Archive: Opinions

Last summer you began to notice changes in the look and feel of the Lansing Star.  We gave each section its own look, while retaining a sameness of usability that we hoped would make it easier for you to find what you are looking for.  We have been slowly adding regular features and content, and are adding more now that 2010 has started.

I am pleased to welcome Judith Pratt to our staff.  Judith will be covering the Ithaca City School District for the Lansing Star starting later this month.  This is something I have wanted to do since we began, because many Lansing children from the Village of Lansing attend there.  I am very pleased that we not only have Judith as a resource for this reporting but that we are able to offer such an accomplished and talented writer's work. 

We also have a cadre of volunteer contributors, and I have been very pleased with the diversity and quality of their pieces, as well as their dedication in contributing to their local online newspaper.  Starting in today's issue Gregory Wasenko joins that wonderful group with his weekly comic 'Howard, Zwat and Friends.'

I also want to urge you to discover all of our regular contributors.  I can't say enough about the wonderful coaches and parents who have contributed regularly to our Sports pages.  With such a small staff I can't make most of the games and meets, because I am covering municipal and other stories.  I also admit to being sports-impaired, so my writing on the subject wouldn't 'speak the language' of the sports that I know our community values.  These writers have done an amazing job of keeping our readers up to date, and I look forward to many more great articles this year.

Our longest standing weekly contributors, other than myself, are Jim Evans and Allison Veaner, and Matthew P. Binkewicz.  Jim writes 'Smart Talk,' a witty look at misuses of the English language that graces our Entertainment page every week.  Allison writes the Pet of the Week feature on the left side of the Around Town page that we hope encourages people to adopt animals from the Tompkins County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).  Matthew was our advice columnist for years ('Ask IMO'), and also contributed a column on counselling.  More recently his 'To The Point' editorials on our Opinions page regularly get more readers than my own editorials (which I think is entirely fitting).

On the business page we have a great column, Business Notes by Patricia Brown.  Patty is a professional who offers business advice that goes beyond just dollars and cents.  In the 'Wine and Dine' section we have three columns that are (mostly) regular.  Katrina Binkewicz ('Food Bites') and Marion Ferrer ('Sweet talk') contribute wonderful columns, about food, cooking, baking, and local dining spots.  Both also contribute recipes -- check them out on the Recipes page.  Jim and Mary Sullivan contribute the engaging 'Out and About in the Finger Lakes' on the Tourism page.  While we originally envisioned this as a column on local wineries the Sullivans expanded the idea to a wonderful personal tour guide to our beautiful Finger Lakes region.

We also added a Weddings section where Monroe Payne offers advice on planning your wedding.

Over the years many others have contributed, and their work has made your community newspaper richer and more valuable.  Please look for their work -- you won't be sorry you did, and I think you will become as hooked on their columns as I have.

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