Archive: Around Town

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that non-emergency related road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will be suspended from 6 a.m. on Friday, May 25, to 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 29, to accommodate increased travel throughout Memorial Day weekend. The construction suspension is in keeping with Governor Cuomo's Drivers First initiative, which prioritizes the convenience of motorists to minimize traffic congestion and travel delays due to road and bridge work. The Governor is also urging motorists to abide by New York's Move Over Law and to utilize the 64 text stops located statewide as needed for texting, making phone calls, and other non-driving tasks.

"As New Yorkers set out to enjoy Memorial Day weekend, we will be suspending all nonessential state roadway construction projects so travelers can get to their destinations as quickly and safely as possible," Governor Cuomo said. "As always, I encourage drivers to remember to move over for roadside emergency and maintenance vehicles and to utilize text stops to avoid distracted driving, especially during this busy travel weekend."

The new Lansing Parks & Recreation Department summer programs booklet has been released.  Recreation Director Steve Colt says he hopes parents will sign up their children early to help planning and make sure they get into programs they want.  Programs include a myriad of camps and programs for all interests, including day camps, tennis camp, track, orchestra, band, private string lessons, art, free yoga at Myers Park, golf, bowling, horse back riding, soccer camp, fly fishing, reading, swimming, theater, cheerleading, cooking, quilting, sailing, robotics, football, and a session on pollinators.

"It's the most diverse offering package that we have," says Colt.  "I really like that.  It's really important to me, and important overall to have a lot of different offerings to reach a broader spectrum of participants.  When you think of recreation it's not just about a certain shape of ball and organized games.  It's music.  It's drama. It's art.  It's robotics.  Cooking.  In fact one of the cooking camps is already sold out and we've only been at this for about two weeks.  It's, by far, our broadest range of offerings, and that's the way it should be."

For over a half century the North Lansing Auxiliary has raised money for a myriad of causes within the Lansing community, to fund scholarships, and maintain the North Lansing fire station.  Saturday the members gathered at the Sunset Restaurant in Auburn to celebrate another sucessful year of volunteerism and a job well done.

"No matter how much or how little you are involved, if not for all of you, we would not be enjoying this pleasant evening, each of you contribute to our successful Pancake Breakfasts or our annual Election Day Dinner and Supper whether it is by working, furnishing goods or just general support," said Auxiliary Treasurer Connie Wilcox. "It is so hard to do individual recognitions because I am always afraid of leaving someone out, but I would like to say huge thank you to all of you, who always seem to be there and that is everyone in this room. There are also guests here who are not members but are willing to help us."

By Doug Scott

Check out them bat ears!!! So cool, I know! I’m pretty handsome, and not to brag too much I’m kinda, basically really awesome—true story. I need a person willing to spend some quality time training me. I am Brutus, a very bouncy, curious, and fun loving boy. I would do best with children over 10 years-old.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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The City Federation of Women's Organizations (CFWO) hosted the community at its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 15, entitled 'Women Are Building Community: New News & A Bold Future'. The gathering in the Tompkins County Public Library BorgWarner Room celebrated the fifth anniversary of CFWO's Women Building Community (WBC) Grants and included announcement of its future plans to make more resources and opportunities available.

President Diane Shafer remarked, "It has been an amazing first five years. The City Federation of Women's Organizations has some new and exciting plans for the future to help serve the community better and address the issues facing women and girls."

A record number of children in Tompkins County -- 4,400 -- participated in Kids Discover the Trail! (KDT!) program, a series of annual field studies that bring learning to life at eight Discovery Trail organizations. This year, 80 percent of public elementary students from all six school districts in Tompkins County participated in the program.

This spring, hundreds of elementary school students experienced a 19th century classroom in the Eight Square Schoolhouse, dug for fossils at the Museum of the Earth and identified wildflowers in the Cornell Botanic Garden.

To say that hard cider has been making a comeback is an understatement. In the U.S. alone, the hard cider market has increased more than 10-fold in the past decade, with sales reaching $1.5 billion in 2017. And Gregory Peck, assistant professor of horticulture, has been paying attention.  Taking advantage of this upward trend, Peck has been tapping cider's full potential to grow New York state's apple market. Now he's at the forefront of a hard cider renaissance.

"The industry has been booming because cider producers are innovative," Peck said. "Consumers want to experience something different in their food and drinks. Cider has a rich depth of flavor and range of products that appeal to a large and growing consumer base."

Spring is here and so are the ticks! It's time to get outside and enjoy the season. It's also time to take steps to prevent tick-borne infection.

New tick-borne infections have been discovered in recent years and are steadily increasing, Lyme disease being the most commonly reported. Most tick-borne infections, including Lyme disease, can be successfully treated with antibiotics especially if medication is started early. Preventing tick bites is your best defense against tick-borne infection.

I've been in a friendly relationship for a few years with a gentleman whom I trusted completely, until now. He's been my confidant and someone whom I could tell almost anything. He would always have an encouraging word and seemed very supportive. I now find that things I told him were not held in confidence, but seemingly broadcast to others in a way in which he made himself out to be the hero for giving me guidance and direction. I'm devastated and feel almost distraught from his betrayal. It's left me sad and angry. I want him to know the damage he does, but am wondering if it would even help. Perhaps I should keep my mouth shut. Should I tell him or not?
Betrayed

For the first time in its nearly 40-year history, this session of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal Session on Human Rights, Fracking and Climate Change (PPT), which ran this week and concludes today, has an international focus and includes arguments about the rights of Nature in addition to the rights of people. Among those participating from our region are Cornell University fracking engineer and professor emeritus Anthony Ingraffea, Ithaca College scholar in residence, ecologist, and author Sandra Steingraber, and the grassroots Coalition to Protect New York (CPNY), represented by independent journalist and activist Maura Stephens.

The PPT is a highly respected international forum that grew from the Russell-Sartre Tribunal to investigate whether breaches of human rights norms occurred during the Vietnam War. It subsequently conducted hearings to determine whether human rights standards were abridged in Bhopal, Chernobyl, and other sites. Its most recent session was on Myanmar's (Burma's) crimes against Rohingya and Kachin peoples.

The 2018 Empire State Center for the Book Literacy Award will be presented to 'Lansing Loves to Read' (LLTR) at the New York State Writers Hall of Fame Induction on June 5, 2018, at the Princeton Club in New York City, by Guy Lamolinara, Communications Officer at the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Guy will present a $1000 check to 'Lansing Loves to Read' to support all its programs and initiatives.

LLTR was conceived in 2013 by a small group of local parents who believed that their rural community could be doing more to support children's literacy. The energy and commitment of this handful of concerned parents blossomed into a widespread grassroots effort supported by many members of the community. They approached key town institutions - school district, the town board, and the local community library - creating numerous reciprocal partnerships. LLTR embodies the spirit and perfectly fits the criteria of the Literacy Award.

Commissioner Samuel D. Roberts visited the Ithaca City School District last week to award two teachers with Governor Cuomo's Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award.

The honorees, DeWitt Middle School technology teacher David Buchner and Ithaca High School math teacher Steve Weissburg, were recognized as teachers who: