September 14, 2012

Catching up with the Journal

I've missed a few articles in the Ithaca Journal worth noting: An amazing examination of Dryden's first murder Girl Scouts grow vegetables for the Dryden and Freeville Food Pantries More on the greening of Ellis Hollow Road's expanded shoulders A...

Posted by simon at 10:53 PM

August 25, 2012

Shoulder color

Update: Angelika reports that they've started painting at least some of it already. Never mind. Ellis Hollow Road got worse and worse for years because residents weren't thrilled about the County Highway Department's plans to widen it in a major...

Posted by simon at 5:42 PM

April 23, 2012

Sorry about that

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...

Posted by simon at 7:35 AM

April 6, 2012

Dryden, 1940

The 1940 census data is available online. You can find an intriguing 1937 map of Dryden "prepared by the technical staff of the Tompkins County Development Association", and lots of data on Dryden individuals as well in the census schedules....

Posted by simon at 10:24 PM

January 2, 2012

Why monitor the road?

I mentioned in Changing gears that: I'd like to add a few things down by the road, like a weathercam so people can see road conditions before they leave the house. Ideally, I'd like to be able to do something...

Posted by simon at 1:15 PM

November 18, 2011

Not a surprising location for an accident

I try to arrange my drives to avoid left turns onto Route 13 almost anywhere except in the Village of Dryden. I'm not sure that was the problem in this three-car crash last night at Route 13 and Yellow Barn,...

Posted by simon at 4:23 PM

November 14, 2011

Economic development done wrong

Tracy Marisa of the Dryden Safe Energy Coalition (and of the One of Nine blog) has a Guest Viewpoint on how New York's Regional Economic Councils are heading the wrong way. Most of it strikes me as the usual Republican...

Posted by simon at 7:55 PM

November 1, 2011

Stolen Dryden car found in Ithaca

Two teens, one from Dryden, one from Groton, were found driving a stolen Dryden car in Ithaca last week. There's another piece about Thursday's recreation meeting at Town Hall, this one with a lot more detail and some pictures of...

Posted by simon at 8:23 AM

October 8, 2011

Pancakes Sunday, bridge closure Tuesday

I'll be cooking tomorrow at the Varna Community Center, 943 Dryden Road, as we serve a pancake breakfast from 8:00am to noon. We'll have pancakes, french toast, bacon, sausages, potatoes, scrambled eggs, a fruit tray, cakes, orange juice, and, of...

Posted by simon at 8:00 AM

September 29, 2011

TCAT to discuss service reductions, fare increases

Dryden residents who depend on TCAT buses may want to come to some public meetings and a public hearing over the next month or so. They're proposing some fairly major changes, including service reductions and fare increases. The pieces that...

Posted by simon at 12:17 PM

September 8, 2011

Bridge closed at German Cross Road

I drove around a lot of Dryden today, but only had time to explore the Fall Creek watershed. I missed something important in the southwest corner of the town - the German Cross Road bridge is closed. Bridge closed -...

Posted by simon at 10:56 PM

County roads closed - emergency in Caroline

Ithaca and Dryden schools are closed today, and Cornell is currently closed. Ithaca College delayed opening until noon. Update: Closure order ends at 9:00am - Sheriff Lifts Road Closure Order Effective 9:00 a.m. Tompkins County Sheriff Ken Lansing has lifted...

Posted by simon at 7:46 AM

July 21, 2011

Neimi Road closing Monday-Wednesday

I probably should have noted this closing earlier, but the Tompkins County Highway Department will be closing Neimi Road between Sheldon and Hanshaw Roads for pipe replacements next week. Hopefully repaving is coming eventually too....

Posted by simon at 10:11 PM

July 19, 2011

Would you like to live on 13 or 366?

You may, like me, already live on a busy road, with cars, dump trucks, concrete mixers, buses, and tractor trailers going by. Or, you may live on one of Dryden's many peaceful roads, with only the occasional vehicle passing, or...

Posted by simon at 7:25 PM

July 8, 2011

Might Auburn decision reduce Dryden truck traffic?

For now, anyway? I was doing some editing Wednesday morning in the Dryden Community Center Cafe, sitting at the table that pretty much points into the four corners intersection. At one point I looked up and saw a convoy of...

Posted by simon at 7:46 AM

April 18, 2011

Absentee landlords and road widening

Tompkins Weekly's previous issue (4.8MB PDF) had a couple of articles on happenings outside of Dryden that seemed relevant here. There was a piece on Jacksonville, a hamlet in Ulysses that seems to be suffering a plague much like the...

Posted by simon at 10:24 PM

April 6, 2011

Highway histories

Every now and then I pause to reflect that the highway in front of my house has been there, in one form or another, for centuries, perhaps millenia. It was a path connecting Cayuga and Onondaga territory before it was...

Posted by simon at 7:28 AM

April 5, 2011

Is Mount Varna stirring again?

Update: Here's the result of my FOIL request, as a set of PDF files. This one seems to be the key plan (3.4MB PDF), with more details here (1.7MB PDF). Volcanos rise and fall, and often make their neighbors unhappy....

Posted by simon at 6:55 AM

March 28, 2011

Three car accident on eastern edge of Dryden

Sunday was a bad day at Route 13 and Dryden Road, with an accident when a rear-ending pushed a car turning left into oncoming traffic. Four people went to the hospital, though not the driver ticketed....

Posted by simon at 10:26 PM

March 23, 2011

Spring activities blossoming; American "in-fracktion"

Yes, there's plenty of snow coming today, but Cathy Wakeman is also right that the pulse of Dryden activities is picking up. She notes not only flowers, but a craft fair, lasagna dinner, roast beef dinner, jazz desert night, youth...

Posted by simon at 6:36 AM

March 6, 2011

Little things - coffee

A few months ago, David Makar made the mistake of venturing into my avalanche-prone office. Out of the many things available to complain about, he noticed my growing pile of unrecyclable coffee cups. I've been visting the XtraMart on the...

Posted by simon at 12:03 PM

February 24, 2011

Why do all these people drive past my house?

Well, hopefully in spring it'll be to enjoy the flowers I planted last fall, if they can actually see them while driving. New York State counts 7383 vehicles going by my house daily, and at least some of those are...

Posted by simon at 5:25 PM

January 28, 2011

Route 13 needs and dangers

I have about fifteen Living in Dryden stories bouncing in my head wanting to come out, and no time to write them. For now, here's a quick catch-up with the Ithaca Journal. Can you help a veteran? The new VA...

Posted by simon at 7:50 AM

January 19, 2011

One plausible scenario for excessive development along 13

I've not had much luck, apparently, convincing the Town Board that the proposed "let's allow 10 units/acre in any commercial zone in Dryden with water and sewer and string those zones along 13" is a bad idea. My guess is...

Posted by simon at 5:02 PM

December 21, 2010

Dryden bails out state

Or at least that's what the Journal's print edition headlined their online article called Town of Dryden awards farm conservation easement funds. Faced with New York State's apparent inability to come up with money they'd committed to, the Town finished...

Posted by simon at 11:19 AM

November 13, 2010

Are traffic lights on 13 inevitable?

Target #1 in my discussion of the proposed 'Commercial' zone has been traffic. The Dryden Town Historical Society has a great picture of the western intersection of Routes 13 and 366 when 'new' 13 had just opened. 366 had a...

Posted by simon at 7:28 PM

October 6, 2010

Two accidents in two days on Route 13

I wondered why 13 was closed on Monday, and unfortunately it was an accident at the Ringwood Road intersection. Yesterday there was another crash, this time between a car and a tractor-trailer. Be careful out there! Update: Alas, yesterday's accident...

Posted by simon at 1:58 AM

September 10, 2010

Road closings next week

It'll be a little trickier to get from the Town of Dryden to the Town of Ithaca next week, as Forest Home Drive will be closed Monday and a piece of Snyder Hill Road will be closed Tuesday....

Posted by simon at 8:03 PM

September 1, 2010

Counting traffic

I just posted on the New York State traffic count map, and then I looked down the road to see a traffic counter. There's not a whole lot to it, but this is how those numbers get created. Waiting for...

Posted by simon at 7:57 AM

August 30, 2010

Traffic count map

How many cars go by every day? Well, New York State seems to think about 7,383 pass my house each day. It could be worse - the 13/366 overlap has 18126, and Route 13 between there and the Village of...

Posted by simon at 8:22 PM

August 11, 2010

Ellis Hollow Road dangers

Apparently closing one lane of traffic for construction isn't working out so well - motorists seem to go the wrong direction enough to be a problem. Be careful!...

Posted by simon at 6:45 AM

August 6, 2010

Ellis Hollow westbound closed from Turkey Hill

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on the closure of Ellis Hollow Road westbound from Turkey Hill Road to Thomas Road as construction begins. In other road-related news, though just outside of Dryden, Forest Home is getting ready for some major...

Posted by simon at 7:49 AM

July 30, 2010

Dog helps detect arson

Fire investigators had a little canine help when they determined that the fire at Bryan Bangs house was arson. His gray coat, inquisitive eyes and friendly disposition invite smiles and pats. But it's that black nose that makes Shadow so...

Posted by simon at 5:08 PM

July 20, 2010

New Varna II news in "two to three weeks"

This morning's Journal finally notices the Varna development conversations of the last few months. The biggest news in it is that there's a possible date by which we might learn something new about the evolving proposal. Well, not exactly a...

Posted by simon at 7:15 AM

July 19, 2010

Ellis Hollow Road Construction meeting tonight, 7pm

The Tompkins County Highway Department will be hosting a meeting on the rebuilding of Ellis Hollow Road tonight at 7:00pm at the Ellis Hollow Community Center on Genung Road. I thought I'd posted this earlier, but apparently not - sorry...

Posted by simon at 12:37 PM

So how did we get to "nodal development"?

If putting dense-ish semi-suburban developments outside of cities is a bad idea, and creating them requires deeply disruptive cataclysmic change, how did we come to a point where nodal development seems like a great idea to mostly well-intentioned people in...

Posted by simon at 9:00 AM

June 22, 2010

Varna discusses its future

Last night, around 40 residents of Varna (and the Dryden Town Supervisor) gave up a gorgeous evening and came together to discuss what the future of the hamlet might look like. The meeting was preparation for a July 7th meeting...

Posted by simon at 6:49 PM

June 18, 2010

Lime Hollow bats no match for Dryden Eagle Scout who helps them

The Ithaca Journal reports that Dryden High Eagle Scout Ajax Hayes's project coordinated 20 people to build new houses for bats at the Lime Hollow Nature Center, supporting these useful bug eaters while encouraging them to stay out of the...

Posted by simon at 7:28 AM

June 11, 2010

How the NYS Department of Transportation might (mostly) shut down

I'm very very glad that the Dryden Democrats didn't schedule a highway clean-up this weekend. Pickup on those orange bags might take a while, and they don't improve sitting in the sun and rain....

Posted by simon at 5:18 PM

May 25, 2010

What a fence does

When we put in our fence, I was thinking mostly of creating the largest and safest defined play area for Sungiva that we could manage, while keeping things looking nice. Instead, I wound up with a great fence that's transformed...

Posted by simon at 12:13 PM

May 6, 2010

Lots of little bits

I don't have time to write as much as I'd like, but you should know: Freeville has a diner again - Casey's Diner is now open where Toad's Diner was, on 38. When I ran for Town Board last year,...

Posted by simon at 4:32 PM

April 28, 2010

Dog license change complications

Yesterday's Journal noted that Governor Paterson wants to shift dog license manufacture and tracking to the counties to save a grand total of $157,000. I haven't seen what it would cost counties - though I'm sure license vendors are excited...

Posted by simon at 6:48 AM

April 22, 2010

Varna speeds and Mt. Varna height both decline

I was marveling today about running across the following pieces in a 1999 Varna Community Association revitalization proposal: Another area at the corner of Freese Rd and Rt 366 has been used for dumping fill and wood chips. The owner...

Posted by simon at 8:07 PM

December 17, 2009

Slow down in Varna

I've not yet seen signs go up, but I've heard that the New York State Department of Transportation is giving the residents of Varna a brake - lowering the speed limit from 40 miles per hour to 30 miles per...

Posted by simon at 8:25 AM

November 12, 2009

Route 13 bridge replacement in 2011-12

I was wondering what the big electronic signs on Route 13 near Fall Creek that said: RTE 13BRIDGEREPL MTG VARNACOMM CTRNOV 17 6:30 PMINFO 315428-4345 would mean for life on Route 366. I tried calling the number, for the New...

Posted by simon at 6:03 PM

October 12, 2009

Route 38 designated for Vietnam Veterans

I'm finally catching up to Saturday's Ithaca Journal, which reported that Route 38 from Owego through Dryden and Freeville to Groton and up to Sterling, NY near Lake Ontario has been designated the New York State Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Highway...

Posted by simon at 8:27 AM

February 11, 2009

Tomorrow the big day for Lincoln speech

An event in New York City tomorrow may have some big reverberations in Dryden. Christie's will be auctioning the original manuscript of Abraham Lincoln's 1864 victory speech, for a hoped-for $3 to $4 million. The Southworth Library, owner of the...

Posted by simon at 6:38 AM

November 10, 2008

Infrastructure possibilities in Dryden?

As the economy continues to slide and everyone speculates on what the government will do next to stem the tide, there's been a lot of discussion about infrastructure spending, public works on a scale similar to the 1930s. Always trying...

Posted by simon at 8:24 AM

June 9, 2008

Road costs climb

Driving keeps getting more expensive, and it isn't just the gasoline in our tanks - it's the road maintenance we pay for through taxes. This morning's Journal examines local responses to a doubling in the cost of blacktop over the...

Posted by simon at 8:09 AM

May 27, 2008

Will Route 366 get quieter?

I've been writing a fair amount about garbage-truck traffic lately, both here and elsewhere. That originally interested me because of the politics involved, but it has me looking at - and listening to - the road in front of my...

Posted by simon at 12:49 PM

May 17, 2008

Getting to Nodal Development in Dryden

[Update: I no longer think this is a good idea. See the category listing for more information on why. This piece in particular is a concise summary.] [This is long - it's a complex subject and a couple of years...

Posted by simon at 4:32 PM

May 13, 2008

Budgets, assessments, garbage trucks, decisions

This morning's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden but has lots of regional and county news. In county budget news, the County took a step away from administering the WIC program directly with a committee vote. (The headline is misleading,...

Posted by simon at 8:37 AM

April 29, 2008

Trucks rerouted through Dryden

The biggest Dryden story in this morning's Ithaca Journal doesn't mention Dryden. Route 79 in Ithaca is getting resurfaced between Mitchell Street and Bridge Street, closed to all through traffic. (This closes 79 above the intersection with 366.) Trucks are...

Posted by simon at 8:28 AM

April 22, 2008

Game Farm Road to stay closed intermittently

This evening's Ithaca Journal web site notes that the County will be closing Game Farm Road intermittently between Stephenson and Route 366 through June 26th. Not everyone loves the work they're doing....

Posted by simon at 10:23 PM

April 10, 2008

Major change coming on Game Farm Road?

David Weinstein left this huge piece in comments. Well worth reading! I learned late last week that the county is planning on widening Game Farm Rd, cutting eight feet of the venerable old-growth forest McGowan Woods on Game Farm Rd....

Posted by simon at 1:08 PM

February 26, 2008

Cornell to study garbage traffic

This morning's Journal was quiet about Dryden, though there's mention of a Cornell study on the impact of garbage traffic moving through Tompkins County on its way to Seneca Meadows. Route 79 is one of the roads being examined....

Posted by simon at 8:17 PM

February 22, 2008

Short on salt

Dryden Highway Superintendent Jack Bush is quoted in an article this morning about a shortage of road salt from Cargill's Lansing mine: With 1-3 inches of snow being predicted for today by the Cornell Northeast Regional Climate Center, Dryden highway...

Posted by simon at 8:42 AM

February 19, 2008

Road repair

The Cortland Standard reports on the Town of Dryden's plans for road repair in 2008....

Posted by simon at 8:28 AM

February 9, 2008

Housing costs and transportation costs

This morning's Journal continues their Touched by Poverty series, looking at the cost of housing. I'm happy to see that they recognize the cost of transportation as a critical related factor: "Students of housing policy would point out that housing...

Posted by simon at 9:16 AM

January 18, 2008

Clinton supporter; changing bus schedules

Susan James of Ithaca (really Bethel Grove) writes to support Hillary Clinton for president in this morning's Journal. The paper also notes that TCAT buses will be making some schedule changes effective Sunday, the 20th....

Posted by simon at 12:38 PM

January 15, 2008

Dangers on the road

Today's Dryden news in the Journal is mostly road-related. There's a one-car accident at Mott and North roads, a DWI arrest for a Freeville man, and a letter from Nari Mistry of Dryden urging TCAT buses to drive more carefully....

Posted by simon at 8:47 AM

January 4, 2008

Dryden man injured on Fall Creek Road

A complex multi-car incident sent a Fall Creek Road man to the hospital yesterday morning. The article notes that residents had requested a speed reduction there in 1999, and maybe it's time to try again. (Update: The Cortland Standard has...

Posted by simon at 6:38 AM

December 8, 2007

Laurel, survey

Joe Lalley sends a Laurel to TCAT: staff and to Marjorie Hoffman and the students of the Elizabeth Anne Clune Montessori School for a wonderful idea to put art on the buses. This is just brilliant! In broader county news,...

Posted by simon at 1:44 PM

November 21, 2007

County budget passes; election dart

The County Legislature passed an amended 2008 budget last night, cutting TCAT funding but adding funding for an additional corrections officer. It sounds like rural bus routes will likely be cut - I'll keep an eye out for changes that...

Posted by simon at 12:41 PM

November 1, 2007

Benefit tomorrow helps after motorcycle accident

Back in June, a pair of motorcyclists waiting to turn into their driveway on Route 13 were rear-ended, winding up in the hospital with traumatic injuries. This Friday, tomorrow, there will be a benefit for them from 5:00pm to 10:00pm...

Posted by simon at 8:42 AM

October 8, 2007

Motorcade

A sheriff's car, a few state police vehicles, some police motorcycles, and some SUVs including a black stretch SUV just went down Route 366, sirens wailing. Anyone know what's up? I don't see much on the Governor's press releases and...

Posted by simon at 2:59 PM

October 3, 2007

2050

Trolley bells can be annoying, but after a while you don't hear them. It's convenient to have one right in front of my house, though, since the trolley lines and the bike paths next to them are the only reliable...

Posted by simon at 10:50 AM

September 28, 2007

Supervisor race; garbage trucks

The only thing I see in this morning's Ithaca Journal specific to Dryden is a letter from Iretta Ellis of Dryden supporting Cheryl Nelson for Supervisor. Another article deals with an issue that ties into complaints I've heard from Bethel...

Posted by simon at 5:52 PM

September 21, 2007

Corridor Study updated

I complained a while ago about the disappearing Route 13/366 Corridor Study. I see today that a Route 13/366 Corridor Study that looks very different from what we saw at the public meeting has finally gone up on the Tompkins...

Posted by simon at 12:03 PM

September 15, 2007

Seward, Citizenship Day

Most of the Dryden news in today's Journal is in Briefly in Tompkins. Dryden Middle School will be celebrating Citizenship Day this Monday morning: The entire middle school will gathers to say the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the national anthem...

Posted by simon at 9:43 AM

September 10, 2007

Speed limits of the past

A friend of mine loaned me New York: A Guide to the Empire State, the old 1940 WPA guide that is now sadly out of print. I'm just getting started reading it, and came across this: No State speed limit,...

Posted by simon at 6:37 PM

August 25, 2007

Superintendent, intersection

This week's Dryden Courier just arrived. It reports on Dryden Schools Superintendent Mark Crawford's impending departure for his hometown of Hamburg, where he'll be taking the Superintendent's job.There's also an article on the Lower Creek Road curve that's been a...

Posted by simon at 8:37 PM

August 18, 2007

The Bridges of Dryden Town

I mentioned earlier that data on state highway bridges in Tompkins County didn't look great, but there wasn't any data for the rest of the bridges in town. Thanks to Capitol Confidential, I found a lot more data. This is...

Posted by simon at 1:07 PM

August 10, 2007

Ask Amy visits tonight

This morning's Ithaca Journal visits Amy Dickinson, the Ask Amy advice columnist, at her home in Freeville. She'll be presenting tonight at the Dryden Village Hall to benefit the Southworth Library, though, alas, the event is sold out. In other...

Posted by simon at 8:43 AM

August 9, 2007

Ringwood Road bridge closing Monday

It's already pretty hard to get from the southwest corner of the Town of Dryden to parts north, but it's about to get harder: the county will be closing a key bridge for repair on the 13th. David Makar reported...

Posted by simon at 5:28 PM

August 8, 2007

Bridges and food

This morning's Ithaca Journal reads a bit like an echo of this blog last night. I worried about 13's bridge over Fall Creek, and there are reports on how the state has diverted money from the highway fund for years...

Posted by simon at 12:40 PM

August 7, 2007

13's Fall Creek bridge 'obsolete'?

While reading the Journal's article on Route 96 repairs and being glad that I don't drive there very often, I noticed a comment directing me to a list of obsolete and structurally deficient bridges in Tompkins County. I'm not certain,...

Posted by simon at 9:48 PM

Walk scoring

I can't remember where I found Walk Score, but it's an interesting excercise. My house gets a 34 out of 100, while the four corners in the Village of Dryden gets a 66. The scoring works pretty strangely in a...

Posted by simon at 12:35 PM

July 12, 2007

Summer reading for kids; federal funding for sewers

This morning's Ithaca Journal editorial cites Southworth Library and the Dryden schools' Solar Express bookmobile as key programs for helping ensure that kids read during the summer. There's also hope that the federal government may (eventually) help pay to rebuild...

Posted by simon at 5:49 PM

July 9, 2007

Drivers and heat

I generally try to avoid driving between 4:30pm and 6:00pm. I'm never fond of traffic, and would rather not create more of it at a time when roads are busy. Today, however, I came up Route 13 from Ithaca around...

Posted by simon at 6:35 PM

June 27, 2007

Indictment in Manos case

Coming back from California has left me even more exhausted than usual, so updates are slow. Sorry about that! The regular flow of stories should resume shortly. The biggest (though certainly not brightest) Dryden news of the day comes as...

Posted by simon at 5:14 PM

June 13, 2007

Dryden vs. Dryden - ?

At first glance, today's Ithaca Journal has very little on Dryden - just this photo from Dairy Day. A closer look, though, finds a lot more. On the opinion page, both guest columns on the ICSD budget have lead authors...

Posted by simon at 5:31 PM

April 28, 2007

Cornell t-GEIS study looks at roads

Back on the 18th of April, the Cornell Transportation-General Environmental Impact Study (t-GEIS) held an open house event much like the one they held in May. While the one in May started with a clean slate of maps, this one...

Posted by simon at 4:24 PM

April 25, 2007

Wow. Awful plan.

People in Dryden frequently complain when you threaten to put a trail across their property. I was happy tonight to see that the Route 13/366 Corridor Study plan shows a new trail going across my lot, something I'd never have...

Posted by simon at 10:31 PM

April 24, 2007

Route 13/366 Workshop Wednesday

Posted by simon at 12:39 PM

April 18, 2007

What Cornell is up to

Well, it's not everything that Cornell is up to, but tonight's open house on the Cornell Transportation generic Environmental Impact Statement at the Best Western in East Hill Plaza might provide some idea of where and how they plan to...

Posted by simon at 8:13 AM

January 27, 2007

Chocolate time!

I was delighted to get the latest edition of the Etna Volcano newsletter, which announces that "It's Chocolate Time!" The Etna Community Association will be having its 7th annual Chocolate Festival on Saturday, February 10th, from 10:00am to noon at...

Posted by simon at 11:47 AM

November 2, 2006

Examining Old 13

Posted by simon at 5:32 PM

October 25, 2006

Route 13/366 public meeting November 1st

Posted by simon at 12:02 PM

September 8, 2006

Thanking Gadabout

This morning's Ithaca Journal editorial recognizes Gadabout, the local bus system that "provides on-request, door-to-door transportation services to elderly and disabled residents of Tompkins County." The editorial encourages readers to donate to support this - "as we swell with pride,...

Posted by simon at 8:05 AM

August 21, 2006

Etna Lane stays closed

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Etna Lane will remain closed until September 29th, extending the closure from August 31st. (The county is repairing a box culvert.)...

Posted by simon at 8:04 AM

August 4, 2006

Deliberations begin

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the jury began its deliberations in the Karl Westerling rape case yesterday. I don't see any news updates on the Journal site announcing a verdict, so I'm guessing it's continuing. There's also an editorial...

Posted by simon at 5:46 PM

July 18, 2006

Dryden teacher on testing

Freeville resident and Dryden High School teacher Charles J. Hanley has a guest column on the impact of testing on education, A few excerpts: Do we teach for the test? Of course we do. At some level we have no...

Posted by simon at 8:16 AM

July 13, 2006

Rebuilding Ellis Hollow Road

The print edition of this morning's Ithaca Journal has a brief mention of last night's meeting about Ellis Hollow Road reconstruction, and the online edition describes the meeting in detail. About sixty people showed up - not as many as...

Posted by simon at 7:53 AM

July 12, 2006

TCAT lowering outer zone fares

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that TCAT will be abolishing the zone distinction for its fares on August 20th, making it cheaper to get from Ithaca to Dryden and vice-versa. They expect it will cost some revenue, but should increase...

Posted by simon at 5:16 PM

July 11, 2006

Horse sitting

Have a horse? Think it might get lonely while you're away? Then call Jen Connelly, who "specializes in caring for equine clients throughout Tompkins County while owners are absent." The Journal's profile looks at what's involved, both for the horses...

Posted by simon at 5:23 PM

July 8, 2006

Fast trees by RPM

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports in depth on a project I'd heard bits and pieces about: the large-scale tree nursery planned by RPM on Route 13. They're negotiating tax abatements and sorting out permits, but if all goes well they...

Posted by simon at 10:49 AM

June 19, 2006

Berry season in Freeville

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...

Posted by simon at 8:10 AM

May 31, 2006

Try driving slowly

The headline of this piece may surprise people who know me, as I'm not known for my patience or my careful observance of speed limits. However, a motorcycle flying down Route 366 just reminded me of an experience I had...

Posted by simon at 8:37 PM

May 24, 2006

Asphalt prices to determine road paving

This morning's Ithaca Journal looks at the challenge of paving roads on a fixed budget when asphalt prices keep climbing: As major consumers of oil, which is used to create asphalt, highway departments have been heavily hit by increasing prices...

Posted by simon at 7:35 AM

May 20, 2006

Paving along the northern edge; alien invaders

This morning's Ithaca Journal includes a look at summer road construction, and it looks like Dryden gets off fairly easily. The state will be resurfacing Route 34B from Caswell Road to Route 38, and for drivers headed to McLean or...

Posted by simon at 10:22 PM

May 6, 2006

Cornell t-GEIS event

I went to the Cornell transportation impact project meeting Wednesday night, hoping to get a better idea of what this joint project between Cornell University and the Town of Ithaca might mean for Dryden. (Dryden is participating, but isn't the...

Posted by simon at 9:13 AM

April 17, 2006

Walk where you drive

I'm normally an advocate of having separate places for people to walk and drive. Cars rushing by at 55 or even 45mph while you're walking on a shoulder that cars sometimes use isn't generally fun. I usually avoid walking on...

Posted by simon at 7:12 PM

February 24, 2006

Crash at Simms Hill Road, 13

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports a crash yesterday morning between a car turning left onto Simms Hill Road and another car traveling north on 13. Three people were injured, and both cars totaled. Dryden and McLean firefighters responded and put...

Posted by simon at 8:22 AM

February 22, 2006

Rural visions, transportation

Wednesday used to be a big day for Dryden because of the Our Towns section, but lately it seems quieter. There is some vaguely Dryden-related news on the opinion page, with a look at the joint Ithaca-Cornell transportation study getting...

Posted by simon at 8:24 AM

February 15, 2006

Transportation study; lobbyist boils

There isn't much on Dryden specifically in this morning's Ithaca Journal, but there's an article on setting the scope for a joint Town of Ithaca-Cornell transportation study, which I believe the Town of Dryden will also be participating in. Meanwhile,...

Posted by simon at 8:06 AM

February 1, 2006

70-year-old woman struck, killed on Route 13

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that Janice Cortright, 70, was killed while crossing Route 13 at Livermore Road yesterday. I have enough trouble getting my newspaper and mail from across Route 366, and walking along 13 is even scarier. State...

Posted by simon at 12:14 PM

January 26, 2006

$6.7 million DOT facility finally arriving

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Department of Transportation finally has its financing together for a 58,000 square-foot maintenance facility to be built on land the Village of Dryden annexed from the Town in 2004. $3 million of that...

Posted by simon at 8:46 AM

January 19, 2006

Cornell energy, traffic

There's a lot happening just past Dryden's western edge. Cornell is planning to add two natural gas turbines generating electricity to its heating plant, improving its efficiency to 75% (from 49%) and reducing their amount of coal burned by 30-50%....

Posted by simon at 8:29 AM

December 20, 2005

Lane on tax abatements, Zahler on school taxes

County Legislator Michael Lane is in the news again, this time because the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency, which he chairs, passed tax abatements for the Cayuga Green project over his opposition. Lane had reasons which go beyond this project...

Posted by simon at 8:29 AM

November 22, 2005

Dangerous roads

This morning's Journal talks about drivers getting ready for winter to avoid accidents, and the print edition includes a map of dangerous roads. In Dryden, those include Route 34B, Turkey Hill Road, Irish Settlement Road, North Road, Ferguson Road, and...

Posted by simon at 8:38 AM

November 19, 2005

Etna bridge; Freeville dinner

This morning's Briefly in Tompkins notes an 8-ton weight restriction on the Etna Lane bridge over Fall Creek. They also list a free Thanksgiving Day dinner to be held at 1:00pm November 24th at the Freeville United Methodist Church, for...

Posted by simon at 9:08 AM

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...

Posted by simon at 5:12 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...

Posted by simon at 2:15 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...

Posted by simon at 12:30 PM

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...

Posted by simon at 8:21 AM

July 23, 2005

Democrats clean up 366

It was a perfect morning for a highway cleanup, with clear skies and comfortable temperatures. Around ten Democrats helped clean up Route 366 between Varna and the Route 13 intersection, working in small groups to clean up debris. Signs of...

Posted by simon at 12:28 PM

July 19, 2005

Speed enforcement on 366

I've noticed more (needed) traffic stops along Route 366, but now the Sheriff's Department has set up their radar sign just down the road. It's good to see a reminder for people of their speed, beyond the easily ignored speedometer....

Posted by simon at 9:49 PM

July 17, 2005

Comprehensive Plan debated at public hearing

Thursday night's public hearing on the proposed Town Comprehensive Plan demonstrated residents' concerns and hopes for these guidelines for future development in the Town of Dryden. The first speaker, after Supervisor Steve Trumbull had opened the hearing, noting that this...

Posted by simon at 10:35 PM

July 9, 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...

Posted by simon at 2:28 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...

Posted by simon at 12:39 PM

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...

Posted by simon at 8:38 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...

Posted by simon at 8:56 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...

Posted by simon at 7:27 AM

June 9, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:23 AM

June 4, 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...

Posted by simon at 10:07 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...

Posted by simon at 7:55 AM

May 1, 2005

April Town Board meeting minutes available

I spent most of April writing about wind turbines (which now seem not to be happening), and only covered two small pieces of the April Town Board meeting, discussing executive session issues related to the golf course and wind turbines....

Posted by simon at 3:31 PM

April 23, 2005

Iraq; lacrosse; school races

This week's Dryden Courier is packed with news about the town, on levels from local lacrosse to the county legislature to a protest at Congressman Boehlert's office to a Dryden dentist returning from Iraq. Once again, if you don't read...

Posted by simon at 8:43 AM

April 9, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:47 AM

April 4, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:32 AM

March 31, 2005

Highway Department 284 agreement

The Town Board passed the 2005 284 Agreement at their March meeting. The agreement lists the major projects the Highway Department will take on this year, as well as costs for each project. You can see last year's agreement (686KB...

Posted by simon at 8:51 AM

March 27, 2005

March Town Board minutes

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...

Posted by simon at 9:00 AM

March 26, 2005

Golf course sale raises conflict of interest, other questions

This week's Dryden Courier has a must-read article on the March 11th auction of the Lakeview Golf Course, where it was purchased by its current owner, George Szlasa. It's definitely worth getting up now and going out to buy the...

Posted by simon at 9:27 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...

Posted by simon at 8:49 AM

March 18, 2005

Ask a simple question, get a quick answer

I wrote Congressman Sherwood Boehlert about federal transportation spending in Tompkins County this past Saturday, as I'd seen stories about spending elsewhere but nothing about what was happening here. Boehlert writes: As you will note, the bill contains $4.5 million...

Posted by simon at 12:46 PM

March 13, 2005

Transportation spending

I've seen lots of news trumpeting Congressman Boehlert's transportation funding through upcoming legislation for other parts of his district, but can't seem to find anything about Tompkins County or Dryden. The main press release on Boehlert's site provides few details,...

Posted by simon at 12:04 PM

March 7, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:00 AM

March 5, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:18 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...

Posted by simon at 8:06 AM

February 16, 2005

Hanshaw Road reconstruction meeting

It's slightly outside of the Town of Dryden, but I just received a postcard notifying me of a meeting tomorrow night about Hanshaw Road reconstruction. Here's the text of the card, in case anyone wants to attend: Ladies and Gentlemen:...

Posted by simon at 12:50 PM

February 7, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:49 AM

February 6, 2005

Dryden's future? New comprehensive plan draft published

The Town of Dryden has posted a revised version of its Draft Comprehensive Plan. This is the one document I'd encourage everyone interested in the future shape of Dryden (including the villages, even though they're not included) to read. The...

Posted by simon at 1:31 PM

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...

Posted by simon at 7:39 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...

Posted by simon at 8:16 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...

Posted by simon at 8:42 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...

Posted by simon at 9:56 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...

Posted by simon at 9:02 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)...

Posted by simon at 8:12 AM

December 9, 2004

An alternate approach to traffic calming

I've reported a few times on meetings about traffic calming (1 2), and today I found an article on a traffic-calming approach that's pretty different from what we discussed there: Monderman and I are tooling around the rural two-lane roads...

Posted by simon at 12:57 PM

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...

Posted by simon at 8:41 AM

December 6, 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,...

Posted by simon at 8:42 AM

December 5, 2004

Possible park-and-ride near NYSEG

On Tuesday, I went to a subcommittee meeting of the Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Committee (ITCTC) that discussed the possibility of building park-and-rides around the county to reduce the number of cars driving into Cornell University every day. They discussed...

Posted by simon at 9:50 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,...

Posted by simon at 7:32 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...

Posted by simon at 8:28 AM

November 24, 2004

Boehlert transportation funding stripped by angry Oklahoman

I'll have to do some research on what exactly was cut, but it looks like Representative Ernest Istook (R-OK) took revenge on Congressman Sherwood Boehlert and a number of his colleagues for writing him a letter in support of Amtrak...

Posted by simon at 9:35 AM

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...

Posted by simon at 8:28 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...

Posted by simon at 8:38 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...

Posted by simon at 8:32 AM

November 7, 2004

Town budget hearing

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...

Posted by simon at 10:29 AM

October 9, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:44 AM

September 16, 2004

Watching speeds on 13

I've seen the Sheriff's Department trailer that reports the speeds of passing cars on 13 before, but rarely in Dryden. (It was at the Pyramid Mall last week.) I was happy to see it on 13's 45mph zone in Dryden...

Posted by simon at 5:46 PM

September 4, 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...

Posted by simon at 10:11 AM

September 3, 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...

Posted by simon at 7:33 AM

September 2, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:33 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...

Posted by simon at 8:45 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...

Posted by simon at 8:35 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,...

Posted by simon at 9:12 AM

August 13, 2004

Notes from last night's Town Board meeting

The August Town Board meeting was relatively brief and not very dramatic. Only three board members (Trumbull, Stelick, and Hattery) were there. It included: Nancy Zahler and Liz Vance presented on the Tompkins County Recreation Partnership, discussing Dryden's participation, the...

Posted by simon at 8:46 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...

Posted by simon at 8:18 AM

August 1, 2004

Early transportation and crime

I'm not sure what George Goodrich would think of Dryden's current road network, but I'm sure he'd appreciate its general lack of mud, especially on the Bridle Road, now Routes 13 and 366 (and maybe 392 as well, though I...

Posted by simon at 12:12 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...

Posted by simon at 3:43 PM

July 23, 2004

Town Board has five public hearings

At last night's Town Board meeting, the board heard five different public hearings, as well as two points of citizen's privilege. (The Recreation Partnership discussion was apparently postponed.) The first hearing was on an application by Andrew and Elaine Morenus...

Posted by simon at 12:47 PM

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...

Posted by simon at 8:29 AM

July 17, 2004

Narrowing an intersection

When I last reported on the intersection of Ellis Hollow Creek and Genung Roads, the town was experimenting with a temporary barrier to narrow the turn from westbound Ellis Hollow Creek on to Genung. It looks like the experiment was...

Posted by simon at 3:29 PM

July 6, 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...

Posted by simon at 7:58 AM

July 1, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:31 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...

Posted by simon at 7:15 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...

Posted by simon at 7:54 AM

June 16, 2004

June infrastructure issues

Finally, time to write about last week's Town Board meeting. Highway Superintendent Jack Bush told the board that highway crew had made progress in spite of the rain, putting down the first layer of surface treatment on roads including Upper...

Posted by simon at 7:02 PM

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...

Posted by simon at 8:44 AM

May 26, 2004

Gas prices and Dryden

When I was at Town Hall a couple of weeks ago, there was talk that local gas stations had been told to order '3' signs to be ready just in case gas went over $3.00 a gallon. That thought has...

Posted by simon at 12:43 PM

May 24, 2004

May infrastructure issues

The May Town Board meeting opened with a hearing on amendments to the local law on siting telecommunications towers, changing the rules to encourage the shared use of existing towers. No one spoke on the matter, and eventually it passed...

Posted by simon at 7:25 PM

May 19, 2004

Dryden residential assessments lowest increase in county

Dryden has the only residential assessment increase below 10% in all of Tompkins County, with a 9.11% increase. The table of preliminary assessments by town (which accompanied this article in yesterday's Journal) also shows neighboring Groton with a 12.85% increase,...

Posted by simon at 8:34 AM

May 13, 2004

Freese Road bridge reopens

The Freese Road bridge, which was closed on March 29th, finally reopened last night. Bridge open at Freese Road Work appears to continue on the sewer pump on the south side of the bridge. Sewer work continues at Freese Road...

Posted by simon at 5:10 PM

May 10, 2004

Freese Road bridge

David Weinstein, who lives on Freese Road along the north side of Fall Creek, sent this telling of the Freese Road bridge's history and current functions. The Freese Road Bridge in Varna was built in 1920, replacing an earlier wrought-iron...

Posted by simon at 7:44 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...

Posted by simon at 7:30 AM

April 27, 2004

Mysterious markers

The other day I noticed concrete markers along the south side of Route 13. I'd driven by them for years without seeing them, but suddenly they seemed to be everywhere. Monuments at Ringwood Road and Route 13 The survey map...

Posted by simon at 8:37 AM

April 26, 2004

Busy day at Freese Road bridge

There was a lot going on at the closed Freese Road bridge today, with NYSEG doing electrical work to support the replacement sewer pump on the south side of the bridge, and Tompkins County working on the north side of...

Posted by simon at 5:03 PM

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...

Posted by simon at 8:17 AM

April 20, 2004

Rape charges, bridge staying closed

Today's Ithaca Journal is especially unpleasant reading. The most prominent Dryden story is about a 16-year-old charged with raping a 4-year-old, after investigation of a February 4th incident. Elsewhere in the Journal, Freese Road bridge will stay closed until the...

Posted by simon at 7:59 AM

April 18, 2004

Freese Road, Mt. Pleasant Road, and 366

Just west of Autoworks is an intersection that isn't much fun to drive through. I've mostly been focusing on houses, but felt this intersection (map) important enough - by virtue of being dangerous - that it was worth taking some...

Posted by simon at 11:47 AM

April 17, 2004

Letters on Republicans and Christians, speeding

This morning's Ithaca Journal is quiet on Dryden news but has two letters from Freeville residents: Stephen Prentice thanks the Journal for their recent coverage of speeding and notes the dangers of speeding and tailgating. Shelley Forsythe writes to say...

Posted by simon at 8:40 AM

April 14, 2004

Planning Board meeting tomorrow on agriculture, transportation, Etna

The Planning Board will be meeting tomorrow night at 7:30pm at Dryden Town Hall (map). Their focus will be on the Draft Comprehensive Plan, particularly agriculture and transportation. Last month's Planning Board meeting was pretty active, and closed with concerns...

Posted by simon at 9:44 AM

April 13, 2004

Dryden schools levy to increase 15%, avoiding drastic cuts

This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Dryden Central School Board voted 7-1 for a budget that includes a 15% tax levy increase but avoids program cuts residents had opposed. Three teaching positions - two funded by a grant and...

Posted by simon at 8:43 AM

April 12, 2004

Bullying, speeding

The Ithaca Journal reports that there will be a talk about character education and bullying tomorrow night at 7pm at Dryden Middle School/High School. The speaker will be Cornell Researcher Dr. James Garbarino, co-author of And Words Can Hurt Forever:...

Posted by simon at 8:21 AM

April 11, 2004

Infrastructure issues

A lot of Thursday night's Town Board meeting was spent on infrastructure issues, ranging from sewer issues to cell phone towers to roads. The meeting included two public hearings on sewer districts, one affecting the area north of the Village...

Posted by simon at 7:52 PM

April 8, 2004

Preliminary budget, TCAT issues

This morning's Ithaca Journal has lots of county news. Last night's legislature meeting included tourism grants and a preliminary budget showing a 10% tax levy increase but no increase in the tax rate. TCAT is facing problems because state regulators...

Posted by simon at 8:52 AM

April 7, 2004

Mailbox Frogger

While putting some mail in my mailbox today, I got stuck on the far side of the road for about five minutes. There wasn't a huge volume of traffic, but both directions were steady. Fortunately it wasn't raining or terribly...

Posted by simon at 12:53 PM

April 6, 2004

Bridge out

The detour signs on Hanshaw Road, Route 13, and Route 366 are up because of work being done on the bridge over Fall Creek on Freese Road in Varna. There's good reason for the detour. Bridge work at Freese Road...

Posted by simon at 5:06 PM

April 3, 2004

Highway funding for Peruville Road

The highway funding bill that just passed in the House of Representatives includes $4.4 million for improvements to Peruville Road along the northern edge of Dryden (map), though much of that may also go to improvements further north in the...

Posted by simon at 9:37 AM

March 27, 2004

Freese Road bridge closed Monday to April 15th

I missed a Dryden item in today's Journal, announcing that the the bridge on Freese Road, between Route 366 in Varna and Hanshaw Road, will be closed from March 29th to April 15th. The Tompkins County Highway Department will be...

Posted by simon at 4:21 PM

March 14, 2004

Highway discussions at Town Board meeting

Thursday's Town Board meeting had a relative brief highway session, though what there was was interesting. During citizens' privilege, Peggy Walbridge asked what the status was of the proposed work on Hunt Hill and Genung Roads. Highway Superintendent Jack Bush...

Posted by simon at 4:13 PM

February 25, 2004

Traffic calming meeting in Varna

Last night's meeting on "Speed Control on Rural Roads" at the Varna Community Center was very different from a similar meeting in West Danby, but brought up lots of issues specific to the Town of Dryden, especially Varna, Etna, and...

Posted by simon at 5:20 PM

February 24, 2004

Speed control meeting tonight

Fernando de Aragon, the Executive Director of the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council, will be speaking at the Varna Community Center (map) tonight at 7:30pm. As reported earlier, the talk will examine how to slow traffic for safer roads even when...

Posted by simon at 8:14 AM

February 21, 2004

What we're driving on

Earlier tonight, I had an unscheduled 10mph visit to the side of the road on Route 13, though I was able to pull back on the road. A few hours later, I thought I'd take a look at what the...

Posted by simon at 9:27 PM

February 16, 2004

Speed Control on Rural Roads

Fernando de Aragon, the Executive Director of the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council, will be speaking at the Varna Community Center (map) next Tuesday, February 24, at 7:30pm. The description of the presentation states: "Speed humps, neckdowns, diverters, bumpouts, and a...

Posted by simon at 9:10 AM

February 14, 2004

More accidents in Dryden

Even without heavy snow, we've had two more accidents on major roads in Dryden. One was a tractor-trailer rollover on Route 38 near the high school, while the other sounds like a rear-ending....

Posted by simon at 10:34 AM

February 5, 2004

And another Route 13 accident

There's been yet another accident on Route 13, again, like last week, near Gulf Hill Road. There's some dispute over whether blowing snow was involved in the accident....

Posted by simon at 8:11 AM

February 4, 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...

Posted by simon at 8:31 AM

February 1, 2004

How much traffic is there in Dryden?

At last night's meeting in Danby, Fernando de Aragon mentioned that the state Department of Transportation publishes traffic count data. The latest data available is from 2002 (3784K, PDF). I've pulled information out of those enormous tables, focusing just on...

Posted by simon at 11:37 AM

Calming traffic on rural roads

I went to West Danby last night to hear a presentation that seems very relevant to issues in Dryden. Fernando de Aragon, the Executive Director of the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council, gave a presentation - which in many ways was...

Posted by simon at 8:42 AM

January 31, 2004

Rural speed control meeting

The West Danby Community Association is hosting a "discussion focused on speed, safety, emergency access, road design, community character and rural traffic calming following a dish-to-pass supper" at the West Danby Fire Hall (map) tonight at 6pm. Yes, it's in...

Posted by simon at 8:10 AM

January 30, 2004

Yet another winter accident

The Ithaca Journal reports another accident caused by snow on Route 13, this time near the Gulf Hill Road intersection. This accident was a rear-ending rather than a head-on collision, and there were no fatalities. The Journal also has part...

Posted by simon at 9:39 AM

January 29, 2004

Winter driving, roads, economy

There's a lot of Tompkins County news in the Ithaca Journal today, though not much specific to Dryden. The editorial page is largely focused on winter driving issues, including an editorial, a guest column on safe driving, and two letters....

Posted by simon at 8:24 AM

January 28, 2004

Road condition information on the Web

Both the Ithaca Journal and the New York State Department of Transportation now offer road condition warnings on their web sites. When there are warnings (as there were yesterday), the Journal's reports are on their main site and at least...

Posted by simon at 8:29 AM

January 26, 2004

Another accident in Dryden

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...

Posted by simon at 8:48 AM

January 25, 2004

Snow hazards and removal

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...

Posted by simon at 10:20 AM

January 21, 2004

Another fatal accident on 13

There was another fatal accident on Route 13 in Dryden yesterday, this time near Ringwood Road. "The SUV was going too fast for the conditions." I had a few scary moments near that section of the road myself last week....

Posted by simon at 8:42 AM

January 20, 2004

Who plows which roads?

The Ithaca Journal has a piece on the challenges of keeping roads clear in winter, which has been especially difficult with recent cold temperatures and blowing snow. There aren't many Dryden-specific details to the story, but there is a list...

Posted by simon at 8:47 AM

January 19, 2004

Fatal accident at Hanshaw and 13

Slippery conditions led to an accident Saturday that took the life of an Ithaca College student on her way to work as a ski instructor at Greek Peak....

Posted by simon at 8:05 AM

January 17, 2004

Highway department resolution

I stopped by Dryden Town Hall this morning - they're open Saturdays in January - and asked Dryden Town Clerk Bambi Hollenbeck for a copy of the highway funds spending resolution that was probably the most controversial aspect of Thursday's...

Posted by simon at 2:15 PM

December 28, 2003

When Route 13 moved

Whenever I look at a map of Tompkins County, I look for the distinctively-shaped intersection of Routes 13 and 366. Even if a map doesn't have road labels, it stands out pretty clearly. It wasn't always that way, however -...

Posted by simon at 9:56 AM