The Ithaca Journal reports on a three-car accident on Route 13 and Etna Road (Etna Lane?), that happened at about the same time emergency crews were demonstrating a response to a simulated DWI accident at Dryden High School. Update: More...
If you were driving down Route 366 in this morning's heavy wet snow, you may have had an unpleasant surprise from my property - a red maple gave way under the weight, crashed through my fence, and landed on the...
I just got this from Varna Volunteer Fire Company President Wendy Hoose: Hello all VVFC members, To honor our fallen hero, Chris Bordoni, Varna has placed our flag at half-staff and well as Duane has placed a nice message on...
There was a fire yesterday at 1822 Dryden Road, which damaged one apartment but required residents of four others to leave for a few days. There were also two farm summits in the area. Cooperative Extension held a Tompkins County...
Today the weather is just unseasonably warm but seasonably dismal - but sometimes we get more dangerous weather here too. I gave a talk last night to the Varna Volunteer Fire Company about weather disasters, exploring some of the extremes...
I'll be giving a talk at the Varna Volunteer Fire Company next Thursday, January 26th, at 7:30pm, on local weather, weather forecasting, and their relationship to emergency services. I'm planning to start with a look at some of Dryden's...
The Varna Volunteer Fire Company will be having an open house this Sunday, October 23rd, at their firehouse at 14 Turkey Hill Road from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Come see the station, the trucks, the equipment, and most of all the...
I heard back on Friday that the Varna and Slaterville fire companies were on call to help out anywhere in New York State if needed to respond to Hurricane Irene. On Sunday, VVFC Board Chair Wendy Hoose reported that: Roy...
The Varna Volunteer Fire Company stopped a fire at 1015 Dryden Road Saturday, with the assistance of the Ithaca, Slaterville, and Etna fire companies, as well as the New York State Police. The scene after an initial knockdown looked like:...
Once again, I've fallen far, far behind on keeping up with the Ithaca Journal. If you have more time than I do right now, here's some good reading: Dryden schools get award for composting TC3 students recognized for excellence Dryden...
I drove by the damaged building this weekend and wondered, but the Journal reported yesterday with a pretty complete report on what had happened. 72-74 West Main Street had a fire apparently caused by a natural gas wall heater. No...
Yes, the Dryden High School/Middle School will be open as usual tomorrow. The Journal also reports on the Dryden Fire Department's sprinkler demonstration yesterday....
Dryden Middle School was very busy last night, with firefighters battling a blaze in the boiler room, where mechanical equipment seems a likely cause. The Dryden Fire Department will be having an open house Sunday with a demonstration of the...
The "reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the arson of Ithaca Police Sgt. Bryan Bangs' home now stands at $20,000," thanks to an anonymous donor. The Journal also has a fairly vague report...
The Varna Volunteer Fire Company will be having an open house this Sunday, September 26th from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at 14 Turkey Hill Road, just off Route 366. They'll be showing off their newly completed bunkhouse, among other projects....
This morning's Ithaca Journal has a long article on Ithaca Police Office Jason Lansing's resignation after evidence grew of his using drugs and associating with convicted drug dealers. Dryden turns up in passage like: Lansing told investigators he had abused...
I've noticed for a few years that the flags on fire stations and at the State Police are sometimes at half staff when the rest of the flags in the area are flying normally. This week, I got to know...
The Varna Volunteer Fire Company has built a new bunkhouse, a building neatly hidden behind their station that lets them provide housing to up to eight fire personnel who will be ready to respond to calls quickly. VVFC bunkhouse ready...
The Varna Volunteer Fire Company helped organize a cleanup at the burned Bryan Bangs house, clearing the debris and wreckage from this weekend's arson. In other news, the Varna Community Sale Day will be this Saturday, July 17th, from 8:00am...
That was quick: Fire at officer's home ruled arson. Fire investigators determined a blaze that destroyed an Ithaca police officer's Etna home was arson, state police said Monday.... State fire investigators, with the aid of City of Ithaca fire investigators...
Fire investigators will be working overtime to determine the cause of a fire early Sunday morning at the Etna house of Bryan Bangs, the Ithaca Police Sergeant recently cleared in the February Shawn Greenwood shooting. Officers were trying to arrest...
No, this has nothing to do with Marcellus Shale gas exploration - it's just an unfortunate problem that's been a risk of water drilling here for a while. Etna, Freeville, and Dryden firefighters responded to a fire at a water-well...
On Sunday afternoon, we took Sungiva to see the fire trucks! At 18 months, I'm not sure she quite knows how exciting they are, but it's never too soon to get started. Spraying water from a fire hose. They had...
This morning's Journal reports that a Dryden Ambulance EMS team got the best score in the "first-ever International EMS Competition". Working through six scenarios and a road rally, the team earned a trip to Poland for a paramedic exchange. (There...
Here's a quick listing of things in the Journal I normally would have written about in more detail, but didn't get to. Some of them are still on my list of things to write about. One of my neighbors,...
Most of today's Dryden news is on the opinion page in today's Ithaca Journal. The Dryden Youth Opportunity Fund has a letter from Paul Streeter and Michael Dick of Dryden encouraging readers to remember the DYOF and: consider providing your...
Finally catching up with a week or so of the Ithaca Journal - Freeville resident Rachel Dickinson reflects on her visit to Tibet in July 2006 in the light of recent riots, concluding sadly: It makes me so sad to...
This morning's Ithaca Journal looks at the approaching completion of TC3's master plan for construction, and talks with President Carl Haynes about the expansion and direction of the school. There's also an article on a Sunday night apartment fire in...
A fire at a paving and excavation company in Genoa as severe enough to bring Dryden, McLean, and Freeville Fire Departments to help put it out. There's a picture of Ken Vorstadt and Mark Bell of Dryden bringing water to...
Apparently Dryden did not have a quiet Christmas - it just took the Ithaca Journal a few days to catch up to news of a fire early Christmas morning. Four residents of Creekwood Apartments, on Lower Creek Road, were displaced...
Elections for fire commissioner will be held today, affecting Dryden residents in the McLean Fire District. (Voting is at the McLean Fire Station.) All of these races are uncontested. An article on libraries illustrates the difference made by Southworth Library...
This morning's Journal notes, in Briefly in Tompkins, that the W.B. Strong Fire Company, also known as the Freeville Fire Department, will be 100 years old next April 7th. They're hoping to put together more information on the company: Those...
This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that firefighters quickly put out a fire at a house on Ringwood Road yesterday, using water they carried from the Cornell Barns. Dryden led the response, with Varna, Etna, Freeville, Cayuga Heights and Slaterville also...
It was a busy day for area fire departments yesterday, as lightning strikes in Etna and Harford destroyed a house and a garage. Both in areas without fire hydrants, so firefighters used tanker trucks to collect water from streams and...
I just got a press release from Dryden Ambulance, announcing that they had won the 2007 Central New York EMS Agency of the Year award: This award was presented to Dryden Ambulance at the Central New York EMS annual awards...
Need something exciting to do tonight? The Varna Volunteer Fire Company will be having a tour of their building (14 Turkey Hill Road) and equipment tonight at 6:30pm, followed by a Town Board meeting at 7:00pm. The Journal writes about...
I'm very used to seeing Natan Huffman, Chief of the Varna Volunteer Fire Company, driving around Dryden in a red pickup truck with lights. Unfortunately, on June 8th, someone seems not to have quite figured out what those lights are...
This morning's Ithaca Journal leads with a terrible story, a a 2-year-old held underwater by her babysitter on Ringwood Road, and the update reports the girl has died. I thought 2007 had started horribly, but it doesn't seem to be...
The Town Board meeting stretched past midnight last night, for the first time that I can remember. It was a long meeting, though actually more focused than many recent meetings, and fortunately they took a five minute break at one...
Ithaca Journal columnist Cathy Wakeman celebrates 100 Dryden Town Talk articles with a look forward at some coming events. There will be a student recital tonight at the Dryden Middle School/High School auditorium at 7:00pm, and a Guest Artist workshop/performance...
An old house I'd always really liked burned yesteday in Freeville. The Freeville, Dryden, Varna, Etna, Groton, McLean and Cayuga Heights fire departments all responded, as did Dryden Ambulance, NYSEG, and the New York State Department of Transportation. There were...
This morning's Ithaca Journal editorial praises Anondo “Binji” Mukherjee and Jed Glosenger for their heroic deeds during a fire on Hickory Circle Sunday. Former County Legislator and Village of Dryden Mayor Mike Lane writes a letter to the editor whose...
This morning's Ithaca Journal has an extensive article on Saturday's Project Dryden Child benefit, which raised around $10,000 for the family of children abused by a babysitter in January. It sounds like it was quite an event, with all kinds...
This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Hickory Circle home that burned Sunday is unstable, making it difficult to investigate the cause of the fire. Varna Fire Chief Natan Huffman reports that: "The risk of the investigation is greater than...
A house on Hickory Circle burned early Sunday morning, sending seven people to the hospital. The Varna Volunteer Fire Company responded to a call about smoke, finding the house catching fire shortly after their arrival. Lack of water meant that...
Fire coverage in Dryden is a very complicated and frequently explosive subject. It's had major impacts on Dryden politics, and keeps the Town Board occupied. A lot of it stems from the challenge of supervising four departments, each covering a...
The editorial in today's Ithaca Journal notes that elections for fire commissioner are today, including an election in McLean. It's hard to argue with their suggestion that these elections really should be held on November's election day, when there's a...
This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on a chimney fire Sunday on Ringwood Road. Varna Fire Chief Natan Huffman advises readers to have their chimneys swept regularly to avoid the creosote buildup that caused this fire. The fire was put out...
I was looking through the print version of today's Journal and figured they just hadn't made it to yesterday's 9/11 memorial on the Village Green. The online edition, however, reports that around 80 people were there last night, with speakers...
Dryden had an action-packed Saturday this past weekend, with the Etna Community Association yard sale, the Freeville Harvest Festival, and the Ellis Hollow Fair as well. A busy Etna yard sale. Booths at the Freeville Harvest Festival. Eating at the...
I won't be able to make it tonight, but I wanted to highlight that the Neptune Hose Company will be having a 9/11 memorial tonight at 7:00pm tonight on the Village Green in Dryden: Planned are remarks by members of...
Saturday's Ithaca Journal started an article on first responder preparedness with a quote from Etna Fire Chief Thomas Lobdell, visits the McLean and Varna companies, and ends with a quote from Freeville Chief Andy Downs. It's a mixed story, with...
This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Karel Westerling was convicted of kidnapping and rape yesterday, and now faces up to 25 years in prison. An early-morning fire at Wilcox Press Friday was the result of machinery friction in a scrap...
This morning's Ithaca Journal includes a report on ways Tompkins County is helping out flooded areas to our east, as firefighters, the Red Cross, stores, and others helped out. Dryden sent a fire truck and ambulances. It looks like there...
The June Town Board meeting returned to a common topic of Town of Dryden government and politics: the details of fire protection financing. With chiefs from Etna, Freeville, and Dryden looking on, the Varna Volunteer Fire Company presented on the...
This morning's Ithaca Journal visits Freeville's Brookside Berry Farm, which just opened for the season a few minutes ago,in an article on U-Pick Strawberries. There's another article about the disaster training at Holy Cross Church that was held this past...
This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the disaster training event held at Holy Cross Church by the Tompkins County Red Cross. The event, which simulated housing fifty people after an imaginary tornado hit Conger's trailer park on Kirk Road, is...
All four Dryden fire departments plus Lansing and Groton were on the scene yesterday morning at a fire which damaged a house on Wood Road. Firefighters had the main fire out within 45 minutes, and spent another hour hunting down...
This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on a bathroom fire on Mineah Road. The Dryden, Freeville, Varna, and Cayuga Heights fire departments responded. On the opinion page, Steve Scott of Dryden sees no contradiction between being pro-life and pro-death penalty....
81 East Main Street in the Village of Dryden suffered a fire Saturday afternoon. The Dryden Fire Department attempted to put out the blaze, but Chief Ron Flynn reports that "It had gotten a good head start before we got...
Reading the Ithaca Journal lately, I get a sense that Dryden is a very sleepy place. Reading the December 28th Dryden Courier, though, I see a very active community with all kinds of things happening. I'm not positive, but I...
This morning Ithaca Journal reports that the Brooktondale Fire District is facing some hard questions about where money for a truck went, after purchasing a truck through a now-deceased broker in Albany who may have defrauded other departments. (The Town...
County Legislator Mike Lane looks poised to deliver on one of his key campaign issues, the need for a three-year cycle on assessments to reduce the annual shocks. This morning's Journal reports that the legislature will hold a public hearing...
The November 23rd Dryden Courier has a story that hopefully won't be repeated: Village of Dryden Police responded to a 911 call on Lee Road, and no one answered. In making sure there wasn't a problem there, they caused $700...
I stopped by Neptune Hose Company tonight and was amazed by the number of explorers, Darth Vaders, princesses, pirates, and other unusual characters who had shown up for the costume judging. Gathering round for the costume judging. The event, sponsored...
This week's Dryden Courier leads with a picture of last week's press conference at which County Legislator Mike Lane and Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton announced $50,000 in funding for firefighting equipment at Dryden's Neptune Hose Company and Freeville's W.B. Strong. $35,000...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
This week's Dryden Courier leads with an article about Dave Perkins' fire truck collection, which at one point included 14 motorized trucks (now down to seven) and two buggies. There are pictures of the buggies on the cover and inside....
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,...
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...
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...
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...
If you know anyone who's looking for a firetruck, the Varna Volunteer Fire Company seems to be selling a 1988 Mack American Eagle War Eagle 1000 with 24,500 miles on it for $39,500. Whether you're a fire company in need...
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...
If you're lucky enough to be reading this before 3:00pm, or whenever they run out of chicken, the Varna Volunteer Fire Company is having a barbecue at their station. Barbecuing at the Varna Volunteer Fire Company. This barbecue is a...
If you've driven Turkey Hill Road recently, you may have noticed that the Varna Volunteer Fire Company has a new sign up. New Varna Volunteer Fire Company sign. April calls for Varna Volunteer Fire Company....
The entire Chiefs committee came to last Thursday's Dryden Town Board meeting to present a summary of status and to express concerns about a proposed emergency services consultant the board had been discussing since November. Neptune Hose Company Chief Ron...
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...
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...
Update: This event has been postponed. I'll post a new story when it's rescheduled. If you live in the Varna fire district - roughly Varna, Ellis Hollow, and the northern side of Snyder Hill - you can contact the Varna...
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...
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...
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...
Minutes are available for both the March 2nd hearing on the possible annexation of the Dryden Mutual Property to the Village of Dryden and the Town Board's regular meeting on March 10th, which I missed. The March 2nd minutes are...
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...
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...
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...
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."...
I've been slack in covering the February Town Board meeting, and the minutes are now available if you want full details on what happened. Some key moments stand out in the meeting, so here are some highlights. I've bolded subjects...
This week's issue of the Dryden Courier includes a detailed story on the Village of Dryden's January Board meeting. There's some explanation of the continuation of the multiple unit housing moratorium extension and its future: Mayor Reba Taylor said Tompkins...
Jerry Carbo, running for Village of Dryden Trustee, has the first ad of the campaign season in this week's issue of The Shopper, and notes that the election will be March 15th from noon to 9:00pm. Looking forward to the...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Last night's town board organizational meeting was a lot like last year's, passing a huge number of routine resolutions, but there were some interesting bits, notably around investments, appointments, the abstract of bills, tax collection, and fire coverage in the...
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...
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...
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...
The 1996 fire coverage map for Dryden (the last one compiled, apparently still in use by 911) turned up a few months ago, and I've finally gotten around to scanning it. If you want to see a larger (32x32 inches...
I had a few questions after Friday's Ithaca Journal article on fire company news, which says: Stelick and Michaels have long served as town liaisons to the emergency service providers and have found themselves wishing they had permanent, experienced staff...
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...
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...
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...
Dryden Ambulance held a dedication ceremony for its new Mobile Response Vehicle and four new heart monitors at the Varna Fire Station yesterday. The new Mobile Response Vehicle. Clayton Bronson, Director of Operations, gave a presentation outlining the new equipment...
This week's Dryden Courier is stuffed full of Dryden news. The front page leads with coverage of Dryden Middle School's presentation of The Pirates of Penzance, including both a picture and a story on the musical and its production. An...
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...
Back in January, I stopped by the Varna Volunteer Fire Company to talk about finances, but also got to see a lot of their equipment. The cutters, spreaders, and rams for getting into damaged vehicles were resting quietly then. They...
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...
Thursday's town budget meeting made very few changes to the budget beyond those made at the much longer budget workshop, but the few changes were significant, and there was a lot of conversation about some potentially major changes to be...
While Town Hall is occupied with voting machines right now, on Thursday night it will be the scene of a budget hearing. [Update: No, it won't be. The budget hearing has moved to the Village Hall (map).] With all the...
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....
Continuing with the tentative budget into the district budgets (fire, lighting, water and sewer), here are more details. The fire protection budget comes as one big "Contractual Expenditures" number. It's declined from $701,145 in the 2004 budget to $649,839 in...
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...
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...
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...
The minutes for both the September 9th and September 24th Town Board meetings are available. I missed the September 9th meeting, so it's good to catch up. Highlights include: A very quiet public hearing on increased costs for upgrading the...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
This week's Dryden Courier has a lot of detail on Mao Shen Lin, who failed to show up to his trial for kidnapping and attempted grand larceny last week after posting $200,000 bail. Mao Shen Lin was arrested in connection...
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,...
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...
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...
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,...
The Environmental Planner's report examined the need to revise the Town Hazard Mitigation Plan and a kiosk on the Jim Schug Trail. Debbie Gross reported in a letter (247KB PDF) that while "Dryden chose not to participate in [the county...
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...
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....
I'll be writing this up in more detail, but here are some quick highlights from last night's Town Board meeting: The board decided to appeal a FEMA decision to halt payment on $170,000 of grants for work on Virgil Creek....
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...
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...
It was a quiet day in Dryden yesterday - too quiet in some ways. The Ithaca Journal reports that Tompkins County emergency radio system was off the air from 9:30am to 12:40pm yesterday, after a circuit board in a tower...
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...
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the Town Board had authorized the Supervisor to revise contracts with the Fire Companies. I now have three of the contracts in their original and revised forms: Neptune Hose Company - original...
Today's Ithaca Journal catches up on the long-running story of audits of fire companies in the Dryden Fire Protection District. They report that the Etna audit, the last to be done, is in progress, while the Varna, Neptune, and W....
Last night at 7:20pm, firefighters responded to a call of a burning mobile home, which they were not able to save. Medical oxygen tanks createdan additional hazard. Earlier in the day, the county had a major malfunction in its microwave...
A procession of fire trucks from local departments drove from the Harford Fire Station to Willow Glen Cemetery today for a fireman's and veteran's burial ceremony for volunteer fireman Bret Neff, who died February 23rd while answering a call in...
This week's Dryden Courier takes a close look at the Dryden school budget, particularly the business education position that was saved by the current proposal. There's also coverage of the proposed LOSAP benefit package for volunteer firefighters (which notably explains...
The town has posted minutes for the joint meeting of the Dryden Town Board and the Village of Dryden Board of Trustees. Most of the minutes focus on the remarkable complexities of the Cortland Road Sewer District, north of the...
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...
Fire department issues came up repeatedly during the Town Board meeting on March 18, ranging from fire hydrant painting to contracts and audits. Fire hydrant maintentance came up during the engineering report, with questions about painting, flushing, and flow-testing. Much...
The March 10 issue of the Dryden Courier has an article on what last year's controversial audits have turned up. Tony Hall reports that Sciarabba, Walker and Company, LLP, have submitted complete audit reports for three of the four companies,...
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....
"Bret E. Neff and area volunteer emergency responders" get a laurel from Alfred Kahn of Ithaca in today's Journal. The news of Neff's death at a fire "impels [Kahn] to express to him and to his fellow volunteers what I...
I didn't make it to this month's Town Board meeting, so I was especially interested to see the minutes which recently appeared. As a number of issues were discussed at different points in the meeting, the summary below attempts to...
The Ithaca Journal reports that hundreds of firefighters from four counties paid their respects to Bret Neff, the Harford firefighter killed at a fire earlier this week, at the Perkins Funeral Home in Dryden. Firefighters marched through the village, led...
The Ithaca Journal's editorial today reflects on the sacrifices of firefighters, particularly volunteer firefighters who accept risk without pay. While the Journal notes that deaths are thankfully rare (seven nationwide in 2003), "each of us ought to pause a moment...
The Ithaca Journal has a piece remembering Bret E. Neff,a Harford firefighter who died Monday night at a fire. They also have an obituary and an article on the risks involved in firefighting. Visiting hours are at Perkins Funeral Home,...
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...
The Ithaca Journal reports that a fire caused by a fireplace at 10 Freese Road destroyed a mobile home. No one was injured, and two dogs were rescued....
The minutes for the January 27th meeting the Dryden Town Board had with the fire companies are now available. I covered this a few weeks ago, but the minutes have a much more detailed reporting of the flow of conversation....
Today's Ithaca Journal editorial lauds the incoming town board for meeting with volunteer fire companies this week. They note that: Often, friction between some board members, the town supervisor, several firefighters and chiefs often hampered progress on the more substantive...
Last night's special Town Board meeting on fire department issues was more like an informal get-together than a formal meeting. Instead of the usual board at a front table facing an audience, there was a circle of tables, with the...
Apparently the siren I heard yesterday while writing about the Ithaca Journal's coverage of roads in winter was in fact on its way to an accident, just a short way up the road from my house near the intersection of...
Yesterday's Ithaca Journal is filled with articles on the hazards of winter driving and the difficulties of snow removal. The longest, Deadly Highways: Blowing Snow, Unsafe Speeds Create Recipe for Tragedies, starts from a fatal accident last year on Route...
The Town of Dryden Public Notices page (local copy) announces a meeting for Tuesday, January 27, at the Dryden Fire Hall (map), noting: The purpose of this meeting is to discuss ways to improve communications between the Town of Dryden...
On January 20, I sat down with Duane Testut, the Varna Volunteer Fire Company's treasurer, to talk about how our fire protection taxes are being spent. He'd seen my earlier post about the fire tax levy climbing 31.8% this year,...
The minutes for the January 5, 2004 Town Board organizational meeting are now available. It's largely similar to last year's similar meeting, with a different cast of characters, slightly higher salaries, and different kinds of questions. There's one bit at...
I visited the Varna Volunteer Fire Company yesterday to talk about where our fire tax money, particularly the recent 31.8% fire tax levy increase, is going. I still need to make sure I'm clear on what some of the conversation...
Yesterday's postings made me take a closer look at the information about the town available on the web and how long it lasts. First, Town Clerk Bambi Hollenbeck's saying that the Town was getting a new web site soon led...
I picked up my 2004 tax bill at the Town Hall today so I could sort out some questions I have about my mortgage escrow. The staff was pleasant, found my easily-misfiled name quickly enough, and gave me a copy...
The minutes for Dryden Town Board meetings of December 3, December 10, and December 18 are now available on line. I'd worried earlier this week that there might not be new minutes, but we seem to have a complete set...
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....