Archive: News

Geneva - Senator Pam Helming today announced that a bill that she co-sponsored to reduce the cost of insurance for agritourism businesses was signed into law. The cost of liability insurance is becoming increasingly costly particularly for small farms that host agritourism activities, such as U-Pick produce, U-Cut Christmas trees, farm and winery tours, snowmobiling, hunting, and other forms of outdoor recreation.

"Agritourism businesses throughout the Wayne-Finger Lakes region and across New York State thrive because people enjoy the opportunity to pick their own produce and tour the local farms. The agricultural industry is one of our region's top revenue generators and job creators. Regulatory red tape is a challenge for New York business owners, including agricultural businesses. Reducing unnecessary regulations allows these businesses to generate revenue that supports our tax base and creates jobs. Under this legislation, business owners – especially small farmers – can make visitors aware of the risks of participation and reduce their insurance costs. I was proud to join my colleagues in supporting this important measure, and it is great to have it signed into law to help our local farms," Senator Helming said.

The Tompkins County Legislature tonight invited comment on the County's 2018 Tentative Budget and the Capital Program for the next five years. The Tentative Budget is County Administrator Joe Mareane's Recommended Budget, as amended by the Legislature. The hearing is the formal opportunity as part of the budget process to register comments with the Legislature.

More than 50 people attended and 12 of them spoke during tonight's 45-minute hearing, nearly all of them speaking about something that had not been a major issue as part of the budget process—voicing strong support of the Office of Human Rights and its director, Karen Baer, who has been on a leave of absence since October 13.

Dryden Deputy Supervisor Dan Lamb announced this week that the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has confirmed they will grant the town's request to let the Dryden Rail Trail traverse state property on Game Farm Road. Securing access to this section of the trail will allow the trail to open from Game Farm Road to Route 13, and ultimately all the way to the village of Dryden. The DEC property has long been one of the two biggest obstacles for the trail; for years, local leaders have petitioned DEC to allow the trail to cross its property, but the request was never granted.

Following a year-long series of phone calls, letters, emails, and a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner, Lamb was able to convene a meeting last month at the Game Farm offices with stakeholders, members of the Rail Trail Task Force, town staff members, and the DEC. He and Supervisor Jason Leifer pitched their plan to DEC staff, who agreed to review the proposal. Last week, they agreed to negotiate an agreement with the town of Dryden. This final 2600 feet, Lamb hopes, will build the momentum needed to secure a few remaining easements near Etna, thus allowing completion of the 10.5 mile long project.

Pop quiz: Would you rather try to remember which side of the street to park on, be threatened by the City of Ithaca with citations for getting it wrong, and the potential of hundreds of dollars of fees, even on days when it didn't snow?  Or would you prefer to get an alert on your phone that even/odd parking is about to be implemented because of inclement weather?  Or how about this: if you could get a phone alert about flooding on East Shore Drive would you go that way anyway, or detour over to Triphammer Road?  Getting local alerts on your phone would be so convenient if only they had something like that.  Tompkins County Legislature Chair Michael Lane and Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick made this announcement Tuesday: now we do.

New York State Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton held a press conference Tuesday to announce she and Assemblyman Steve Englebright have sent a new letter to New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos urging a moratorium on all permitting of salt mining beneath Lake Cayuga, and requested the DEC require Cargill to move its mining operations under dry land.  Lifton said she is categorically opposed to continued mining under the lake.

"It is critical that we preserve this fresh water lake, both for drinking water and for every other purpose that it has," she said.  "I think we ought to be operating by the precautionary principal.  Given what we know about what happened at Retsof... we also had problems with a mine at Tully, and roof collapses at Crestwood... there are major geological forces at work and I don't know why we would want to take a risk with it.  This is talking about not taking those risks."

	Click here for Planning Board documents, including public comments that were submitted on the Comprehensive Plan revision.

The Lansing Town Planning Board hear public comments Monday to be considered for its final draft of the Comprehensive Plan revision before sending it to the Town Board for consideration.  About 30 people attended the hearing  A dozen people spoke.

"We all want to see some growth, but not stupid growth," reflected Planning Board Chairman Tom Ellis.  "We struggle with 'where do you put it?'  We've made a pact to preserve farm land when we can and as we can.  We see, on the other end, that our infrastructure is moving north.  The logical place, in the planning sense, is to move people and density where the infrastructure is moving.  It's constantly a balance trying to infill existing neighborhoods or work around existing neighborhoods to keep growth where it probably should be, as opposed to chewing up farmland.  It's always easier to say 'can't they move this to some place else?'  Where is that 'someplace else'?"

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			November 7th is election day.  In Lansing that means that three County Legislature seats are to be filled.  In Districts 6, 7, and 8 only one candidate is running.  Deborah Dawson (D) is running in Districts 6 and 7 (Village of Lansing), and Glenn Morey (R)/ is running in District 8 (the eastern portion of North Lansing).  Michael Koplinka-Loehr (D) is challenging incumbent Mike Sigler (R) in districts 1 through 5.  Democrats Joe Wetmore and Walaa Maharem-Horan are challenging incumbent Republicans Robert Cree and Doug Dake for Lansing Town Board seats. The Lansing Star asks the same questions of all the candidates in contested races.  This allows you to compare the candidates on a level playing field.  The questions are the same for all, but their answers differentiate the candidates. We did that with each of the Town Board candidates, and you will all the interviews in this week's issue.  For County Legislature we did something different this year: the Lansing Star hosted a debate, and you can see the video by clicking the graphic to the left.  All the interviews plus the debate video will continue to be available through election day. The ballot also has three proposals.  The first is to authorize a Constitutional Convention to revise and amend the state constitution.  The second allows the complete or partial forfeiture of a public officer's pension if he or she is convicted of a felony.  The third authorizes the use of forest preserve lands  for specific purposes and allow bicycle trails and utility lines on roads that go through public forests.
Michael Koplinka-Loehr, Mike Sigler (click to see debate video)
Walaa Maharem-Horan	Doug Dake
Joe Wetmore	Robert Cree

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The Tompkins County Sheriff's Office has received multiple complaints regarding fraudulent phone calls being made to community members on behalf of the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office.

These calls are coming in from local numbers and using current personnel names in an attempt to solicit money. They are using a variety of reasons for the call; "missed court dates", "summons", “warrant of arrest”, etc...

Should you receive a suspicious call asking for such funds to be "transferred", "given via gift card", or "meeting up at a specific location", please hang up. As with similar scams (such as the IRS scam), the Sheriff's Office will not contact you asking for these kinds of funds.

However, the Deputy Sheriff's Union typically does fundraising. This can come in the form of a letter or a phone call. If you find the call suspicious in any way and have doubt as to its authenticity, please contact the Sheriff's Office main line (607-257-1345) or the non-emergency line to Dispatch (607-272-2444) for clarification.

Doug Dake (R) is running for his second term on the Lansing Town Board.  His top issue is 'getting the word out'.  He says the current board runs well, but people have questions about planning and the process of how town governments are required by state law to work. 

Dake is a general contractor who, along with his business partner Doug Boles, has been in business for 20 years.  He has has lived in Lansing for a total of about 37 years, and spent several years coaching wrestling at Lansing High School.  He and his wife Jodi have three children, Kyle, Corey, and Kristen.  He invited the Lansing Star to his home to talk about his candidacy.

Walaa Maharem-Horan (D) is running for Town Councilwoman, her first time running for elected office.  Proper budgeting is her biggest concern in the campaign, as well as proper planning to make sure infrastructure is in place before big projects come to fruition.

She and her husband met in high school in Connecticut, and married after college.  He went to Ithaca College and only planned to stay in Lansing for a year after they married, but have been here for 12 years so far.  Executive Director for Ithaca Montessori School in Lansing.  She invited the Lansing Star to her home to discuss her campaign.

			November 7th is election day.  In Lansing that means that three County Legislature seats are to be filled.  In Districts 6, 7, and 8 only one candidate is running.  Deborah Dawson (D) is running in Districts 6 and 7 (Village of Lansing), and Glenn Morey (R)/ is running in District 8 (the eastern portion of North Lansing).  Michael Koplinka-Loehr (D) is challenging incumbent Mike Sigler (R) in districts 1 through 5.  Democrats Joe Wetmore and Walaa Maharem-Horan are challenging incumbent Republicans Robert Cree and Doug Dake for Lansing Town Board seats. The Lansing Star asks the same questions of all the candidates in contested races.  This allows you to compare the candidates on a level playing field.  The questions are the same for all, but their answers differentiate the candidates. We did that with each of the Town Board candidates, and you will find the first two interviews in this week's issue, and the remaining two next week.  For County Legislature we did something different this year: the Lansing Star hosted a debate, and you can see the video by clicking the graphic to the left.  All the interviews plus the debate video will continue to be available through election day. The ballot also has three proposals.  The first is to authorize a Constitutional Convention to revise and amend the state constitution.  The second allows the complete or partial forfeiture of a public officer's pension if he or she is convicted of a felony.  The third authorizes the use of forest preserve lands  for specific purposes and allow bicycle trails and utility lines on roads that go through public forests.
Michael Koplinka-Loehr, Mike Sigler (click to see debate video)
Walaa Maharem-Horan	Doug Dake
Joe Wetmore (See Interview in next week's issue)	Robert Cree (See Interview in next week's issue)

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