Archive: News

Geneva – Senator Pam Helming today announced that the six counties that she represents are included in the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation's septic system rebate program. This fund allows property owners in eligible areas to be reimbursed for up to 50 percent of the costs for certain septic system projects up to $10,000. Helming fought for this funding in this year's New York State budget and worked aggressively to ensure that the counties she represents were eligible.

"This is a big win for our region! Clean lakes are essential to making sure that our families can lead healthy, productive lives and that our small businesses can continue to drive the economy of our region and our state," Helming said. "This septic system rebate program will accomplish that by providing qualifying property owners with the resources they need to make the repairs and upgrades necessary to prevent unhealthy discharges to our lakes. It will also allow our communities to keep protecting our precious Finger Lakes and other bodies of water that are crucial to both our local tourism industry and our environment. I was proud to strongly advocate for all of the counties that I represent. To achieve this important funding is a big win for our region. I am glad that our upstate communities and our residents will be able to benefit from this program. I strongly encourage homeowners who are interested in participating to contact their county Soil and Water Conservation Districts."

Syracuse-based Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Centro) has come to TCAT's rescue by lending two buses to the Ithaca-based transit agency to help it prevent missed trips due to bus shortages.

Upon the request of TCAT General Manager Scot Vanderpool, Centro CEO Rick Lee last week quickly agreed to lend two 40-foot 2005 New Flyer diesel buses, which TCAT bus operators and a mechanic transported back to Ithaca on Fri., Dec. 1. After they pass the required state inspections, the buses will be put into service.

Ludlowville has been a thriving community that boasted mills, a dry goods and grocery store, its own post office, churches, a school, and was even the location for silent films in the early 1900s.  Today it is largely residential.  The rustic hamlet is like a bowl -- it is below Lansingville to the north, and downhill from the Lansing school campus -- and that means when it rains, Ludlowville floods.  Despite a $480,000 county flood mitigation project in 2013, portions of Ludlowville still flooded, especially during the torrential rains the area suffered this year in July.  This fall the Lansing Highway Department did quite a bit of work to fix that. The work had already been scheduled for late summer, but the rains didn't feel like waiting.

"We took 75% of Ludlowville and improved it this year," says Highway Superintendent Charlie 'Cricket' Purcell. "The work had been scheduled, ideally, for the month of August, because I was trying to schedule it in conjunction with Red Bridge being completed.  Unfortunately we had the 'monsoons' that we had in July, and some people had substantial damage.  It wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to do this project after the fact.  It had been planned for two years, and was on the docket for August.  Unfortunately we had that unusual July."

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Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport (ITH) announces the installation of Mamava, a lactation suite that will give mothers the choice to nurse their infants in private.

"We were disturbed to learn that some of our travelers who are nursing mothers and seeking privacy were forced to do so in the women's restroom," stated Director of Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport Mike Hall.

Town and County officials joined local residents to celebrate the reopening of Ludlowville's Red Bridge after nearly two years.  Lansing Highway Superintendent Charlie 'Cricket' Purcell hosted a celebration and ribbon cutting Saturday morning before Thanksgiving to commemorate the fact that the bridge, painted green in 1962, has returned to the color that it was named for over a century ago.

"There was an awful lot of good feedback from people who are pleased with how it came out," Purcell said.  "Being back to red makes a lot of people happy.  It recreates a nice little gateway to the hamlet that is here, and goes along with the history.  I think it's great."

Geneva, NY – Senator Pam Helming and Assemblyman Majority Leader Joe Morelle today announced introduction of legislation (S6924/A8787) that will prohibit individuals under the age of 18 from purchasing, possessing, or using any products containing kratom. The bill would amend the public health law to define and regulate kratom as well as direct the New York State Department of Health to conduct a study on the benefits and risks of kratom.

"During my recent roundtable discussion on the heroin and opioid crisis, I was proud to announce my sponsorship of this bill to prohibit minors from purchasing kratom. It is important that we regulate and control its sale to minors. This legislation shows that we take seriously the addiction crisis that is plaguing our families and communities instead of just paying lip service to it. I look forward to advocating for this measure in the upcoming legislative session, and I thank Assemblyman Morelle for his partnership on this measure," Helming said.

Washington, DC - Congressman Tom Reed supported a House Resolution Wednesday designed to curb sexual harassment in Congress.

"No one can justify sexual assault and harassment as acceptable. It has to end, no excuses," Reed said. "The stories I am hearing are deeply troubling. It doesn't matter who you are or what your title is, this needs to stop now. This resolution is an important step in making sure everyone is educated about sexual harassment and that victims understand they are protected under the law."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Wednesday the grand opening of 210 Hancock Street, the $20 million mixed-use development in Ithaca. 210 Hancock Street comprises a four-story building and five townhomes with a total of 59 rental units, 80 percent of which are affordable to low-income families. The project also includes commercial space, which is providing space for an Early Head Start program, as well as the Free Science Workshop, a nonprofit organization that provides hands-on Science Technology Engineering and Math programming for local youth.

"This expansive development will improve the quality of life for residents in Ithaca for years to come," Governor Cuomo said. "Combining neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, and early childhood education is a great achievement and a win for the Southern Tier."

Legislators Voice Special Thanks to Recognize Departing Administrator Joe Mareane
With what they termed as "an abundance of gratitude," members of the Tompkins County Legislature, joined in proclamation "to recognize and thank Joe Mareane for his years of dedicated and tireless service to the residents and employees of Tompkins County, upon his retirement from a 37-year career in local government. Mr. Mareane, who has served as Tompkins County Administrator for the past nine years, commenced a medical leave as of November 13, and will retire as of November 30.

Legislators, Department Heads, and staff joined in paying tribute, many wearing orange to symbolize the Administrator's Syracuse connection—from graduating from Syracuse University's Maxwell School in 1979, through his many years in Syracuse and Onondaga County government, where he last served for 12 years as Chief Fiscal Officer before joining Tompkins County in 2008. The wide-ranging, two-page proclamation described his extensive career in public service and thanked him for the many, many ways of how he has contributed to Tompkins County through his executive leadership.

The Public Service Commission last week unanimously approved NYSEG's compressor proposal and ordered the prompt issuance of a request for proposals to address area energy and economic development needs as an alternative to the Lansing/Freeville Reinforcement Gas Pipeline Project, also known as the West Dryden Road natural gas pipeline.

"Tompkins County applauds last week's decision by the Public Service Commission, and the willingness of the Commission and NYSEG to work with our community to find new ways to address old problems. NYSEG's solution allows us to address critical safety and reliability concerns without expanding our carbon footprint," said Tompkins County Legislator Martha Robertson. "We look forward to seeing the innovative solutions that are proposed in the request for proposals to support economic development while cutting our use of fossil fuels."

Joe Wetmore (D, G) has defeated Robert Cree (R, I) for a seat on the Lansing Town Board.The outcome has been uncertain for almost two weeks since the November 7th election day because the vote count was so close.  At the end of Election Day Cree was up by 12 votes, but with around 100 absentee and affadavit votes still to be counted neither candidate could claim victory.  Last week the ballots that had been received to date were counter, resulting in Wetmore pulling ahead by two votes.

After Monday's deadline to receive military votes, election commissioners reconvened to count the remaining votes.  Cree gained two new votes, but Wetmore added four, giving him a four vote lead.

First Cree was leading by 12 votes.  Then Wetmore was on top by 2 votes.  With such a close margin the outcome of last week's Lansing Town Board election is anything but certain.  Robert Cree (R, I) Doug Dake (R, I) Joe Wetmore (D, G), and Walaa Maharem-Horan (D, L) competed for two board seats last Tuesday, and while Dake received enugh votes to insure a second term, the margin of votes between incumbent Cree and challenger Wetmore was too close to call.

"Dake has clearly won and Maharem-Horan has clearly finished fourth, so it's just a question of who finishes second," says Democratic Tompkins County Board of Elections Commissioner, Stephen Dewitt.  "We're still counting all the absentee ballots that have been filed all through the county.  We convened last Thursday (November 9th) and opened approximately 185 absentee ballots and approximately 15  affidavit ballots."