Archive: Around Town

Lansing is a tight-knit community, but walkable neighborhoods are few and far between.  When Asbury Church members talked about a Halloween event, Loveta Geesey suggested something she had done before she moved to Lansing from Idaho.  The community would create a neighborhood in the parking lot around the Lansing Community Library for Halloween night.  About 50 cars would be parked, trunks facing out, and decorated in different themes.  Trick or Treaters and their parents would gt to vote on their favorite trunks, with prizes awarded to the winners.

"The big motivation for having the Trunk or Treat is providing a safe place for the kids to trick or treat together and celebrate being a community and having fun together," says organizer Loveta Geesey.  "Those of us involved are really excited to work together with the community to offer this fun Halloween alternative to driving and walking around on a dark autumn night."

Since a monthly interfaith dinner was organized at the Lansing United Methodist Church last Spring it has been open to people of all faiths, including those who don't belong to, or believe in an organized religion.  The dinners have been held at a number of locations on the last Thursday of every month since.  People from at least a dozen local houses of worship, including Christian, Muslim, and Jewish places of worship, have attended regularly, including people not part of a faith community.  Next Thursday Lisa Campbell is hosting this month's dinner at a secular location to encourage people not affiliated with a faith to feel welcome.

"I just love these dinners," Campbell says.  "I've been a regular.  Good food, good conversation.  I find it appealing and wonderful and I enjoy myself immensely.  I've had conversations about everything with so many different people, from our pets to literacy, to eating habits... any number of things.  it's a great opportunity, with no agenda, to sit with members of our community that you may have never met before."

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

"Again."

Downtown Ithaca is preparing for yet another influx of Wizards, witches and all manner of magical beasts. Ithaca is, indeed, where to find them! This October 27-29, Press Bay Alley will be the epicenter of Wizarding Weekend, but it has spread to the entire downtown area.

Tamarynde Cacciotti won the Grand Prize in the 2nd Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest held in the Ithaca Commons on Saturday. Her winning entry was a cream puff cupcake with Earl Grey pastry filling and mocha buttercream.

Second prize went to Ali Strongwater, who entered a pumpkin and crystalized ginger cupcake, with whipped brown sugar icing, and open star piped frosting topped with ginger slice and sugar ghost holding candy corn. Alexander Quilty captured third place with a chocolate raspberry-filled cupcake with a raspberry buttercream frosting.

By Doug Scott

Hi friends, I'm beautiful Nikki, a stunning tortie cat who arrived at the shelter after my owner sadly passed away. I'm in good spirits though, and know that my perfect person will be in soon! I love being petted, sitting in sunny windows, and following my person around. I'll likely snuggle in bed with you too! My previous home a quiet one without a lot of commotion, so I'm hoping that my next one will be like that too. If you're looking for a calm, easy-going feline, choose me!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Dear Margaret: Simply put, my fiancée is extremely jealous. If I smile at a grocery clerk, make small talk with another man at a cocktail party, receive a text (yes, he checks my texts on my cell phone) from a male coworker, in his mind I'm belittling him, and I'm responsible for harming our relationship. I love this man and don't know how to reassure him that I have no intentions of wandering outside of the bounds of our relationship. I don't understand why he feels like he can't trust me and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Can you give some perspective and advice?
Help with Jealousy

TCAT was honored by the American Red Cross Southern Tier Chapter at its annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner in Apalachin, NY, on Wed., Sept., 27, with a Good Neighbors Award for helping evacuate tenants at an apartment building fire in Slaterville Springs last winter.

The award stems from a freezing cold night on Fri., Dec, 30, when TCAT Transit Supervisor Mike Smith sprang into action to drive a bus to provide shelter and transport to tenants displaced by a blaze at Fountain Manor Apartments.

I ought to start paying attention.

I've been driving through Watkins Glen regularly since 1971, turning left from 414 to 14. Right on that corner is the neatest little restaurant I've seen in a while.

Jerlando's Ristorante is a place you can get everything from pizza and burgers to shrimp and scallops. It is exudes a delightfully casual ambiance, while decorated in a wonderful Italian style. Flowers decorate the front and welcome you in.

Historic Ithaca, Inc.'s Board of Directors announced that Susan Herlands Holland has been appointed its new Executive Director. The selection of Ms. Holland will allow the seamless transition from Interim Executive Director and Significant Elements Program Manager, Sara Johnson, as the organization works to fulfill its mission of 'education, advocacy, and action' for places of historic and cultural value in Tompkins County. The appointment is effective November 20th.

For the past 12 years, Ms. Holland has been the Executive Director of the Historic Albany Foundation (HAF), a nonprofit that has championed stabilization and adaptive reuse of historic buildings in the Capital region for 43 years. A vocal critic of the ease with which demolitions have taken place in Albany, Holland and HAF have worked with developers and investors to find creative alternatives and new uses for vacant buildings.

September 14th, 2017 arrived bright and beautiful for the third annual Golf Tournament hosted by the Ithaca Board of REALTORS®. Nearly $10,000 was raised for Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland County, and over sixty-four members of the community participated.

Shannon MacCarrick, Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties stated, "Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties has been building simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with income-eligible families for over 30 years. Habitat is currently building two homes in the City of Ithaca, at 208 and 210 Third Street. These homes are Habitat's first opportunities to build within the City limits. All proceeds from the Ithaca Board of REALTORS® Golf Tournament will go directly towards construction of Habitat's Third Street homes."

Aurora, NY The Wells College Association for Alumnae and Alumni has selected Christin L. Schaaf '99 for the 2017 Young Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement. The honor recognizes Schaaf's professional successes and demonstrated commitment and connection to Wells. The award will be formally given at a dinner and ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, October 14, in the Art Exhibit Room of Macmillan Hall.

As a Senior Compliance Manager with Ameriprise Financial, Schaaf oversees training for the firm's advisors and 35,000 employees in the United States and India. Her responsibilities include assuring compliance with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's annual "Firm Element" training requirements as well as preparing to implement new Department of Labor rules for four of the firm's broker-dealers. In 2015, Schaaf was an Ameriprise Chairman's Award for Excellence honoree.