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 05, 2005

Vote No on Proposition 2

I know I shouldn't start my endorsements with a round of negativity, but it's best to get that out of the way. Proposition 2, the generously named "REBUILD AND RENEW NEW YORK TRANSPORTATION BOND ACT OF 2005", looks like: PROPOSAL NUMBER TWO, A PROPOSITION To promote and assure the preservation, renewal and improvement of the state's roads and bridges; subways,...

Posted by simonstl at 11:37 AM

November 04, 2005

Vote No on Proposition 1

The Journal may not be making endorsements today, but I will. I'll start with an item that's going to be in small print at the top of the ballot, Proposition 1, a proposed amendment to the New York State Constitution: PROPOSAL NUMBER ONE, AN AMENDMENT Amendment to Articles IV and VII of the Constitution, in relation to the submission of...

Posted by simonstl at 09:15 AM

October 13, 2005

Lifton, Lane find firefighters $50,000 in state funds

I was late getting there, unfortunately, but Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and County Legislator Mike Lane held a press conference today announcing $50,000 in state funds for equipment for Freeville's W.B. Strong and Dryden's Neptune Hose Company fire departments. Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, County Legislator Mike Lane, Neptune Hose Company Chief Ron Flynn, Neptune Hose Company Board Member Dan Tier, W.B. Strong...

Posted by simonstl at 09:53 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

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 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 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

Doing very little about large-scale Medicaid fraud

I try hard to stay focused on Dryden, but sometimes things at other levels get so rotten that it's hard to avoid the stench. The New York Times seems to be doing some basic research on Medicaid that the New York State Department of Health isn't doing, finding things like: a dentist who claimed to have served 991 patients in...

Posted by simonstl at 12:26 PM

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 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 10, 2005

Creating a place for kids

This week's Dryden Courier leads with articles on improving life for Dryden children. There's an article on Opportunity, Understanding, Respect, and Success (OURS), a group providing activities in Conger's Mobile Home Park started by Jessica Houle, a Cornell student who grew up there. Houle got a grant through Cornell Cooperative Extension, and is working toward buying a meeting place, and...

Posted by simonstl at 10:20 AM

July 04, 2005

Graduation, trails

This week's Dryden Courier leads with the Dryden High School graduation, as well as congratulations given to the Dryden school board and superintendent. Inside the paper, there are articles on the plans for a Freeville-to-Dryden trail and one on the walk Rebecca Elgie and Bernie Fetterly took, including a stop at Dryden's Time Square park, to highlight health care issues...

Posted by simonstl at 04:07 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

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 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

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 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

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 06, 2005

State legislators reach for NYSERDA piggybank?

I've been fond of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for a while now. I first heard about them when I had work done on my house and received a rebate, but they also audited that work impressively, contributed to Dryden High School's solar panels, and are likely to help plan and pay for energy efficiency in...

Posted by simonstl at 04:24 PM

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 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 01, 2005

New York State debt, 1990 to 2005 and beyond

I mentioned New York's debt and opaque process in a piece last week about the challenges New York is facing, spurred on by low attendance at Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton's Town Hall in Dryden. The New York Times reinforces some of those concerns and eases others in an editorial Sunday that's more optimistic about communications in Albany, and notes that one...

Posted by simonstl at 08:50 AM

February 28, 2005

Chicks Ride over Dryden

Posted by simonstl at 08:29 AM

February 27, 2005

Lifton's Town Hall meeting

Now that I've vented my general concerns about New York State politics, it would probably be wise to report on what Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton actually had to say. Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton talks at Dryden Town Hall. A lot of what Lifton had to say boiled down to a simple story but a difficult problem. New York State faces a combination...

Posted by simonstl at 08:00 PM

February 23, 2005

Why would anyone want to be involved in NYS government?

I attended Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton's Town Hall meeting last night, and I'll have more about what she had to say soon, but what struck me most last night and what's still echoing through my head is attendance. Not counting Lifton herself and an aide, there were nine people there. Last year's Town Hall had more like 25 or 30, though...

Posted by simonstl at 12:58 PM

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 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

Assemblywoman Lifton hosting Town Hall meeting Tuesday

Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton will be hosting a Town Meeting on Tuesday, February 22nd, at 7:00pm at the Dryden Town Hall (map). The poster invites attendees to "Voice Your Concerns." Lifton held a similar forum last year, and there was as lot of good information and give and take with the audience....

Posted by simonstl at 08:05 AM

February 13, 2005

Courier will accept local political letters

The Dryden Courier's editorial this week reverses a policy it had set after the last round of local elections, when it decided "to no longer print letters supporting local candidates." They've changed their minds because: Local elections hit closer to home than any state or national contest. While bureaucrats on Capitol Hill argue over policies that will never have an...

Posted by simonstl at 01:56 PM

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

January 29, 2005

Boehlert on Main Street Partnership

I just noted that Brad Jones, a more conservative Republican, is preparing to challenge Congressman Sherwood Boehlert. Boehlert has long had conservative challengers in Republican primaries, and his recent stand on Social Security probably encourages them. NYCO mentions a piece on moderate New York Republicans, and links to another WAMC story that includes comments from Congressman Boehlert on the Republican...

Posted by simonstl at 10:52 AM

January 25, 2005

Senator Seward backs legislative reform, sort of

Only two months after bluntly defending the practice of empty-seat voting, State Senator James Seward is trumpeting its purported elimination on his web site. No one other than the Senate's Republican Majority seems terribly impressed with the reforms passed yesterday. The Ithaca Journal doesn't seem to have reported on it. The Gannett story, available in the Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin,...

Posted by simonstl at 12:29 PM

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 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 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 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 11, 2005

Cynical optimism

I wasn't sure how seriously to take recent state Assembly reform, but this quote from NYCO gives me some hope: Publicly pretending to reform is a big first step toward actual reform. So even the most cynical person has to see this as a good day, I think. A reform half finished is a reform that the majority powers that...

Posted by simonstl at 07:15 PM

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 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

December 31, 2004

Catching up on library cuts, gains

Earlier this year, Governor Pataki vetoed funding for libraries and stymied an override attempt in the Assembly. Then, the Governor used discretionary funding to restore the cuts in Republican Assembly districts. Dryden is in a Democratic Assembly district, so the Governor did us no such favors. It took a little while, but with the help of Assemblywoman Lifton's office, I...

Posted by simonstl at 02:18 PM

December 29, 2004

Lifton replies on empty-seat voting

Assemblywoman Lifton wrote back to my earlier letter on empty-seat voting. I find her reply much more promising than Senator Seward's reply - she doesn't try to defend the practice, and suggests that she's actually taking steps to reduce it: I am opposed to empty seat voting. The current Assembly rules prohibit empty-seat voting, stating that members must be within...

Posted by simonstl at 12:38 PM

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 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 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 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 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

New York raises minimum wage; Seward dissents

It didn't make the Ithaca Journal, but the New York State Senate voted 50-8 yesterday to override Governor Pataki's veto and raise the minimum wage in New York. According to the Elmira Star-Gazette: Under the measure, minimum wage increases from $5.15 per hour to $6 per hour on Jan. 1. It goes to $6.75 in January 2006 and $7.15 in...

Posted by simonstl at 08:57 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

Democrats and Reform

I've written a piece on why I think the Democratic Party should take reform as a core issue, including the need to reform places where we have control. The article isn't specific to Dryden, so I've posted it on my personal site, but it definitely informs the writing I'm doing here....

Posted by simonstl at 07:47 PM

Senator Seward replies on empty-seat voting

Senator Seward's office was certainly speedy in getting back to my letter about empty-seat voting, though I can't say his response gives me much sense that he's interested in changing the process at all. The senator writes: Most of the votes for which legislators are recorded in the positive without their specific aye votes (so called "empty seat voting") are...

Posted by simonstl at 02:32 PM

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 24, 2004

"Empty seat voting"

Since I wrote Congressman Boehlert this morning, I figured it might be nice to continue my letter-writing to some of Dryden's other representatives on my lunch. I've written before about Assemblywoman Lifton's response to my letter and the preliminary report on reform from the State Senate Task Force on Government Reform, which includes Senator James L. Seward. (He's also published...

Posted by simonstl at 12:45 PM

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 21, 2004

Senate reform report even less than expected

I didn't expect very much when I wrote earlier about the Senate Majority Task Force on Reform's "Making Government Work: A Preliminary Report of the Senate Task Force on Government Reform" (65KB PDF), but I'm afraid that actually reading the report proved even more disappointing than I'd thought possible. Earlier, I'd mentioned the report's self-congratulatory tone, but it's remarkable how...

Posted by simonstl at 06:11 PM

November 19, 2004

State Senate report congratulates self for reform

I ran across this while looking to find out what the New York State Senate had accomplished at its press conference yesterday, and to see how much progress New York State Senator Jim Seward had made in the Senate Majority Task Force on Reform, which I had challenged him about at a Town Hall in Dryden in October. They've published...

Posted by simonstl at 08:52 AM

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 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 11, 2004

Democrats gather at Town Hall

Democrats and sympathetic independents met last night at the Dryden Town Hall to discuss the 2004 election, looking over how well we'd done locally while contemplating the growing divide among Americans and talking about how to communicate with people on the other side of that divide. Democrats and independents listen while County Legislator Martha Robertson talks about small-group conclusions. I...

Posted by simonstl at 10:24 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

Dryden Democratic gathering Wednesday night

The Dryden Democrats will be hosting a gathering this Wednesday night, November 10th, at 7:30pm at the Dryden Town Hall, 65 East Main Street, Dryden (map). Democrats and independents are welcome. We'll be taking a look at what worked for Democrats locally and what we can do to build on that, as well as considering the national situation....

Posted by simonstl at 12:21 PM

November 05, 2004

Upstateblog.net

I found another Upstate-focused blog that I think is worth mentioning, though I find its obsession with taxes and business-friendliness painfully narrow. Upstateblog.net is a project of the Public Policy Institute of New York, which is itself affiliated with The Business Council of New York State. It may be a "non-partisan" site, but it clearly has a perspective. Apart from...

Posted by simonstl at 09:56 AM

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 03, 2004

73% turnout in Dryden

73% of registered voters turned out across Dryden yesterday, with 10 of 11 polls reporting 69% or greater turnout. In Dryden, John Kerry won 3398-2597, while congressional challenger Jeff Miller defeated incumbent Sherwood Boehlert 2556-2444. Neither of those results seem to have held up for the rest of the country or the congressional district, unfortunately. Town Justice Joseph Valentinelli won...

Posted by simonstl at 07:43 AM

November 02, 2004

Where do I vote in the Town of Dryden?

From the Board of Elections listing, polling places for each of the districts are: Etna Fire Station - 26 Wood Road, Etna (map). Freeville Fire Station - 21 Union Street, Freeville (map). Dryden Fire Station - 26 North Street, Dryden (map). Varna Community Center - 943 Dryden Road, Varna (map). Etna Fire Station - 26 Wood Road, Etna (map). Dryden...

Posted by simonstl at 05:30 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 24, 2004

Responses to Slush Funds

Today's Syracuse Post-Standard runs a followup article to the series on New York Slush Funds they ran earlier this week. Much to my surprise, I wound up quoted on the front page: Down in Dryden, Simon St. Laurent writes a blog, an online diary about life in the Tompkins County town. But this past week, St. Laurent's Internet diary has...

Posted by simonstl at 10:21 AM

October 20, 2004

The SlushMap

NYCO's Blog now has an amazing map of New York showing how much state slush fund money counties received, building on data from the recent Post-Standard series. As she points out in the article about it, it's kind of odd that Tompkins County got got $313.42 per person while to our southeast Tioga County got zero. (Even if the single...

Posted by simonstl at 07:17 PM

October 19, 2004

Where the slush goes, and some of why

The Syracuse Post-Standard continues its series of articles on the Governor's, Senate's, and Assembly's borrowed slush fund money, concluding with a list of 1720 recipients since 1997. Highlights include: Play Ball or Else, a piece on how the funds process is used to keep members in line; A look at a college's funding and a portrait based on the Senator...

Posted by simonstl at 12:17 PM

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 18, 2004

More on NYS slush

The Syracuse Post-Standard continues its series on the slush funds of the governor, Senate, and Assembly by looking at the "give and take" of political contributions and money rolling out of Albany. Our State Senator Seward gets mentioned for steering $100,000 to a museum that's building a $200,000 replica of Governor Pataki's grandmother's Irish cottage. One other piece of this...

Posted by simonstl at 07:10 PM

October 17, 2004

New York State slush funds move Dryden graves

The Syracuse Post-Standard has a special report on New York State slush funds, including a story that mentions moving 47 graves in a cemetery in Dryden. I suspect I'm happier about that than air-conditioning for a golf dome in Tonawanda, and I wonder if there's a connection to this July article in the Dryden Courier. For a picture of how...

Posted by simonstl at 07:37 PM

October 10, 2004

Seward Town Hall in Dryden

New York State Senator James Seward held a Town Hall meeting in the Dryden Village Hall on Thursday night, addressing an audience of about twenty people, taking public questions, and then having private sessions afterward. (I've tried to be as complete as possible, making this a really long discussion, so I've highlighted a word or phrase in each paragraph if...

Posted by simonstl at 12:14 PM

October 06, 2004

A missing article, and Seward tomorrow

It just occurred to me that there's an article I'd really like to see the Ithaca Journal, Dryden Courier, Ithaca Times, or anyone else local publish: interviews with our Assemblywoman and local State Senators on their feelings about reform of state government and its prospects. Local editorial pages have spilled a lot of worthy ink this year on the subject,...

Posted by simonstl at 08:56 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 21, 2004

Meet State Senator Seward October 7th

New York State Senator James Seward will be having a Town Hall on Thursday, October 7th at 7:00pm. According to the mailing I just received: State Senator James L. Seward will address the audience in a town hall style meeting on major state and local topics of interest. Following the senator's remarks, residents will have the opportunity to address Senator...

Posted by simonstl at 12:40 PM

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 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 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 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 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

Teachers' agreement, water issue

This week's Dryden Courier explores the happier feelings coming out of the Dryden Central School District's negotiations with the Dryden Faculty Association. If all goes well as seems possible in the September 2nd vote, teachers should have a contract in place before the school year starts. The other front page article looks at the water contamination problem at 730 Midline...

Posted by simonstl at 06:43 PM

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 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 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 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 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 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 04, 2004

Political categories

The "politics" category had accumulated enough stories that it was getting hard to see from the archives quite what was going on here. I've now split it into three categories. There's now a politics (local) category that focuses on town, village, and county politics. There's a politics (state) category that focuses on New York State politics. Finally, there's a politics...

Posted by simonstl at 12:22 PM

July 23, 2004

Is New York State a democracy?

I know we have an elected government, but its connection to actual voters seems more and more tenuous every year, as power in the state concentrates in three officials, only one of whom is elected directly. It's not specific to Dryden, but it certainly affects us: "From 1997 to 2001, the New York State Senate voted on 7,109 bills; not...

Posted by simonstl at 11:25 PM

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

June 28, 2004

Dryden graduation, state legislation (or not)

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on Saturday's Dryden High School graduation ceremony, highlighting speeches by 1970 graduate Tim Tyson, valedictorian Emily Rivest, and salutatorian Daniel Perkins, as well as a farewell from retiring Superintendent Patricia Archambault. The editorial page is dominated by last week's conclusion of an unproductive state legislative session, including an editorial, a guest column from a Newfield...

Posted by simonstl at 07:51 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 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

May 04, 2004

Living wage, minimum wage discussion

A small group of Dryden residents met with Carl Feuer and Pete Meyers of the Tompkins County Living Wage Coalition at Martha Ferger's home in the Village of Dryden Tuesday night. The main topic of conversation was movement on living wage issues, particularly bills in the New York State Senate and Assembly on increasing the minimum wage. The Assembly has...

Posted by simonstl at 09:52 PM

April 29, 2004

Living wage discussion in Dryden Tuesday night

Martha Ferger writes (and the Dryden Courier also reports): Town of Dryden residents who support a higher minimum wage for New York State are invited to meet on Tuesday, May 4 at 7:30 pm at the home of Martha and John Ferger, 10 Union Street, Dryden (map). Carl Feuer, an organizer for the Tompkins County Living Wage Coalition, will lead...

Posted by simonstl at 08:53 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

January 22, 2004

Reactions to Pataki's budget

I ran out of time yesterday to cover most of the local reactions to Governor Pataki's budget. (I had to drive to Albany and back.) The state budget at this point seems to be the largest determining factor for local taxes - mostly county, though the county's troubles may affect the towns as well. The Ithaca Journal had a piece...

Posted by simonstl at 01:21 PM

January 08, 2004

State of the State

After Tuesday's county press conferences to pressure the state on Medicaid, I was hoping that Pataki might reply to these problems in the State of the State. As the Ithaca Journal's editorial page notes, he mentioned these problems, but didn't offer any detailed answers. Answers to such things will have to come in the budget, if they come at all,...

Posted by simonstl at 05:00 PM