Archive: Around Town

This is not reality – this is FANTASY, one of the greatest places for geeks and semi normal people to gather, be entertained, fed and have a generally great time.

The New York Renaissance Fair is celebrating its 40'th year of knights and wenches, comedy and drama, royalty and beggars and more. Although it's a more than a day trip from Lansing, it's well worth the weekend.

Tompkins County's Director of Recycling and Materials Management Barbara Eckstrom has been elected to the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) Board of Directors.

The elections were held during the 2017 Resource Recycling Conference in Minneapolis, MN. The NRC is a non-profit organization that is focused on the promotion and enhancement of recycling in the United States, with a network of more than 6,000 members that extends across waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting.

By Doug Scott

Are you fond of extra-large, handsome, introverted dogs? Are German Shepherds your favorite breed? I’m just your type; I’m Rennie, one of the most striking dudes on the adoption floor. When we first meet, I’ll probably act a little shy, but like most introverts, I show my personality best when I get to hang out with my friends. I like walks and showing off my basic obedience training, but what I really love is playing! Tug, fetch, soccer, tag, wrestling; it’s all fun! I would love to have a yard where I can play and romp with my family every day. Did I mention that I’m also housebroken and crate-trained? In my previous home, I was trying to catch the cats, so I need a place without cats, small dogs, or other prey-like critters. I do like most big dogs, so I wouldn’t mind living with canine housemates. True to my GSD ancestry, I can be protective of my home and anxious about strangers showing up, so I need a family that I know will watch my back and help me get to know the new people at my own pace. I’m not used to kids, and was uncomfortable when they visited my previous home, so I would prefer a home with just adults or older teens. Do you have a home that needs a big, playful dog? Talk to the staff at the shelter about meeting me!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

v13i35

Next week, the Cassini spacecraft's historic exploration will end with a dramatic crash into Saturn's atmosphere. To honor Cassini's achievements and Cornell's research role, the Department of Astronomy will hold a community farewell celebration Sept. 15 in 105 Space Sciences Building. The event will begin at 7:30 a.m.; NASA's live feed of Cassini's grand finale is estimated to begin just before 8 a.m.

During the event, Todd Ansty, a member of the Cassini imaging team at Cornell, will offer reminiscences about working on the spacecraft, answer questions about instrumentation and share some Cassini's discoveries about Saturn's rings. Cornell's Spacecraft Planetary Imaging Facility (SPIF) will display images of Saturn and its moons on its "magic planet" globe, and SPIF manager Zoe Ponterio will answer Cassini questions.

Carrying a banner saying "Rooted in Community," New Roots Charter School students and staff walked the Commons together today in celebration of their shared values as a school community committed to social justice and ecological sustainability.

"Inspired by the values of the first people who were stewards of this land, New Roots expresses the core value of respect for self, others, and the environment into all that we learn and do," said Tina Nilsen-Hodges, principal. "Our school is an example of the power and potential of a whole school community committed to shared values that foster justice and environmental stewardship."

At the Ithaca City School District's (ICSD) annual Convocation for all teachers and staff on Tuesday, Steven Manley, Executive Director of the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI), was joined by Dr. Jamie Loehr to present the Raymond C. Loehr Innovative Science Teaching Award to Anna Chapman of Caroline Elementary School.

Chapman has been a staff member at Caroline since 2011 where she teaches fourth grade and where she has created and leads the Caroline STEM Club.

"Don't cry over spilled milk. It could have been wine!" is the sign over the bar at Montezuma Winery at the intersection of Rt 89 and Rts 5&20. This pretty much sums up the attitude here, fun, whimsy and good taste – with properly placed priorities.

One of the great things about living in the Finger Lakes is that there are so many wineries, distilleries, cheeseries, eateries and other-eries to visit that we could go for years without ever repeating ourselves, but I'll try. It's a tough job and someone's got to do it.

By Doug Scott

Sometimes people call me short, but I think I'm Fun-Sized! I'm Kita, the bounciest pup with the biggest grin in the shelter! My legs may be short, but you probably won't notice because I make up for that with sheer enthusiasm. I love people, and firmly believe that strangers are just friends I haven't met yet. I love toys too; tug ropes, squeaky toys, balls to chase, they're all awesome! Treats are wonderful too, and I've started learning some basic obedience skills. I can be overwhelming for kids, since I forget that tackling them with kisses might not go over well, but a household with teenagers I can't knock over would be great. I would like to be the only pet in my new home, but I promise we'll have plenty of fun and adventures together. Do you find life as exciting as I do? I bet we'd be a great match! Come to the shelter and let's get to know each other!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

v13i34

Dear Margaret: I quit teaching middle school about 15 years ago because we weren't allowed to 'discipline' the students. And by discipline, I mean we weren't allowed to correct grammar and spelling (the student needs to feel appreciated for their efforts) or use red ink to correct a paper (that would make them feel bad and perceive you were angry with them). I went back to school to get a degree in marine biology. Now I'm working in a laboratory environment and guess who we employ? The very students that grew up in the 'feel good' age. They become angered when corrected, think nothing of coming to work late, and they have no work ethic. My problem seems to have followed me. These kids exhaust me. They have poor attitudes and seem untrainable. I can't avoid them and firing them is not an option for me. How can I coexist with this generation?!?
Millennials on my Mind

Congressman Tom Reed announces that Cornell University is the recipient of a $263,937 grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will benefit the Upward Bound program which aids high school students from low-income backgrounds and students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree.

"We care about making sure that all students who want to, can attend college regardless of their background. This grant will help make higher education a reality for many people looking to go to college," Reed stated.

The Tompkins County Public Library Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Annette Birdsall as the Library's sixth director. Birdsall will replace Susan Currie, who will retire in October after more than eight years as Library Director.

"It is my honor to announce the Board's unanimous selection of Annette Birdsall as the incoming director of the Tompkins County Public Library," said Bruce Ryan, president of the library's board of trustees, following a special August 29 meeting of the board. "We are impressed with her passion for libraries and their role in our community, and we're confident that she has the leadership ability to build on our momentum and propel us forward."

Village of Lansing Trustees voted to extend its deer management program for its 11th year.  Cornell University Department of Natural Resources' Dr. Bernd Blossey, who manages the program for the Village, asked to repeat a special Deer Management Focus Areas (DMFA) version of the program that allows baiting and hunting at night to increase the prospect of success in controlling the deer population in the Village.

The program began in 2007 after complaints from landowners whose property and gardens were destroyed by a deer population that could not be sustained in the Village.  The first year 11 deer were taken, but only two in 2008.  In 2009 33 deer were taken, then in subsequent years numbers in the mid-40s or mid-60s were taken.  In 2014 a high of 68 deer were removed from the Village population, and 43 last year.