Archive: News

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded the Greater Binghamton Airport $280,250 to repave and extend the taxiway leading to the airport’s primary runway- improving taxiway patterns, runway access, and exiting efficiencies.

“The Greater Binghamton Airport is a key part of economic growth and development for the Southern Tier, and I am pleased to announce these much-needed funds to maintain a high level of safety and service,” said Arcuri, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee which is responsible for authorizing funds through the FAA.

(Ithaca, NY) – Speaking to a crowd of dozens of friends and supporters, Mayor Carolyn K. Peterson announced today that she is seeking a second term of office as Mayor of the City of Ithaca. In her announcement, the Mayor focused on several key areas, including:
 

• Leadership in affordable housing initiatives and climate change efforts
• New relationships between the city and town to explore shared and consolidated services
• Support for dynamic new programs through community block grant funds such as; commercial drivers license training and immigrant support services

"We are such stuff
As dreams are made on and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep."

When Shakespeare wrote those lines nearly 400 years ago he could have been talking about a planning board meeting where dreams of the future appear to local residents.  Lansing's Planning Board considered such dreams Monday when representatives of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society came to talk about possible futures for Kingdom Farm.

The votes were counted after the polls closed at 9pm Tuesday, and when the dust had settled the $22 million 2007-2008 Lansing School budget and $362,000 for school busses had been approved by the voters.  After a whirlwind week in which one candidate dropped out, a new candidate who replaced her got the top number of votes for one of two open school board seats, and the incumbent lost her bid for another term.

But the news wasn't good for the Lansing Community Library Center, which lost its bid to become an independent library by 32 votes.  "It's incredibly disappointing," says Library Chairperson Marlaine Darfler.  "We went back after (the vote count) and were looking at this gorgeous building.  It's paid for with the doors open, ready to go.  We though, 'Oh my God, we can't lock this place up!'  But people also have to realize we can't continue trucking along.  We will truck along, but at a much slower speed."

Lansing's Town Board got a glimpse of the next phase of the Salt Point restoration Wednesday when landscape architect Emily Powers presented planting and weed control strategies for the site.  Located across Salmon Creek from Myers Park, the Town of Lansing has a 25 year lease to manage the DEC property, and to restore it as a natural habitat where visitors can hunt, fish, and enjoy nature.

Powers is a graduate student who is finishing her MA in Landscape Architecture at Cornell in the next few weeks.  The Washington, DC native was enlisted by Town Envoronmental Planner Darby Kiley and Horticulture Professor Tom Whitlow to develop a planting strategy for the project.  "This is a great, productive town-gown interaction," Kiley says.  "She has been working with me and Tom Whitlow, who has been involved for quite a few years, and we've tried to find students to do things there."

County Legislature HighlightsCounty Administrator Stephen Whicher to Retire
After seven years as Tompkins County Administrator, Steve Whicher tonight told the County Legislature that this year with the County will be his last. The Administrator announced his intent to retire by the middle of next year.

Mr. Whicher said, “I would like to announce my intent to retire between March and June of 2008. When I was appointed to this position, I felt that the transition was made more difficult because there was a lack of attention paid to the planning. Thus, I am providing you with this extended notice, with the hope that an inclusive process and smooth transition will result.”

When Don Lein got his home insurance policy last month a series of additional coverages were offered to him.  "One of them was flood insurance," he told the Village Trustees at their regular meeting last Monday.  "From where I sit I don't see any imminence of flooding, but things do happen.  I called my carrier and he said he'd be glad to give me a quote.  But the next day he called back and said, 'We can not give you a quote, because Lansing is not registered with FEMA.  Until it is registered with FEMA we can not give you a quote of flood insurance.'"

Albany— New York State Senator Michael Nozzolio today announced that he has received thousands of cards from residents in his Senate district supporting his efforts to bring the New York State Food Laboratory to Geneva. Senator Nozzolio delivered the cards to Governor Eliot Spitzer today to show the overwhelming support that the project has in Geneva and the entire Finger Lakes region.

WASHINGTON, DC – At a railroad safety hearing of the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Material Subcommittee of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this afternoon, U.S. Representative Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) shed light on the potentially dangerous impact of placing high-voltage power lines like those proposed by New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) along railroad rights-of-way.

“I know all too well how critical it is to make sure that our freight and passenger railroads are compliant with safety requirements,” said Arcuri. “On March 12, 28 cars of a CSX freight train derailed in Oneida, NY- creating havoc and halting transportation. A month later the Federal Railroad Administration announced that it found 78 track defects. In this alarming climate, a private company is seeking to build a 190-mile high voltage direct current transmission line which would potentially run right along these very same railroad rights-of-way. Railroads are valuable to our commerce and our communities – but they must be safe and reliable”

About 35 people came to Lansing High School Tuesday to meet the three candidates running for two Board  Of Education (BOE) seats, but one of the candidates may not have been who they were expecting.  After Gina Lord Shattuck withdrew from the race over the weekend the district announced it would accept new petitions until 5 o'clock Tuesday.  Saying that Lansing voters have a right to have choices, Mike Cheatham tossed his hat into the ring, turning in the required signatures within the new deadline.  "I am not Gina Lord Shattuck," Cheatham said in his opening statement.  But that was one of few humorous moments, as residents grilled the candidates on serious issues facing the district.

Considering the controversy surrounding the $22 million Lansing Schools 2007-2008 budget it was surprising that only a handful of people showed up for the budget hearing last Thursday.  But problems publicizing the event along with a budget mailing that was delayed at the printer meant that many Lansing taxpayers didn't realize the hearing was scheduled.

While Lansing's Sewer Committee has been grappling with resolving issues raised about the sewer project by the public, they continued to negotiate with the Village of Lansing to finalize a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the two municipalities.  This negotiation has been going on for more than six months, because if the initiative passes a trunk sewer line will be constructed through the Village to join the Town sewer to the Cayuga Heights treatment plant.  At Wednesday 's meeting they seemed to hit a snag.

From the beginning the municipalities have been stuck on two issues.  The first is how much the Village will pay toward the project, because it is anticipated that the trunk line will service some Village residents.  The Village currently owns and maintains its own sewer system, but some areas are not yet served by it.  The second issue is that Mayor Donald Hartill maintains that if a portion of the trunk line is in the Village, then the Village must own it.  Town Engineer David Herrick read excerpts of a letter from Town Attorney Guy Krogh Wednesday addressing that issue.