Archive: Around Town

My patience is dissolving like vapor
Finally realized I can’t write it.
The structured lines were dead to my paper.
I could not write about love, hate or wit.

Town Supervisor Steve Farkas was at Woodsedge Wednesday serving lunch to 15 residents there.  He was part of Foodnet's Mayors for Meals day, part of a national program that included 425 mayors in all 50 states.   Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson also helped serve meals at Titus Towers, Groton Town Supervisor Glenn Morey delivered meals at Groton Center Village Court, and Ulysses Town Supervisor Doug Austic delivered meals in Trumansburg.  Mayors for Meals is a national day organized by Meals On Wheels organization.


"Foodnet really is a good program," says Farkas.  "A lot of folks benefit from it."  The Mayors for Meals event puts the spotlight on the program that provides home-delivered meals to older adults who are unable to cook a main meal due to illness, frailty and/or disability.  The program provides more than 198,000 meals each year to about 1,000 older adults and other persons at nutritional risk.  "We're providing food throughout the county to about 500 per day," says Foodnet Director Stephen Griffin.  125 of those are served in facilities such as Woodsedge while the other 375 are delivered door to door in a "meals on wheels" program.

New York Ag in the Classroom (AITC) coordinated the first New York Ag Literacy last Monday, which was also National Ag Day. Community members around the state volunteered to read a high quality storybook to local second grade classrooms, including Lansing Elementary School.

Kim Swartz, 2005 United Way of Tompkins County Campaign Chair, announced that the 2005-06 community campaign has exceeded goal by raising $1,859,835. “I know you hear it a lot, but this is a very generous community,” Swartz stated. “I thank everyone who has been a part of this special effort.” In a period when local residents rallied to assist communities devastated by hurricanes and floods, people found a way to share unprecedented levels of support through our United Way.

This year’s United Way effort started with strong support from Pacesetter companies like Dryden Mutual Insurance, International Food Network, and The CBORD Group, producing double-digit increases and record-breaking results. “We moved from a great Pacesetter campaign to a general campaign that continues to grow,” added United Way Board Chair, Paula Tarallo. “Ithaca College was the first division following the Pacesetters to exceed their goal. Cornell University, who also exceeded their goal, once again helped lift our campaign to a level that communities our size rarely reach.”

The entire North family that resides in and around the Tampa Bay area loved your article on "our" family's cabin in Lansing, New York. How great that the cabin, or any structure, would survive that many years. Although I have never visited your Lansing - the North's first stop after leaving the Royersford, PA area outside Philadelphia in the 1790s, my daughter and I did vist Lansing, Michigan in 1995.

Although I am a great family genealogy buff, I've not yet had a reason to tour Western New York. Until now. Do you have additional photographs of the cabin? Or more family history? Were any Norths there to see the moving. Are there any Norths still living in Lansing? When they moved in the 1830s I don't think any of my North family stayed behind.

Work will start up again on Triphammer Road in less than two weeks.  Village Engineer Dave Putnam told the Board of Trustees Monday that Suit-Coat, the contractor for the project will begin the new construction season beginning on Monday, April 3.

The project was started last year, when most of the underground and utility work was completed.  Utility poles and underground pipes and equipment had to be moved to allow for widened sections of Triphammer, that will improve traffic flow and add bicycle paths and side walks.  In the main entrance area for the Pyramid Mall there will be seven lanes that feed traffic into both the Pyramid and Cayuga malls, including two left turn lanes

03/18 -- At least 500 people gathered at Lansing Middle School Saturday to say goodbye to chicken innovator Bob Baker.  Baker was world renowned for his contributions to the chicken industry, creating more than 50 innovations including chicken nuggets and Cornell Sauce.  Baker had a long and successful career at Cornell, and was dubbed "The Edison of the chicken industry" by the New York Times.  Baker died peacefully early Monday morning at age 84.

The first five rows of the largely filled auditorium were filled with immediate family including Baker's wife Jacoba, their children, grandchildren siblings and spouses.  Lansing Lions filled much of the house right section to honor Baker who had been a founding member of the service club.

The Shetland Islands, north of Scotland, were small islands surrounded by the northern Atlantic Ocean. An abundance of fish drew seals and fishermen to the cold islands. Legends and tales of mythical creatures were immortal in the minds of the inhabitants. Selkies, seals that shed their skin every full moon into beautiful maidens, were one of the most famous legends because of the multitude of seals on the shores, coves, and waters. One day, rumors grew of real selkies on the shore the previous night.

Assuming that the statistics one hears of the proportionate aging of all segments of the population are accurate and applicable to the various faith communities in the Lansing area, any book that thoroughly examines both aging and spirituality could become a valuable, basic reference to gaining an appreciation of the final stage of ones life.

Last October Lansing's Board of Education voted to move the District Offices before the start of the 2006-2007 school year.  "The work space is not appropriate for a couple of reasons," Interim Superintendent Tiffany Phillips told the board. "One, confidentiality. Two, there's no place for storage of materials. And it's just not a place that you want to represent the school district."  She noted that toxic mold had been a problem in the building and that constant monitoring was necessary.  She recommended a temporary solution, either renting offices nearby or leasing a temporary building, giving the District time to come up with an affordable permanent solution.

At last Monday's BOE meeting practical issues affecting the move were discussed.  Here is a primer on the office location issue.

Ithaca … At least 62 dogs- most of them puppies- are being rescued by the Tompkins County SPCA from one home. The TC SPCA was called to assist a pet owner who became overwhelmed by the number of pets that found their way into her home. An elderly woman not to be identified took in strays without spaying or neutering them, and they multiplied. While she tried to provide for them, the woman is clearly not equipped to offer that many animals adequate care. She has gratefully accepted the assistance of the TC SPCA and is surrendering most of the dogs to the shelter, which will spay and neuter the animals and find new homes for them.

Already, the shelter has taken in 25 dogs, mostly puppies, and is giving them medical treatment and refuge. They are responding well and will be available for adoption soon.