Archive: Business & Technology

Glowgolf, an operator of indoor, glow-in-the-dark, miniature golf courses based in Wichita, Kan., has opened a new location at The Shops at Ithaca Mall in Ithaca.

Glow-in-the-dark miniature golf is a family entertainment concept similar to black light or “cosmic” bowling.  Special florescent golf balls, putters, course obstacles and wall décor all glow under black lights. The florescent-glow of the course creates a “one-of-a-kind” miniature golf experience.

Fall Creek Family Dentistry announced the addition of Dr. Amanda Kotis as a General Dentist in its Ithaca office. Dr. Kotis earned her D.M.D. in 2009 from the University of Kentucky and completed one-year General Practice Residency program at Carolina Medical Center.

Recently relocating from Huntersville, NC, she moved here with her husband, Ryan and son Tucker. She and her family first came to Ithaca in the fall 2010 and fell in love with our "great town".  Dr. Kotis will practice at Collegetown Family Dental, 324 Dryden Road, Ithaca, NY.

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Williamsville, N.Y. - Tops Friendly Markets is participating in the nationwide celebration of Black History Month. During the month of February, Tops Markets provides customers with an educational experience about African Americans who have played a significant role in the growth and development of African American culture and in turn, American history.

Tops Markets 2011 Black History Month theme; "Celebrating African American Entertainers Shining throughout History" highlights the life-work and achievements of various African Americans that have excelled in the performing arts. Customers will have the opportunity to learn about these entertainers and performers through displays within Tops stores.

GORGES, a web and software development firm in Ithaca, NY, announces the launch of the upscale Unvelope.com e-card service.

GORGES was retained to build a web application to serve up high-end e-cards. This site features a gorgeous design, application and database programming in PHP/Yii with supporting Javascript and Flash development. Customers can create accounts, send e-cards, view their e-cards, and much more.

Herbert Dwyer of ASI Renovations and Dr. Ammitai Worob of Sea Change Chiropractic and Wellness, for took advantage of the New York State Department of Labor’s On-the-Job Training Program through the Tompkins County Chamber’s contract with the Department of Labor. This provided training funds for new staff members to both companies.

Although this program is no longer available, Chamber officials say they  encourage other business to contact their local Workforce Development office for other training subsidy programs for which they may be eligible. Currently there is an excellent program available for manufacturers as well as a similar On-the-Job Training Program.

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Since Tompkins County Bank was chartered in 1836 it has been embedded in the community.  Today knows as Tompkins Trust Company, will be celebrating it's 175th anniversary in events throughout the year and exhibits highlighting the bank's history in Tompkins and the surrounding counties.  It is obviously an accomplishment of pride to its employees, but also a milestone that prompts reflection on what the bank has meant to the community and how it will meet challenges in the future.

"I think it's a fantastic opportunity for people to really understand how rare it is for any organization to survive for 175 years," says Chief Executive Officer and President Greg Hartz.  "It's pretty rare.  There are entire industries that have come and gone in the time Tompkins Trust Company has been around.  I'm a firm believer that an active, engaged community bank is such an important part of the local community.  It's like the schools.  It provides such an important centerpiece for the community."

Can you fix America’s schools for $1,000? The college town of Ithaca, New York, thinks so.  The city’s visitor bureau is testing the thesis in January with a $1,000 giveaway of classroom supplies to state teachers. The promotion draws attention to Ithaca’s annual Winter Recess teachers week, but its real impact is demonstrating how community involvement is key to helping schools succeed.

“In all the debate about school reform, community involvement is the one thing everyone agrees on. That's what Winter Recess is all about and this giveaway is a direct outcome. Visiting teachers told us they needed it. It’s a small gesture, but we’re hoping it’s big enough to make other communities take notice and say, ‘what can we be doing?’”

Alternatives Federal Credit Union is benefiting from the recent announcement by Governor Paterson and the Empire State Development Corp. (ESDC) that $50 million in loans will be available to small businesses across the state over the next two years.

Alternatives will receive $1,000,000 in allocations from the state’s new Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, which is geared to community development financial institutions and other community-based lending organizations statewide. The fund is targeted to “Main Street”-type everyday businesses.

On Monday, December 13th, Governor Paterson signed the Wage Theft Prevention Act into law. This law will increase the power of the Department of Labor to investigate wage theft cases and collect monies owed, will increase penalties for guilty employers and add protections for workers who speak up against wage theft.

The Tompkins County Workers’ Center has helped victims of wage theft win judgments totalling over a million dollars. Unfortunately, some of those workers have been unable to collect their rightful payments due to weak or nonexistent legislation prior to the December 13, 2010 signing.

Ithaca massage therapists Leslie Wright and Kathleen Olsa have reunited to open Magnolia Massage located at 313 N. Tioga Street in Ithaca, NY directly across from the Tompkins County Courthouse.

The pair have known each other for over five years originally working together as massage therapists at Stress Out Day Spa in Ithaca.  Wright joined Stress Out in 2005 where Olsa had been working already.

The Labor Initiative in Promoting Solidarity (LIPS), an Ithaca College student organization, is set to meet with Ithaca College President Thomas Rochon this Thursday, December 9th, regarding important labor issues on the Ithaca campus. The event was designed to give LIPS the opportunity to have a civil discussion with the college’s administration about concerns for on-campus workers. LIPS is hoping to talk to President Rochon about the possibility of extending the college’s current living wage plus 50 cents standard to on-campus subcontracted workers, such as those of Sodexo. LIPS will also turn over a petition for better working conditions with the signatures of hundreds of Ithaca College students and workers.

State Farm® Agent Frannie Haranin officially opens her doors for business on December 10, 2010.  A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, December 10, 2010 at her office located at 222 Elmira Road, #2, Ithaca, NY.  Her office is located in the Ithaca Shopping Plaza (beside Five Guys Burgers).  The open house celebration is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.