the 100 most significant views in Tompkins County. During Fall 2005 and Spring 2006, most of the roads, the most heavily used trails, and Cayuga Lake were surveyed and over 500 scenic resources were catalogued. A map of the results, along with photographs, can be seen on the Tompkins County Scenic Resources website.

Pet of the WeekHi I’m Rufus I am a male dog who is very cute. I am a young adult and I came to the S.P.C.A. because I had a disagreement with another dog (hey! all young people get into trouble right Right?). I am a little shy at first but allover I am a great dog . I like adults more than small children and I am a little shy at first but when I get to know you we will be great pals. So please come and meet me at the S.P.C.A.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

----
v2i23

Denise KaminskyDenise Kaminsky was nominated by Susan Rosenkoetter to be July's Star of the Month.  Her daughter Jessie wrote the following:

Denise Kaminsky has been a remedial reading teacher and then a third grade classroom teacher for 30 years in the Lansing School District. She previously taught for two years in Maine before coming to New York. Throughout her years of teaching she has been an active member in the community as well as a beloved elementary teacher. “We will greatly miss Denise, the grande dame of the grade level. Denise is very organized and would make sure that tasks were done in a timely, efficient manner. We depended heavily on her strengths to keep our grade level organized.” -- the third grade team.

It's the season for boating, and Lansing's Parks Department is ready. With a new launch dock and a new rack for canoes and kayaks, boaters of all kinds can get onto the lake. With 70 slips and 18 dry dock spaces and a prime location on Cayuga Lake, the marina is busy all summer long.

Park Commissioner Steve Colt says the Town is implementing a long range plan to improve the facilities. Work this year included dredging, replacing the retaining wall, and the launch dock that was put in this Spring. In the future the plan calls for replacing two to four docks per year, to make more efficient use of the space and accommodate modern, wider boats, and possibly winter storage.

If you've been watching the square by the Town Hall you've probably been following the progress on the library construction project.  If you've been really observant you may have noticed a new garden between the Town Historical Records Building and the Community Center.  The garden was installed two weeks ago on the initiative of Sharon Anderson, a Lansing resident and Watershed Steward with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network.  Anderson and and Lansing's environmental planner Darby Kiley planted the garden in one day, ironically a rainy one.

With the Relay for Life set for July 14 and 15 local teams can be found around town raising money for the event.  Last Saturday the AES Cayuga team was selling barbecued chicken at the Town ball fields to raise money for their team.  "Our plant's been involved in it since '99, since AES took over the plant," says team leader Dan Hill, who will head a team of about 30 walkers in this year's event.