The Ithaca Journal's editorial starts as "the raspy gee-gaw call of a male redwing blackbird echoed in a Dryden marsh," writing about the studies of local bird populations done by the Birdhouse Network, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The editorial hopes that concrete steps to ease pressures on bird populations will make "putting up a string of nesting boxes for the bluebirds becomes a good reminder of how if each of us walks a bit more softly on this planet it will be a much better place for all its life."
Abigail Krich of Fayston, Massachusetts, writes to emphasize that student pressure on Cornell is driving the university's alternative energy interest, including their proposed windmill project on Mount Pleasant.
The county discussed recent flooding and the environmental impact of the emergency communications system, with an executive session that may or may not have been appropriate.
The Ithaca school district is looking at middle school redistricting to follow elementary redistricting. The Journal says that "Currently South Hill, Cayuga Heights, Fall Creek and Belle Sherman students go to Boynton, while Beverly J. Martin, Caroline, Northeast and Enfield students go to DeWitt." While Superintendent Judith Pastel is talking about sending Belle Sherman students to DeWitt and Enfield students to Boynton, it looks like the shift of Varna students to Caroline will also mean that they will attend DeWitt instead of Boynton.
Posted by simon at April 7, 2005 8:00 AM in Cornell , Ithaca Journal , Mount Pleasant , energy , politics (local) , schools (Ithaca)