November 11, 2005

Concession; Dryden development

This morning's Ithaca Journal has a lot from last night's Town Board meeting, with an article on Mike Lane's concession speech and another piece on possible development north of the Village of Dryden near TC3. One plan, proposed by Bill Wilbern, would include a possible Best Western motel, while the other would move (and expand) a large engineering firm, Advanced...

Posted by simonstl at 05:07 PM

November 10, 2005

Votes, snowmobiles, and adopted pets

This morning's Journal reports on the dwindling of Mike Hattery's lead over Mike Lane to 20 votes in the District 14 legislative contest, with 30 possible ballots still out there. A report on snowmobile safety starts with a quote from 14-year-old T.J. Frost of Dryden: "You get to go out and see what's in the woods, the scenery - just...

Posted by simonstl at 08:12 AM

November 09, 2005

Election day happenings

Today's Journal notices the November 8th election. The "Wilkinson wins DA race" across the top is hard to miss, as is the picture of County Legislator Martha Robertson congratulating Gwen Wilkinson, who defeated incumbent District Attorney George Dentes by a preliminary count of 10,947 to 9,099. They credit Robertson with a clear win over W. David Restey, but leave County...

Posted by simonstl at 11:47 AM

November 08, 2005

Is there really an election today?

There is indeed an election today, but you wouldn't know it from looking at the Ithaca Journal until you reached the editorial, titled "Ignore it all but the blood". The bottom left corner of page 1B lists election dinners. Page 3B has a list of polling places and more mention of Election Day dinners. I was curious if other papers...

Posted by simonstl at 02:25 PM

November 07, 2005

Letters from Dryden

This morning's Journal is quiet on Dryden news, but carries two Dryden letters on the opinion page. They left out County Legislator Mike Lane's final piece out on Saturday, and include it today. Lane notes a number of ways in which his opponent has come to agree with him and asks voters for their support. Also on the opinion page,...

Posted by simonstl at 01:17 PM

November 06, 2005

Last letters from candidates

Yesterday's Ithaca Journal gave county candidates one last chance to get their message out to voters, and published a set of letters from candidates. Once again, they've published it online as one huge file, but County Legislature candidates Martha Robertson and W. David Restey have a letter each in there....

Posted by simonstl at 01:47 PM

November 04, 2005

No endorsement in DA race; town candidates speak out

This morning's Ithaca Journal has a long and detailed editorial on the District Attorney's race (in tiny print), but concludes that: The decision before Tompkins County voters is an enormous one. The District Attorney's office is the people's representative at the heart of the most essential function of government. Putting aside the hollow distractions of the campaign trail, the decision...

Posted by simonstl at 08:37 AM

November 03, 2005

Town and County politics

Today's Ithaca Journal has lots of politics, including lots of Dryden politics. The Town Board race gets a meet-the-candidates article, and there's an article on the 14th district legislature race, but unfortunately the profiles of County Legislator Mike Lane and challenger Mike Hattery aren't online. The opinion pages have the last day of letters on local elections, though they published...

Posted by simonstl at 12:29 PM

November 02, 2005

Hall Pass to jazz

This morning's Ithaca Journal features Hall Pass, a group of Dryden teachers who play jazz together. If you want to hear them, they have a "semi-official gig on the second Friday of the month at the Dryden Hotel." The rest of the Dryden-relevant news is mostly politics. There's a piece on the 13th District legislative race, pitting incumbent Democrat Martha...

Posted by simonstl at 12:07 PM

November 01, 2005

Lots of October rain

As everyone in Dryden no doubt noticed, there was a lot of rain in October - 7.27 inches, up from the usual 3.26. All the rain we didn't get this summer apparently fell over the last few weeks. It could be worse - New York's Central Park got 16.73 inches! (It might be my fault for finally buying a bicycle...

Posted by simonstl at 08:46 AM

October 29, 2005

Hanshaw Road's namesake

This morning's Journal is quiet about Dryden, except for a mention in an article about how Hanshaw Road got its name. In the print edition, Elia Kacapyr looks over September's business activity and calculates that Tompkins County's economy is currently on track to grow about 3% in 2005....

Posted by simonstl at 06:16 PM

October 28, 2005

Legislative races

I was too busy yesterday to sit down and write, but there wasn't much in Dryden news in yesterday's Ithaca Journal, except for a couple of pieces that fit well with today's paper. The Journal's head-to-head pieces on the opinion page include County Legislator Martha Robertson and challenger Dave Restey yesterday, and County Legislator Mike Lane and challenger Mike Hattery...

Posted by simonstl at 12:21 PM

October 26, 2005

Raining dogs and cats

The Tompkins County SPCA's Hanshaw Road facility is bulging with dogs and cats in need of homes. Built for 38 dogs, they now have 54, as well as 291 cats. The usual fall drop-off in occupancy hasn't happened this year, and it's a great time to consider getting a new pet, and the Journal has pictures of four to consider....

Posted by simonstl at 12:42 PM

October 25, 2005

Buttoning up for winter

This morning's Ithaca Journal looks at energy-efficiency improvements in houses, visiting Freeville resident Derek Osborne, who sounds like he's doing about the same work to his 1920s house as I had done to mine a couple of years ago, and Rosalie Borzik, who's looking for ways to save energy. I'm especially interested to see that the Village of Freeville is...

Posted by simonstl at 05:12 PM

October 22, 2005

District 9 legislative candidates face off

The Ithaca Journal's news section is quiet on Dryden, noting again that the Dryden Senior Citizens will be holding their fund-raising bazaar today from 9:00am to 2:00pm at the Dryden Fire Hall (map). The Journal's reporting on Thursday's League of Women Voters forum somehow manages not to mention any of the county legislature races in Dryden at all. On the...

Posted by simonstl at 12:43 PM

October 21, 2005

Wilkinson fights back

The only Dryden-related item in today's Ithaca Journal is in Briefly in Tompkins, which notes that the Dryden Senior Citizens will be holding their fund-raising bazaar on Saturday from 9:00am to 2:00pm at the Dryden Fire Hall (map). The race for District Attorney looks set to get ugly, as incumbent George Dentes made claims about challenger Gwen Wilkinson's involvement in...

Posted by simonstl at 12:10 PM

October 20, 2005

TC3 biotech program, county budget

Yesterday was so action-packed that I didn't get to cover the Journal, so here are yesterday's and today's papers. Yesterday's front page has an extensive on article on TC'3 new biotech program, teaching students the skills they need to work in (or study further in) a rapidly growing field. It could also have a substantial long-term effect on the local...

Posted by simonstl at 08:22 AM

October 18, 2005

Who's the fiscal conservative?

The Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden today, except for a letter from Kathy Zahler pointing out County Legislator Mike Lane's fiscal conservatism: I have in front of me information I requested that shows legislators' voting records on the 2005 budget. Out of 15 legislators, Mike Lane ranked 13th in votes on spending. Every single Republican on the Legislature called...

Posted by simonstl at 12:07 PM

October 17, 2005

A troubling correction

I'm extremely late getting to today's paper, but the Journal does something unusual, issuing a correction to letter to the editor, one with sad relevance to Dryden. The letter stated that: Dentes has prosecuted successfully a decade of criminal cases, just two examples offhand are: [...] the pervert who assaulted, murdered and dismembered two Dryden cheerleaders; are off-the-streets along with...

Posted by simonstl at 10:13 PM

October 15, 2005

Comp plan, speed limits, flu

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on Thursday night's Town Board meeting, where the comprehensive plan passed with modification to the trails. The Journal also notes that the New York State Department of Transportation will be reducing speed limits on Route 79 in the Town of Dryden from 55mph to 45mph; County Legislator Martha Robertson reported that in a letter she...

Posted by simonstl at 02:15 PM

October 13, 2005

County reaches 0% tax levy increase

There isn't much Dryden news today, but at the county level, the Legislature passed a preliminary budget with a tiny tax levy decrease by a 13-0 vote yesterday. There will be a public hearing November 9th and a final vote November 15th. There was a bit of a replay of last month's battle over adding sheriff's deputies to the budget....

Posted by simonstl at 12:23 PM

October 12, 2005

Barbershop stories tomorrow night

Cathy Wakeman's Dryden Town Talk column looks at tomorrow night's "Barbershop Stories with Bob and Beachy", talking about McKeon's barbershop where many of the tales were told. The Dryden Town Historical Society will be hosting the event, tomorrow at 7:30pm at Village Hall (map). Wakeman also notes next Friday's Sertoma Spaghetti Dinner, to be held at Dryden High School. Briefly...

Posted by simonstl at 12:40 PM

October 11, 2005

Comprehensive Plan vote Thursday

This morning's Ithaca Journal front-pages Thursday night's Town Board vote on the Town Comprehensive Plan. The article mentions the eminent domain controversy which appeared in a letter to the editor last month. Supervisor Steve Trumbull says on the trails that: "They're afraid we're going to put in the 40 miles of trail and take their land away, and that's crazy,"...

Posted by simonstl at 08:43 AM

October 07, 2005

Freeville man killed in Trumansburg ATV accident

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the death of a Freeville man in an ATV accident Saturday has been reported accidental. There's also more reporting on the county budget, including $45,195 for the Board of Elections, $39,193 for the Department of Social Services, and $108,879 for the Health Department. County Legislator Mike Lane encouraged legislators to add $30,000 to funding...

Posted by simonstl at 12:34 PM

October 06, 2005

50 years of power

It's not quite in Dryden, but 50 years of Milliken Station, now AES Cayuga, seems worth noting. Despite the magic of the grid, it's reasonable to suspect that electricity generated there in Lansing may have been used in Dryden. In county news, there's an article about library funding, as the library received $50,000 on top of its earlier budget request,...

Posted by simonstl at 05:21 PM

October 05, 2005

County DA, radio towers, open space

Today's Journal is largely quiet about Dryden, though the Groton Town Talk notes food pantries from 1:30pm to 2:30pm on October 8th and 22nd at the McLean Community Church. There will also be a steak dinner fund-raiser at the McLean Community Church on the 8th from 5:00pm to sold out, and a community bazaar from 9:00am to 2:00pm on the...

Posted by simonstl at 12:34 PM

October 04, 2005

Animation on Sunset West

This morning's Ithaca Journal visits a computer animation studio on Sunset West, Maas Digital. Dan Maas began his work at Cornell and continues it today in Dryden. You can see his work for the Mars Rover video simulation - there's even a section on how it was made. Maas was nominated for two Emmy awards in July for his work...

Posted by simonstl at 06:26 PM

October 03, 2005

Dryden resident calls for Iraq disengagement

Dryden resident Nancy Suci writes that: We need to leave Iraq. Our time there diminishes our reputation in the world. Our actions in Iraq increase the anger and resentment that erupts in terrorist acts. And we are neglecting our own citizens, their health, their education, their general welfare. Where are the good ideas? In county news, there's an article comparing...

Posted by simonstl at 12:11 PM

October 01, 2005

Dryden and Ithaca still have JV Football

I hadn't realized it, but the Dryden and Ithaca school districts are among the few in the county that still have a junior varsity football program. Lansing also has one, and Trumansburg's closed this fall. The pictures with the article are of the Dryden team, and there's some good discussion of why JV is a good complement to varsity football...

Posted by simonstl at 01:33 PM

September 30, 2005

Lane and Totman fight for additional deputies

This morning's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden news, but the county legislature is busy with the budget. The Journal looks at the votes for the sheriff's department. Dryden legislators Mike Lane and George Totman pushed for three new deputies, then two, and finally had a 7-6 vote that added one new deputy to the department. Legislator Martha Robertson voted...

Posted by simonstl at 05:47 PM

September 29, 2005

TC3 starts first fund-raising campaign

I always thought that state colleges and universities were supposed to be paid for by the state, but it's become clearer and clearer lately that the state, or at least the people currently running it, doesn't like that idea much. Hence, we get TC3 kicking off a $3 million dollar capital campaign, off to a good start with $1.7 million...

Posted by simonstl at 04:34 PM

September 28, 2005

Corgis on Baker Hill Road

The Our Towns section of today's Ithaca Journal and the paper generally have lots about Dryden today, but I'll start with the most fun article, about a Corgi at a house just up the hill from mine who won the American Kennel Club's Master Agility Championship. Cecilia Madsen and her dog Sage won the award on June 25th, and perhaps...

Posted by simonstl at 12:30 PM

September 27, 2005

County budget, DA's race

There isn't much in today's Ithaca Journal about Dryden, except a reminder that school taxes in Dryden are due Saturday to avoid a penalty. (In the Ithaca district, they're due October 31st.) There's lots of county news, however. A front page article visits last night's county budget meeting to see what the public had to say about the proposed no-tax-levy-increase...

Posted by simonstl at 08:52 AM

September 26, 2005

Upset about the war, taxes

This morning's Ithaca Journal presents opinions from a few Dryden residents. The Journal's article about weekend war protests talks to Nancy Suci, who is identified as an Ithaca resident, but she lives on Turkey Hill Road here in Dryden. Suci attended protests against the Iraq war in Washington on Saturday: "There was a feeling that the people of Washington who...

Posted by simonstl at 08:43 AM

September 24, 2005

Little news, a few opinions

Today's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden news, but there are two pieces on the opinion page with Dryden connections. One comes from Freeville resident Jennifer Semo, and only appears in the print edition. Semo writes, about the St.Patrick's Four: No one is questioning the right to stand up for your beliefs and the right of protestation. The matter at...

Posted by simonstl at 01:12 PM

September 23, 2005

Stabbing at TC3 dorms

A Tuesday stabbing at the TC3 dorms will put a Spencer man in Dryden court today, charged with second-degree felony assault, as well as fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Dryden firefighters took the victim to Cortland Hopital. In brighter news, math scores for elementary students throughout the county improved, while middle schools were mixed. In Dryden, elemenary math scores...

Posted by simonstl at 01:06 PM

September 22, 2005

One union settled, another uncertain

This morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't report much about Dryden, but there's news on two county labor fronts. The county and its white collar CSEA unit have come to terms, and the contract was approved 13-1 last night by the County Legislature. Meanwhile, negotiations with TCAT bus drivers continue, and Cornell is making contingency plans in case of a strike. On...

Posted by simonstl at 12:52 PM

September 21, 2005

Dryden Empire Zone possible

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the County Legislature approved applying for an Empire Zone that includes part of the Town of Dryden as well as Lansing and the City of Ithaca. County Legislators Martha Robertson, Mike Lane, and George Totman all supported it in a 9-5 vote. In addition: Barbara Blanchard, D-City of Ithaca, and Michael Lane, D-Dryden, both...

Posted by simonstl at 12:52 PM

September 20, 2005

Fatality on Route 13

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the death of a 25-year old Freeville woman on Route 13 Sunday night when she apparently crossed the road in the path of a pickup truck. In brighter news in Dryden, the SPCA appointed a new Executive Director, Jeff Lydon. In county news, DA candidates Gwen Wilkinson and George Dentes had a debate yesterday...

Posted by simonstl at 12:10 PM

September 19, 2005

Dryden Katrina aid collected today

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that today is the last day to donate to Hurricane Katrina victims through the drop boxes at school and athletic offices in the Dryden schools. An article on Town Supervisors candidates notes that Dryden Town Supervisor Steve Trumbull is running unopposed this year. Only Danby and Enfield appear to have races for supervisor this November....

Posted by simonstl at 07:29 AM

September 17, 2005

A look at Christian Science

Today's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden news, but I just noticed that today's Focus on Faith column, which looks at Christian Science, is written by a Dryden resident, Helen Mundell....

Posted by simonstl at 05:32 PM

September 16, 2005

Global warming, speedy trees

This morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't yet cover last night's contentious Town Board meeting (which I'll do this weekend), but it has two letters to the editor with Dryden connections. Nariman Mistry of Dryden writes about climate change and the greater weather fluctuations it causes, while Stanley Scharf writes that "Root Production Method"-grown trees could help Cornell, and that "this novel...

Posted by simonstl at 12:42 PM

September 15, 2005

Comprehensive Plan vote tonight

This evening's Town Board meeting includes a vote on the Comprehensive Plan, and one aspect of that plan gets a letter in the Ithaca Journal this morning from Robin Hadlock Seeley, who writes: Municipal trails proposed for private land violate traditionally recognized property rights and the basic need of individuals and families for privacy. A new state law placing a...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

September 14, 2005

"Tyke" Randall defeats incumbent Totman

This morning's Ithaca Journal leads with results from yesterday's primary election. The only election in Dryden was for the Republican contest for County Legislator in District 9, which included eastern Lansing, Groton, and northeastern Dryden. Challenger Duane "Tyke" Randall II defeated incumbent legislator George Totman 278-41. On the Our Towns page, Cathy Wakeman writes about a free spaghetti dinner Neptune...

Posted by simonstl at 12:18 PM

September 13, 2005

Dryden schools challenges

This morning's Ithaca Journal visits last night's Dryden school board meeting, and reports on the hiring of a new special education teacher, dress code changes, and construction at the elementary schools. Quick reponse to a Dryden hunting accident earned DEC officer Jim Milewski Kiwanis' Frank Hammer Officer of the Month award. In county news, a truck of aid from Tompkins...

Posted by simonstl at 12:20 PM

September 12, 2005

Dryden defeats Trumansburg at Carrier Dome

I don't normally report on sports here, but how many high school football games happen at the Carrier Dome, and get off to a quick start with a last-minute finish? Dryden defeated Trumansburg 24-18 last night. In county news, the Journal's online edition is missing news about TCAT employees rejecting a contract offer yesterday. There's no word yet on whether...

Posted by simonstl at 08:06 AM

September 11, 2005

Dryden, Etna residents offer New Orleans residents shelter

I didn't get to look at yesterday's Ithaca Journal until today, and it has two stories I'd definitely like to highlight. One is about Linda Lavine welcoming former Ithacan Rona King into her house after her house in New Orleans was flooded, and another is about Etna resident May Lovelace, who's offered a space in her home to those in...

Posted by simonstl at 01:12 PM

September 08, 2005

Burn barrels; county economy

There's one Dryden note in today's Ithaca Journal, as a Briefly in Dryden item mentions that TC3 will be sponsoring a trip to Nicaragua this winter, and students can earn credits for the trip. There's also a report on a hearing about the possible ban of household garbage burning in the county, and a piece on the ups and downs...

Posted by simonstl at 12:26 PM

September 07, 2005

Busy Saturday ahead

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on two big events to be held this Saturday: the Ellis Hollow Fair, from noon to 4:00pm, and the Freeville Harvest Festival, from 8:00am to 3:00pm. Briefly in Dryden lists even more events, with a chicken barbecue at Varna United Methodist Church next Saturday and a Dryden Senior Citizens lunch at 11:30am on Monday. There's...

Posted by simonstl at 12:14 PM

September 06, 2005

Labor day, Ithaca redistricting

Summer's coming to a close, as Labor Day weekend rolled by. This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the annual Labor Day picnic in Stewart Park, including a bit on the George Junior Republic negotiations settled earlier this summer: In Dryden, Lester "Bill" Lyon and his wife, Gloria Lyon, just finished negotiating for similar possibilities for unionized workers at The William...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

September 03, 2005

More on gas prices

This morning's Journal is fairly quiet about Dryden, but has lots of coverage about how higher gas prices might affect municipalities and school districts in Tompkins County, adding further to budget challenges. If you'd like to work on ways to make Tompkins County more energy-efficient, Briefly in Tompkins notes that the county's Environmental Management Council has openings, including six at-large...

Posted by simonstl at 08:18 AM

September 02, 2005

Gas price impacts

I probably shouldn't admit it here, but I've been too distracted by New Orleans to think much about Dryden. I was only there twice - once for the empty 1984 World Fair and once in 1991 for a conference on volunteerism. It's hard to imagine that city ruined, and I'm in shock about what seems like a painfully weak response...

Posted by simonstl at 12:09 PM

September 01, 2005

Where do your biosolids go?

That's not exactly a nice question, as 'biosolids' are treated sewage. This morning's Ithaca Journal looks at the use and safety of using treated sewage as fertilizer. While the article says that no farms in Tompkins County are doing this, apparently the Cayuga Heights sewage plant (which I think processes Varna's sewage, or did) sends biosolids to a farm in...

Posted by simonstl at 06:52 AM

August 31, 2005

Village raises sewer rates

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Village of Dryden has increased sewer rates on the Cortland Road Sewer District, moving ahead despite concerns over the lack of a contract with the town. It sounds like the trailer parks will bear a lot of the additional burden, with the six month bill for one park climbing from $1023 to $7189....

Posted by simonstl at 12:19 PM

August 30, 2005

Journal profiles Town Board candidates

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the upcoming Town Board election, talking with all four candidates about what they'd like to accomplish. The Republicans running are incumbent Steve Stelick and newcomer Dan Tier. The Democrats running are newcomers Mary Ann Sumner and Paul Lutwak. I'm happy to see that the Journal reached all four of them for comment, as well...

Posted by simonstl at 08:30 AM

August 29, 2005

Playground built

This morning's Ithaca Journal visits Saturday's playground build at Dryden Elementary School, talking to volunteers and people who helped raise money for the project. I'll have to stop by and see what it looks like now that it's completed....

Posted by simonstl at 07:31 AM

August 26, 2005

School construction

This morning's Ithaca Journal has lots of Dryden news, starting with a report on construction at the Dryden elementary schools that concludes with mention of Saturday's playground work. Briefly in Tompkins notes that the Eight Square Schoolhouse on Hanshaw Road will be hosting a festival tomorrow from noon to 4:00pm. Three Dryden and Freeville residents are listed for awards at...

Posted by simonstl at 12:31 PM

August 25, 2005

Issues to watch

This morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't have any specific Dryden news, but does raise a number of issues worth keeping an eye on: Rabid beavers attacked a girl in Danby. It sounds like racoons infected the beavers. I've never heard of beavers attacking anyone, but I guess rabies makes the unusual possible. One of the rabies cases they mention this year...

Posted by simonstl at 01:22 PM

August 24, 2005

'Ask Amy' in Freeville Saturday

Advice columnist and Freeville native Amy Dickinson will be speaking at the Freeville United Methodist Church on Saturday night at 7:00pm. Her subject? "Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Dairy Princess: Mostly True Stories of Small Town Life." Also in Briefly in Tompkins, there's a notice that the playground rebuild at Dryden Elementary School will be this Saturday from 8:00am to...

Posted by simonstl at 09:34 AM

August 23, 2005

County development, DA's race

Today's Journal is mostly quiet on Dryden (except for a correction announcing that the Ellis Hollow Fair will be September 10th), but there are stories on two important fronts in county news. County Legislator Mike Lane is quoted in article about negotiations over tax breaks for the Cayuga Green project in Ithaca. The article notes that: What the city would...

Posted by simonstl at 06:52 AM

August 20, 2005

A history of historians

Kimberly Gazzo, who became Town of Dryden Historian earlier this year, has an article in today's Ithaca Journal that explores the accomplishments of her predecessors as Dryden Historian. It's a wonderful introduction to a job many people don't realize exists. There's an article on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. While it's about Caroline, the southeast corner of the Town of Dryden...

Posted by simonstl at 11:24 AM

August 17, 2005

Clockmakers in Dryden

Today's Journal visits Mary Ann and Terry Lutz, two clockmakers in Dryden. The Lutzes make reproductions of 19th century clocks, and were recently named among the top traditional artisans by Early American Life magazine. I found some of their work online - well worth a look! Briefly in Dryden includes some upcoming events: The Dryden Town Historical Society will be...

Posted by simonstl at 07:50 PM

August 16, 2005

Community college tuitions rising

Yesterday's Ithaca Journal had lots of Dryden news, but today is pretty quiet. There's an article on community college tuitions increasing across the state, including a $150 increase at TC3, slightly above the state average of $130. The County Legislature will be discussing whether to build three new buildings over the next five years tonight....

Posted by simonstl at 07:47 AM

August 15, 2005

Farm City Day, motorcycling for charity

This morning's Ithaca Journal is light on local news, but a lot of it takes place in Dryden. Farm City Day was held on Saturday at the Freebrook Farm in Freeville, where Kermit and Geraldine Marquis hosted the event on their crop-growing farm. There were tents with displays from the Farm Bureau, Soil and Water Conservation, Cooperative Extension, and many...

Posted by simonstl at 07:18 AM

August 12, 2005

Too little water, too much traffic

Jennie Daley reports on last night's Dryden Town Board meeting, highlighting problems residents reported with their water systems and traffic. Cathi Calori and Art Berkey presented their work on a possible water district for Ellis Hollow Road from Game Farm to Turkey Hill Road, as wells in the area are faltering. They'll be collecting signatures on a petition and asking...

Posted by simonstl at 08:21 AM

August 11, 2005

Water and health

Today's Ithaca Journal includes the monthly report from the Tompkins County Board of Health, which includes some Dryden temporary permits and water systems. There's a notice about absentee ballots for primary races. The only primary I'm aware of to be held in Dryden this year is in the northeastern corner by McLean, where the district including that corner, Groton, and...

Posted by simonstl at 08:13 AM

August 10, 2005

Youth Conservation Corps at work

There's all kinds of Dryden news in this morning's Ithaca Journal. They have a story on the Dryden Youth Conservation Corps' work on trails in the area, including a bridge at 4-H Acres, signs at the O.D. von Engeln Preserve in Malloryville, and information for a kiosk on the Jim Schug trail. The Town of Dryden Youth Commission oversees the...

Posted by simonstl at 07:29 AM

August 09, 2005

Emergency towers to be reused

This morning's Ithaca Journal has an article about the emergency communications network under development. No new towers will be built in Dryden, but two old towers will be reused. The Monitor includes a Freeville man who allegedly violated an order of protection....

Posted by simonstl at 07:40 AM

August 08, 2005

Kenny Van Sickle Memorial Baseball Field dedicated

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the dedication of the Kenny Van Sickle Memorial Baseball Field on Saturday. The field, on Wall Street in the Village of Dryden, was a group effort: The village donated the land west of Brecht's Towing & Service, the town raised $7,500 and New York state provided an additional $2,500 for the completed project. Van...

Posted by simonstl at 08:25 AM

August 06, 2005

Caucus to come

Today's Ithaca Journal is quiet about Dryden news, but there's a letter from County Legislator Peter Penniman about caucuses. Dryden Democrats will be having their caucus to select town candidates on August 25th, time and place to be announced soon....

Posted by simonstl at 12:50 PM

August 05, 2005

More happenin' in the hamlet

It must be a light news day, but we get some extra pictures in the Ithaca Journal from McLean's Happenin' in the Hamlet last Saturday. There's a big question to be answered about who pays for new equipment to connect to the County's planned emergency communications network - municipalities, departments, or the county. On the opinion page, the Journal joins...

Posted by simonstl at 09:30 AM

August 04, 2005

Water system upgrade

If your Dryden house or business uses public water, this article on coming upgrades to the Bolton Point water treatment plant may be interesting. They're working to change the way chlorine interacts with substances in the lake to reduce potential carcinogens. This piece on millipedes invading basements explains a surprise I had my house last week, and it's good to...

Posted by simonstl at 07:40 AM

August 03, 2005

New Methodist minister in Dryden

Cathy Wakeman's Dryden Town Talk column introduces the incoming Methodist minister, Alan Kinney. She also announces Intergenerational Band performances August 13th and 14th, swimming lessons, and Etna Community Church's Vacation Bibe School. Phoenix Books had a small fire on their porch, as a cigarette apparently started a fire that did $500 worth of damage. I'm very happy to hear that...

Posted by simonstl at 08:24 AM

August 02, 2005

Returns on organic farming

This morning's Ithaca Journal looks at a study on yields from organic farming and finds that their results - solid yields and higher soil quality - match up to local experience. They quote Troy Sherman of Dryden: “It's challenging. Anyone can go out and spray. Switching to organic was pretty frustrating, but we stuck to it and our yields are...

Posted by simonstl at 07:58 AM

August 01, 2005

McLean Happenin'; Dryden accident

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on Saturday's McLean Happenin' in the Hamlet, with pictures and descriptions of activities, including a group photo of 203 hamlet residents. There's also a note about a pedestrian hit by a car near Todi's Italian Pizzeria on Route 13. Dryden firefighters and Dryden Ambulance responded. The pedestrian is out of the hospital, while "The status...

Posted by simonstl at 08:09 AM

July 30, 2005

Yes, it's been hot

While it isn't precisely news, this morning's Ithaca Journal confirms that June and July 2005 are among the hottest ever, with the statewide average for June 5.5 degrees above normal. Looking at the list of city records there, it looks like it's definitely been the hottest summer upstate. (I'm still trying to tough it out without installing my window air...

Posted by simonstl at 10:52 AM

July 28, 2005

4-H Fair kicks off

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the 4-H Fair running through Saturday, to be held at 4-H Acres (map). The schedule looks packed, with animal shows, all kinds of contests, and plenty of food including a pancake breakfast and barbecue. I stopped by the 4-H Fair this morning for the opening ceremony. Kids and adults said what they hoped to...

Posted by simonstl at 09:57 AM

July 27, 2005

Fire in Freeville

A four-apartment building at 12 Railroad Street in Freeville caught fire last night. Firefighters from the Dryden, Freeville, Etna, Groton, McLean and Cayuga Heights fire departments responded at 6:30pm, and had the blaze out by 7:15pm. No one was injured, but one apartment was destroyed with the others damaged. The Dryden Central School District is using a "Solar Express Bookmobile"...

Posted by simonstl at 07:04 AM

July 26, 2005

Dryden Elementary recognized for performance

There's lot of Dryden news today, starting with New York State's recognizing Dryden Elementary School as a Higher Performing/Gap Closing School for its work during the 2003-4 school year. The Cornell news for this week includes informaiton on Cornell's participation in the Fall Creek Watershed Comittee, as well as a question about public access to the Game Farm Road weather...

Posted by simonstl at 08:12 AM

July 25, 2005

114,000 gallons of water to put out barn fire

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that a barn fire on Lake Road took seven hours and 114,000 gallons of water to extinguish. Dryden firefighters were called at 7:35, and Freeville, Etna, McLean, Slaterville, Groton, Cortlandville, Harford, and Virgil departments provided mutual aid. While the barn was lost, firefighters sprayed nearby houses and barns with water and protected them. No one...

Posted by simonstl at 07:49 AM

July 22, 2005

Accident at Lower Creek Road and 13

Varna firefighters and the Sheriff's Department responded to an accident at the intersection of Lower Creek Road and Route 13 that sent four people to the hospital. Among the roads I drive most frequently, that intersection and the Brown Road intersection with 13 are the two I feel I have to watch most carefully to avoid disaster. I noted part...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

July 21, 2005

County votes, Redbud complaint

I complained yesterday that the Journal didn't provide a breakdown of who voted how at the county legislature, and today they make up for that with both analysis and a list of votes on tobacco bond restructuring, an increase in the Real Estate Transfer Tax, and the confirmation of Ed Marx as Commissioner of Public Works. On the opinion page,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:02 AM

July 20, 2005

Drydenettes, Corvettes

Cathy Wakeman's Dryden Town Talk looks at schoolgirls of yesteryear, the Drydenettes, a group of female Dryden High School alumnae who will be having a reunion July 30th. (If female alums would like to make a reservation to join the fun, please contact Elsie Gutchess at 844-5504.) She also notes a session on starting your own home day care business...

Posted by simonstl at 08:45 AM

July 19, 2005

DWI on Upper Creek

The only Dryden-specific story in today's Ithaca Journal is an article on a DWI arrest on Upper Creek Road at 4:25am Sunday morning. There's also an article on Danby's negotiations with Time-Warner over a cable franchise agreement, which echoes some of the same things Dryden is doing. Dryden has an agreement that expired more than ten years ago and a...

Posted by simonstl at 08:07 AM

July 18, 2005

County races, state legislative reform

I was annoyed with the Journal last week for publishing a list of candidates without noticing that there are caucuses yet to come, and they seem to have realized that in time for an editorial overview of races that wishes for more competition. Independent petitioning is underway now, and continues through August 23rd, and caucuses may be held as late...

Posted by simonstl at 08:45 AM

July 16, 2005

Dryden people, Ithaca projects

This morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't look at what's happening in Dryden, but it has three pieces in which Dryden residents are involved in Ithaca. In an article about the approval of tax breaks for the Gateway II project in downtown Ithaca, Dryden resident and Ithaca School Board member David Lee opposed the tax breaks. County Legislator Mike Lane, chairman of...

Posted by simonstl at 08:54 AM

July 15, 2005

Anderson Young new Dryden School Board President

This morning's Journal reports that the new school board president in Dryden is Anderson Young, with Russ Kowalski as vice-president. In Community News, the Journal notes that Erin Radford, who grew up in Freeville, got a master's degree in international studies from the University of London and is "a program assistant for the Middle East/Africa Division of the International Foundation...

Posted by simonstl at 07:52 AM

July 14, 2005

Water issues coming up

The Ithaca Journal's editorial this morning looks at the possibility of the City of Ithaca joining the Bolton Point water system, which is jointly owned by other municipalities, including the Town of Dryden. Otherwise, it looks like Dryden's been peaceful. It's been a quiet week, though perhaps tonight's public hearing on the town's draft Comprehensive Plan will make the news....

Posted by simonstl at 08:08 AM

July 13, 2005

McLean author, fundraising

This morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't say much specifically about Dryden, but there are bits and pieces. The McLean Fire Department, which covers the northeast corner of Dryden, is raising funds for EMS equipment, and there's an article on Diane Martineau of McLean, who is publishing a children's book, "The Wall on 7th Street." Dryden resident Burr Ripley is quoted in...

Posted by simonstl at 07:41 AM

July 11, 2005

Bicycling to Canada for human rights

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that a group of bicyclists will be riding for nearly a month, starting from Hanshaw Road in Dryden and going around Lake Ontario to Ottawa starting tomorrow. The group, Weavers of the Wind, will be presenting a petition about genocidal violence in Darfur, Sudan to Canadian government representatives. There's also a letter about the ride,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:03 AM

July 09, 2005

IDA, Ithaca transportation study

There are a few articles in today's Journal which mention Dryden, but all of it is about issues in Ithaca. An article on possible tax breaks for the Gateway Center project in downtown Ithaca quotes County Legislator Mike Lane, Chair of the Industrial Development Agency, who asked a consultant for a more specific set of numbers in evaluating the project....

Posted by simonstl at 02:28 PM

July 08, 2005

Letters on schools, county negotiations

This morning's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden news, but has two letters to the editor from Dryden residents. Edgar Seymour of Freeville writes to argue that in school budgets, "When all things are considered the majority of cost is under local control." Iretta Ellis of Freeville, a county employee, writes about the impasse between the county and its unions,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:59 AM

July 07, 2005

Groton man killed in Freeville accident

Thomas Guihan, 81, of Groton, died yesterday afternoon in a one-car accident on Brooklyn Road in the Village of Freeville. Dryden police, the Freeville and Dryden fire departments, and Bangs Ambulance all responded to the accident....

Posted by simonstl at 06:44 AM

July 06, 2005

Dryden Methodist pastor retires

Cathy Wakeman writes about Dryden United Methodist Church pastor David Nicholls' retirement in today's Ithaca Journal. Nicholls retired on Sunday after ten years at the church, and he and his wife Maxine plan to stay in the area. There's also an article on the planning for the Dryden-Freeville trail, which generally sounds to be moving forward except for this bit:...

Posted by simonstl at 07:42 AM

July 05, 2005

Legislature races update

This morning's Ithaca Journal introduces Duane Randall as a Republican candidate for incumbent Republican George Totman's seat on the county legislature and provides a complete list of known candidates in all of the county districts. Since the Journal's articles now only last a week, here's the list for races including Dryden: 9th District (Groton, eastern Lansing, northeastern Dryden) - Republican...

Posted by simonstl at 08:02 AM

July 04, 2005

Beachy receives Award for Excellence

It's been a quiet holiday weekend in the Ithaca Journal, with only a few Dryden-related stories, all of them Friday. Lawrence Beach, who I served one day at the Varna pancake breakfasts and who introduced me to the Dryden Town Historical Society, received a Tompkins County Trust Company Award of Excellence for his work at the Historical Society, Neptune Hose...

Posted by simonstl at 08:39 PM

June 30, 2005

Dryden school repairs, much more

Since it's all going to vanish in a week, it's probably a good idea to report what's been in the Ithaca Journal for the past few days. The most Dryden-specific story is one on the renovations in progress at the Dryden elementary schools. Around Dryden, we have articles on the Town of Caroline raising funds for the Brooktondale Community Center,...

Posted by simonstl at 12:39 PM

Ithaca Journal abandons archive

About half of the links on this site no longer work, as the Ithaca Journal appears to have changed its story-posting system. It looks like they're keeping about a week around. For now, I'll keep linking to their stories, but this is frustrating to say the least. Perhaps they're hoping to drive their paid search, but it seems to reduce...

Posted by simonstl at 11:45 AM

June 27, 2005

Dryden graduation

This morning's Ithaca Journal has an article on Saturday's Dryden High School graduation, complete with a photo of exuberant graduates in purple and white robes. In his weekly column on Schuyler County, Neil Chaffie gives an entertaining explanation of how candidates get on the ballot in New York State. Right now, Democrats and Republicans are carrying petitions for candidates in...

Posted by simonstl at 08:04 AM

June 25, 2005

Cornell transportation study

There's isn't much in today's paper specific to Dryden, but there is an article on a transportation study Cornell is doing with the Town of Ithaca that might have some effect on traffic through Dryden as well. Also, Better Housing of Tompkins County is bringing in 400 high school students to do home repair July 10th through 16th, from Group...

Posted by simonstl at 08:38 AM

June 24, 2005

Kalandros running for Totman's seat

This morning's Ithaca Journal lists four new candidates for county legislature, including one in the Groton seat that includes parts of Dryden and Lansing. Athena Kalandros, a co-owner of the Red Door Coffee House in the Village of Groton, will be running as a Democrat. Kalandros hopes to "bring a fresh perspective to representing the district, one that is alive...

Posted by simonstl at 08:56 AM

June 23, 2005

Journal supports TC3 expansion

This morning's Ithaca Journal is pretty quiet about Dryden news, but the editorial supports the County Legislature's vote to commit $625,000 toward TC3's master plan while the state gets the finances for it together. Just outside of Dryden, there was a false report of a bomb at the airport. Ithaca schools' service employees are voting on a contract Friday. There's...

Posted by simonstl at 08:24 AM

June 22, 2005

Dryden graduates

There's lots of Dryden news in the Ithaca Journal today, on a wide variety of subjects. The Journal lists the Dryden High School Class of 2005, and an article on choosing between the military and college at graduation talks with Dryden graduates Dan Harrington and Chris Ezell, as well as Ezell's father Kevin and Dryden guidance counselor Lisa Bustamente. Commencement...

Posted by simonstl at 08:37 AM

June 21, 2005

County considers TC3 funding advance

This morning's Ithaca Journal writes about tonight's County Legislature vote on providing money to TC3 to get started with work on its master plan project. The state approved financing in this year's budget, but it will take time for the money to actually arrive. If the legislature approves the $625,000 financing, the college will be able to start work on...

Posted by simonstl at 12:16 PM

June 20, 2005

Bringing Lakeview Golf Course back to life

This morning's Ithaca Journal looks at a group of volunteers - and donors - who have worked together to reopen Lakeview Golf Course, repairing it, running it, and paying its taxes while its long-term future remains a question. The pictures give an idea both of the work involved, and there's lots of that, and of the scenery surrounding the course....

Posted by simonstl at 08:50 AM

June 18, 2005

TC3 tuition increases

Tompkins-Cortland Community College (TC3) will be raising tuition by $150 per student next year, continuing a trend from last year that President Carl Haynes isn't happy about - "a college shouldn't have to lean so heavily on its students." 4-H will be having a fly-fishing sale today and tomorrow at 4-H Acres (map) from 9:00am to 3:00pm, selling gear from...

Posted by simonstl at 09:19 AM

June 17, 2005

George Junior agreement; legislator jailed for weekend

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that County Legislator George Totman has pleaded guilty to DWI and been sentenced to a weekend in jail, a $750 fine, a one-year conditional discharge, and a one-year revocation of his driver's license. (Update: Or not. The Journal corrects this to "one weekend in jail and a six month conditional discharge.") The Journal also reports...

Posted by simonstl at 08:36 AM

June 16, 2005

Reflecting on Christopher Ackley's life

This morning's Ithaca Journal takes a closer look at Christopher Ackley's accomplishments as well as community reaction to his sudden death in an accident Tuesday. Ackley, a junior at Dryden High School, had received awards from BOCES and the Diocese of Rochester, and was co-captain of the swim team, and an Eagle Scout. Viewing hours will be from 4:00pm to...

Posted by simonstl at 08:13 AM

June 15, 2005

Dryden swim team captain killed in crash

This morning's Ithaca Journal leads with sad news: Christopher Ackley, a Dryden High School and BOCES student, was killed in a car crash yesterday on Lake Road. 13-year-old Scott Adams was also injured. In happier news, there's an article on how the Dryden Youth Opportunity Fund's grants are providing new opportunities for kids in Dryden. The first Briefly in Dryden...

Posted by simonstl at 02:23 PM

June 14, 2005

Trooper honored for quick response to missing Dryden student

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the resource officer for Dryden schools, State Trooper Bill Danbro, received the Frank G. Hammer award yesterday for his quick response when a 12-year-old student was discovered missing from Dryden Middle School. A search found her at Pyramid Mall with a Staten Island man who has since been indicted on one count of enticing...

Posted by simonstl at 08:01 AM

June 13, 2005

Dairy Day, road repair

This morning's Ithaca Journal devotes a lot of ink to Cornell President Jeffrey Lehman's surprise resignation, but gets off campus long enough to take a look at Dairy Day, with an article and photos. Briefly in Tompkins highlights three arrests made for a burglary at Todi's Pizzeria, and offers tips for the SPCA for protecting pets in warm weather. There's...

Posted by simonstl at 07:27 AM

June 11, 2005

Lightning causes fire on Snyder Hill

This morning's Ithaca Journal is quiet about Dryden, but a fire they list as Brooktondale happened on Snyder Hill Road in the southwest corner of the Town of Dryden. Also in that list, the SPCA gives tips for keeping pets safe in hot weather....

Posted by simonstl at 12:25 PM

June 10, 2005

Journal recommends Dryden Dairy Day

The Ithaca Journal builds on yesterday's write-up about Dairy Day with an editorial today encouraging people to attend tomorrow's festivities: Dairy Day is, as the name says, a celebration of the deep agricultural roots of this region. And it is more than that. It is the antidote to insulting mass media images of agricultural life in our small towns. For...

Posted by simonstl at 08:54 AM

June 09, 2005

Looking forward to Dairy Day, road repair

This morning's Ithaca Journal has an introduction to Dairy Day complete with a schedule for Saturday's events. (Brenda Carpenter and Tricia Edgecomb were also on WHCU this morning discussing the festivities.) There's also an article on summer road repair, largely about the county and citing Jack Bush on sharing equipment between highway departments. County Legislator George Totman, who represents the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

June 08, 2005

Dairy Day this Saturday

This morning's Ithaca Journal takes a look at Saturday's upcoming Dairy Day, with a schedule of events and a photo from one of last year's floats. Cathy Wakeman's Dryden Town Talk column visits the Dryden Disaster Partnership Group, "future visionaries preparing the community for any eventuality." They'll also have a booth at Dairy Day. Wakeman also notes that the Methodist...

Posted by simonstl at 07:34 AM

June 07, 2005

Dryden weathers storm

Yesterday afternoon's thunderstorm knocked out power to 2,000 local people and damaged a convertible at American Homes on Route 13. Trees came down across the county, causing power outages and damage. The lights only flickered here, but I saw NYSEG trucks out later. Climatologist Keith Eggleston says the storm was fairly typical for the season, and that we should probably...

Posted by simonstl at 07:24 AM

June 06, 2005

Living at the Living Wage

Following up on last Friday's announcement of a $9.18 living wage in Tompkins County, today's Ithaca Journal looks at three people's efforts to get by on wages at or close to the living wage, including two Freeville residents. At the state level, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton was appointed chairwoman of the New York State Assembly Legislative Task Force on Women's Issues...

Posted by simonstl at 08:03 AM

June 04, 2005

Repairing Sapsucker Woods Road

This morning's Ithaca Journal takes a close look at the Town of Dryden's repairing a badly damaged section of Sapsucker Woods Road. It's good to see an explanation in depth of road repair and the problems which demand it. The Etna Community Baptist Church will be installing the Reverend Robert M. Doan as its pastor next Saturday. Doan has been...

Posted by simonstl at 10:07 AM

June 03, 2005

Journal covers Restey, living wage

This morning's Ithaca Journal has a brief item about Republican W. David Restey's announcement yesterday that he will be running for the 13th district county legislature seat against Democratic incumbent Martha Robertson. In county news, Alternatives Federal Credit Union will release an updated set of figures for a living wage in Tompkins County today, based on 2004 data. In 2002,...

Posted by simonstl at 07:43 AM

June 02, 2005

Hattery running for legislature

Today's Ithaca Journal has a brief item on Mike Hattery's announcement that he'll run for the County Legislature. (I covered Mike's announcement on Casey Stevens earlier this week, which had a lot more detail.) Ithaca College Professor Elia Kacapyr reports that Tompkins County's economic growth slowed in April after March's strong growth, though there were 800 more jobs in April...

Posted by simonstl at 08:12 AM

June 01, 2005

Youth Opportunity grants

This morning's Ithaca Journal has Briefly in Dryden, which lists grants made by the Dryden Youth Opportunity Fund, as well as a Golf and Walk fundraiser being held Monday to support Covenant Love Community School....

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

May 31, 2005

Journal visits Memorial Day parade

I'd noticed a photographer with a much larger camera rig than mine at yesterday's Memorial Day parade and ceremony in Dryden, and wondered if that meant the Ithaca Journal would be covering the event. Sure enough, there's a detailed article on the parade and ceremony in today's paper, which talks to participants and looks briefly at other area ceremonies. Briefly...

Posted by simonstl at 06:57 AM

May 30, 2005

The reason for Memorial Day

This morning's Ithaca Journal looks back to 1868, and the order of the Grand Army of the Republic creating Memorial Day, designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard...

Posted by simonstl at 08:36 AM

May 28, 2005

Memorial Day parade

This morning's Ithaca Journal includes a listing for the Dryden Memorial Day parade, which will start at 10:30am Monday on Main Street in the Village of Dryden. There's also an article on Cornell and sustainability, which I found interesting in part because it doesn't mention the now-cancelled windmills on Mount Pleasant....

Posted by simonstl at 06:57 AM

May 27, 2005

Contract negotiations at George Junior, TCAT

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the status of labor negotiations at both George Junior Republic, where union members rejected a contract yesterday 118-1, and TCAT, where 'slow progress' is happening after workers authorized their negotiators to call for a strike. The article on George Junior offers more detail on proposed salaries and benefits than the TCAT one, though it's...

Posted by simonstl at 08:22 AM

May 26, 2005

County jail fixes

It's another quiet day for Dryden in the Ithaca Journal. The County Legislature approved spending $160,000 for repairs to the County Jail after a request by the New York State Commission of Correction, which had originally insisted the county build a much larger jail. County Legislator Martha Robertson was concerned that the appropriation was "reviewing the program backwards," because of...

Posted by simonstl at 07:02 AM

May 25, 2005

Dryden 4th grader wins art award

Devontae Sims, a fourth-grade boy at Dryden Intermediate School, "was awarded Best Design honors by the National Education Association of New York in the kindergarten through fourth-grade division of the first ever Great Public Schools Art Contest," for a poster of the "perfect school." Coming right after high school students' success, it seems that Dryden is doing very well in...

Posted by simonstl at 08:06 AM

May 24, 2005

Walsh named Dryden Middle School principal

It's another quiet Dryden day in the Journal, except for a report on last night's Dryden School Board meeting. The board appointed Ted Walsh, who had been teaching English at the high school until he became assistant principal of the middle school last fall, to be middle school principal following Roger Fedele's resignation. Walsh will start June 30th. The board...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

May 23, 2005

BOCES honors, seat belts

It's another quiet weekend for Dryden in the Ithaca Journal. This morning there's a list of students honored at the May 19th BOCES recognition ceremony, including students from Dryden and Ithaca. There's also mention of state police safety checkpoints, including one on Route 366 in Ithaca this week from 9:00am to 3:00pm through Sunday....

Posted by simonstl at 08:34 AM

May 21, 2005

Guidelines for letters

This morning's Journal, except for a DWI arrest, is pretty quiet about Dryden. Their editorial lays out the ground rules for letters to the editor, noting that the opinion page "is a forum for ideas - grand and absurd - and those ideas are filtered through a very small set of restrictions." In broader news, there's a piece on student...

Posted by simonstl at 08:00 AM

May 20, 2005

TC3 graduation; Angelman Syndrome

This morning's Journal has two stories on Dryden happenings, one upbeat, one more challenging. In upbeat news, Tompkins Cortland Community College graduated 557 students yesterday, 224 of whom live in Tompkins County. The State Senate and Assembly passed resolutions making May 21st Angelman Syndrome Awareness Day, and the article discusses Dryden residents Rob Hickey and Erin Sheldon efforts to increase...

Posted by simonstl at 07:55 AM

May 19, 2005

English test scores mostly improve

This morning's Ithaca Journal has an article on the latest test scores for fourth- and eighth-grade English released by the State Education Department. Across the state, fourth-graders are doing better while eighth-graders show little change. The article focuses on individual schools within the Ithaca district, and a sidebar provides overall district results. Ithaca's results on the fourth-grade test improved overall,...

Posted by simonstl at 07:38 AM

May 18, 2005

Dryden, Ithaca school budgets pass

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that both the Dryden Central School District and Ithaca City School District budgets passed, Dryden's by a 916-678 vote and Ithaca's by a 2032-1481 vote. All of the propositions for both districts also passed. In the school board elections, despite a confusing table on the front page that only shows two winners in Dryden, incumbents...

Posted by simonstl at 07:54 AM

May 17, 2005

School budget and board elections today

This morning's Ithaca Journal has both an article and an editorial on the elections today for school boards and school budgets. In the Dryden school district, four incumbents (Rachel Dickinson, Chris Gibbons, Karin LaMotte, Amanda Kittelberger) and two newcomers (Brad Rauch and Linnett Short) are vying for four seats. The budget up for a vote is $26.69 million, which includes...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

May 16, 2005

Tax questions

It's a quiet Monday for Dryden in the Ithaca Journal. An empty house burned in McLean Sunday morning, a Freeville man was arrested for DWI in Groton, and the Journal's editorial looks at the inequities of property taxes, asking "what can be done?"...

Posted by simonstl at 07:35 AM

May 14, 2005

Candidate for District Attorney announced

I'm happy to see that the Democrats have a promising candidate for DA, Gwen Wilkinson, who announced her candidacy yesterday. The occasional writings of the current District Attorney, George Dentes, are substantially responsible for getting me interested in local politics. (One of the earliest Living in Dryden entries was on drug courts, actually.) While DA is a countywide position, I...

Posted by simonstl at 09:05 AM

May 13, 2005

Running for office

While the Ithaca Journal may not have any interest in encouraging political activity by publicizing party events, they apparently do want to make sure that prospective candidates have some idea what's involved in running for local office, with an article briefly explaining the petition and caucus processes. If you're interested in running for office in Dryden this year, contact me...

Posted by simonstl at 07:45 AM

May 12, 2005

Hunting safety

The Ithaca Journal's editorial today writes about the safety of hunting after a fatal turkey-hunting accident in Dryden. After looking at the steady decline in hunter injuries and the risks of other activities, it concludes that "In the end, short of hide under the bed, the only thing we can do is bring an educated caution with us into whatever...

Posted by simonstl at 08:16 AM

May 11, 2005

Jail, probation for Freeville DWI

The Ithaca Journal reports this morning that Jason Kelly was sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years probation for a DWI last June that cost the lives of two friends riding in the car. Dryden Town Talk reports that the Dryden Grange honored Bob and Sue Cardwell "in recognition of their dedication to the Dryden community," and also...

Posted by simonstl at 08:08 AM

May 10, 2005

Dryden Middle School Principal Fedele leaving

This morning's Ithaca Journal has a brief notice that Dryden Middle School principal Roger Fedele resigned last night, after being on the job since last spring. Dryden Mutual Insurance is sponsoring a broad campaign to raise funds for the American Red Cross, as 19 groups try to raise $25,000. Tompkins Community Action will be sponsoring the Child and Adult Care...

Posted by simonstl at 07:55 AM

May 09, 2005

County Empire Zone to take time

This morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't mention Dryden, but there's some county news worth watching. While Tompkins County will have one eventually, final approval for an Empire Zone may not come for another four years. Why? Each of the zones will be determined by economic need, and Tompkins County's healthy economy could mean a zone won't appear here for a few...

Posted by simonstl at 08:52 AM

May 07, 2005

Indictment; SPCA Walk-a-thon

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Gary Reid of Staten Island was indicted on two federal charges related to his contacting a Dryden Middle School seventh grader over the Internet and taking her away from school on April 15th. He was arrested with the girl at Pyramid Mall. Briefly in Tompkins notes that the SPCA's Dog Walk-a-thon fundraiser will be...

Posted by simonstl at 09:00 AM

May 06, 2005

Ivory-billed woodpecker's Freeville connection

In today's Ithaca Journal, reporter Jennie Daley talks with Freeville resident Tim Gallagher, one of the two ornithologists who rediscovered the ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas after over fifty years without a confirmed sighting. Gallagher, who had to keep the discovery a secret for over a year, just published The Grail Bird, telling the complete story. In county news, the number...

Posted by simonstl at 07:32 AM

May 05, 2005

Dryden Town Hall site selected

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden Town Board decided where to put the new Town Hall in a meeting yesterday afternoon. There were several locations on the 47-acre parcel they purchased, and the board chose the easternmost site. The costs of infrastructure for a location elsewhere in the parcel figured into the decision, as did other possible uses...

Posted by simonstl at 08:08 AM

May 04, 2005

Play; Saltonstall building; ATVs

Normally, even when there's lots of Dryden news, I can come up with a single clear headline. Today, there's just too much on too many different subjects. There's a profile of TC3 adjunct professor Paul McCabe, whose play "Get Off" won the Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award. The Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts now has a new energy-efficient administrative building...

Posted by simonstl at 07:51 AM

May 03, 2005

Hunting accident claims life

This morning's Ithaca Journal brings sad news: two brothers went turkey hunting in Dryden and one died of a gunshot wound. Michael and James Carter of Clover, South Carolina were hunting yesterday along Mott Road, and Michael somehow shot James in the back. The DEC police are investigating, and Town Supervisor Steve Trumbull is quoted extensively in the article about...

Posted by simonstl at 06:56 AM

May 02, 2005

Thefts stopped in Freeville

The Monitor reports a stolen Land Rover in Freeville, though it was stopped by a state trooper and its passengers ran off. A stolen laptop and bank papers were inside the car. A Dryden man was also arrested for marijuana possession at Pyramid Mall. Bellisario Excavating, on Oak Brook Drive, is mentioned for donating materials and volunteers to refurbish a...

Posted by simonstl at 08:04 AM

April 30, 2005

Wind turbines stopped

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Cornell has decided to stop its study of putting wind turbines on Mount Pleasant, publishing a brief press release to that effect after notifying residents at a meeting Thursday night. According to Simeon Moss, the director of Cornell's press office, even the meteorological testing tower won't be going up on Mount Pleasant: "We are...

Posted by simonstl at 08:28 AM

April 29, 2005

County assessments up 9.13%, Town up 8.18%

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that taxable assessments in Tompkins County are up 9.13%. Tracking down the more detailed breakdown from the assessor's office (14KB PDF), the Town of Dryden is listed with an 8.18% increase and the Villages of Freeville and Dryden with a 6.50% increase. While the overall rate increase for the county and many towns slowed down...

Posted by simonstl at 07:29 AM

April 28, 2005

Dryden Hotel reopens; duck or not duck?

This week's issue of the Dryden Courier leads with the reopening of the Dryden Hotel, starting with a party last Friday night and returning to its usual schedule this week. Closed for four months because of a flood from the sprinkler system, the Hotel has been repaired and reopened. The mural of Dryden has been retouched where necessary by the...

Posted by simonstl at 12:11 PM

TC3 fundraiser for Nicaragua, Ivory Coast

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that TC3 will be hosting a fundraiser for a Nicaraguan orphanage and an Ivory Coast medical clinic tomorrow with a benefit dinner at 6:30pm. Students visited the orphanage in January and will be sharing photographs and experiences, while a silent auction will be going on. The Journal reports on candidates in the Dryden school board...

Posted by simonstl at 08:33 AM

April 27, 2005

Upcoming Dryden events

Between Cathy Wakeman's Dryden Town Talk column and the Briefly in Dryden section of today's Ithaca Journal, there's a lot going on in the Town over the next few weeks: The Ithachords, Beyond Measure, and six other a cappella groups will perform Saturday at the Dryden High School auditorium at 8:00pm. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for others....

Posted by simonstl at 07:58 AM

April 26, 2005

The need for contested races

This morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't have much news about Dryden, but it does have an editorial on the need for competitive local elections in Tompkins County. The editorial states: Just as competition makes athletes better -- and more interesting to watch -- active, contested elections force all candidates to be stronger, more open and more thorough in how they outline...

Posted by simonstl at 07:36 AM

April 25, 2005

Canoes tip in Fall Creek

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on a frightening canoe trip down Fall Creek that left four people with hypothermia. The Varna and Dryden fire departments as well as New York State Troopers and Cornell's Environmental Health and Safety Office responded to an area near the Freese Road bridge after two canoes tipped their riders into extremely cold waters. The Ithaca...

Posted by simonstl at 08:41 AM

April 22, 2005

Six Mile Creek monitoring

This morning's Ithaca Journal mentions a meeting for Six Mile Creek monitoring volunteers to be held Monday at Cooperative Extension (map) from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. (I posted a story on volunteer training last summer, and I have to say it was both educational and a lot of fun.) Two Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) bargaining units have declared an impasse...

Posted by simonstl at 08:17 AM

April 21, 2005

Arrests; county legislators' plans

A Dryden and a Freeville resident appear in today's monitor, one arrested for forgery and the other for possession of marijuana in violation of parole. The Journal has a roundup of county legislators' plans to run for re-election, including news that all three representatives from Dryden (Mike Lane, George Totman, and as of yesterday, Martha Robertson) are planning to run...

Posted by simonstl at 07:44 AM

April 20, 2005

Not much Dryden news, many Dryden events

Posted by simonstl at 08:25 AM

April 19, 2005

TC3 expansion finally funded

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that funding for a $10.6 million expansion at Tompkins Cortland Community College is finally in the state budget, after last year's veto of the money and the slowly unfolding failure to override that veto. As the Dryden Courier noted earlier, there are still sewer issues to work out for the expansion. TC3 also got increases...

Posted by simonstl at 07:51 AM

April 18, 2005

Golf course bidding questions; child endangerment

Reverberations from the golf course auction continue in today's Ithaca Journal, with an article on who knew what and when about the price the town was going to bid. Course owner George Szlasa seems to have stepped back a little from his earlier position that his attorney, Town Attorney Mahlon Perkins, told him exactly what the town's bidding price would...

Posted by simonstl at 08:12 AM

April 16, 2005

Dryden population to grow 15% this decade

An excellent article in this morning's Ithaca Journal about sewer systems (or their lack) around the county includes this bit of news I hadn't heard: The Claritas numbers indicate the towns of Enfield, Dryden, Caroline and Lansing are each expected to grow by at least 15 percent between 2000 and 2009; Enfield by almost 20 percent. Of those four towns,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:15 AM

April 15, 2005

Righting the legislative ship

Freeville resident David Branagan writes that "I have tried and I have tried and I have tried, but I can't get over the commentary of Assemblywoman (Barbara) Lifton in The Journal of Feb. 28," and concludes that: It is inconceivable to me how legislators can file into their seats every day, play canasta or do whatever it is they do...

Posted by simonstl at 08:26 AM

April 14, 2005

School aid numbers ease school district budgeting

Today's Ithaca Journal is quiet about Dryden, except for an article that looks at how having state aid numbers on time means school districts aren't guessing about the actual size of their tax levies. It notes that the Ithaca school district's aid has increased, allowing them to call for a 4.32% tax levy increase while spending increases 6.28%. Dryden assumed...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

April 13, 2005

McLean afterschool; TC3 tech award

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the evening youth programs at Cassavant Elementary in McLean held each Tuesday and Thursday night. Tutoring and time in the gym give kids academic help, exercise, and social times. There's also a picture of students playing basketball in the gym. Tompkins-Cortland Community College "was named top digital community college for 2005 earlier this month...

Posted by simonstl at 08:11 AM

April 12, 2005

Dryden school budget cuts teachers

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that in its difficult quest for a tax levy increase under 9%, the Dryden school board approved a budget with cuts including "money for a fifth-grade teacher, a half-time reading teacher, a full-time aide, and a full-time director of technology out of the administrative budget," and reduced "supplies, maintenance, board development, staff development and athletics."...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

April 11, 2005

Dryden Lake Trail not for snowmobiles

This morning's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden except for one letter from Leslie Fladd of Dryden, who writes about snowmobiles on the Dryden Lake Trail when they're not supposed to be there. As Fladd puts it: The Dryden Lake Trail, particularly the portion running adjacent to the lake, is a tranquil oasis of beauty and peace, that is until...

Posted by simonstl at 08:14 AM

April 09, 2005

HANDS becomes a trust

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the Dryden Central School District's making Help a Needy Dryden Student (HANDS) into a tax-exempt charitable organization. Jennie Daley reports on how "the small fund has been used for almost 20 years to buy items such as shoes, review books or eyeglasses in cases where families were unable to provide them." The fund is...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

April 08, 2005

Dryden Red Hats photo; emergency services communication

This morning's Ithaca Journal has a picture of Dryden Dollies Red Hat Society member Sue Caldwell holding a newborn lamb at the Cornell Sheep Program. In county news, the Public Safety Committee approved a conceptual plan for the emergency services communications network, though the number of sites isn't yet certain. Lee Shurtleff, the county's Director of Emergency Response "hopes to...

Posted by simonstl at 08:33 AM

April 07, 2005

Birds return to Dryden; ICSD middle school redistricting

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...

Posted by simonstl at 08:00 AM

April 06, 2005

Swing dance, senior citizens at Neptune Hose Company

This morning's Journal is pretty quiet about Dryden. They do list two events happening at the Neptune Fire Hall (map). The Recreation Department is sponsoring a swing dance there from 2:30pm to 4:30pm on Sunday, April 10th. Then, on Monday, April 11th, the Dryden Senior Citizens will meet there at 11:30am, with a meatloaf dinner at 12:15pm. Bring your own...

Posted by simonstl at 08:10 AM

April 05, 2005

Dryden school budget; more on flooding

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on a possible 9% levy hike in the Dryden schools budget for next year, though the recently-passed state budget "would drop the levy increase by 2 percent" if all goes well. BOCES services and a GED program at TC3 were among the items the board was debating. The board's final budget vote will be April...

Posted by simonstl at 08:27 AM

April 04, 2005

Flooding in Dryden

Local firefighters had a challenging Saturday as 2.5 inches of rain landing on saturated ground caused flooding around the area. I noticed Route 366 had some water coming across the road as the ditch on the south side of the road overflowed around 5:00pm, and the Journal has a picture of Route 13 northbound being closed between Route 366 and...

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

April 02, 2005

Dryden opinions, ICSD levy

Posted by simonstl at 09:22 AM

April 01, 2005

WHCU Director of Operations retiring

This morning's Ithaca Journal pays a visit to WHCU 870's Hanshaw Road offices for a story profiling retiring Director of Operations Tom Joseph. The Ithaca school district is reviewing its budget in preparation for a board vote April 12th and a referendum May 17th. The article lists proposed cuts and increases. The Journal's editorial looks at the first on-time state...

Posted by simonstl at 07:50 AM

March 31, 2005

Ithaca schools budget; freedom of information

This morning's Journal is light on news specifically about Dryden. Dryden residents who live in the Ithaca school district will probably be interested in an article on the ICSD budget's growth. There's also an article on proposed legislation to strengthen New York's Freedom of Information Law. I haven't had much trouble with FOIL requests here, but I'm happy to see...

Posted by simonstl at 08:31 AM

March 30, 2005

Helping education through recipes in memory

Cathy Wakeman's Town Talk column in today's Journal looks at "Heavenly Recipes," a cookbook dedicated to the memory of Michele Longo Ferris. The cookbook is available at Hill's Drugs in Dryden, and all proceeds will be dedicated to education. Wakeman also notes the memorial plates in many Southworth Library books, a reminder that people have left bequests to support their...

Posted by simonstl at 07:13 AM

March 29, 2005

Two-car accident on Yellow Barn Road

Last night's fog seems to have contributed to a two-car head-on collision that sent six people to the hospital last night on Yellow Barn Road. Dryden firefighters had to extricate both drivers, and a MedEvac helicopter couldn't help because of the fog. A Freeville man was charged with marijuana possession after a traffic stop on Sunday. In the Ithaca City...

Posted by simonstl at 07:59 AM

March 28, 2005

A few arrests

The Ithaca Journal is mostly quiet on Dryden news today, but reports the arrests of two Dryden men, one for DWI in Groton and one for breaking windows in Ithaca. In news just outside the town, there's an article on activity at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as spring approaches, including volunteer work done by citizen-scientists. The Journal's editorial looks...

Posted by simonstl at 08:03 AM

March 27, 2005

'Woman from Dryden' and 1831 murder

In yesterday's Ithaca Journal, Tompkins County Historian Carol Kammen examines the 1831 murder of Fanny Clark in Ithaca by her husband, and mentions a Dryden link: Then there was the added annoyance of the woman from Dryden: She had moved into the room next to the Clarks in the boarding house and was known to have a "bad reputation." Mrs....

Posted by simonstl at 08:12 AM

March 25, 2005

Dryden schools face reading, student teacher problems

This morning's Ithaca Journal looks at two difficult issues facing the Dryden Central School District. The Journal has been reporting on state report cards for local districts, and today looks at Dryden. "Performance over time of Dryden fourth- and eighth-graders on the English Language Arts state assessment test has not been satisfactory for leaders in the district." Most of the...

Posted by simonstl at 07:55 AM

March 24, 2005

Low Tompkins snowmobile accident rate

This morning's Ithaca Journal talks with the Dryden-Caroline Drifters snowmobile club in an article about Tompkins County having a lower rate of snowmobile injuries and fatalities than other parts of the state. There's a picture of Deana Madigan on her snowmobile, as well comments from Madigan and Dryden resident Thomas Miller. TCAT and its union don't seem to be getting...

Posted by simonstl at 07:58 AM

March 23, 2005

ICSD redistricts Varna children to Caroline

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Ithaca City School District voted 6-2 last night to implement a plan moving 23 students in Varna from Cayuga Heights Elementary School to Caroline. I need to take a look when new maps come out to see if that's the longest distance to an elementary school in the district; it feels likely to...

Posted by simonstl at 08:49 AM

March 22, 2005

More to come on windmills; ICSD redistricting tonight

Cornell University will be giving an overview of a wind power generation study to the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council meeting on April 13th, which starts at 7:00pm with the Cornell presentation around 8:00pm. The meeting will be held at the Tompkins County Transit Center (map). There's a bit of information about the study in the article itself: A temporary...

Posted by simonstl at 07:18 AM

March 21, 2005

Sustainability

This morning's Ithaca Journal spends its editorial on the difficulties of sustainable power including hydropower and wind. It doesn't mention Dryden, but in some ways it echoes recent resistance to windmills here. Planner George Frantz, who has been the consultant on Dryden's Comprehensive Plan, has a guest column about house size and sustainability, announcing the Sustainable Tompkins Welcome Salon to...

Posted by simonstl at 02:52 PM

March 20, 2005

School report cards, freedom of information

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

March 18, 2005

Freedom of Information in Dryden

This morning's Ithaca Journal devotes its entire editorial page to New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), which gives citizens access to government documents at the state and local levels, complementing the federal government's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). They have four pieces on the subject: Their editorial provides an overview of FOIL, arguing that "while it is true that...

Posted by simonstl at 08:12 AM

March 17, 2005

Etna man faces steeper charges

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Timothy Troy of Etna, accused of leading police on a chase through Collegetown and Dryden, may face more severe charges as his case is referred to a grand jury. The SPCA will be having a St. Patrick's Day celebration today (map) from noon to 5:30pm, including "Celtic music, 'lucky' green punch, treats, and $17...

Posted by simonstl at 08:43 AM

March 16, 2005

Lakeview Golf Course bought by owner

After all the suspense about who would buy the Lakeview Golf Course at last Friday's auction, current owner George Szlasa, represented by attorney Mahlon Perkins, purchased the course at the auction for $359,900 on the first and only bid. [Update: The Journal had originally reported $395,900, but corrected it.] This resolves the golf course's future for the short term, but...

Posted by simonstl at 08:56 AM

Incumbents re-elected in Dryden, Freeville

Village elections held yesterday returned incumbents to their seats in both Dryden and Freeville. In Dryden, Mayor Reba Taylor and Village Trustees Bob Witty and Mark Strom were re-elected over new Village Trustee challenger Jerry Carbo, while in Freeville Tom Lyson and Rachel Dickinson won re-election to their Trustee seats. Election inspectors read the Village of Dryden tallies. Dryden turnout...

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

March 15, 2005

Village elections today

This morning's Journal reports that there are elections today in the Villages of Dryden and Freeville. Polls will be open from noon to 9:00pm at the the Dryden Village Hall (map) and the the Freeville Village Hall (map). Freeville's election is uncontested, with Rachel Dickinson and Tom Lyson running for trustee. In Dryden, the mayor's race is uncontested, with Reba...

Posted by simonstl at 08:58 AM

March 14, 2005

Mike Lane on tomorrow's Village of Dryden election

County Legislator Mike Lane writes the Ithaca Journal today to endorse Jerry Carbo for Village Trustee in tomorrow's Village of Dryden elections: Jerry Carbo is running for one of the seats, and is well qualified. He has impressive experience in law and accounting. Jerry, his wife and children have returned to our area, bought a house and have made Dryden...

Posted by simonstl at 12:01 PM

March 12, 2005

Land claim, supporting troops

It's a quiet day for Dryden in the Ithaca Journal. They run an AP story on the Onondaga land claim I mentioned yesterday. (The New York Times (registration required) also has an article on the claim this morning.) On the opinion page, there's a laurel from Bill Cornell of Dryden, whose son's involvement in a kidnap rescue in Iraq was...

Posted by simonstl at 10:08 AM

March 11, 2005

Etna man in high-speed chase

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that an Etna man faces 25 charges after a high-speed chase through Collegetown and along Route 366 Saturday night. Timothy Troy allegedly hit multiple vehicles, including a head-on collision, and was arrested the next day after officers traced his license plate. A college student from Dryden is in Antarctica for a month on an "expedition...

Posted by simonstl at 08:41 AM

March 10, 2005

Wind power on Mount Pleasant?

This morning's Ithaca Journal includes a first look at Cornell's plans to put up to eight wind turbines on Mount Pleasant, near its current observatory. Cornell is "still in the study phase of this," and has put "a 50-meter weather station near the WHCU transmission tower." The project, which would provide 10-15% of the university's energy, would be large, nearly...

Posted by simonstl at 08:53 AM

March 09, 2005

Golf course up for auction Friday

A letter in today's Ithaca Journal from Town Supervisor Steve Trumbull says that the Lakeview Golf Course is up for auction and the town still has hope: that the Town of Dryden and the new owners of the golf course can work together to expand recreational opportunities that the area would offer in addition to golf. The auction will be...

Posted by simonstl at 09:34 AM

'Ger' sighted in Varna

I'm curious where this is, but there's a Mongolian-made 'ger' (also called a yurt) somewhere near Varna. It looks and sounds pretty stunning....

Posted by simonstl at 01:36 AM

March 07, 2005

Openings on Youth Commission, ZBA

In this morning's Ithaca Journal, Briefly in Tompkins and a second Briefly in Tompkins list some positions open to applications from residents of Dryden: The Dryden Youth Commission, a joint commission between the Town of Dryden, Village of Dryden, and Village of Freeville, has an opening for a Village of Dryden resident. The Dryden Zoning Board of Appeals has an...

Posted by simonstl at 08:00 AM

March 05, 2005

Absentee ballots for Village of Dryden elections

This morning's Ithaca Journal is pretty quiet about Dryden-specific news, but absentee ballots for village elections are now available from the Tompkins County Board of Elections. Requests for mailed applications must be received by March 8th, though applications may be picked up in person until March 14th. The election is March 15th. There's an extended article on Ithaca schools redistricting,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:18 AM

March 04, 2005

Town Hall prospects; snowmobile accident

This morning's Ithaca Journal has all kinds of Dryden news. There's an article on last night's informational meeting on the Town Hall land purchase, "a 47-acre parcel adjacent to the current town hall location for $100,000 from ELM Acquisition Corporation." Near the Dryden VFW, there was a snowmobile accident that put a Richford man in intensive care. Getting to the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:12 AM

March 03, 2005

Town Board meets tonight to discuss 47 acres

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden Town Board will be meeting tonight at 7:00pm in the Dryden Village Hall (map) for a public information session about the purchase of land for a new Town Hall and other possible uses. The Dryden Courier had reported on the prospect of 20-25 acres, but the parcel in question turns out to...

Posted by simonstl at 07:53 AM

March 02, 2005

Dryden Hotel to reopen soon

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden Hotel will reopen sometime around April 1st, after repairs from water damage are completed. Briefly in Tompkins lists several upcoming Dryden events: The Dryden Town Board will be meeting tonight at 7:00pm at the Dryden Village Hall (map) in joint session with the Village Board to discuss an annexation petition from Dryden...

Posted by simonstl at 08:50 AM

March 01, 2005

Ithaca schools budget

Today's Ithaca Journal is practically silent on Dryden news. There's a discussion of the Ithaca school budget proposal to be unveiled tonight, which affects part of the town, but that's about it....

Posted by simonstl at 07:49 AM

February 28, 2005

Chicks Ride over Dryden

Posted by simonstl at 08:29 AM

February 26, 2005

Dryden man helps free kidnapped Egyptians

Sergeant Matthew Cornell, who graduated from Dryden High School in 2002, helped rescue two Eqyptian technicians from kidnappers in Iraq on February 7th. Two of the three men who fled the vehicle were captured. The Journal has a long piece on increasing assessments, including a tour of county legislators' homes and their assessments. Dryden Legislator Mike Lane's proposal for shifting...

Posted by simonstl at 07:56 AM

February 25, 2005

Dryden superintendent writes on schools' mission

On the opinion page of today's Ithaca Journal, Dryden Superintendent of Schools Mark Crawford writes about the changing mission of schools and the challenges of living up to it. Crawford writes of Dryden: I would also like to mention that in our Dryden community, as in other local communities, bridges have been and are being built by churches, service clubs,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:34 AM

February 24, 2005

Remembering Bret Neff

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on a candlelight vigil and dedication of a memorial for Bret Neff, the Harford firefighter who lost his life at a fire in Slaterville last year. The Slaterville Volunteer Fire Company, which also covers the Bethel Grove area of Dryden, received a $54,000 federal grant for fire prevention efforts....

Posted by simonstl at 07:55 AM

February 23, 2005

Library questions

This morning's Ithaca Journal takes a look at library funding issues, noting that the Tompkins County Public Library is seeking help from the Ithaca and Lansing school districts through a referendum. Dryden's Southworth Library seems likely to have unique status if these pass: In Tompkins County, three libraries currently use a public referendum or a similar mechanism. Those libraries are...

Posted by simonstl at 08:57 AM

February 22, 2005

Local fire departments busy

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that local fire companies had a lot of work this weekend. A three-car accident brought out the McLean and Freeville fire departments, as well as Dryden Ambulance and the New York State Police. A house fire in Slaterville brought out the Slaterville department as well as Harford, Brooktondale, Varna, Richford, and Speedsville tanker trucks. The...

Posted by simonstl at 08:59 AM

February 19, 2005

Trash collector injured

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Albert Miller, a trash collector was injured on West Dryden Road early on Thursday. The Freeville Fire Department and Dryden ambulance responded, and Miller was taken by helicoper to Arnot-Ogden hospital in Elmira. Briefly in Tompkins mentions the Dryden-Caroline Drifters Febuary 26th 2nd Annual Chicks Ride for women to raise funds for the Ithaca...

Posted by simonstl at 07:35 AM

February 18, 2005

Hearing on Comprehensive Plan

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on last night's hearing on the revised Draft Comprehensive Plan. Residents expressed concern, and some hope, about changes that would eventually come to their neighborhood, and as the article notes, the Dryden Lake area was of particular concern to a number of speakers. Looking over maps after the hearing. (My photo, not the Journal's.) One...

Posted by simonstl at 08:06 AM

February 17, 2005

Lane proposes three-year assessment cycle

Dryden County Legislator Mike Lane is cited in this morning's Ithaca Journal as saying "he wants the Legislature to vote on changing the cycle to every three years, a move he proposed twice last year but was shot down both times by his colleagues." Lane goes on to say: "Some of us have been hearing about the new assessments," Lane...

Posted by simonstl at 08:46 AM

February 16, 2005

Welsh ponies, free tax prep

In this morning's Ithaca Journal, Cathy Wakeman's Dryden Town Talk takes a look at Welsh pony trainer Amy Schwartz and rider Junelle King, National Grand Champion of the United States Equestrian Foundation Welsh Pony Division. Schwartz is raising 30 ponies at Kelviden Farm on West Dryden Road, and chairs a large Welsh Pony show at the State Fairgrounds. Wakeman points...

Posted by simonstl at 08:26 AM

February 15, 2005

Ithaca schools redistricting

Today's Ithaca Journal is the quietest for Dryden news I've seen in a while. About all there is is mention of a hearing on Ithaca School District elementary redistricting tonight from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the district's administration building (map). The currently active plan for redistricting may affect a a few residents on the western edge of Dryden. Dryden's representative...

Posted by simonstl at 08:08 AM

February 14, 2005

Child seat help at State Trooper barracks

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that New York State Police are offering inspection and help with child restraint seats at their barracks on Route 13 in Dryden tomorrow from 3:30pm to 6:00pm. State law will be changing March 27th: The new child restraint law states children younger than age 4 must ride in a federally approved restraint. Children younger than...

Posted by simonstl at 08:08 AM

February 12, 2005

Dryden Family Medicine founder passes away suddenly

Most of the news section in today's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden, but an obituary stands out. 81-year-old Dr. John Ferger, who had founded Dryden Family Medicine in 1955 and worked there since, died suddenly yesterday after spending "the morning seeing patients at the office". Calling hours will be Thursday, February 17th, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Perkins...

Posted by simonstl at 09:54 AM

February 11, 2005

Town Board meeting, Freeville perspectives

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on last night's Town Board meeting. They lead with the question of the purchase of land for the new Town Hall, writing that: In an unexpected move, the Dryden Town Board went into executive session at the end of its meeting Thursday night without taking action on the proposed purchase of land for a new...

Posted by simonstl at 08:59 AM

Etna Chocolate Festival

I forgot to mention one item in yesterday's Ithaca Journal, and it seems worth noting in a separate story. The Best Bets listing included this entry: Etna Chocolate Festival -- Featuring locally made chocolate and door prizes, proceeds go to the Etna Community Association; Houtz Hall (map), Etna Community Association, Etna; 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday; 25 cents tastes...

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

February 10, 2005

Dryden resident profiled for Ithaca police work

This morning's Ithaca Journal has a profile and picture of Peter "Pete" Tyler, "the first African-American in IPD to reach the rank of sergeant." Tyler is a member of the Ithaca Police Department SWAT team, as well as a member of their recruitment team. He lives in Dryden, where he also volunteers with Neptune Hose Company. Freeville village elections appear...

Posted by simonstl at 08:09 AM

February 09, 2005

Annexation possibilities

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on last night's public meeting to discuss the possible annexation of an area north of Dryden to the Village. Dryden Mutual Insurance has applied to be annexed to the Village, and there are large questions about sewer and water service in the area. Annexing parcel by parcel is a slow process that costs a lot...

Posted by simonstl at 08:14 AM

February 08, 2005

Profile of TC coordinator, ICSD redistricting

This morning's Ithaca Journal includes a profile of TC3 multicultural coordinator Jean D'Arc Kakusu Campbell, exploring how a man born in the Democratic Republic of Congo came to Dryden "to make TC3 a place that embraces and celebrates every culture." The paper also finally sheds some light on the impact of Ithaca City School District elementary redistricting on a small...

Posted by simonstl at 07:27 AM

February 07, 2005

Ticketing may push dog park development

The only explicit mention of Dryden in today's Ithaca Journal is in a report on recent ticketing of dog walkers at Allen Treman State Park who were allowing their dogs off-leash mentions the prospect of a dog park at the SPCA in Dryden. In a set of articles about pedestrian-automobile accidents, the Journal writes that Tompkins County has reduced fatal...

Posted by simonstl at 08:49 AM

February 05, 2005

Eight square schoolhouse

Posted by simonstl at 08:14 AM

February 04, 2005

Possible dog park in Dryden?

I don't often find news in the paper that would make my dogs happy, but today they're lucky: the Journal reports that the Tompkins County SPCA is considering creating an off-leash dog park on 12 acres of its own land. Muncipalities and the state haven't been particularly interested in the idea, and while the SPCA facility isn't convenient to the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:21 AM

February 03, 2005

Final suspect convicted of kidnapping

This morning's Journal reports that Mao-Sheng Lin was convicted of kidnapping in a robbery of the Song Tao restaurant in November 2003. Lin had disappeared after posting $200,000 in bail and was returned from Texas in November 2004. Two other suspects pleaded guilty earlier. An article on students raising money for tsunami aid includes a list of student projects at...

Posted by simonstl at 08:18 AM

February 02, 2005

Village trustee races, cub scouts

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Village of Dryden will have a contested race for Village Trustee on March 15th. Jerry Carbo will be running as a Democrat against incumbent Republicans Robert Witty and Mark Strom. Carbo, 32, makes a comment that comes close to the heart of why I started Living in Dryden: "I've been somewhat discouraged to...

Posted by simonstl at 08:22 AM

February 01, 2005

Delay in Town Hall land purchase

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that negotiations with ELM Acquisition Corporation for land for a new town hall have been delayed because of a "small glitch." The negotiations are still proceeding: Steve Trumbull, the town supervisor, said the town board should be able to vote on the revised deal at its meeting Feb. 10. In the meantime, Trumbull said he...

Posted by simonstl at 07:29 AM

January 31, 2005

Apprenticeships, Fall Creek

In today's Journal, Dryden resident Michael Creasy questions why building contractors wouldn't want to have apprenticeship programs in response to an earlier letter. Downstream of Dryden, Fall Creek has started to recede after flooding this weekend, and there's a picture of an excavator smashing ice. I haven't heard of any recent problems with Fall Creek in Dryden, however....

Posted by simonstl at 08:10 AM

January 29, 2005

Fall Creek flooding basements

While there's no mention of flooding in Dryden, water coming from Dryden is causing problems at Ithaca High School and Ithaca's Fall Creek neighborhood. The flooding is a combination of conditions in Cayuga Lake and conditions in the Fall Creek watershed that have jammed Fall Creek with ice: The high lake level apparently is the product of warm temperatures early...

Posted by simonstl at 10:23 AM

January 28, 2005

Dryden schools consider fiber-optic line

This morning's Journal looks at a proposal to connect Dryden to fiber-optic lines for distance learning possibilities, and notes the resignation of Debra Cox, who is leaving her position as principal of Dryden Primary School for a job in the Tully school district. Kevin Vallely, Dryden resident and UPS delivery man, is quoted in an article about how to stay...

Posted by simonstl at 08:46 AM

January 27, 2005

Dryden opinions

Two Dryden residents write to express their opinions in today's Ithaca Journal. Peter Davies writes a guest column encouraging the Ithaca City School District to support rowing as a sport. Maureen Brull writes expressing her concern about Americans' "arrogant use of money". There's another announcement for the Second Annual Breast Cancer Ride for Research, an all-girls snowmobile ride which the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:28 AM

January 26, 2005

Horses killed in accident on 38

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on an accident which killed two horses which wandered on to Route 38 Sunday night. The Dryden Fire Department replied, and the vehicle involved was towed away, but the people involved weren't injured. Briefly in Dryden lists a lasagna dinner at the Varna United Methodist Church (map) at 4:00pm on Saturday, January 29th. Tompkins Cortland...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

January 25, 2005

Beyond Measure on "Best of High School A Cappella 2005"

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden High School a cappella ensemble Beyond Measure has a song, "Fever," on a collection CD, "Best of High School A Cappella 2005." The CD is not yet available, bit should be out soon, and Beyond Measure's next performance will be April 29th. The Ithaca School Board will be examining redistricting tonight at...

Posted by simonstl at 08:48 AM

January 24, 2005

Windmills, weather, and wish lists

This morning's Journal mentions a project I've heard rumored but not seen in print, the possibility of Cornell setting up windmills in Dryden and elsewhere in Tompkins County. The University is doing tests now in Dryden, "though Joyce declined to elaborate on where in the town they were looking." This weekend's frozen and snowy weather gets an article looking at...

Posted by simonstl at 07:43 AM

January 22, 2005

Dryden quiet as storm approaches

There's not a lot of Dryden-specific news in today's Journal, though there's plenty of news that affects us. We'll be sharing in the weekend forecast of snow and cold, and the current winter storm warning claims: SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS MORNING AND EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE SNOW WILL FALL HEAVILY AT TIMES LATER...

Posted by simonstl at 08:42 AM

January 21, 2005

Letters from Dryden

Most of the Dryden-specific activity in today's Ithaca Journal is on the opinion page, so I'll start there for the first time in a while. Henry Kramer of Dryden writes to argue that New York (population 19.2 million) follow Connecticut's (population 3.4 million) lead and abolish counties, suggesting that: "For municipalities, cooperative arrangements and use of consortia could be used...

Posted by simonstl at 07:39 AM

January 20, 2005

ICSD in TC IDA?

County Legislator Mike Lane is quoted in an article on the Ithaca City School District's interest in a seat on the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency board, noting that because the IDA grants tax abatements, "We are directly affected by the outcome of the decisions made by the IDA." Lane prefers that elected officials rather than representatives of particular groups...

Posted by simonstl at 12:34 PM

January 19, 2005

Coral reefs in Dryden; Foundation of Light

In this morning's Journal, Cathy Wakeman's Town Talk column visits a local business that grows coral, Reef Encounters. As Wakeman notes, their photo section is especially stunning, especially on a cold January day. Wakeman also mentions a a 4-H spaghetti dinner, which will be held Friday, January 21st from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at the Neptune Hose Company. (map) The Journal...

Posted by simonstl at 08:45 AM

January 18, 2005

Winter weather woes

The cold and snow are taking their toll on local driving. This morning's Journal reports 43 accident reports by 6:50pm yesterday, though none of them were fatal. A look at this morning's radar shows snow in a narrow diagonal strip from Lansing to Binghamton, concentrated in Tompkins County, and nowhere else in New York. A re-published interview with Sheriff Peter...

Posted by simonstl at 08:16 AM

January 17, 2005

Ithaca schools find outside funding

It's a quiet day for Dryden news, but the Journal has a few stories that affect parts of Dryden. The Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) reports having raised $94,917 to support programs in the Ithaca City School District. You can see more about them at the IPEI web site. (The Dryden distirct has a similar organization, the Dryden Youth Opportunity...

Posted by simonstl at 08:05 AM

January 15, 2005

Gay marriage suit, prescription cards

Freeville residents Terri Niedzialek and Nancy Chapman attended a State Supreme Court hearing on the suit by 25 same-sex couples that seeks to remove New York State's limitation of marriage to a man and a woman. Hospital issues motivated them: "Niedzialek said she has had battles with some hospital staff when they tried to prevent her partner from being by...

Posted by simonstl at 09:59 AM

January 14, 2005

Town buys land for town hall, possibly recreation

This morning's Journal follows up yesterday's articles on reasons to buy land for a new Town Hall with a report that the Town Board voted last night to approve it. I'll have more detail on the conversation about this issue over the weekend (I talked too much!), but at least some of the conversation about possible recreation uses took place...

Posted by simonstl at 04:08 AM

January 13, 2005

Land purchase on tonight's Town Board agenda

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the space shortage in Dryden Town Hall and a possible land purchase to build a new one which will be discussed at tonight's 7:00pm board meeting. They have a nice collection of pictures illustrating the problem, which is hard to miss if you visit Town Hall. The question of recreation land as part of...

Posted by simonstl at 07:48 AM

January 12, 2005

Events, ICSD special education

Today's Ithaca Journal Our Towns section mostly focuses on the other towns that share Wednesday, but the Briefly in Dryden section mentions two upcoming events: TC3 will be holding Alumni Fun Day on February 5th, and free tickets are available to alumni who register by January 28th. "Mad Science: Marvels in Motion" will start the day with a collection of...

Posted by simonstl at 08:18 AM

January 11, 2005

ICSD Special education, state issues

There isn't much specific to Dryden in today's Ithaca Journal, but there is plenty of new that affects Dryden or some part of it. The Ithaca City School District will be reviewing a report on its special education programs tonight. The article notes some ways in which Ithaca students vary from state and national averages. I've mentioned green construction in...

Posted by simonstl at 08:57 AM

January 10, 2005

After school in McLean; tax issues

This morning's Ithaca Journal looks at a new after-school program in McLean, giving kids more to do in the hamlet. Lack of transportation keeps kids in the area after school, and there isn't a place for kids to hang out in McLean. The program will offer tutoring, open the gym, and have pizza on Tuesday and Thursday nights. A Cornell...

Posted by simonstl at 08:42 AM

January 08, 2005

Ringwood Road fire

This morning's Ithaca Journal has a photo of Varna and Dryden firefighters putting out a fire at a workshop on Ringwood Road yesterday. Briefly in Tompkins mentions the Dryden Senior Citizens' meeting and lunch at the Dryden Fire Hall this coming Monday, January 10th, at 11:30am, as well as a firewood lottery at the DEC. There's an article on how...

Posted by simonstl at 09:16 AM

January 07, 2005

Etna fire coverage, schools out yesterday

Today's Ithaca Journal provides more information on the Etna fire coverage agreement that was discussed at Tuesday's Town Board meeting. The article looks at the agreement between the four Dryden fire departments as well as the new Mobile Response Vehicle that Dryden Ambulance is keeping on the west side of town on weekdays. An article on yesterday's snow day talks...

Posted by simonstl at 07:53 AM

January 06, 2005

Weather, State of the State

I was hoping to be in Albany today for a rally on reform, but the weather kept me home, so the Ithaca Journal's focus on the weather and Governor Pataki's State of the State address will have to do. The only explicit Dryden mention I can find in today's paper is a listing for the Black Sheep Handspinners Guild Annual...

Posted by simonstl at 08:57 AM

January 05, 2005

Montessori School, Varna Fire Company profile

In this morning's Ithaca Journal, Cathy Wakeman looks at the opening of the Integrative Montessori Nursery School, which will be having an open house Friday through Sunday: The public is invited to visit and learn about this new classroom at 4 Thresher Place, off of Spring Run Road in the Yellow Barn area of Freeville. A multi-day open house will...

Posted by simonstl at 08:52 AM

January 04, 2005

New BOCES head, county legislator salaries

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES has named Ellen O'Donnell as its new superintendent. O'Donnell is currently the superintendent of the Chenango Forks Central School District. An article on Tioga County notes that renewing your car registration by mail gives the state fees that would normally go to the county, so I'll be driving down to Ithaca in...

Posted by simonstl at 08:57 AM

January 03, 2005

Taxes around the county

The only explicit mention of Dryden in today's Journal is a quote from County Legislator Mike Lane, in an article about town and county tax bills going up, mostly showing an increase: "I think we did a lot better than the last two years," Legislator Mike Lane, D-Dryden, said of this year's county budget process, "but I'm hearing from my...

Posted by simonstl at 08:02 AM

January 01, 2005

Car chase in Dryden

This morning's Journal reports on a car chase that started near the intersection of Route 34B and Sheldon Road when the Dryden Village Police tried to stop a white Toyota pickup, which turned out to be unregistered. The driver took off heading north, crossed into Cayuga County, and was finally "stopped when stop sticks placed by police on the road...

Posted by simonstl at 09:58 AM

December 31, 2004

Neptune fire department member receives award

The year seems to be going out quietly for Dryden. Today's Journal does mention Dryden a few times, though. Mike Hall of the Dryden Fire Department received the Ithaca Rescue Steamer and Chemical Co. No. 2's Chuckie Fletcher Award, "given to a person who exhibits the dedication that marked the life of Fletcher." At the county level, there's an article...

Posted by simonstl at 09:35 AM

December 30, 2004

TC3 professor and husband injured in tsunami

TC3 Communications and Media Arts professor Christine Xaver and her husband Scott Weatherby, also a TC3 employee, were both injured in Sunday's tsunami. The couple was vacationing in Thailand while their son attended boxing camp. The Journal also published an email from Xaver with pictures. An article on how to spend New Year's Eve mentions that: Tompkins County Country Dances...

Posted by simonstl at 09:56 AM

December 29, 2004

Pay raises, energy choices

In this morning's Ithaca Journal, Dryden County Legislator Mike Lane argues for lower pay raises than those supported in a competing plan: "Legislators work hard," Lane said. "You can't expect them to work for nothing. On the other hand, we have to come to a level at what a part-time legislator in Tompkins County has to be compensated at. At...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

December 28, 2004

Freeville pancakes, ICSD redistricting

The only Dryden-specific event mentioned in today's Ithaca Journal is a listing for a pancake breakfast at the Freeville Fire Station, to be held Sunday, January 2nd, from 8:00am to 11:00am. All of the Dryden fire departments, along with others in the county, are noted in today's editorial, which suggests: "During the holiday season, people often take time to think...

Posted by simonstl at 08:46 AM

December 27, 2004

Airport, TCAT issues

There isn't much news specific to Dryden today, but there's county news that could definitely affect getting in and out of Dryden. TCAT avoided a fare increase this year but is watching next year closely, while the airport is trying to add another carrier in addition to the twice-bankrupt US Airways. In the "This Week" listings, the Foundation of Light...

Posted by simonstl at 09:02 AM

December 25, 2004

Visiting Michelle Griffin

This morning's Journal visits Michelle Griffin, widow of Air Force Staff Sgt. Patrick Griffin, who was killed in the invasion of Iraq last year. Michelle, a Dryden native, may return here from Florida eventually: Someday, she may move back to Upstate New York, as she and Pat had always planned. They always talked about the kind of house they wanted...

Posted by simonstl at 08:28 AM

December 24, 2004

Privatizing the Inaugural

It's a very quiet day in the Ithaca Journal, but there's a letter from Katie Quinn-Jacobs of Dryden that hopes "every citizen in this 'democracy' becomes aware of the true cost, in terms of our civil rights, what guaranteeing a blemish-free spectacle for the Bush administration on inauguration day requires." There's also a list of holiday closings....

Posted by simonstl at 11:29 AM

December 23, 2004

Pipe leak damages Dryden Hotel

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden Hotel, rebuilt after a 1995 fire, suffered significant damage when a sprinkler pipe froze and leaked. The sprinkler system's apparent evacuation called Dryden firefighters, who turned off the sprinkler system and evacuated guests, but substantial damage had already been done to ceilings. The building was undergoing renovation. At the county level, the...

Posted by simonstl at 09:50 AM

December 22, 2004

Victorian Christmas, Kitchen Cupboard

This morning's Ithaca Journal catches up to the Victorian Christmas event the Village of Dryden held December 3rd, exploring how it and the wreaths along West Main Street came about. Cathy Wakeman celebrates a warm fire and a cup of tea on a cold day, and looks at the Kitchen Cupboard and caroling in the Village of Dryden. She also...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

December 21, 2004

TC3 water clear

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that no contaminants were found in TC3's water supply after a break-in last week. Initial testing had been negative, but these are more complete results. At the county level, the Civil Service Employees Assocation (CSEA) has withdrawn from representing TCAT bus drivers, leaving the UAW as the sole union. While this makes TCAT's future clearer,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:12 AM

December 20, 2004

Elementary play, fire safety

This morning's Ithaca Journal online seems a bit scrambled, with headlines and stories fitting a bit more loosely than usual. This Week lists a performance of "The Mitten" at Freeville Elementary School tomorrow, December 21st at 7:00pm. The Journal continues its series on fire safety with an article on chimney maintenance. In county news, there's an article about the future...

Posted by simonstl at 08:48 AM

December 18, 2004

Dryden political opinions

This morning's Ithaca Journal is light on Dryden news but has two letters from Dryden residents. Stephen Prentice of Freeville writes to complain that: "It seems that the press believes that the hundreds of thousands of complaints filed by outraged citizens over the rampant raunch on television somehow don't count simply because the complainant belongs to an organized group... Whether...

Posted by simonstl at 08:07 AM

December 17, 2004

Break-in at TC3 water tower

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on an intrusion at a water tower at Tompkins-Cortland Community College. Initial testing found no contaminants, but they're waiting for further results. The Journal has a piece on fire safety and the elderly and a piece on establishing fire escape plans. On the opinion page, Harry Applin of Candor writes about the proposed TC3 expansion:...

Posted by simonstl at 08:16 AM

December 16, 2004

Car fires and wood stoves

It continues to be one of the quietest weeks for Dryden news I've seen in a while. Maybe everyone has been completely focused on the holidays? There was a car fire on Route 13 just west of Dryden, near the airport. No one was injured, but the car looks incinerated. More broadly, the Journal has an article on the increased...

Posted by simonstl at 08:00 AM

December 15, 2004

Holiday party, youth sports, optimism for local economy

It's been a quiet week in Dryden, but the Journal reports that the Varna Community Association will be ending that week with a holiday party for kids, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Friday in the Varna Community Center (map). Also, the Dryden Recreation Department is taking registrations for wrestling, ages 5-14, and volleyball, grades 4-6, before January 7th. The job...

Posted by simonstl at 08:54 AM

December 14, 2004

Wells fight continues for Freeville student

This morning's Ithaca Journal quotes Railey Savage, a 19-year-old from Freeville, in an article on the legal fight to keep Wells College from going co-ed. Savage wants to keep Wells a women's college because it is: "populated by strong women who could be in leadership roles, who could be active members of their communities, who have found their voices. That's...

Posted by simonstl at 08:42 AM

December 13, 2004

Helicopter inspections

There's very little specific to Dryden in today's Ithaca Journal, but Briefly in Tompkins notes that NYSEG will be conducting helicopter-based inspections of their high-power lines (and we have many of those) on Tuesday, Wednesday, and possibly Thursday. On the editorial page, the Journal looks at the pluses and minuses of deer, and Jay Gallagher writes that while Albany may...

Posted by simonstl at 08:25 AM

December 11, 2004

Two laurels

It's a quiet day for Dryden news. Today's Ithaca Journal just includes a few Dryden-related laurels. One thanks the people who rescued Sam Walcott from under tons of salt, and the other is from Linda Wagenet of Dryden, thanking "many wonderful local establishments and individuals who contributed to Hospicare and Palliative Care's Light the Landscape celebration!"...

Posted by simonstl at 08:18 AM

December 10, 2004

Etna Fire Department discussion

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the decision last night not to send the Etna Fire Department its 2004 contract yet. Fire issues were a large part of last night's town meeting, and I'll be reporting more on that part of the meeting this weekend. Briefly, Town Board members Chris Michaels and Steve Stelick are meeting with Etna and the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:42 AM

December 09, 2004

County budget; schoolbuses

It's a quiet day for Dryden in the Ithaca Journal. There's an odd short recap of Tuesday's county budget vote that seems to repeat yesterday's article on the budget. I did talk with County Legislator Michael Lane yesterday, and he supported the jail and voted against the budget. The Journal's editorial looks at the challenge given to local school districts...

Posted by simonstl at 08:41 AM

December 08, 2004

Victorian Festival; physical therapy; jail voted down

Cathy Wakeman's describes last Friday's Victorian Winter Festival and provides a list of holiday events yet to come in today's Ithaca Journal. There's also a profile of Freeville physical therapist Richard Weiner, looking at a class he taught in Ithaca on the Feldenkrais Method. The Ithaca City School District continues to discuss redistricting, though no plans have yet been drawn....

Posted by simonstl at 08:52 AM

December 07, 2004

Dryden resident arrested at Pyramid Mall; jail vote tonight

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the quick thinking of an off-duty sheriff's deputy that led to the arrest of a Dryden teen for the theft of $53 from the Santa Claus photo booth at Pyramid Mall. The County Legislature will be voting tonight on whether to build a new $20 million jail after last month's failure to pass a...

Posted by simonstl at 08:51 AM

December 06, 2004

Deer on the march

Dryden's number of accidents involving deer is up to nine this year from three last year, though it isn't clear if this year is high or last year was low. On the opinion page, Edward Marx,Tompkins County Commissioner of Planning, describes the vision of the new County Comprehensive Plan, which the County Legislature will have a public hearing on tomorrow....

Posted by simonstl at 08:42 AM

December 04, 2004

Drug busts, wood stove safety, jail

The Monitor reports on two cocaine busts in Dryden, one tied to an arrest earlier this week, and one marijuana arrest. The Journal has an article on the fatal fire in Slaterville this past week, exploring safety measures needed to keep wood stoves safe. It notes that 5.6% of Dryden residents have woodstoves, fewer than many towns in the county...

Posted by simonstl at 09:34 AM

December 03, 2004

Passing schoolbuses; school assault

There's not a lot of Dryden news in this morning's Journal. Dryden school bus driver Becky Colbert writes about a large problem on her route along Route 13 from Irish Settlement Road to Pinckney Road. Motorists keep driving through her red lights and stop signs, endangering the children who need to cross the road to get home. The Monitor repeats...

Posted by simonstl at 08:21 AM

December 02, 2004

Education money questions

The announcement earlier this week that a court-appointed panel would require the state spend $23 billion more on New York City schools has created all kinds of questions, including where the money will come from and whether poor rural districts will get the same kind of assistance. The Journal covered the state story yesterday, and today it talks to local...

Posted by simonstl at 07:42 AM

December 01, 2004

Nearby trains

Wednesdays are usually pretty busy days for Dryden in the Ithaca Journal because of the Our Towns section, but this week's news there is mostly of Groton and Caroline. There is a piece on trains in Caroline, including some discussion of the Besemer station, right near the Dryden-Caroline boundary. There is a Briefly in Dryden section, which lists continued openings...

Posted by simonstl at 08:36 AM

November 30, 2004

Dryden-Freeville trail update

Today's Ithaca Journal provides an update on plans for the trail from the Village of Dryden to Freeville. Environmental Planner Debbie Gross talks about hiring a contractor and the early planning. Trail landowner Warren Van Pelt talks about his concerns, and contractor Rick Manning talks about the engineering challenges involved and the possibility of interpretive signs. To the west of...

Posted by simonstl at 07:32 AM

November 29, 2004

FEMA restores funding

The Ithaca Journal reports this morning (as I reported Thursday) that FEMA has decided to restore the $170,000 in funding they had removed because they claimed the project had changed since it was authorized. The McLean Fire Department has purchased ten new self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA) using a federal grant. (You can also see Congressman Boehlert's press release on the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:55 AM

November 27, 2004

State budget and TC3

Today's Journal reports on Governor Pataki's apparently sustained veto of $325,000 in aid to TC3. The article left me wondering if the college aid was included in a list of vetoes the Senate couldn't override because the Assembly hadn't overridden it, but this Newsday article makes clear that it is. The $325,000 was for operating expenses, and the college has...

Posted by simonstl at 08:28 AM

November 26, 2004

Varna cleanup in progress

After an article earlier this week that mentioned the uncertain status of a gas spill at Varna Auto Works, the Journal has an update that talks with the owners about the status of the cleanup. Varna Auto is investing over $50,000 to clean up gasoline spills created by "unused tanks previous owners had left in the ground." On the opinion...

Posted by simonstl at 08:28 AM

November 25, 2004

Indictment, outage

Today's Ithaca Journal reports on the indictment of a Lower Creek Road man for DWI and vehicular manslaughter in an accident last June on Fall Creek Road. A power line break along the Town of Dryden/Town of Ithaca line blacked out parts of Route 79 and the East Hill and downtown areas of Ithaca. Today's editorial explores ways to address...

Posted by simonstl at 07:40 AM

November 24, 2004

Eagle Scout project at DVMH; Victorian Winter Festival coming

This morning's Ithaca Journal is pretty well packed with news about and surrounding Dryden. Cathy Wakeman's Town Talk column looks at Eagle Scout Christopher Ackley's project, rebuilding the east entrance on the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home. Wakeman also offers a preview of next Friday's Victorian Winter Festival, which will be held in the Village of Dryden from 3:00pm onward on...

Posted by simonstl at 08:28 AM

November 23, 2004

Suspect returned to Dryden

There's lots of news about Dryden in today's Journal. As they alluded on Saturday, the Journal reports that robbery suspect Mao Sheng Lin has been returned from Houston to Ithaca to face trial for a November 2003 robbery at the Song Tao restaurant in the Village of Dryden. Lin posted a $200,000 bond earlier this year and then disappeared. Two...

Posted by simonstl at 08:38 AM

November 22, 2004

Boxes of Joy

Today's Ithaca Journal has a picture of children packing gifts at the Bethel Grove Bible Church for the Operation Christmas Child program of Samaritan's Purse. An Etna resident, Susan Morse, and her dogs Kiss and Whisper, are noted in K-9 news qualifying for and completing dog obedience titles. Near Dryden, the Journal reports on the progress of Caroline's planning process,...

Posted by simonstl at 07:53 AM

November 20, 2004

Thanks for flu clinic; suspect returned; inspiration

There are two Laurels in today's Journal about the flu clinic that Tompkins County held at the Hanshaw Road Armory on November 10th. Joan Hogan of Trumansburg thanks Alice Cole of the county health department for the clinic, while Cole thanks a number of groups for their help, including the Dryden Fire Department, the armory staff, and the Tompkins County...

Posted by simonstl at 08:25 AM

November 19, 2004

Dryden quiet, county busy

There's not much directly about Dryden in today's Ithaca Journal, but there's plenty about issues that affect Dryden. They've published a list of TC3 students receiving scholarships, including several from Freeville and Dryden. Negotiations between TCAT and its unions, required for the transition to a non-profit organization, seem to keep hitting snags. This all has to sort out by January...

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

November 18, 2004

Cortland accident, county jail, state reform

While I'm grateful that there haven't been many accidents inside Dryden lately, there seem to be more and more nearby. Yesterday, Dryden rescue workers were among those responding to tractor-trailer crash on Route 13 in Cortland that left one of the victims' vehicles buried under tons of salt. At the county level, the jail project remains a possibility after Tuesday's...

Posted by simonstl at 09:51 AM

November 17, 2004

McLean activity

Today's Ithaca Journal has lots of news about McLean, a hamlet that crosses the Groton/Dryden town line. McLean residents are working on new activities for youth, preferably run by teens themselves. There's also an article on Turtle Dreams, a bed and breakfast that's working on creating Turtle Village, which will do agritourism. Briefly in Dryden lists a Women's Business Showcase...

Posted by simonstl at 09:13 AM

November 16, 2004

Dryden legislators disagree on jail

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the thorny issue of building a new jail may cause large problems for the budget. While no one, including the Journal's editorial, is happy with the New York State Commission of Corrections insistence that they build an expensive 136-bed jail, the question of what to do in the face of a bureaucracy that insists...

Posted by simonstl at 07:52 AM

November 15, 2004

Quiet weekend on Dryden

The only mention I can find of Dryden in today's Ithaca Journal comes in an editorial congratulating the Dryden boys' soccer team for winning a sectional championship November 6th. There's also a piece from Ithaca City School District Superintendent Judith Pastel on ICSD redistricting. At the state level, the Journal has a number of articles and editorials, though I notice...

Posted by simonstl at 07:42 AM

November 13, 2004

Railroading on the Auburn Division

Today's Ithaca Journal includes an article by John Marcham on the history of the Lehigh Valley's Auburn Division, giving a brief overview of many lines, including the ones that crisscrossed Dryden. The History Center of Tompkins County has just published a book on the subject, with lots of pictures. There's an article on the county budget, which will likely be...

Posted by simonstl at 08:21 AM

November 12, 2004

Etna Fire Company issues

The Ithaca Journal reports this morning on last night's Town Board meeting, focusing on board members' growing concern with the reponse times of the Etna Fire Company. The board approved contracts for other departments, but not for Etna. The article also notes the appointment of a consultant for the Freeville-Dryden trail. A Lower Creek Road resident has been charged with...

Posted by simonstl at 08:05 AM

November 11, 2004

Flu shots and prescription cards

County health officials distributed 1500 doses of flu vaccine yesterday at the Armory on Hanshaw Road, and are waiting for another 350 doses from the state. Tompkins County's prescription drug discount card will be arriving in January 2005, giving residents who don't have other prescription drug coverage access to lower prices. The Journal reports on Veterans Day activities, including one...

Posted by simonstl at 08:31 AM

November 10, 2004

Visiting the Crackerman of Etna

Today's Ithaca Journal Our Towns section visits the Crackerman of Etna, a baking business run by John and Beverly Bender of Etna. They've revived old-style crackers, and bake them in their house, a real cottage industry. If you want to try them but don't want to drive into Ithaca, Ludgate Farms carries the crackers, as well as cookies and biscuits....

Posted by simonstl at 08:30 AM

November 09, 2004

Dryden school audit clean

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Dryden Central School District got good marks in an audit, and that the board is looking at academic intervention support and energy management. The Journal also takes a look at TC3's alcohol awareness programs as part of a look at local colleges' efforts to fight binge drinking. The Tompkins County Legislature will be having...

Posted by simonstl at 08:25 AM

November 08, 2004

Veterans' parade, accident

There isn't much specifically about Dryden today in the Ithaca Journal, though there are a few articles which come close to the town's borders. There's a picture of McLean resident Margie Albern and her grandchildren in an article on the Veterans Day parade in Ithaca, and there was a fatal accident on Peruville Road (34B) in Lansing. There's also another...

Posted by simonstl at 08:27 AM

November 06, 2004

Kitchen cupboard, laurel, election

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on Tompkins County Kitchen Cupboard programs, including one in Dryden, looking at where they get their food and funding and the services they provide. On the opinion page, there's a Laurel from Laurie Schutt of Ithaca that thanks "local supporters for her efforts in the Susan G. Komen Foundation three-day breast cancer walk," including Dryden...

Posted by simonstl at 08:33 AM

November 05, 2004

Flu shots at the Armory

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the county will be distributing flu shots at the National Guard Armory on Hanshaw Road (map). The county will be screening people to make sure they live in Tompkins County, for medical reasons not to get the vaccine, and to ensure that they are members of one of the Centers for Disease Control's priority...

Posted by simonstl at 08:33 AM

November 04, 2004

Apprenticeships, Veteran's Day

Yesterday was a fairly quiet day in Dryden. The county legislature approved requiring apprenticeship programs of its contractors by a 9-5 vote. County Legislator Michael Lane is quoted at the end of the article supporting the measure, though they don't give a vote listing. On Veterans Day, November 11th at 11:00 am, there will be a number of ceremonies honoring...

Posted by simonstl at 08:50 AM

November 03, 2004

Elections, budget

Much of the Journal's coverage today is about yesterday's elections. They lead their local coverage with a piece on the defeat of the OTB referendum, which quotes Bruce Drowne of Dryden as supporting the measure. There's also an article on Sherwood Boehlert's re-election to Congress. The print edition includes results for Tompkins County, though you can find those (and more...

Posted by simonstl at 08:22 AM

November 02, 2004

Election news, bookkeeper sentencing

There's lots of news about today's election in the Journal, including general instructions for voting and a list of election-day dinners including the one at the Dryden United Methodist Church. The Journal takes a look at how Tompkins County residents have participated with their pocketbooks, as the direction of New York's electoral votes are pretty well decided. The article quotes...

Posted by simonstl at 07:20 AM

November 01, 2004

Election day polls, dinners

While the Ithaca Journal seems to have finished with local opinion about the election on Saturday, there's still a lot of detail about election mechanics in today's paper. The number of absentee ballots, military ballots, and ballots for citizens living outside of the country have all increased this year. People can still pick up absentee ballots at the Board of...

Posted by simonstl at 07:20 AM

October 30, 2004

Dryden firefighters to receive awards today

At halftime during today's Cornell-Princeton football game, a number of fire fighters from the Town of Dryden and Bangs Ambulance will be receiving awards: Captain Ken Vorstadt of Neptune Hose Company will be receiving the Firefighter of the Year award. Jennifer Wildridge of Neptune Hose Company will be receiving the Volunteer of the Year award. Chief Roy Rizzo of the...

Posted by simonstl at 07:53 AM

October 29, 2004

Heating aid, county budget, opinions

There's not much Dryden news in today's Journal, but there's a fair amount that applies to Dryden in some way. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is starting up again for the winter, and the Tompkins County Office for the Aging is taking applications from those over 60 or on SSI or SSD. The Journal reports that the Tompkins County...

Posted by simonstl at 08:58 AM

October 28, 2004

Ellis Hollow silt, county planning

This morning's Ithaca Journal takes a look at the silt problems in Ellis Hollow that came up at this month's Town Board meeting. Jennie Daley talks with residents near the intersection of Turkey Hill, Ellis Hollow and Quarry Roads about their well problems, as well as with John Andersson, Environmental Health Director for the county Health Department, Deb Gross, Town...

Posted by simonstl at 08:18 AM

October 27, 2004

New assistant principal

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Edmund Walsh has been named assistant principal of Dryden Middle School, a newly created post. Walsh has taught English in the district for 25 years. On the now-shrunken Our Towns page, Cathy Wakeman reports on Sertoma Soccer, upcoming meals at the Dryden United Methodist Church (November 2nd) and Neptune Hose Company (October 29th), and...

Posted by simonstl at 08:46 AM

October 26, 2004

OTB in Tompkins?

Today's Ithaca Journal looks at the proposition to allow Off-Track Betting in Tompkins County that is on next Tuesday's ballot. They've had two opinion pieces on the subject in the last few weeks. This is the one part of next week's ballot for which I haven't yet made up my mind. Briefly in Tompkins contains a number of Dryden-related items:...

Posted by simonstl at 08:53 AM

October 23, 2004

Stone Circle School, letters

Today's Ithaca Journal is pretty quiet about Dryden. It notes today's Stone Circle School open-house from 1:00 to 3:00pm today (map), and there's a dart from Murray Cohen, who writes "The world might be better off without Saddam but it is a whole lot worse off with the terrorists his removal has spawned." On the letters page, there's mention of...

Posted by simonstl at 11:52 AM

October 22, 2004

Village of Dryden projects

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on last night's Village of Dryden Board of Trustees meeting. The Trustees discussed possible grants for housing rehabilitation, sorting out issues with the Town regarding the Cortland Road Sewer District, and Christmas decorations. (The decorations committee is having an event tonight at Dryden Wines and Spirits (map) from 5:15 to 6:15pm.) There's also an article...

Posted by simonstl at 08:17 AM

October 20, 2004

New Dryden Intermediate principal, gift box drive

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on Sandra Sherwood, the new Dryden Intermediate School principal, who came to Dryden from Marathon this September. In the Our Towns section, there's a report (with complete directions for how to participate) on the "Home of the Brave" gift box drive at Dryden Veterans Memorial Home. Donors should bring items, possibly in shoe boxes, with...

Posted by simonstl at 08:39 AM

October 19, 2004

Sample ballot, and other politics

Today's Ithaca Journal notes that sample ballots are available from the Tompkins County Board of Elections. The Dryden ballot can be viewed online here (46KB PDF). There's an article on a variety of web sites pushing reform of New York State government, though my favorite isn't mentioned: NYCO's Blog, which regularly links these and articles from across the state. (She...

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

October 16, 2004

County budget sorting out

The county budget is coming to a conclusion, but it sounds like a muddle. Capital spending issues, especially for the jail and highways, drove the budget beyond the 3% levy increase cap. $48,000 for a half-time prosecutor, which seems to be the same money that led to last year's "Dentes Snuffs Drug Court" headline, was added Friday, along with $200,000...

Posted by simonstl at 09:39 AM

October 15, 2004

Dryden budget; Miller visit tomorrow

Ithaca Journal reporter Jennie Daley provides details on a subject that wasn't addressed directly at last night's meeting: the budget, and a likely 7% tax levy increase. Highway equipment, recreation, and a decline in state and federal aid are all cited as factors. There will be a budget meeting Monday, October 25th, at 5:00pm at the Neptune Hose Company (map)...

Posted by simonstl at 08:39 AM

October 14, 2004

Political days

As we get closer to the election, more and more of the news is political. The Journal today mentions Congressional candidate Jeff Miller's stop in Ithaca this coming Saturday, October 16th, at 2:00pm in the Mural Lounge in the Clinton House (map). I've also posted a flyer for the event (272K PDF) if you'd like more information. Miller will also...

Posted by simonstl at 08:35 AM

October 13, 2004

Swimming in Dryden; voter registration up

Cathy Wakeman reports on the Dryden Aquatic Racing Team (DART), a competitive swimming program held at the Dryden High School Pool from 6:30 to 8:00pm four nights a week. She also notes that Friday will be busy at Dryden High School: The Dryden Sertoma Soccer Program has a Spaghetti Supper from 5:30 to 7:30pm; The Dryden High Drama Club will...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

October 11, 2004

Energy costs, environmental committees

This morning's Journal has very little specific to Dryden, but does include an article on a subject that affects us and a letter from the town on that subject: energy. Last week, the Journal published an article on a 15% increase in electricity rates for the 90% of NYSEG customers on the fixed-rate plan. Today, there's a letter from Robert...

Posted by simonstl at 08:05 AM

October 09, 2004

County highway funding, accident laurel

County Legislator Martha Robertson is quoted in this morning's Ithaca Journal opposing a defeated motion to add $418,000 to the County Highway Department budget. The Journal notes that the "proposal failed by a 6-5 vote with four legislators absent," but doesn't list which legislators voted which way, or even which were present. The highway department budget already includes four new...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

October 08, 2004

Registration, TC3 scholarships, letters

The Ithaca Journal seems to have found yesterday a quiet day for Dryden. I didn't see anyone from the papers at last night's Town Hall with Senator Seward. WHCU was there interviewing him, but I don't see a piece on their site. They repeat the piece from yesterday on voter registration and absentee ballots. It's important enough that I'll rerun...

Posted by simonstl at 08:34 AM

October 07, 2004

Tomorrow last day for voter registration

Tomorrow, October 8th, is the last day to register to vote in the November general election in New York State. If you haven't registered yet, you can go to the Board of Elections office (map) until Friday at 5:00pm. Mailed-in registrations must be postmarked no later than tomorrow as well. (If anyone in Dryden needs a registration form, you can...

Posted by simonstl at 08:31 AM

October 06, 2004

Learning to ride the bus

Today's Ithaca Journal includes a story about Freeville Elementary School students learning about bus-riding etiquette while also getting a dose of local history and nature and visiting a farm. Local artist Pam Beck created the characters of frog Freeville Freddy, Betsy Butterfly, Buddy Beaver, and Harriet Heron. Students got to interact with these characters on a special excursion through the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

October 05, 2004

Dryden graduate in Wells College protest

Several stories in this morning's Ithaca Journal touch on Dryden, so I'll start with a mention I didn't expect to see, given the article's setting up Cayuga Lake in Aurora. The Journal's contact among students protesting Wells College trustees decision to go co-ed is Railey Jane Savage, who graduated from Dryden High School last year. Nearly half the students are...

Posted by simonstl at 08:37 AM

October 04, 2004

Selling anti-depressants in school

This morning's Ithaca Journal is pretty quiet about Dryden, with the first mention of Dryden in the Monitor. A 15-year-old girl at Dryden High School was selling prescription drugs to other students, and she and a 14-year-old customer were arrested over the sale of sample packets of Lexapro, an anti-depressant. There was also a theft reported on Midline Road. On...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

October 02, 2004

Fire funds division approved

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the chiefs of the four Dryden fire companies have sorted out how to spend out-of-state insurance funds. The Neptune Hose Company will get 32 percent of the money, Varna Volunteer Fire Company and W.B. Strong each 27 percent, and Etna 14 percent. TC3 is resolving a shortage of space in its Dryden dormitories by...

Posted by simonstl at 05:19 PM

October 01, 2004

Keeping farms alive; McLean crossing guard

Today's Ithaca Journal explores the many issues around land-use planning and agriculture in Dryden. The article looks at farmers' concerns about disappearing ag land, their financial needs, and different possible ways of addressing the issue. There's also an article on 14-year crossing guard Margie Albern, who helps kids cross the street safely at Cassavant Elementary School in McLean. Elia Kacapyr...

Posted by simonstl at 05:37 PM

September 30, 2004

Varna BBQ Saturday, Dryden opinions

Dryden news today is light, peaking with an announcement that the Varna Community Association will be selling chicken halves for $4 each on Saturday, starting at noon at the Varna Community Center (map). In county news, legislators voted themselves a $500 pay raise for 2005. County Legislator Mike Lane sponsored the measure, and fellow Dryden legislators Martha Robertson and George...

Posted by simonstl at 10:46 AM

September 29, 2004

Eagle Scout project success; county budget hike

In today's Dryden Town Talk, Cathy Wakeman reports that Adam Pamel's Eagle Scout project, raising money for school supplies for 33 children, was a success. Pamel set up collection boxes, held a car wash, and was noticed by Cayuga's Helping Hands and Cargill, which both made donations. The children each got a backpack as well as supplies. Wakeman also notes...

Posted by simonstl at 08:53 AM

September 28, 2004

Meet Dryden Superintendent Mark Crawford tonight

This morning's Journal looks at last night's Dryden School Board meeting. The Board appointed Amanda Kittelberger to the seat Tricia Edgecomb resigned, and worked on annual goals, the strategic planning committee, and the public relations committee. Following state mandates, they increased the number of credits required for graduation has increased from 20.5 to 22. There will be a reception for...

Posted by simonstl at 08:27 AM

September 27, 2004

Vietnam politics

It's another quiet day for Dryden news. The only Dryden-specific item in today's Ithaca Journal is a letter from Dryden resident Steve Scott defending President Bush on both his recent statements about John Kerry's service in Vietnam and Bush's service in the National Guard. Next door in Caroline, the town is raising money to pay for its use of wind-generated...

Posted by simonstl at 08:27 AM

September 26, 2004

A bigger Town Hall would be nice

The Town Board met Friday at 8:30am. Because court was in session, the board met in the Zoning Officer's office. It was a little crowded, and the picture doesn't even show two more of us who were in there. Town Board meeting in a cramped space. It was a powerful reminder that the Town is working toward building a new...

Posted by simonstl at 06:33 PM

September 25, 2004

New Recreation Coordinator

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on yesterday's Town Board meeting, noting the appointment of a new Recreation Coordinator, Jennifer Staton. (The Journal says "Stanton", but I'm pretty certain I saw "Staton" on the papers yesterday.) Outgoing Recreation Coordinator Jennifer Glaab, who has moved to Tennessee with her partner, has been running the office remotely with the help of an intern....

Posted by simonstl at 09:38 AM

September 24, 2004

Raptors across town line

I couldn't find much on Dryden in today's Ithaca Journal, but they did have an article about Cornell getting approval to build a raptor barn in their poultry complex on the western (Ithaca) side of Game Farm Road. It sounds like that area is thoroughly overrun with birds, given the pheasants on the Dryden side of that road. Update: There's...

Posted by simonstl at 06:00 PM

September 23, 2004

Quiet in day in Dryden, county news

This week continues to be a quiet one for Dryden-specific news, but there's a fair amount of county news that affects Dryden. The Tompkins County Municipal Officers Association will be having a forum on county government, with a focus on the prospect of a county executive. Gerald Benjamin, a political science professor at SUNY New Paltz, will be the speaker....

Posted by simonstl at 09:26 AM

September 22, 2004

TC3 hiring; County approves jail expansion planning

The Wednesday Ithaca Journal isn't what it used to be. As I noted last week, the Our Towns page is shrinking. Ads eat half the page, the demographic chart is gone, and one of the columns is on the other side of the spread. The Dryden Briefs and Groton Briefs which had condensed into Town Briefs are just gone now....

Posted by simonstl at 09:51 AM

September 21, 2004

Jail choice tonight

Dryden news is mostly quiet today, but the county is poised to make a $19.96 million (or $2.13 million) decision tonight: what to do about the county jail. The more expensive option will expand the jail to 136 beds, while the cheaper option will repair the existing 72-bed jail. Community Briefs note that the county Environmental Management Council has an...

Posted by simonstl at 08:48 AM

September 18, 2004

Fire funds questions; Church celebrates 200 years

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that questions about what constitutes an 'active member' are delaying the distribution of foreign fire insurance money. State law requires that the money, which comes from out-of-state insurance carriers covering property in Dryden, be distributed according to the number of active members in the companies, but doesn't define active. Etna reported 59 members last year...

Posted by simonstl at 09:28 AM

September 17, 2004

Dryden Grange outlives most local Granges

An Ithaca Journal article on a celebration of 100 years of the Tompkins County Pomona Grange discusses how only two of its founding nineteen local granges still exist: Enfield Valley and Dryden. The Ithaca City School District is studying why only 254 of 298 students repeating classes finished summer school, while the Dryden district had 32 of 33 finish and...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

September 16, 2004

Dryden school board approves teachers' contract

It looks like the contract negotiations in the Dryden Central School District have finally reached a positive conclusion, as the school board voted unanimously to approve the contract that teachers approved September 2nd. Meanwhile, in the Ithaca District, negotiations with the service union reached an impasse. At the county level, District Attorney George Dentes relived last year's failed attempt to...

Posted by simonstl at 12:41 PM

September 15, 2004

Boehlert wins Republican primary

Today's Ithaca Journal reports that Sherwood Boehlert defeated David Walrath by 20,365 to 14,741. In Tompkins County, the vote was 919 for Boehlert to 613 for Walrath. In the general election, Boehlert will face Walrath, who has the Conservative line, and Jeffrey Miller, a Democrat. Closer to home, the Journal's "Our Towns" section seems to be shrinking. It's no longer...

Posted by simonstl at 04:48 PM

September 14, 2004

Republican primary today

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on today's Congressional primary between Sherwood Boehlert and David Walrath. Polls are open today from noon to 9pm. You must be a registered Republican to participate in the primary. On the opinion page, Lily Parsons of Dryden writes about the impact of the state's closing psychiatric facilities, arguing that: It doesn't take a fortune teller...

Posted by simonstl at 09:24 AM

September 13, 2004

Ellis Hollow fair, ICSD redistricting

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the Ellis Hollow Fair, saying: As it has for more than a half century, the second Saturday in September brought legions of locals to the annual fair, with its booths, games and other traditional activities. The Freeville Harvest Festival is mentioned in an article on remembrances of 9/11. The Ithaca City School District is...

Posted by simonstl at 10:16 AM

September 11, 2004

Helping after a hurricane

This morning's Journal reports on the return of Dryden resident Frank Palmer and Jill Ferguson from hurricane relief work in Florida. Volunteering with the Red Cross, both went to Florida after Hurricane Charley and "were redeployed when Frances made landfall." Turkey Hill Road will be closed Monday between Ellis Hollow and Ellis Hollow Creek Roads for bridge repair work. There's...

Posted by simonstl at 09:46 AM

September 09, 2004

Weather, Reagan

It's a quiet day for Dryden news in Thursday's Journal. Hurricane Frances' remnants are soaking the area, though not producing flooding. There's an article on Ithaca High School's rules for parents opting out of information sharing with military recruiters, which also mentions policies at surrounding districts, but not Dryden. On the opinion page, Steve Scott of Dryden defends Reagan's economic...

Posted by simonstl at 08:49 AM

Students back at school

Wednesday morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the return of students to schools. Dryden schools opened Tuesday. The Dryden Recreation Department is hosting fall sports events, including an eight-week field hockey program and the NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick contest, which will be held Saturday. Fewer houses should see their assessments increase next year, though some of those are in...

Posted by simonstl at 01:13 AM

September 06, 2004

Primary, Lifton

It's a quiet holiday for Dryden news. There is an announcement for next Tuesday's Republican primary, where Congressional incumbent Sherwood Boehlert and challenger David Walrath will face off. On the opinion page, Fred Quinlan of Freeville writes of Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton that "I really had to chuckle at her comment about not sponsoring a certain bill. She said it would...

Posted by simonstl at 08:33 AM

September 04, 2004

Schools watch roofs; county transportation

Dryden appears briefly in this morning's Journal, mentioned once in an article about schools inspecting their roofs after a collapse in Washingtonville, and once in an article on the start of football season. The county is working on a long-range transportation plan. There will be a public meeting on the plan from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Thursday at the Tompkins...

Posted by simonstl at 10:11 AM

September 03, 2004

Dryden teachers approve contract 128-2

Dryden teachers finally have a contract, after working four of the last five years without one. The Dryden Faculty Association (DFA) approved a new contract yesterday, and teachers will start the school year with a contract in place. The Board of Education still has to approve the contract at its September 13th meeting. The Journal quotes DFA president Mary Ellen...

Posted by simonstl at 07:33 AM

September 02, 2004

New classes at TC3

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on a range of new courses at TC3, from General Genetics to Web Design Solutions to Writing Romance Novel and Other Genre Fiction to Introduction to Sociology. The county's application for a grant to seek more carriers at the airport was denied, which makes US Airways' current trouble seem even more threatening. On the opinion...

Posted by simonstl at 08:33 AM

September 01, 2004

School renovation costs rise; festivals coming

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that 10 to 15% increases in the cost of materials may force changes in plans for elementary school renovation. The Dryden Central School Board will have to look at a list of options and choose priorities. In the Our Towns section, Jennie Daley reports on the double festival weekend coming September 11th, with both the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:27 AM

August 31, 2004

Rain damage, forum tonight

Yesterday's heavy rains are a big story in the Ithaca Journal today, with a piece on a rollover on Hanshaw Road caused by flooding, an article on flooding in Groton and throughout the county, and an article that looks at the rain's impact across the state. The Tompkins County Legislature will be holding a public forum tonight at 7pm to...

Posted by simonstl at 08:10 AM

August 30, 2004

Dryden Veterans Memorial Home robbed

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home was robbed last weekend. Thieves broke into a video lottery machine and an empty safe, and cut phone lines. Farm disaster aid is available for farmers whose crops were damaged by high winds and rain last month. Applications are available at the Farm Service Agency offices in Tompkins and...

Posted by simonstl at 08:37 AM

August 28, 2004

Non-profit option for Rec Partnership

It doesn't sound like anything happened in Dryden yesterday, but the Journal reports on another option for the Rec Partnership: forming a non-profit. There's no mention of Dryden's position on this option, but the Caroline, Newfield, and Ulysses town boards have voted in favor of it....

Posted by simonstl at 07:31 AM

August 27, 2004

More youth in need of supervision

Judging by the Journal's local news page, yesterday was one of the quietest local news days in a long time. I guess it's August! County Legislator Martha Robertson is cited extensively in a story about the rise in Persons In Need of Supervision (PINS) from 149 in 2001 to 188 in 2003. Supervision is expensive: $193,000 last year for 429...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

August 26, 2004

Artists' haven; college veto frustrations

The Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts, on Ellis Hollow Road, gets an Ithaca Journal article about its Artist Colony program today. Five artists at a time spend a month at the colony working on projects. There's more discussion of the impact of Governor Pataki's vetoes on capital spending at TC3 and Cornell, and TC3 also faces $325,000 less operating...

Posted by simonstl at 08:26 AM

August 25, 2004

$5,000 for Dryden Youth Opportunity Fund

Posted by simonstl at 08:29 AM

August 24, 2004

Crawford starts well; Gingrich to speak for Boehlert

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that new Dryden superintendent Mark Crawford "has made a positive impression in a short time." Crawford made progress quickly in reaching a contract agreement with the Dryden Faculty Association that will be voted on September 2nd, and has a strong emphasis on keeping morale up. In the Republican Congressional Primary, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich...

Posted by simonstl at 08:09 AM

August 21, 2004

Pataki vetoes TC3 expansion funding

Governor Pataki's budget vetoes struck TC3 and Cornell yesterday, as the governor vetoed all capital funds for higher education, including $10.6 million for TC3's expansion and $12 million for Cornell renovations. A legislative override seem uncertain, though there's definitely some anger in Albany. I suspect the Senate will wait until after the Republican National Convention to do anything in any...

Posted by simonstl at 08:14 AM

August 20, 2004

Dryden teachers, district reach agreement

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden Central School District and Dryden Faculty Association have reached a tentative four-year agreement. (Because of the delay in reaching a contract, it covers from July 2002 to June 2006.) Teachers will vote on the proposed contract September 2nd, and it sounds like there's more optimism this contract will pass than the last:...

Posted by simonstl at 07:40 AM

August 19, 2004

Volunteers needed, budget, TCAT

The most Dryden-specific news in this morning's Ithaca Journal is a notice calling for volunteers to help Project CARE, a volunteer program of the Tompkins County Office for the Aging. There are two opportunities to help people in Freeville and one near NYSEG. At the county level, the Journal has an article on the many capital projects competing for space...

Posted by simonstl at 08:02 AM

August 18, 2004

Willowbrook anniversary, road repair difficulties

It's Wednesday, so the Ithaca Journal's Our Towns section is focusing on Dryden and Groton. This week, there's lots of Dryden news. They lead the Our Towns section with an article on the 25th anniversary of Willowbrook, the senior-citizens' complex in the Village of Dryden. It's run by the nonprofit Dryden Senior Housing Corporation, and isn't a medical facility, though...

Posted by simonstl at 08:45 AM

August 17, 2004

Community yard sale in Varna, upstate taxes

This morning's Ithaca Journal notes a community yard sale that will be held in Varna on Saturday, August 21st. There will be tables at the Varna Community Center (map) and maps for other local yard sales will be available. There's also an article on Upstate New York paying higher taxes than Ohio. I have two big questions about the article....

Posted by simonstl at 08:53 AM

August 16, 2004

"Ultimutt Makeover" pilot show filmed in Etna

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the shooting of a reality TV pilot show in Etna, as "UltiMutt Makeover" combines home remodeling reality show with pet care. Richard Parker and Nancy Douglas and their St. Bernard, Shasta, have left for a week while contractors modify their house to make it more comfortable for Shasta, who has hip dysplasia. On the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:35 AM

August 14, 2004

Looking forward to TC3 expansion

The state legislature has approved $10.6 million for TC3 to build a new athletic facility, though Governor Pataki's veto remains a possibility for now. The project overall will cost $23 million, with Tompkins and Cortland counties providing a local share, and the article notes that they're working to raise funds privately as well. Moving the athletic facilities will free space...

Posted by simonstl at 09:12 AM

August 13, 2004

Town board meeting, deficits

This morning's Ithaca Journal covers last night's town board meeting, focusing on the well contamination issues. The story also notes one part of the Highway Superintendent's report I'd forgotten: someone is stealing road signs in the northeast corner of the town, causing motorists confusion and costing the highway department money for replacements. There's also a letter to the editor from...

Posted by simonstl at 12:19 PM

August 12, 2004

No Dryden headlines, much Dryden news

There aren't any headlines that mention Dryden in today's Ithaca Journal, but there's lots of news relating to Dryden. There's an article on state aid to local schools that cites Dryden Central School Board President Rachel Dickinson: "Dryden's tax rate was planned to jump 74 cents to $22.56 for 2004-05, but Dickinson said the levy cut will reduce that increase...

Posted by simonstl at 08:39 AM

August 11, 2004

School numbers arrive, jail numbers don't

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the New York State Legislature has finally passed an education bill, so schools will know their aid levels before they send out tax bills. Dryden will be getting $12.85 million this coming year as opposed to $12.22 million last year, and Ithaca will be getting $19.71 million as opposed to $18.48 million last year....

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

August 10, 2004

Smoking, ATVs, Recreation Partnership

This morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't have a lot of news specifically about Dryden, but there's a fair amount that applies to Dryden. County Legislator Mike Lane is quoted asking "How do you weigh the employee health risks vs. the economic loss of any applicants?" in an article on the Ithaca Bowl-O-Drome's request for a smoking waiver. There are also two...

Posted by simonstl at 08:18 AM

August 09, 2004

Fingerlakes1.com

I just noticed another news source for the area, though it seems mostly to redirect to a variety of news sources: www.fingerlakes1.com. It seems to be the home site for a network of radio stations, but also includes things like discussion forums. Their news section covers the Finger Lakes area pretty broadly, and the second article listed this morning (from...

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

August 07, 2004

School funding uncertainty

Thanks to New York's protracted budget delay, local schools are still wondering what aid they'll be getting as they prepare to set their tax rates. Dryden School Board President Rachel Dickinson and Business Administrator Teresa Carnrike are both quoted in the piece about the situation's potential effect on the Dryden district. Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and State Senator James Seward both...

Posted by simonstl at 07:52 AM

August 05, 2004

Congressman Boehlert in Freeville

Congressman Sherwood Boehlert held a forum at Freeville's W. B. Strong Fire Company yesterday, addressing a program, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which is set to expire at the end of this year. Boehlert is working on its renewal, and firefighters also sounded interested in some changes to encourage more training on the equipment it provides. Elsewhere in the...

Posted by simonstl at 09:24 AM

August 04, 2004

Organic farm research in Freeville

This morning's Ithaca Journal visits the open house at Cornell's Freeville Organic Research Farm, looking at the experiments underway and visitor reactions. Also in Freeville, Congressman Sherwood Boehlert will be hosting a forum on homeland security and first responders at the Freeville Fire Department (map) from 7 to 8pm tonight. In Dryden Town Talk, Cathy Wakeman discusses last week's 4-H...

Posted by simonstl at 06:55 AM

August 03, 2004

School lunch price hike

This morning's Ithaca Journal talks about impending increases in school lunch prices as well as additional costs (driven by the increasing cost of steel) for a heating and ventilation system. The Dryden Central School Board will vote on what to do at their August 31st meeting. There's also mention of the Dryden Central School District in an article on "mobile...

Posted by simonstl at 09:26 AM

July 31, 2004

Generator poisons contractors; opinions

Emergency crews responded to a carbon-monoxide poisoning incident in Dryden yesterday after two men were overcome by fumes in a basement where they had set up a generator. On the opinion page, John and Marlene Nardi of Freeville send a Laurel to Danby American Legion Post 221 and everyone involved in a July 24th benefit. Dorothy Manley worries that opponents...

Posted by simonstl at 10:21 AM

July 30, 2004

4-H fair; assault at George Jr.

Today's Ithaca Journal has pictures of the 4-H Fair in progress on Lower Creek Road. The Monitor includes news of an assault on a George Jr. Republic employee as well as a DWI. There's also a notice of a poker run Saturday benefitting Tanner Solveson. Irene Scott of Dryden writes to complain that the Journal's coverage of the Democratic Convention's...

Posted by simonstl at 11:59 AM

July 28, 2004

Golf course volunteers recognized

This morning's Ithaca Journal has an article on the volunteers keeping the Lakeview Golf Course going. Town Supervisor Steve Trumbull appreciates their efforts: "Those members who are donating time, fully free, mowing the course, mowing the greens, donating money for gas -- those guys are unsung heroes." Trumbull notes that the town's preference is for a private buyer to purchase...

Posted by simonstl at 11:53 AM

July 27, 2004

And another quiet day in the Journal

Either Dryden is very peaceful lately, or the Journal is saving up time-insensitive Dryden news for tomorrow's Our Towns section. In county news, there's a piece on the new 911 center by the airport in Dryden. The editorial looks at the growing pile of New York State debt....

Posted by simonstl at 05:44 AM

July 26, 2004

Quiet day in the Journal

There's very little Dryden news in the Ithaca Journal today - just a notice for the 4-H Youth Fair, which runs from Wednesday July 28th to Saturday July 31st....

Posted by simonstl at 07:01 AM

July 25, 2004

Catching up with yesterday's Journal

It's a good thing I put up a late-night post that produced an entry for yesterday, as I left at 6:30am for Ottawa, Ontario, to pick up a friend, and wound up returning home after midnight, after my wife drove to Utica to get us in a car loaned by generous friends. My car on a tow truck, near Inlet,...

Posted by simonstl at 03:43 PM

July 23, 2004

Brong pleads guilty; new SPCA leader

The Ithaca Journal reports that former Town of Dryden bookkeeper Liva Brong pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny for depositing an $8,993.42 forged check. The Town is still reviewing its books for last year. Brong will be sentenced October 22nd, and the recommended sentence is $701 for restitution and five years of probation. The SPCA has chosen Cornell ethics professor...

Posted by simonstl at 08:36 AM

July 21, 2004

Principal, roads, 2-for-1 cats

Wednesdays are often busy Dryden days in the Ithaca Journal, but today's issue is overflowing. Doug Premo, Dryden Intermediate School Principal for grades three through five, is leaving for a job in Ballston Spa after fifteen months in Dryden. He'll be departing July 30th, and the board is looking for an interim principal and a replacement. In happier news, the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:29 AM

July 20, 2004

TC3 advocate dies, county and state issues

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the sudden death of Rere Hassett, a professor at TC3 and head of the Public Assistance Comprehensive Employment (PACE) program there. They also report that senior coupon booklets for the Farmers' Market will be available at the Dryden Food Pantry, at the Dryden Presbyterian Church (map), from 11am to noon on Friday the 23rd....

Posted by simonstl at 08:20 AM

July 19, 2004

Fishing, opinions

This morning's Ithaca Journal has a picture of nine-year-old Brandon Elia fishing at Dryden Lake as part of the Wal-Mart Kids All American Fishing Derby that was held Saturday. The State Police seem to have been busy along Dryden's borders, making DWI arrests on 34B and 13. The opinion page carries two letters that are very similar to letters published...

Posted by simonstl at 08:02 AM

July 17, 2004

Teachers' contract negotiations, stream monitoring

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that there may be hope for Dryden's stalled teacher's contract negotiations, as new Superintendent Mark Crawford sets up informal meetings and the personnel involved shift. There was a brief mention of a Six Mile Creek volunteer water quality monitoring workshop this morning at Bethel Grove. It's too late to go now, but I took some...

Posted by simonstl at 01:40 PM

July 16, 2004

Congressional race shaping up

This morning's Ithaca Journal has two articles on the race for Congress in the 24th District. Democrat Brian Goodell of Lansing has left the race and endorsed Jeff Miller of New Hartford. Meanwhile, Republican incumbent Sherwood Boehlert has raised a million dollars as he battles David Walrath, who has filed to run against him in the primary and on the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:34 AM

July 15, 2004

School budgets, boards, lots of small news items

The Ithaca Journal has lots of news stories on Dryden today, though Dryden plays only a small part in many of them. On the schools front, Tricia Edgecomb is resigning from the Dryden school board a year into her term. Dryden's 1979 High School Class Reunion will be July 17th at 4:30pm.There's also a piece on prospects for resolution of...

Posted by simonstl at 08:27 AM

July 14, 2004

Farm walk, abuse charges, more

If you read this in the next hour, you have time to get to a dairy walk at 9am this morning exploring how Lewie and Steve Stuttle "have successfully combined pasturing with high milk production on their farm in Dryden." In the same set of briefs, the Ithaca Journal reports that the Conservation Board is looking for a new member....

Posted by simonstl at 08:02 AM

July 13, 2004

Half-timbered house, Fahrenheit 9/11

This morning's Ithaca Journal brings a story of a house on German Cross Road being built of timber, clay, and straw. The foot-thick walls are as insulated as walls using typical 6-inch fiberglass batts. The materials are all local, and the design is old, as "half-timbered houses from the 12th century still exist in Europe." They'll be having another work...

Posted by simonstl at 08:17 AM

July 12, 2004

County patrols, OTB, jail, sign thefts

There's very little in today's Ithaca Journal specific to Dryden, but county issues come up. The Journal reports that State Police told the County Legislature Friday that they couldn't easily take over road patrol duties from the Sheriff's Department. Troopers are already spread thin by anti-terrorism and security duties, and don't have resources to take over those duties. County Legislator...

Posted by simonstl at 08:29 AM

July 10, 2004

Volunteer fire companies, jail, laurels

Today's Ithaca Journal has a strong focus on volunteer firefighting, with a piece on families volunteering and the difficulties of recruiting volunteers, the latter of which quotes Dryden Chief Ron Flynn about the sign in front of the Neptune station. Neptune Hose Company needs volunteers There's also a piece on options for the Tompkins County Jail that quotes County Legislator...

Posted by simonstl at 10:32 AM

July 09, 2004

FEMA dispute; 4-H Youth Fair

Today's Ithaca Journal looks at last night's Dryden Town Board meeting, notably reporting on the $170,000 dispute with FEMA and the service award program for firefighters. The Journal also notes the 4-H Youth Fair, which will be held July 28th to 31st at 4-H acres (map). Elsewhere in the paper, a Dryden resident was arrested for a parole violation and...

Posted by simonstl at 05:07 PM

July 08, 2004

Supervisor Trumbull on golf course

This morning's Ithaca Journal includes a letter from Dryden Town Supervisor Steve Trumbull about the Lakeview Golf Course. It doesn't say that the town is buying the course. Instead, "We want to dispel the notion that the town board is blocking private enterprise in order for the town to take over the course. Rather, the board wants to encourage those...

Posted by simonstl at 08:41 AM

July 07, 2004

Nature preserve, Supplies for Success

This week's Our Towns section in the Ithaca Journal takes a look at the creation of the O.D. von Engeln Preserve in Malloryville, which hosts pitcher plants, carnivorous sundews, and native orchids. Its two miles of trails are attracting a "steady stream" of visitors. In this week's Dryden Town Talk, Cathy Wakeman talks about Adam Pamel's Eagle Scout project, the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

July 06, 2004

State police promotions, SPCA, hazards

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden state police barracks has a new commander. Major Thomas P. Kelly, Jr. the previous commander of Troop C, has been promoted to staff inspector at the State Police Division of Internal Affairs Bureau. Major Louis G. Barbaria Jr., who previously commanded Troop F, replaces him. (Troop C covers Tompkins, Tioga, Otsego, Delaware,...

Posted by simonstl at 07:58 AM

July 05, 2004

Blood drives July 21st and 24th

It's another quiet day for Dryden news. The only mention of Dryden in the Ithaca Journal is in a listing of Red Cross blood drive locations. There are two drives in the Town of Dryden, one at the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home on July 21st from 1pm to 6pm, and one at Bethel Grove Bible Church on July 24th from...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

July 03, 2004

TCAT dart, calendar laurel

Posted by simonstl at 09:42 AM

July 02, 2004

Remembering a Freeville resident

Today's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden, except for Roger DuPuis' remembrance of former colleague and Freeville resident Jarrett McLaughlin, who died in a car accident in Newfield on June 30th....

Posted by simonstl at 08:34 AM

July 01, 2004

TC3 awards tech funds

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Tompkins-Cortland Community College has awarded $45,000 in technology funds to local schools, including a Civil Engineering and Architecture Community Collaboration project at Dryden High School. The Journal also has a cheerful picture from the Dryden Summer Skies Program. In more challenging news, legislation to reorganize TCAT is in limbo, and County Highway Division Manager...

Posted by simonstl at 08:31 AM

June 30, 2004

A quiet Our Towns

This week's Our Towns section in the Ithaca Journal focuses mostly on Groton, but there are a few pieces about Dryden. Kiwanis "Kids Against Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco" winners and a notice for the Dryden High School Class of '84 reunion are in Briefly in Dryden, while a notice about the Varna United Methodist Church's July 10th barbecue slips into...

Posted by simonstl at 08:48 AM

June 29, 2004

SPCA director leaving, County executive

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Nathan Winograd, executive director of the Tompkins County SPCA, will be leaving at the end of the summer. Winograd has overseen the adoption of a no-kill policy and the construction of the Dorothy Park Pet Adoption Center, and will be returning to San Francisco. The Journal's editorial page returns to its winter obsession with...

Posted by simonstl at 08:01 AM

June 26, 2004

Hanshaw Road accident, Freeville barbecue

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports a rollover on Hanshaw Road north of Neimi Road that injured two women while two children avoided injury. There is also a chicken barbecue today at the Freeville United Methodist Church (map). Police arrested a Dryden man for DWI on the overlap of Routes 13 and 366 Wednesday night, also arresting him for doing 63...

Posted by simonstl at 08:58 AM

June 24, 2004

Dryden teachers' contract rejected 116-45

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that that the Dryden Faculty Association voted down a proposed contract because of "finances and lack of respect by the district to the collective bargaining process." DFA president Mary Ellen Bossack is quoted saying "Other districts that used to be below us are doing far better for their teachers than Dryden is, so the sense...

Posted by simonstl at 07:15 AM

June 23, 2004

Revised Dryden budget passes 3-2

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the revised Dryden Central School District budget was approved by a 1287-860 vote, avoiding a contingency vote. The original budget failed on a 718-718 tie. On a related note, the Our Towns section focuses on high school graduations, with a lead article that talks to students, as well as a listing of the Class...

Posted by simonstl at 08:42 AM

June 21, 2004

Car crash kills two on Fall Creek Road, blood drive Friday

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that two Freeville residents were killed and a third critically injured in a one-car crash on Fall Creek Road south of Malloryville. The paper also announces a blood drive sponsored by the Varna Community Association in honor of 8-month old Aidan Raffe. The drive will be held at the Varna Community Center (map) from 1pm...

Posted by simonstl at 07:54 AM

June 18, 2004

Family reunion, TC3 tuition hike

This week's Ithaca Journal seems to be overflowing with Dryden-related news. This morning's paper brings an article on an upcoming family reunion for Freeville resident Donna Freedline supported by the Fairygodmother Foundation and an article on TC3's 5.4% tuition hike, adding $75 a semester. TC3 president Carl Haynes notes that that tuition is still well within the aid level available...

Posted by simonstl at 07:33 AM

June 17, 2004

Septic problems reach paper

Today's Ithaca Journal covers a complicated problem that's come up at two recent Town Board meetings. Reporter Jennie Daley takes a close look at the water contamination problems at Cindy and Craig Basl's home and their struggles with the county and the neighbors to resolve them. The county has declared the septic system next door, at 483 Hunt Hill Road,...

Posted by simonstl at 07:17 AM

June 16, 2004

Dryden Dairy Day, school budget

The lead article in the Our Towns section of today's Ithaca Journal is Dryden Dairy Day brings town together, which takes a look at last Saturday's event from the parade to events to the current state of dairy farming. Pictures on the web site are in color, while they're black and white in the paper. The Dryden Briefs include lots...

Posted by simonstl at 08:45 AM

June 15, 2004

Preschool, Reagan, specialized degrees

Today's Ithaca Journal mentions Dryden in two stories, while the editorial focuses on TC3. In an article on New York State's efforts to back preschools, Dryden Superintendent Patricia Archambault discusses space problems and the instability of state funding as reasons Dryden doesn't have a pre-kindergarten program. Steve Scott of Dryden ranks Reagan in the "top 10 of all time" among...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

June 14, 2004

Dairy Day, accident on Lower Creek

Today's Ithaca Journal has a picture of children throwing candy from a float at Dryden Dairy Day, as well as mention of an accident on Lower Creek Road. The accident report says "she lost control of the car on loose gravel." At the Town Board meeting Thursday night, Highway Superintendent Jack Bush listed roads currently being resurfaced, including Lower Creek,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

June 09, 2004

Dryden Dairy Day and more

This morning's Ithaca Journal is overflowing with Dryden news. That's not unusual on Wednesday, when the Our Towns section features Dryden and Groton, but today there's news throughout the paper, much of it even good. A cow greets readers at the top of the paper, pointing them to to an article on Dryden Dairy Day, a schedule for Dryden Dairy...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

June 04, 2004

Guilty plea in robbery; school testing results

Today's Ithaca Journal reports that one of the three men accused of robbing the Song Tao restaurant in Dryden in last November, Cam B. Quan, has pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary. Two other accomplices, also from Texas, have not yet gone to trial. In schools news, test scores for elementary and middle school English weren't encouraging for local school districts,...

Posted by simonstl at 07:37 AM

June 02, 2004

Dryden legislators split on assessments

Today's Journal reports that the County Legislature voted 9-5 against a proposal for a public hearing on shifting to a three-year assessment cycle put forward by Dryden County Legislator Mike Lane. Lane voted for it, while the other two legislators representing Dryden - Martha Robertson and George Totman - voted against it. Thomas Todd's proposal to put the Republican proposal...

Posted by simonstl at 08:26 AM

May 26, 2004

All kinds of Dryden news

Today's Ithaca Journal has lots and lots of Dryden-related news. The lead story is on the Dryden School Board's efforts to develop a new budget after the tie vote on the previous one. Developing that budget seemed difficult to start with. The board will take action June 2nd, and the second budget vote is June 22nd. In the Our Towns...

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

May 19, 2004

Dryden school budget fails in tie; Ithaca budget passes

The Dryden Central Schools budget failed to pass with a 718-718 tie. The school buses proposal passed 738-592, and Anderson Young (1055 votes), Margaret DeGaetano (936), Russ Kowalski (902) will join the board, defeating Paul Lutwak (699 votes). Board President Rachel Dickinson said the district will create a new budget, not present the same one. In the Ithaca district, the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:11 AM

May 18, 2004

School elections today

School budget and board elections are today. The Ithaca Journal gives an overview of school elections in the county. In Dryden, the two largest districts by far are the Dryden Central School District and the Ithaca City School District. Voting for the Dryden district is at the the Dryden Middle School/High School Auditorium from 7am to 9pm today. According to...

Posted by simonstl at 08:19 AM

May 15, 2004

School elections

With school elections coming Tuesday, the Ithaca Journal has a collection of articles on different aspects of school elections, as well as lots of letters endorsing various candidates. Included today are: an article on voter apathy, with quotes from Dryden residents and retiring Ithaca School Board members Art Berkey and Henry Kramer, as well as a comparison of tax rates...

Posted by simonstl at 11:25 AM

May 14, 2004

Ithaca candidates and budget, homeless census

Most of the Dryden-related articles in today's Ithaca Journal have to do with the Ithaca school board elections and budget. There are a set of questions for candidates and answers, a piece on a meet-the-candidates forum, and a letter co-signed by Dryden resident Kathleen R. Krafft endorsing Dryden resident David Lee and fellow candidates Judy Maxwell and Bob DeLuca. There...

Posted by simonstl at 08:37 AM

May 13, 2004

Wage fraud, redistricting

Today's Journal looks at $107,000 in unpaid wages by a Dryden employer following a guilty plea by the firm's former owner. There are also articles on possible state pension fund changes that might ease the county budget, and Ithaca school board candidates' thoughts on elementary school redistricting. On the opinion page, Dryden resident and Ithaca school board member Henry Kramer...

Posted by simonstl at 08:58 AM

May 12, 2004

Schools forum, Freeville people

Today's Ithaca Journal has lots of Dryden news, including the weekly Our Towns section. Last night's Dryden school budget hearing and candidates forum gets an article, examining reaction to the increases and listening to the four candidates for three seats on the board. There are two articles in the Our Towns section talking about Freeville residents. The first, Freeville woman...

Posted by simonstl at 08:50 AM

May 11, 2004

Dryden school budget, Ithaca school candidates

Today's Ithaca Journal includes an article on the Dryden Central School District budget, told mostly through the perspectives of candidates running for the board. It also mentions tonight's candidates forum. On the editorial page, the Journal endorses Dryden resident David Lee along with Robert DeLuca and Judith Maxwell. There are also a letter from Dryden resident Henry Kramer endorsing Allen...

Posted by simonstl at 08:26 AM

May 08, 2004

School candidates, Ithaca Produce, more

After a quiet week, today's Ithaca Journal is bursting with Dryden news. The Journal profiles the four candidates running for the Dryden School Board: Margaret DeGaetano, Paul Lutwak, Russ Kowalski, and Anderson Young. Paul Lutwak also has a letter to the editor about the Journal's recent supplement containing school test scores. I had posted some expenditure data from it but...

Posted by simonstl at 08:22 AM

May 07, 2004

Freese Road bridge stays closed

Today's online Ithaca Journal was late, but it continues to be a quiet week for Dryden in any case. In Dryden-specific news, Freese Road bridge will be closed yet another week, to Thursday, May 13. There's also a piece on the county's possible costs for boarding prisoners out if it loses its two variances....

Posted by simonstl at 12:33 PM

May 05, 2004

Poverty in Dryden, county budget

The articles in this week's Our Towns on Dryden and Groton are all about Groton. (Last week was largely Dryden.) There is a sidebar in the print edition with some statistics on families living on incomes below poverty level in Dryden, though. The figures given are 4.76% for families composed of a woman with children, 1.45% for couples with children...

Posted by simonstl at 09:23 AM

May 04, 2004

Draft, abuse prevention, schools

The only Dryden-specific item in today's Ithaca Journal is a letter to the editor about the prospect of a draft from Ellen Schmidt of the Town of Dryden. In broader county news, the Journal covers a presentation by Meredith Wiley, the state director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, in which she urged to county to focus more resources on...

Posted by simonstl at 08:32 AM

May 03, 2004

SPCA facilities, Stone Circle School

Today's Dryden news in the Ithaca Journal is friendly stuff. The Journal takes a look at the new SPCA building on Hanshaw Road, which is nearing completion. It sounds like an enormous change from the old building, which will still be used for overflow and an infirmary. The new building will be opening June 5. I also missed an article...

Posted by simonstl at 07:43 AM

April 30, 2004

School grades, expenditures

The print edition of today's Ithaca Journal contains a "Grading Our Schools" supplement which lists test results for schools and school districts in the area, including Dryden, Ithaca, and many more. It also lists spending per pupil for the 2000-2001 years (which is odd, given that the test results are for 2002-3). For comparison, here are the expenditures per student...

Posted by simonstl at 12:47 PM

News near Dryden

This morning's Ithaca Journal has two stories one intersection west of Dryden, including an accident at the Sapsucker Woods-Route 13-Brown Road intersection that backed traffic into Dryden and a celebration of a one-lane bridge's 100th anniversary in Forest Home. (Anyone know how old the Freese Road bridge currently under repair is?) A guest column lists resources for seniors in Tompkins...

Posted by simonstl at 07:41 AM

April 29, 2004

Two Dryden residents leaving ICSD board, one running

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that six people are running for three seats on the Ithaca City School District Board of Education. None of the three incumbents, including Dryden residents Arthur Berkey and Henry Kramer, is running again, while Dryden resident David Lee is running. The district also voted to add a reading specialist if insurance fees drop enough to...

Posted by simonstl at 07:30 AM

April 28, 2004

beyondmeasure, Grange recognition, more

Since the Ithaca Journal instituted the Our Towns section, Wednesdays have consistently been a busy day for Dryden news. Today's paper includes: a story on beyondmeasure, the Dryden High School a cappella group that recently recorded a CD (and recorded it at Masterview Soundcrafts, along Route 13 in Dryden); Cathy Wakeman's Dryden Town Talk, which looks at honors the Dryden...

Posted by simonstl at 08:50 AM

April 26, 2004

Dryden benefit raises $2700 for Lansing teen; environment thoughts

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the success of yesterday's country dance benefit for Lansing teen Valerie Glass, held at the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home. An article on Earth Day quotes Dryden nine-year-old Gabriel Banford. Finally, there's a guest column on designing communities around people's needs, not cars' needs, which is part of the Sustainable Tompkins project. Their nightly salons...

Posted by simonstl at 08:49 AM

April 24, 2004

A quiet Saturday

This morning's Ithaca Journal is pretty quiet on Dryden. There's an article on a benefit for Lansing teenager Valerie Glass at the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home tomorrow from 2-6pm. There's also an article on what this week's change from the DeWitt Historical Society to the The History Center in Tompkins County will mean. Speaking of history, I'll be the docent...

Posted by simonstl at 09:29 AM

April 22, 2004

Green buildings, ICSD

Today's Ithaca Journal, taking note of Earth Day, takes a look at green building practices in Tompkins County, including the Tompkins County SPCA expansion building under construction on Hanshaw Road. There's also a lot of coverage of the Ithaca City School District, with coverage of a press conference Superintendent Pastel held on continuing incidents of racial bias. They also cover...

Posted by simonstl at 08:10 AM

April 21, 2004

A quiet Our Towns

Today's Our Towns section is mostly about Groton, though there are several Dryden pieces in that section and elsewhere in the paper worth attention: The Dryden Sertoma Club's 2004 Service to Mankind award goes to William Deming, superintendent of Dryden Central Schools from 1962 to 1980, and Director of the Rural Schools program at Cornell for nine years. Dryden Middle...

Posted by simonstl at 08:17 AM

April 14, 2004

Former bookkeeper indicted, Freeville police reduction, more

Liva Brong, former bookkeeper for the Town of Dryden, has been indicted on multiple forgery-related counts connected to accusations of writing $17,900 in checks to her boyfriend's business, reports this morning's Ithaca Journal. Because it's a Wednesday and their new Our Towns section on Dryden and Groton is included, there's lots of Dryden news today, including: An article on Freeville's...

Posted by simonstl at 08:33 AM

April 06, 2004

George Junior Republic talks encouraging

Today's Ithaca Journal reports that labor negotiations between SEIU Local 200 and George Junior Republic seem to be improving, as George Junior has backed down on its removal of family health care coverage from the contract. The negotiations and issues of state regulation of payments to George Junior were a big topic of conversation when Barbara Lifton held her forum...

Posted by simonstl at 08:39 AM

April 03, 2004

Memorial, lawsuit remind area of deaths

Today's Ithaca Journal has two stories which are reminders of very different but very sad moments in the Dryden area's history. Members of communities surrounding Eglin Air Force Base, in Florida, have built a memorial and a road in memory of Patrick Griffin Jr., a graduate of Dryden High School who was killed in Iraq last year and is buried...

Posted by simonstl at 09:31 AM

March 31, 2004

Premiere of Our Towns: Dryden and Groton

The Ithaca Journal's first installment of the "Our Towns" page on Dryden and Groton arrived today, on page 3B. Most of the section is available on the Journal's site. The lead article is Dryden surveys golf course purchase (which I'll discuss in a separate entry). In features that will be regulars on the page, there are a Dryden Town Talk...

Posted by simonstl at 08:37 AM

March 29, 2004

Ithaca Journal meeting

I went to the Ithaca Journal's "Coffee with the Journal" session today, and came away pretty impressed. I'm not always thrilled with either the Journal's reporting or their editorial at times, and mentioned it, but the people there - Managing Editor Bruce Estes, Metro Editor John Carberry, and Opinion Page Editor Joseph Schwartz - had lots of good ideas and...

Posted by simonstl at 08:07 PM

March 27, 2004

"Our Towns" coming to the Journal

The print edition (but not the online edition) of today's Ithaca Journal announces that starting Tuesday, the Journal will include a new section called "Our Towns", which covers town news Tuesday through Thursday. Tuesdays will include Ulysses and Enfield, Wednesdays will include Dryden and Groton, and Thursdays will cover Lansing and the Town of Ithaca. (Newfield, Danby, and Caroline coverage...

Posted by simonstl at 03:15 PM

Dryden laurels

Posted by simonstl at 08:02 AM

March 24, 2004

Journal praises Trumbull on fire companies, annexation

Today's Ithaca Journal editorial praises Town Supervisor Steve Trumbull for improving relations with the fire companies and for the recent annexation of land to the Village for a DOT facility. There certainly does seem to be much less strife with the fire companies, though some of achieving that is reflected in this year's 31.8% tax levy increase and the things...

Posted by simonstl at 07:39 AM

March 23, 2004

Marriage, jails, economy

Today's Ithaca Journal, like yesterday's, is very quiet on Dryden, though it covers some county and state issues that have an effect. Today's paper includes: a letter from Pat Ober of Dryden opposing gay marriage, discussion of the county jail situation, Senator Schumer on Tompkins County's prospects and the possibility of the federal government limiting the local share of Medicaid,...

Posted by simonstl at 06:20 AM

March 19, 2004

Village and school budgets

Today's Ithaca Journal reports on the 11% percent increase in the tax levy proposed in the Village of Dryden, driven by a 7% increase in total spending and reflected in a 4.5% tax rate increase. Health insurance, retirement, legal, and gasoline costs have increased substantially, as did the need for some salaries to rise to stay competitive. Freeville also reduced...

Posted by simonstl at 08:54 AM

March 18, 2004

School report cards, budgets

Today's Journal reports that New York State issued school report cards yesterday, and the news is mostly good for the Dryden and Ithaca districts: "Ithaca City School District elementary and middle schools did significantly better on state tests than those the state deems as similar schools around the state, according to Russell. High school Regents exam performance also continued to...

Posted by simonstl at 08:47 AM

March 17, 2004

Schools testing, budgets, taxes

Today's Ithaca Journal has an extended article on schools looking forward to tomorrow's state test results, and opens with discussion of Dryden Intermediate School's fourth grade. There's also a piece on the Ithaca City School District's budget plan, which currently includes a tax levy increase of 5.82%, though a tax rate decrease of about 4%, reflecting increased assessmements. On the...

Posted by simonstl at 07:08 AM

March 16, 2004

More on school board budgets, affordable housing

Today's Ithaca Journal has stories on budgeting at both the Dryden Central School District and the Ithaca City School District. As noted yesterday, the Dryden district's budget looks especially bleak: "Last year when we said we'd keep it to 10 percent [tax levy increase], it seemed possible. This year the effect of the 10 percent, I think, will ruin our...

Posted by simonstl at 08:57 AM

March 15, 2004

Dryden fire departments at Rose Inn fire, SPCA spaying

The Ithaca Journal has had two articles on the fire which gutted the Rose Inn in Lansing and the investigation into its causes. The Dryden, Etna, Freeville, McLean, and Varna fire companies were among a dozen departments on the scene. Also in today's Journal, the SPCA is offering free spaying of cats to low-income Town of Dryden residents. Today's Dryden...

Posted by simonstl at 09:27 AM

March 11, 2004

Dryden teachers rally; fact-finder's report recommends compromise

The Ithaca Journal reports this morning that members of the Dryden Faculty Association rallied to remind passers by that they have worked nearly two years without a contract, just as a fact-finding report, submitted Monday, suggests that both the District and the teachers need to make concessions. The union will be holding an informational meeting on the fact-finder's report this...

Posted by simonstl at 08:09 AM

March 10, 2004

Dryden busing, ICSD budget, vaccinations, Corinthians

Today's Ithaca Journal notes an April 1 deadline for Dryden Central School District residents seeking buses to non-public schools and a report from the Intermunicipal Recreation Partnership, and examines what next year's Ithaca City School District budget would look like if held to a 5% tax levy increase. On the opinion page, Dr. William Klepack of Dryden Family Medicine (and...

Posted by simonstl at 07:30 AM

March 09, 2004

Absentee ballots, healthy food in ICSD

The Ithaca Journal reports that today is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot for the Freeville or Dryden village elections, though ballots may still be picked up in person until March 15 from the Board of Elections. Also in today's Journal, in the Ithaca City School District, the Food Service Program is offering healthier lunches for children....

Posted by simonstl at 08:16 AM

March 06, 2004

Summer school, art scholarship, board briefs

Today's Dryden schools news comes from three different papers. The Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden Central School District will include summer school funds in its budget, providing juniors and seniors who need to pass classes to graduate to take courses. The closing of TC3's summer school had left uncertainty about whether Dryden would participate in a new arrangement with...

Posted by simonstl at 10:26 AM

March 04, 2004

New principal, roof repairs, elections

Today's Ithaca Journal has a story on the new principal of Dryden Middle School, Roger Fedele, interviewing both Fedele and Dryden parents. There will be a welcoming reception for Fedele on March 8th, at 7pm in the Middle School cafeteria. In the Ithaca City School District, they're repairing lots and lots of school roofs with extra money that has become...

Posted by simonstl at 08:35 AM

March 03, 2004

Commuters, ballots, assessment

It's another quiet day for news in Dryden, but the Ithaca Journal has a story on commuters who drive from other counties to Tompkins County, many of whom drive through Dryden, as well as information on absentee ballots for upcoming village elections and an additional class on assessments. The newly-scheduled assessment class will be at the BOCES building on Warren...

Posted by simonstl at 08:30 AM

February 24, 2004

Volunteer firefighter killed at fire

The Ithaca Journal reports that Bret E. Neff, a volunteer firefighter in the Harford fire department, was pinned between two tanker trucks and killed yesterday at a fire in Slaterville Springs. Neff, of Dryden, was 37. The fire, at 395 Buffalo Road, was called in by a Brooktondale volunteer firefighter. The Slaterville Springs fire company responded, assisted by Varna, Richford,...

Posted by simonstl at 07:54 AM

February 23, 2004

Dogs adopted from research labs party at 4-H Acres

The Ithaca Journal reports that there was a party for dogs adopted from research labs on Sunday. The party was at Kiwanis Hall at 4-H Acres on Lower Creek Road, which is in the Town of Dryden, not the Town of Ithaca as the Journal reported....

Posted by simonstl at 07:35 PM

February 17, 2004

Health Department reports

Today's Ithaca Journal includes more than you likely want to know about water, sewage, restaurant, and other violations in Tompkins County, including Dryden....

Posted by simonstl at 08:34 AM

Communities and drug addiction

In yesterday's Dryden Town Talk, Cathy Wakeman visited the Bethel Grove Church for a meeting of the Community Faith Partnership, discussing "Recovery, Redemption and the Christian Community." The role of community in helping people out of addiction was a key topic: Haschmann added a fifth item as necessary for recovery: a community that is willing to support and hold accountable...

Posted by simonstl at 08:27 AM

February 16, 2004

Snowmobiling for breast cancer

The Ithaca Journal features a picture of a female snowmobile rider on her way through the hills of Dryden and Caroline as a benefit for breast cancer....

Posted by simonstl at 09:00 AM

February 14, 2004

More Dryden opinions

While it's not quite last Saturday's outpouring of Dryden opinion, there are three items from people in Dryden in today's Journal: A guest column from Brian June, a member of the Dryden Central School Board, on teen suicide and parents, a letter from Terry Habecker, thanking other letter writers for their support, and a dart from Lori Levine about the...

Posted by simonstl at 10:40 AM

February 09, 2004

Montgomery Park ice rink has mixed results

The Ithaca Journal reports that the outdoor ice rink has had some difficulties, largely because of uneven weather. The rink (directions), which was created by Neptune Hose Company pouring 10,000 gallons of water on the basketball courts, hasn't had the best opportunity to settle: "We had an unusually warm winter so ice was slow to form. Then we had some...

Posted by simonstl at 09:14 AM

February 07, 2004

Hazard mitigation, assessments, slippery roads

The 1996 Virgil Creek flood leads a story on hazard mitigation in today's Ithaca Journal, examining how the county and the towns are working on plans to protect themselves from various kinds of disasters. There's also more on assessments. The first class on how assessments work, mentioned earlier, will be Monday from 7 to 9pm in the Tompkins County Department...

Posted by simonstl at 09:40 AM

Lots of Dryden opinions

Today's Ithaca Journal includes three letters and a dart from Dryden residents: In Darts and Laurels, David Connor sends CBS a dart for refusing to run ads from MoveOn and PETA during the Super Bowl; A letter from Kathy Zahler on the Everyday Math program, in response to an earlier guest column; A letter from Charlie Hart on smoking and...

Posted by simonstl at 09:28 AM

February 04, 2004

SPCA, roads, school costs

The Ithaca Journal is fairly quiet today on Dryden news. The largest item is a guest column from the SPCA director defending the SPCA (which is in Dryden and serves Dryden as well as the rest of Tompkins County) from an earlier letter questioning their practices. There's also a letter noting that the accidents this winter seem to be taking...

Posted by simonstl at 08:31 AM

January 16, 2004

No news, sort of

I'd guessed that there would be an Ithaca Journal story today on the Town Board meeting last night, but there isn't - maybe tomorrow? I'll be writing up my own story, though that'll have to wait until later today, as I have a presentation to give this morning. There is a fair amount of news, though, on county assessments going...

Posted by simonstl at 08:29 AM

January 10, 2004

Cold doesn't stop the news

Posted by simonstl at 11:33 AM

January 01, 2004

Looking forward and back

The Ithaca Journal welcomes the New Year with warm wishes to new leaders in local municipalities, including Dryden, and reports mixed results for the county's economy in November....

Posted by simonstl at 11:31 AM

December 30, 2003

State Police hiring

Of course, you already knew that if you'd driven Route 13 North toward the Village of Dryden lately - it's hard to miss the big flashing sign. The Ithaca Journal has details....

Posted by simonstl at 09:27 AM

December 27, 2003

Mysterious dart

There's an unusual dart in the Ithaca Journal today: DART: From Scott Campbell of Dryden. To whoever cut down the fir tree in my front yard last week. The tree was planted by a longtime family friend in memory of my father. If you had asked honestly, and needed it that badly, we would have let you have it. No...

Posted by simonstl at 09:33 AM

December 25, 2003

Robbery suspects indicted

Just in time for the holiday, the three men apprehended after a robbery in Dryden were indicted....

Posted by simonstl at 06:01 PM

December 22, 2003

Red hats and cropland

Cathy Wakeman reports the formation of a Red Hat Society. Requirements for membership are "being an older, retired woman, and wearing a red hat". She also reports on the Dryden Senior Citizens and the Christmas dinner at the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home. In other news, the Tompkins/Schuyler County Farm Service Agency (FSA) field office is taking applications forthe Conservation Reserve...

Posted by simonstl at 08:53 AM

December 20, 2003

Schools, dispatchers

The Ithaca Journal notes this morning that the Ithaca City School District is still working out elementary school redistricting, and mentions Turkey Hill Road in particular as a place where some students go to Caroline and others to Cayuga Heights. It was very confusing when we bought this house that realtor.com kept claiming it was in Cayuga Heights because of...

Posted by simonstl at 11:13 AM

December 19, 2003

Annexation hearing, water important

At last night's discussion of land annexation by the Village from the Town of Dryden, adding water services to the parcel seemed to be the main reason people supported it - beyond the underlying purpose of putting a state DOT facility there. Questions about the likely tax-exempt status of most of the land and concerns about the facility itself also...

Posted by simonstl at 09:40 AM

December 18, 2003

Fire, accidents along edges of town

Emergency crews were busy yesterday through yesterday's snow with a fire in McLean and a fatal accident on 34B, plus a 3-car accident on 13 near the airport....

Posted by simonstl at 07:41 AM

December 17, 2003

Dryden teachers deadlock continues

It looks like the Dryden Faculty Association will be working without a contract for a while longer, as a meeting with a fact-finder produced no new results. Superintendent Patricia Archambault estimates that this will continue into February or March. Meanwhile, Ithaca City School District Superintendent Judith Pastel received a 3.2% raise....

Posted by simonstl at 08:43 AM

December 16, 2003

What's up at NYSEG?

The building I refer to as "NYSEG headquarters" looms everytime I drive home along Route 13. It's an enormous complex, and dominates the overlapping area of Routes 13 and 366. The "Utility Headquarters" sign indicates a left turn lane just for it, and it has multiple entrances and exits into this intersection area. It seems to be less and less...

Posted by simonstl at 08:42 AM

December 15, 2003

The news is snow

The news yesterday into this morning was snow, and lots of it. I removed about three inches from the driveway yesterday at 4pm and a foot this morning. When I'm making the first run with the snowblower (which now works, though nothing's changed) through the right kind of powder, bubbles pop on the surface of the snow on the left...

Posted by simonstl at 08:54 AM

December 11, 2003

Schools, small business, traffic

It's another quiet news day for Dryden, but there are some interesting pieces in today's Ithaca Journal. The Dryden School Board approved stipends and held off on a contract for review. The headline of the story seems backward relative to the article contents. Further afield, there's a piece on Senator Clinton promoting micro-enterprises (of less than five people) in New...

Posted by simonstl at 11:16 AM

December 08, 2003

Cakes and coffee

Cathy Wakeman reports in her Dryden Town Talk that Googer's Bakery and Coffee Shoppe will be opening today at 22 West Main Street. I've enjoyed the food at Googer's Cakes and Things on Route 13 very much, and I look forward to trying the new place. It also sounds like they have lots of plans for being a social center....

Posted by simonstl at 10:25 AM

December 03, 2003

County budget passes, 15.8% rate increase

Tompkins County passed a budget last night. Legislators hunted for extra revenue, lowering the tax rate increate from 19.65% to 15.81% without changing spending. The property tax levy is increasing from $25 million to $31 million, 23.6%. (Assessment changes make up the difference, so I'll be paying 42% higher county taxes next year overall.) In Dryden, legislators Martha Robertson and...

Posted by simonstl at 08:48 AM

Snow day in Dryden; superintendent retires

Yesterday was a busy day for the Dryden Central School District - it started with a surprise snow day, and concluded with the approval of the June 2004 retirement of superintendent Patricia Archambault. Archambault, who's retiring to Florida, noted "My hope is I left it a little better than it was when I started - but the snow days I...

Posted by simonstl at 08:44 AM

November 29, 2003

Quiet weekend

As is probably appropriate for the weekend after Thanksgiving, there isn't a whole lot of local news. There's some crime, and analysis of the county budget's reserve fund. There's also the obligatory story on the start of the Christmas shopping season, which mostly reminds me how much I buy outside of the Town of Dryden. Hmmm.......

Posted by simonstl at 08:15 AM

November 27, 2003

Happy Thanksgiving

Dryden-related holiday news in today's Ithaca Journal seems pretty light, and all from Freeville. The United Methodist Church there is having a free Thanksgiving dinner at 1pm today (844-3305 for reservations). Meanwhile, a concrete goose is getting dressed for the holidays....

Posted by simonstl at 07:31 AM

November 26, 2003

Resource sharing, school vote coverage

There isn't much news about Dryden in the Ithaca Journal today, but the opinion page has a piece on sharing resources between towns in the face of county cuts, and apparently I'm not the only one who thought the Journal's coverage of the Dryden schools vote was odd....

Posted by simonstl at 08:19 AM

November 25, 2003

Dryden robbery details

A business dispute seems to have driven last week's robbery of the Song Tao restaurant in Dryden. It seems very strange - demand $150,000, take $500, end up in jail facing felony charges....

Posted by simonstl at 08:30 AM

November 24, 2003

Dryden Youth Opportunity Fund

In this week's Dryden Town Talk, Cathy Wakeman focuses on the creation of "a vehicle for realizing dreams by encouraging ideas that are forming in the community." (An earlier article on the DYOF is available here.) It looks like it's independent of both the school district and the town, though Paul Streeter, its chairperson, was President of the Dryden Central...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

November 22, 2003

Crimes

It seems to be a busy time for police in the Village of Dryden. After yesterday's robbery, whose suspects are facing a hearing Monday, there's now a cocaine seizure and related arrests....

Posted by simonstl at 10:57 AM

November 21, 2003

Dog enumeration

The Town of Dryden is currently enumerating dogs, looking for dogs without licenses. I wonder if the enumerators have to visit every house in Dryden - that could take a while. A few more details are available in Town Board minutes right above resolution #71. The fine if the enumerators find an unlicensed dog, apparently set by the state, is...

Posted by simonstl at 08:25 AM

Dryden robbery suspects caught in Cortland

The Ithaca Journal reports this morning that police captured three Texas residents at a seat-belt check in Cortland shortly after a robbery at the Song Tao restaurant in the Village of Dryden. No one appears to have been injured, but five employees were tied up. One managed to escape and alert passers by, and witnesses had a description of the...

Posted by simonstl at 08:16 AM

November 20, 2003

Can't we all just get along?

In today's Ithaca Journal, the lead editorial, "Dryden's Controversies" hopes that the new Republican supervisor and board members will "will enjoy success in bringing Dryden residents together and moving their town beyond the divisiveness that seemed to dominate politics this year." That's a nice sentiment, but the Journal seems determined to forget that there are real issues in Dryden. The...

Posted by simonstl at 08:38 AM

November 19, 2003

County rejects budget

The County Legislature voted 9-5 last night to reject the proposed budget. Of the Dryden legislators, Martha Robertson voted for it, while Mike Lane and George Totman voted against it. The future of the budget looks pretty complicated, so I urge you to read the whole Ithaca Journal article. In other county news, the Enfield Republican party seems to have...

Posted by simonstl at 12:04 PM

November 18, 2003

Quiet day for news

The news today is quiet, though there are at least two votes today that will have a substantial effect on Dryden. The Tompkins County Legislature is voting on next year's budget tonight. In the Dryden School District, the renovation vote is today from 7am to 9pm, in the auditorium of Dryden Central School. Should make for a lot of news...

Posted by simonstl at 07:52 AM

November 17, 2003

Schools referendum, weather

Today's Ithaca Journal brings an article on the Dryden school renovation referendum, as well as a brief letter to the editor on the subject. The vote takes place tomorrow from 7am to 9pm in the Dryden Central School auditorium. Apparently you don't need to be registered to vote - you "only need to be 18 years old, a U.S. citizen...

Posted by simonstl at 08:56 AM

November 15, 2003

Local finance

Most of the Dryden news today seems to be financial. The Ithaca Journal explores snow removal in a period of tight budgets. There is also a guest column from Rachel Dickinson, president of the Dryden Central Schools Board of Education about the elementary school renovation referendum Tuesday. Looking further afield, the New York Times has a broad look at county...

Posted by simonstl at 09:11 AM

November 14, 2003

Weather as news

The weather was pretty definitely the most exciting news yesterday. High winds, trees falling, lights flickering. The Ithaca Journal reports bricks blowing off a building in downtown Ithaca, while Dryden had more ordinary power outages. It was loud most of the night, kind of like airplanes were constantly coming in for landings. We also got our first real-ish snow: Snow,...

Posted by simonstl at 09:42 AM

November 13, 2003

Town Council, Malloryville

The Ithaca Journal has a story on last night's town council meeting. While I'm disappointed in the results of the Town Board elections, and can't say I'm thrilled with views of the people now running the place, I can take some solace that Martha Robertson represents this part of Dryden on the county legislature. She seems have taken some flak...

Posted by simonstl at 01:34 PM

November 12, 2003

Gadabout, Enfield accusations

There's not much on Dryden in the paper today. There is a story on volunteers for Gadabout, the on-demand bus service for elderly and disabled residents of Tompkins County. There's also an extended piece on Republican smears over in Enfield. The race in Dryden wasn't friendly, but I'll hope the Enfield approach of filing complaints during the campaign (under laws...

Posted by simonstl at 08:23 AM

November 11, 2003

County taxes

County taxes seem to be the main local story in the Ithaca Journal today, with stories on a County Legislature public hearing on the budget, notes on other counties' tax plans, and a report blaming the state for high local taxes. The proposed Tompkins County budget includes a 19.65% property tax rate increase. The Journal looks at where the budget...

Posted by simonstl at 08:34 AM

November 10, 2003

Taxes, Golden Retrievers

Today's Ithaca Journal has a piece on taxes in Tompkins County, noting that assessments have gone up for many people as well as taxes. One comparison is especially interesting for Dryden: "In the villages selected for this article, a Village of Dryden property went up 9.3 percent while its tax bill increased 16.2 percent. The Trumansburg property's assessment increased 2.2...

Posted by simonstl at 07:47 AM