Archive: Around Town

Detox Facility to be in the Village of Lansing

: By Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County; Around Town; | Feb 15, 2019 |

Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County announced that it has secured a site that will be the first in Tompkins County to provide open access addiction treatment services, including a medically supervised detox and stabilization unit.. The 19,420 SF building is located at 2353 N. Triphammer Road in the Village of Lansing will provide addiction treatment services 7 days per week and a medically-supervised detox and stabilization unit with 40 beds. Ithaca native and local physician, Dr. John-Paul Mead, will serve as Medical Director of this program.

This facility will fill a critical gap in addiction treatment and serve as a valuable healthcare resource for Tompkins and surrounding counties. The Open Access component of this program will begin operating in February 2019, through the efforts of Governor Andrew Cuomo to expand access to addiction treatment and services across the state, and through $450,000 in funding from the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), led by Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez. The residential detox and stabilization portion will follow as additional funding is secured and renovations are made to create an appropriate, healthy residential space.

Chess Tables at Myers Park

: By Ben Caveney; Around Town; | Feb 15, 2019 |

Chess anyone?! There’s chess tables now down at the park. Last summer I worked on building some chess tables for Myers Park as my Boy Scout Eagle Project.

I have always liked chess since I was very young in elementary school. I originally wanted to do a lawn size chess board like the ones seen in town squares. Toward the beginning of planning I had to downsize later at the request of the Recreation department due to portability issues and concerns over parts of it being stolen or misplaced. We chose to incorporate a chess board as part of a picnic table.

Saltonstall Residency Teachers Selected

: By FABG; Around Town; | Feb 15, 2019 |

2018 Saltonstall residency teacher Keith Thompson, photo provided by Saltonstall Arts Colony

Fine Arts Boosters Club (FABG), an affiliate of IPEI, is offering a creative retreat for teachers of the Ithaca City School District (ICSD) teachers and other districts in Tompkins County during the February and April school breaks. The program is designed to provide residency-type retreats for local teachers in the following disciplines: creative writing, photography/film/video, and painting/sculpture/visual art. The program is totally free to attend. Teachers were selected through a lottery system.  

Center For Immunology Spans Colleges, Campuses

: By Cornell University; Around Town; | Feb 15, 2019 |

Cornell University has announced the creation of a new Cornell Center for Immunology, building on Cornell's decades of fundamental and comparative research in the immunological sciences.

The virtual center will combine multiple research efforts across several departments and colleges on the Ithaca campus and strengthen ties to the university's ongoing immunological research at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.

Fishing Cove Named for Gus Isaac

: By -Staff; Around Town; | Feb 15, 2019 |

George 'Gus' Isaac (center) was presented with a copy of a resolution to name 'George isaac Cove' on Salt Point. From left, Town Supervisor Ed LaVigne, Marion George, George Isaac, Recreation Supervisor Patrick Tyrrell, Councilwoman Katrina Binkewicz.

The Lansing Town Board unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday naming a fishing cove North of Salt Point Peninsula, ‘George Isaac Cove’. The designation honors World War II veteran George 'Gus' Isaac, who was a lifelong Lansing resident. A plaque will be erected at the boat launch in Salt Point Nature Area, commemorating the designation.

Isaac was born on 'Syrian Hill' on Myers Heights Road August 10, 1923. He worked at the Cayuga Salt Plant, which was located on what is now known as 'Salt Point', until he was drafted. In World War II he served in Army Company L, 30th Infantry 3rd Division, eventually covering nine countries in Northern Africa and Europe, including three invasions, for 24 months with no leave.

Town Names Road For Lansing Historian

: By Dan Veaner; Around Town; | Feb 15, 2019 |

In a unanimous vote Wednesday the Lansing Town Board named a new road 'Louise Bement Lane' to honor the Town Historian. The new road will connect the new Milton Meadows project that is currently under construction, the first project to be realized on town center land. It will form a four way Intersection with Auburn Road (State Route 34B and Woodsedge Drive. Councilwoman Andra Benson said she wants to honor Bement, and the Board agreed, passing a resolution to name the road for Bement unanimously.

"She has done a lot for the Town," said Councilwoman Katrina Binkewicz. "She was a teacher, writing the books about the history of various things up to the present. The amount of hours and devotion and enthusiasm that woman has put into our town's history is just awe inspiring."

Dear Margaret - Carol in Groton

: By Margaret Snow; Around Town; | Feb 15, 2019 |

Dear Margaret: I have recently had two of my best (and only) friends leave state and one promises to be back for good (we'll call her Stacy). The other (we'll call her Amy) doesn't want to come back, but would like me to come see her and possibly in the future, move to her state. I'm very torn right now, as I plan on a trip to see Amy in March, but not to see Stacy because she lives too far west. Am I being a bad friend by not going to see Stacy? I've always thought that Amy and Stacy were better friends to me than I was to them. I really love both and don't want to lose either of them. Help!
Carol in Groton

SPCA Pet of the Week - Lily

: By Chloe Winter; Around Town; | Feb 8, 2019 |

By Chloe Winter

Four year old Lily arrived at the SPCA very fearful, and it took her some time to settle in and start asking for attention. When you come in to meet Lily, make sure that you take it slow, and don't make any sudden movements or sounds. When she's comfortable, she can be a real sweetheart and will even rub her face on your hand! Lily is looking for a calm home where she can take her time settling in. Come visit her today!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Tompkins County Public Library is Now Fine Free

: By Susanna Drbal; Around Town; | Feb 8, 2019 |

Tompkins County Public Library is very proud to announce all fines on late items have been eliminated in order to ensure all people have free and unfettered access to library books and materials. The initiative began with a quiet roll-out on January 14, 2019.

"Libraries have learned that fines aren't effective for encouraging the timely return of materials; they allow people who can afford them to keep materials as long as they want, and prevent those that can't from using the library at all," according to Library Director Annette Birdsall. "Libraries need to remove this social inequity and encourage access. Stewardship is ensured because people will still need to pay for lost or damaged materials. We respect our readers and libraries so we are confident that sharing our resources will continue in the same manner that libraries have always celebrated."

New Heavy Rescue Vehicle Now In Service (Picture Tour)

: By Dan Veaner; Around Town; | Feb 8, 2019 |

There's a new fire truck in town. The truck replaces an old heavy rescue vehicle that was purchased in 1995. After 16 months from the drawing board to the finished truck, the Lansing Fire Department took possession of it's new heavy rescue vehicle Saturday, and lost no time training drivers and putting the new apparatus into service. The truck was built in Wisconsin, then transported to Syracuse for equipment installation, and where six Lansing firefighters received hands-on training. It arrived in Lansing Saturday morning. Drivers were trained immediately, and the truck was officially in service by Saturday afternoon. After another training session for six more drivers Tuesday evening, Deputy Chief Brad George says that 2/3 of the department's drivers are already trained to operate the vehicle.

"That truck is, primarily, our tool box," George says. "It holds all our extrication equipment, a cascade system for refilling air bottles on the scene, it's got extensive scene lighting, EMS equipment, cold water rescue equipment... that piece of apparatus has a tool that would be used on any scene that we would respond to.

Dear Margaret - Just Want to Help

: By Margaret Snow; Around Town; | Feb 8, 2019 |

Dear Margaret: I recently visited my son, daughter-in-law and new granddaughter. I don't feel that I but in and offer advice where it isn't needed, but this is their first baby and I know when they struggle with things I can be helpful. Both my son and his wife, however, get annoyed with me when I offer suggestions. How can I offer them sound advice that will save them anxiety without them taking offence?
Just Want to Help

500+ Tompkins Households Receive Warm Winter Clothing Donations

: By Geoff Dunn; Around Town; | Feb 8, 2019 |

The Ithaca Rotary Club wrapped up its 26th annual Share the Warmth campaign in mid-December. In collaboration with Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga, donations of new or gently used winter clothing were gratefully collected, sorted, and distributed across the area by volunteers from a number of sponsoring partner organizations.

Over the two-week distribution period in early December, 517 Tompkins County households received warm winter clothing through the annual Share the Warmth project—805 adults and 631 children. A total of 3,620 items—coats and snow pants, sweaters, hats, gloves and mittens, scarves, boots, and other cold weather gear—were distributed to those in need.

Lansing Fire Department Celebrates Successful Year

: By Dan Veaner; Around Town; | Feb 1, 2019 |

From left, Director of Tompkins County Emergency Lee Shurtleff swears in Lansing's 2019 officers: Chief Scott Purcell, Deputy Chief Brad George, Asst. Chief Todd Mix, Asst. Chief Joe Lisi, Captain Josh Nalley, Lieutenant Nelson Golden, and Lieutenant Gary Brooker.

One night a year, when you call 911 the Cayuga Heights Fire Department responds instead of Lansing. That was Saturday evening this year, when Lansing Volunteer Fire Department members gathered at the Lakewatch Inn to celebrate another successful year, to swear in the officers for this year, and honor those who went above and beyond the call of duty, answering 950 emergency calls, undergoing countless hours of training, and keeping equipment in top shape to be ready for any emergency.

Guests at the Installation of Officers Banquet included representatives from the Department of Emergency Response, s New York State Fire Instructor, and the Cayuga Heights, Locke, McLean, Ithaca Airport, Freeville, and Dryden Fire Departments. The department elects officers each year. Outgoing Director of Emergency Response Lee Shurtleff swore in the officers Saturday. It was a busy night, with several emergencies coming over muted radios at the banquet. Shurtleff said he thought he might have to leave at one point, but the Emergency Response staff had everything under control.

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