Archive: Around Town

Jonathan Sun has been awarded the HOBY Youth Leadership Award for 2011. One sophomore student is selected each year based an essay written to the topic of: "What is the most rewarding and challenging aspect of being a leader in your school and community?"

Jonathan will attend a conference held at Washington and Jefferson College; the purpose of the conference is to provide students who have demonstrated leadership ability with the opportunity to interact with and learn from groups of distinguished leaders in business, government, education, and the professions.

Hey there, my name is Princess Fifi. I am a two-year-old domestic medium haired/mix. I'm a gorgeous girl who is looking for a loving home, so please come and visit me at the SPCA to see if I'm the right cat for you!


Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Using timers for household lights, stopping mail delivery, and arranging to have the driveway and sidewalk shoveled, are some of the safety tips the Landlords Association of Tompkins County is suggesting to property owners and renters, while they’re away from home during the holiday season.

The Association notes that home and apartment safety and security is important year-round, but the increased use of electrical fixtures such as light displays presents additional potentials for an electrical problem or fire during the holidays. People are also typically away for several days. A dark home or apartment with no lights on, or one with an unshoveled driveway or sidewalk, is an indication to criminals that the property may not be occupied.

Linda Pasto threw a birthday party on September 1st.  The Lansing woman invited students and faculty at TC3 where she teaches nursing.  But it wasn't her birthday.  It was the fifth anniversary of a surgery that left her without a colon, and that nearly claimed her life multiple times.  Since that time she has gone on to become an inspiration to countless people, and recently won the Eastern Regional 2010 Great Comebacks® Award.

"My story is my story is my story," she says.  "I share it because I hope that it helps recognize the incredible gifts that nurses have.  It also helps people to understand that they can go through all that and come out on the other end and not be bitter, and not be angry.  To look at the world in a different way and enjoy every day."

Hey there, my name is Juanita. I am a one-year-old domestic medium hair/ mix. I'm a gorgeous girl who is looking for a loving home. So come and visit me at the SPCA to see if I'm the right cat for you!


Visit the SPCA Web Page

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The scene in Ithaca High School's Bliss Gym on Sunday Nov. 14 afternoon was anything but typical: Adults dressed as clowns and bees spelled aloud words such as "hoomalimali" (something designed primarily to attract favorable attention), "perestroika" (a Soviet political movement) and "anschluss" (annexation, specifically that of Austria by Nazi Germany).

But one thing was familiar about the Ithaca Public Education Initiative's 12th annual Adult Spelling Bee -- the winners. The Spellicans won the contest for the second consecutive year. "It was really fun," Spellican team member Beth Howard said. "There were more tough teams this year, so it is getting more serious. But it is just a really great event."

At its September 20, 2010 annual meeting, the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) welcomed two new members to its board of directors: Kat Anderson and Deborah O’Connor. The board also reelected five current members to additional three-year terms: Ann Caren, Mary Grainger, Fran Kozen, Susan Piliero, and George Taber. And the board bid farewell with deep thanks for their service to retiring members Robert Comacho, Gabrielle Weber, and Matt Mackerer.

If you have a question about horses you don't have to go far to find somebody to answer it.  This year Lansing student Melena Hagstrom,17, earned first place in the state hippology competition, and third in a 23 state national championship.  Hagstrom says she became interested in horses at age 10, and a year later started studying hippology. 

"I've always had a passion for horses," she says.  "I can't think of a time when I didn't.  I love animals in general, so I wanted to learn about how they work.  That is a great way to learn."

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In 2004 Richard and Kay Moore sent a Christmas tree from their tree farm to their son's college roommate, Nick Graham, who was serving in the U.S. Air Force in Quatar, flying over Iraq.  Graham had worked on Moore Tree Farm before enlisting, and had emailed to request a tree.  Since then the Moores have sent trees to actively serving troops each year.  Last year the number had grown to four trees.  Last Sunday thanks to a combination of their own donations and those of four local groups the Moores boxed 22 trees to send to men and women serving in Afghanistan.

"Hopefully it rekindles a lot of memories of their youth," Richard says.  "It's something nature produced.  It's authentic.  There is no other tree that is like this in the world."

Lansing musician Bob Keefe has just released a Christmas album with a twist: the CD blends 60s surf style with Christmas songs.  The result is Surfin' With Santa, Keefe's California take on Christmas.  The album features 12 Christmas songs and carols like you haven't heard them before.

"Surfing is in my roots," Keefe says.  "I grew up in California in the '60s and this music was extremely popular.  The music is enjoyable, but there is an 'in the know' aspect, because if you know surf music you'll recognize things I borrowed to put in my songs, either an opening riff, or a sound."