Archive: Business & Technology

Performance Systems Development (PSD) an Ithaca, NY and Pennsylvania-based building performance software and services provider, played a key role in shaping newly proposed federal tax credit legislation. The new legislation would create the first residential performance-based tax credit for homeowners who make energy efficiency improvements. The Cut Energy Bills at Home Act (S. 1914) was introduced in the U.S. Senate on Friday, November 18, by Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and co-sponsored by Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

If passed, the measure will “cut Americans’ energy bills, catalyze the construction industry, reduce pollution, and secure the nation’s energy future,” said the bills’ sponsors.   Homeowners who make efficiency improvements and reduce their heating, cooling, water heating and permanent lighting energy consumption by 20 percent would receive a $2,000 credit.  Homeowners would receive an additional $500 for every additional 5% reduction in consumption, up to $5,000.

The changes at the Triphammer Marketplace go way beyond a new sign.  New merchants, new ad campaigns, new seasonal decorations and new events all point to revitalization at the Triphammer Marketplace.  Since 1963, the Thaler family has provided a quality shopping experience and today, the 23 , and growing, merchants continue to provide unique and outstanding services and products.

“My family has been here for over 47 years and we feel that Triphammer Marketplace is a great place and a great location to do business,” says Julie Crowley owner of Ithaca Coffee Company and Triphammer Wines and Spirits.

Thomas Evans has been promoted to manager of the Tompkins Trust Company’s Credit Analysis department, according to Stephen Hoyt, senior vice president of commercial credit services for the Trust Company.

“Tom’s role is vital to the commercial lending process,” Hoyt said. “We are pleased that we are able to give him this opportunity for advancement.”

Evans and his team are charged with evaluating the quality of commercial loan requests ranging from business lines of credit to real estate.

On Wednesday, November 16th, Cayuga Radio Group honored a group of local teachers at the 21st Annual Apple for the Teacher Awards Banquet. The 2011 Apple for the Teacher Award recipients  included: Rocky Baughman (Groton Middle School), Rebecca Cornell (McGraw School District), Hal Fuller (Homer Middle School), Wendy Goodwin (Nathan T. Hall Elementary School), Wayne Gottlieb (Dewitt Middle School), Julie Hester(Appleby Elementary School), Jarett Powers (Ithaca High School), Kim Slocum (Groton High School), Barb Talbot (Newfield Elementary School), Kathy Taylor (Virgil Elementary School), Sarah Virgil (OCM BOCES), and Michelle Walker (Marathon High School).

Cayuga Radio Group symbolically “kicks” off the Program each fall by delivering an apple to every public school teacher in Tompkins and Cortland Counties. That’s over 4,000 apples, compliments of Cornell University Apple Orchards. The seven Cayuga Radio Group stations (NewsTalk 870 WHCU, Lite Rock 97.3, Q-Country 103.7, Classic Rock I-100, HITS 103.3, 98.7 The Vine,  and Progressive Talk 1470 WNYY ) ask listeners to submit nominations as to why a certain teacher deserves the Apple for the Teacher Award. A panel of judges from Cayuga Radio Group chooses two award recipients each week for 6 weeks. Giving credit to the Teachers and Nominators, the letters are read on the air throughout October and early November.

National Book Auctions, located in Ithaca, NY, hosted a Sunday, October 23rd auction featuring a broad spectrum of rare antique and vintage books, as well as a fine array of artwork and ephemera. Highlights of this auction included several personal libraries of scholarly books relating to literature and philosophy, as well as a large estate collection of art and architecture-related reference books, many in large folio formats. This 428-lot auction also featured manuscript leaves dating back to the 15th century as well as early hand-colored botanical and ichthyological plates.

Town Board Members debated a proposal Wednesday to contract an engineering firm to develop a conceptual plan to create a light industrial park on the northeast portion of a 146 acre plot of land that is slated to become Lansing's new town center.  But board members were stunned at the price New York State is asking to lift deed restrictions on the land that would allow development there.

Deputy Supervisor Connie Wilcox said that companies have already contacted Tompkins County Area Development about locating in Lansing, and these are not necessarily companies that Lansing would be competing with Groton and Cortland to attract.  Board members agreed that it is important to get to a point where development could begin on the industrial park as soon as possible.

In 1968, the shopping center started with two stores, and now the newly named Triphammer Marketplace (formerly Triphammer Mall) is 21 storefronts strong and growing.  With a new name comes a new sign: A bright white, red, and black sign standing tall in the sky over Route 13 and Triphammer Road.  The time and temperature display remains the same, serving the Ithaca community and visitors.

Triphammer Marketplace, began as a father and sons business, and is carried on today by the same two brothers, Lansing resident Richard Thaler and Manley Thaler, who resides in Ithaca during the summer.

Williamsville, N.Y. – Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania, announced today that the company will reopen its Owego, NY location on Sunday, October 23 after being closed due to significant flood damage.  The store, located at 1145 Rt. 17-C suffered devastation in the wake of Hurricane Lee and during the past six weeks has undergone major repairs to return the store to operating condition.  

In mid-September, the Owego community was devastated by severe flooding due to the effects of Hurricane Lee.  Houses were destroyed, families were displaced and businesses were shut down, and the Tops Markets located in Owego, NY was no exception.  The store suffered significant damage which resulted in Tops closing the store for six weeks as the company assessed the situation and gained an understanding of the extent of the repairs that were needed.

Apple took some flack earlier this month for only releasing the iPhone 4S, rather than a rumored iPhone 5 that Apple fanatics hoped would be the latest, greatest iGadget.  But iPhone (and iPod Touch and iPad) users were in for a treat Wednesday, when Apple released iOS 5, the operating system that makes iPhones and iPads do their magic.  It was a free download from within the newest version of iTunes -- if you could connect to Apple's overtaxed servers.

iOS 5 is a major upgrade to the operating system, and it included over 200 new features and changes to the system.  But Apple didn't stop there.  They released an upgrade to the Lion OS X operating system for Macs, a new iTunes, iCloud, and a plethora of app updates in a virtual avalanche of free upgrades.  Applenistas were so intent on getting the new iOS that Apple's servers were jammed to the point that many simply got error messages when they tried to upgrade their iDevices.

National Book Auctions, located in Ithaca, NY, hosted a Sunday, October 2nd auction featuring a broad assortment of collectible books and ephemera, highlighted by several important signed volumes from noted authors, early American history works, and an extensive collection from the 1893 Columbian Exposition. This 450-lot auction also featured an assortment of vivid, colorful posters, some featuring the work of notable artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

An original hand-illumined vellum Christian manuscript in Latin fetched a hammer price of $7637.50 (including buyer’s premium). Bound in an early-tooled calf binding with vellum endpapers and raised bands, this French-produced manuscript dated from the late 14th century.  The elaborately bordered opening page featured a seven-line cameo of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus.

We have come a long way since that humble frog sang out from his lily pad.  Over the past several years consumers have been placing a high priority on “being green” in their purchasing decisions as well as how they live their lives.  Americans have become very conscious of ways to become more energy efficient, lower their carbon footprint while at the same time maybe “saving some green” as well.

Matt and Kelly Skeval are no different.  When they bought their first home in Ithaca in 2009, they both dedicated themselves toward home improvements and first on their list was energy efficiency.  Matt shared one of his early revelations.  “When you are buying a home, you look at the cost of the mortgage and the insurance and you calculate your taxes to make sure you will be able to afford this large investment, but many people don’t take into account the amount of energy they’ll be buying over the life of their home.”  That expense can add up quickly and at the same time it is one of the easiest costs to reduce.

A special permit for a fueling station that will be the first in Tompkins County to include fueling for electric cars was approved by the Village of Lansing Planning Board Tuesday.  That paved the way for developers to apply for a building permit once the conditions of the special permit are met.

The fueling station is an addition to a Planned Development Area (PDA) zoning law previously passed by Village officials.  It will take away some of the parking spaces previously approved for the BJ's project, replacing them with a six-dispenser gas station, a kiosk and two electric fueling points.  The state of the art 480v charging stations will be capable of fueling an electric car within a half hour.  Triax Principal Partner Eric Goetzmann says this will be the first electric fueling station in Tompkins County.