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  • Gas drilling permit, letter

    I wrote last week about a propspective gas well drilling into the Trenton-Black River formation in Dryden. As I'd noted then, Town Board member Jason Leifer wrote the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and here's the letter he...' [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2009, 12:27pm EST
    by simon

  • Gas drilling coming to Dryden, soon?

    It's not drilling into the Marcellus Shale, which has been the subject of lots of recent controversy as the state has published a draft Supplemental Generic Impact Statement. This is apparently drilling into the Trenton-Black River formation, which is much... [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2009, 12:38pm EST
    by simon

  • Holly Tour this Sunday

    Two years ago, freezing rain kept me from seeing the Dryden Town Historical Society's Holly Tour of local houses, and I've been grumbling about it ever since. They're doing it again this year, though, with five houses open this Sunday... [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by simon

  • Gas drilling coming to Dryden, soon?

    It's not drilling into the Marcellus Shale, which has been the subject of lots of recent controversy as the state has published a draft Supplemental Generic Impact Statement. This is apparently drilling into the Trenton-Black River formation, which is much... [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2009, 11:58am EST
    by simon

  • Gas drilling coming to Dryden, soon?

    It's not drilling into the Marcellus Shale, which has been the subject of lots of recent controversy as the state has published a draft Supplemental Generic Impact Statement. This is apparently drilling into the Trenton-Black River formation, which is much... [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2009, 11:58am EST
    by simon

  • Eight Square Schoolhouse: Then and Now

    The History Center in Tompkins County just sent out a message about their annual meeting this Thursday the 10th. They'll be serving refreshments at 5:00pm, having a business meeting from 5:30 to 5:45, and then spending 5:45 to 6:30pm on...' [...]
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    Posted: December 08, 2009, 9:18am EST
    by simon

  • Hard financial times coming to Dryden schools

    This doesn't sound good: The district will likely owe $1.2 million in additional retirement costs, will have $1.3 million less in state aid because federal stimulus aid will have run out, and won't be getting any funding increases from cash-poor... [...]
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    Posted: December 03, 2009, 5:46pm EST
    by simon

  • Preserving food in Dryden

    This morning's Ithaca Journal has a great article on canning and preserving food, including photos of cider-making at a home in the Town of Dryden. Katie Quinn-Jacobs has been working hard on this for years, and it's great to see... [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 7:42am EST
    by simon

  • Economic Reasons to Delay Marcellus Shale Drilling

    Most of the discussion about gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale has turned on environmental questions - will it poison our water, irradiate the area, destroy our roads, and generally prove difficult to fix? All of these are important questions,... [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 8:25am EST
    by simon

  • Final Town Board results

    All the absentee ballots have been opened, and the deadline for late military ballots has passed, so I think we can trust these will be the final result: CandidateVotes Jason Leifer (D)1388 Steve Stelick (R)1316 Simon St.Laurent (D)1225 Deb Shigley... [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 8:50am EST
    by simon

  • A community not dissolved, and the Journal mourns

    Every now and then the Ithaca Journal goes out of its way to demonstrate that it's not actually a local paper, but rather the local office of a huge company with little genuine interest in the landscape it supposedly serves... [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:58am EST
    by simon

  • 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... [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 6:03pm EST
    by simon

  • Sungiva's 19th month

    It's been busy around here, but we did notice that Sungiva's now 19 months old. Her favorite word, unfortunately, seems to be 'no', but hopefully her vocabulary will expand. Sungiva loves swings. Sungiva enjoys Cheerios. Sungiva builds a removable carseat... [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 12:16pm EST
    by simon

  • Veterans Day ceremony

    I haven't seen it advertised, but the Veterans Day service in the Village of Dryden will be this morning at 11:00am at the Village Green, between the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. Update: Here are a few pictures of the ceremony....' [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2009, 8:23am EST
    by simon

  • Finger Lakes Land Trust expands Ellis Hollow preserve

    This morning's Ithaca Journal reports that the Finger Lakes Land Trust has added to its preserve in Ellis Hollow with a purchase of 39 more acres and a conservation easement: The Land Trust had made protecting the land a priority... [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 8:12am EST
    by simon

  • Honoring Bethel Grove School and Community Home

    This Sunday afternoon, the Dryden Town Historical Society will be celebrating the accomplishments of the Bethel Grove community: In 19th century Bethel Grove, the local school was the heart of the community. Everyone had to be involved; it was either... [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 8:05am EST
    by simon

  • Food and crafts this weekend

    It'll be a busy weekend in Dryden over the next couple of days: The Dryden Town Historical Society will be having its regular baked goods sale tomorrow morning at 9:00am at the First National Bank of Dryden. It's always delicious!...' [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 12:35pm EST
    by simon

  • Mike Lane wins

    Maybe it was the "I like Mike" buttons that did it, but today's absentee ballot recount pushed Mike Lane ahead in the vote totals for every election district - though a few were close. By my unofficial count, Lane picked... [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 5:50pm EST
    by simon

  • Congratulations to Mike Lane, Jason Leifer, and Steve Stelick

    Yesterday's elections were close. Mike Lane (D) has a 39-vote lead over Jim Crawford (R) in unofficial returns for County Legislature District 14, 746-707, with 106 absentee ballots out there. I expect that will hold, but it's not certain. (Nor... [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 6:21am EST
    by simon

  • Where to Vote

    Most Dryden residents are voting in the same places that they used to vote, but if you voted at the Dryden Village Hall or the Dryden Baptist Church, you now vote at the Dryden Fire Station. There are now four... [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 4:35pm EST
    by simon

  • You can still vote absentee

    Until 4:30pm, Monday, November 2nd, you can cast an absentee ballot in person at the Tompkins County Board of Elections, 128 East Buffalo Street, Ithaca, New York 14850 (map). If you currently have an absentee ballot and haven't mailied it,...' [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 6:47am EST
    by simon

  • You cannot still vote absentee

    Nope, sorry - this is all over. The only way to vote for November 2009 now is at the polling place. Until 4:30pm, Monday, November 2nd, you can cast an absentee ballot in person at the Tompkins County Board of... [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 6:47am EST
    by simon

  • Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts offering residencies

    The Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts, located on Ellis Hollow Creek Road, is now taking applications for artists and writers who'd like to spend a month there in 2010. They have openings for poets, fiction writers, photographers, painters, sculptors, and...' [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 2:56pm EDT
    by simon

  • Gas drilling news from further south

    I've been annoyed that the Ithaca Journal web site seems to have descended into a chaotic and sometimes repetitive mix of news from the Ithaca, Elmira, and Binghamton papers. Every once in a while, though, it's helpful for finding news...' [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 1:03pm EDT
    by simon

  • Google Street View came through Dryden

    I'm not yet sure how much of the Town they visited, but Google Maps seems to have added street views of a variety of places. The street views are pretty far out of sync with the satellite views, though -...' [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2009, 1:26pm EDT
    by simon

  • Trees and Forestry

    Code Enforcement Officer Henry Slater used to remind the Planning Board about another category of farmer: tree farmers. There are Christmas tree farms, but also a lot of logging operations. Some of the logging is for firewood, some for lumber,... [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 10:25am EDT
    by simon

  • Seasonal flu clinic in Varna Wednesday

    An earlier clinic was canceled because of lack of vaccine, but they seem to have it again: Tompkins County Health Department received a new supply of seasonal flu vaccine. They have scheduled a vaccination clinic for next Wed. (Oct 28)... [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 1:56pm EDT
    by simon

  • Upcoming Marcellus Shale gas drilling events

    Cornell Cooperative Extension reports a number of events about Marcellus Shale gas drilling coming up, two of them next week: Introduction to Marcellus Shale Issues Tuesday, October 27, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Unitarian Church of Ithaca, 306 N. Aurora Street, Ithaca, NY... [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 9:58am EDT
    by simon

  • Candidates forum, Town Board article

    Last night's Dryden Candidates forum, hosted by the Dryden Grange, moderated by the League of Women Voters, and held at the Dryden Fire Station, went pretty smoothly. It feels strange for me to comment on it as I was pretty... [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 9:33pm EDT
    by simon

  • Mt. Varna flattening begins

    I heard last night that the Town had finally ordered an end to the ever-growing pile local residents call "Mount Varna", at the intersection of Route 366, Freese Road, and Mount Pleasant Road. It had grown over the years from... [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 1:29pm EDT
    by simon

  • Move in next door

    A couple of years ago, the house to my west was for sale, and I took a lot of pictures of it. It's for sale once again, and I just got a notice from the realtor that they're having an...' [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 6:23pm EDT
    by simon

  • Nurseries and Greenhouses

    They aren't exactly farms, but Dryden seems blessed with an abundance of nurseries and greenhouses. Driving along Dryden Road (Routes 366 and 13), you pass Saunders Greenhouse, The Orchid Place, Finger Lakes Fresh, and RPM Ecosystems. The Plantsmen up on...' [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 1:45pm EDT
    by simon

  • Encouraging smaller farms

    While most of the large farms in Dryden are dairy farms, we have many more small farms. Driving around Dryden, I regularly see beef cattle, goats, sheep, and horses, not to mention beehives, U-pick farms, and orchards. These tend to... [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 1:02pm EDT
    by simon

  • Helping dairy farms in Dryden

    When people think of farms in Dryden, they usually think of dairy farms and their supporting corn fields. (Dryden Dairy Day encourages that too!) Cows resting above Town Hall. Dryden's dairy farms are vastly more productive than they used to... [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 11:47am EDT
    by simon

  • Encouraging agriculture in Dryden

    Too many people think that farming, especially in our rolling terrain, is a dying way of life. It's been a lousy year for milk prices, there's a "rural brain drain" going on, and farming seems stuck in a brutal cycle... [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 11:09am EDT
    by simon

  • Foundation Repair, Part V: Finishing Up

    Once the sill beam was repaired, it was time to fix all the trim and to replace the door whose failing started the whole foundation repair conversation. Once again, Sunny Brook Builders' carpenter Dan was in charge. The first step...' [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
    by simon

  • Rosamond Gifford Zoo

    It would be great if Dryden (or even Tompkins County) had a zoo, but given our size and resources, that's not a campaign promise I'm willing to make. Instead, we've taken Sungiva a couple of times to the Rosamond Gifford... [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 6:06pm EDT
    by simon

  • Bad week for TC3 dorms

    I don't remember seeing much about criminal activity in the TC3 dormitories before, but the past week has had a burst. First, a recently-departed student overdosed on mushrooms and later stabbed a nurse in Cortland, and then three students were...' [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 5:30pm EDT
    by simon

  • Candidates Forum Thursday

    The Dryden Grange will be sponsoring a candidates forum at the Dryden Fire Station - 26 North Street, Dryden (map) - this Thursday night, October 22nd, starting at 7:30pm. The League of Women Voters will be moderating. Candidates forum poster.... [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 6:10am EDT
    by simon

  • A busy 24 hours for Dryden (and for me)

    Dryden had a full set of events from Friday night into Saturday evening. I started at the Sertoma Spaghetti Dinner and finished with a fine Turkey Dinner at the Freeville Methodist Church, but I think it's best to just tell... [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2009, 9:28pm EDT
    by simon

  • Dryden Lake in fall

    Last Sunday, Angelika, Sungiva, and I wandered over to Dryden Lake, hiking the Jim Schug Trail. Upstate New York was near the peak of its autumn beauty, and it was a glorious day. View from the observation platform. The Jim... [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2009, 8:12pm EDT
    by simon

  • Gearing up for zoning

    Almost a year ago, the Dryden Planning Board had a big overview meeting about upcoming zoning changes. It was fairly abstract, as they hadn't yet arrived at the details that make zoning conversations difficult. Last night, the Planning Board reconvened,...' [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 1:34pm EDT
    by simon

  • Etna Soup and Salad a success

    Events at the Etna Community Center have a habit of being delicious, even outside of the Chocolate Festival. Wednesday night's Soup & Salad was both busy and delicious. The opening salad, bread, and dessert. Crowd enjoying soup and salad. In... [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 12:53pm EDT
    by simon

  • An October wonderland?

    Well, sort of. It's strange to see snow when the leaves are mostly still on the trees. Snow-covered trees, with leaves. It doesn't seem to be enough snow to disrupt traffic, though there are some power outages....' [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 9:42am EDT
    by simon

  • An early mess

    Frost came late this year, but now it looks like winter's coming early. 1-2 inches of snow forecast for October 15th and 16th? And I see snow on the radar already? Sometimes I talk about weather patterns. This year feels... [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 12:22pm EDT
    by simon

  • Neptune Hose Company Open House

    On Sunday afternoon, we took Sungiva to see the fire trucks! At 18 months, I'm not sure she quite knows how exciting they are, but it's never too soon to get started. Spraying water from a fire hose. They had...' [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2009, 1:09pm EDT
    by simon

  • Foundation Repair, Part IV: Sill Beam Replacement

    Once the crumbling concrete was repaired, it was time to move on to replacing the rotted sill beam. While the masons had been able to work in small sections, relying on what remained of the beam to hold things up,... [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2009, 8:24am EDT
    by simon

  • Paying for natural gas regulation

    While I suspect that the gas drillers would ultimately prefer that no one regulate them, thereby avoiding all regulatory costs, the exemption the Bush administration gave them from the Clean Water Act doesn't end the conversation. New York State is...' [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2009, 9:40pm EDT
    by simon

  • School spending comparisons

    One of the concerns I've heard while doing door-to-door in Dryden is the pressure of property taxes, especially school taxes. New York separates municipal governments from school taxes, so there's a limited amount the Town of Dryden can do to...' [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2009, 5:46pm EDT
    by simon

  • Building a playground in Etna

    One of my favorite things about Dryden is that people will come out to get things done together. They'll work on our state forest trails (and again) or put together elementary school playgrounds. This weekend it was Etna's turn, as...' [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2009, 1:06pm EDT
    by simon

  • 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... [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2009, 9:27am EDT
    by simon

  • Town preserves land, encourages start-ups

    Yesterday's Ithaca Journal had more of the kind of news I like to hear about Dryden. First, the Town is accepting a 12-acre land donation at the corner of Pinckney and Lower Creek Roads. It's not great land for building,... [...]
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    Posted: October 09, 2009, 1:24pm EDT
    by simon

  • Gas drilling: legal issues for landowners

    There's been a lot of discussion around natural gas drilling in the area lately, and a lot of confusion around the basics of the leases that let it happen. Whether you're hoping to lease your land, wondering if it's a...' [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2009, 9:06pm EDT
    by simon

  • Dealing in retirement?

    I don't even know what to say about this one: Dryden Police accused Frank B. Sears, 66, for trafficking in several types of prescription drugs, including more than 500 oxycodone, morphine sulfate, opana, vicoprofen and diazepam tablets and pills of...' [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2009, 8:13pm EDT
    by simon

  • Trails and neighbors

    This is from the Town of Ithaca, but similar questions come up in the Town of Dryden pretty regularly. The Town asked people who live next to public trails whether the the trail was an improvement or a problem for... [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2009, 11:35am EDT
    by simon

  • Foundation Repair, Part III: Masonry

    With the drainage fixed, it was now time to repair the damage that water had done to the foundation. My southern basement wall had scars across its upper face where concrete had turned to dust and fallen away, and my... [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 11:52pm EDT
    by simon

  • Caroline Elementary celebrates its 50th

    Caroline Elementary School celebrated its 50th anniversary last Friday. The school was full of parents and students celebrating the half-century mark. Signing in to the event. Town of Dryden students go all over the place for school - the Dryden... [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 1:04pm EDT
    by simon

  • Light reading on gas drilling

    It's here - the 809 page thriller everyone's been waiting for: the New York State DEC's Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement On The Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory Program: Well Permit Issuance for Horizontal Drilling And High-Volume Hydraulic... [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
    by simon

  • Foundation Repair, Part II: Drainage

    The underlying problem with my foundation was water. I can't imagine trading life in Dryden for life in the desert, but it's a little hard on buildings. Whoever built my house eighty years ago (maybe Lloyd Bell?) doesn't seem to... [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 8:16am EDT
    by simon

  • Scam avoidance, weekend activities

    This morning's Ithaca Journal has an article on Freeville resident Don Decker's escape from a swindle, and tells the story of a variety of ripoffs. The cashier's check scam, in which someone sends a much-larger than necessary check as payment... [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 8:14am EDT
    by simon

  • Foundation Repair, Part I: Deck demolition

    September was a month of major chaos at our house, as we finally got to addressing foundation issues I probably should have dealt with, oh, about when I bought the house. A serious lack of drainage led to crumbling concrete... [...]
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    Posted: September 29, 2009, 6:21pm EDT
    by simon

  • Sungiva's a year and a half!

    Sungiva celebrated her eighteenth birthday yesterday, well, eighteen months. We haven't posted pictures in a while, provoking all kinds of protest, though I don't think Sungiva herself has really noticed. We have a bit of catching up to do, so... [...]
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    Posted: September 28, 2009, 7:09pm EDT
    by simon

  • Varna, Bethel Grove flu clinics cancelled

    The Tompkins County Health Department had scheduled a flu vaccination clinic at the Varna Community Center for this Wednesday the 30th and another at Bethel Grove Family Center, but they've been cancelled because of a vaccine shortage....' [...]
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    Posted: September 28, 2009, 3:06pm EDT
    by simon

  • New York: great place for investment?

    Yes, I know. New York State, once on the cutting edge of American invention and industry, has been losing business, especially manufacturing, to the Sunbelt and other far-off places for decades. We're not the special place we once were when...' [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2009, 5:54pm EDT
    by simon

  • Two boil-water advisories in Dryden

    I haven't been following the dwindling Ithaca Journal as closely as I used to, but this morning I was a little surprised to see two Dryden water systems under boil-water notices. One is off German Cross Road, the other off...' [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2009, 12:49pm EDT
    by simon

  • Southworth Library Book Sale, today through Saturday

    I started my day by standing in line this morning. The Southworth Library is having its annual book sale today, tomorrow, and Saturday at the Dryden Fire Station - 26 North Street, Dryden (map). Today they're open until 8:00pm, tomorrow...' [...]
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    Posted: September 24, 2009, 12:11pm EDT
    by simon

  • Never chase black ducks at twilight

    Through an orchard full of black caps and other pointy plants. Our Cayuga ducks are great, but get more and more invisible as it gets darker. Every now and then we need to move them from place to place, which... [...]
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    Posted: September 23, 2009, 8:53pm EDT
    by simon

  • Genealogy Workshop in October

    I was holding off posting this until it got closer, but I just realized that the registration deadline is coming up: Tracks from the past - Footsteps into the Future The Dryden Town Historical Society is planning a genealogy workshop... [...]
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    Posted: September 16, 2009, 1:05pm EDT
    by simon

  • No primary elections in Dryden today

    I know there are signs up in Dryden for the county legislature primary between Mike Koplinka-Loehr and Peter Stein, and that some people in Dryden even received mailings about that race, but that race is in the Town of Ithaca,... [...]
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    Posted: September 15, 2009, 7:25am EDT
    by simon

  • Freeville Harvest Festival, Ellis Hollow Fair

    The Saturday after Labor Day is always a busy day in Dryden. I was worried Friday night about rain, but the rain came overnight, leaving the Freeville and Ellis Hollow events with a gray but dry day. After buying a... [...]
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    Posted: September 14, 2009, 7:23am EDT
    by simon

  • Arcuri Town Hall flows smoothly in Varna

    Congressman Mike Arcuri came to Varna yesterday because he "wanted to come home and get beat up by my constituents - right, left and center." While it was definitely a very civil town hall event, without much beating up, we... [...]
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    Posted: September 12, 2009, 8:48am EDT
    by simon

  • Congressman Arcuri to speak in Varna tomorrow

    Our Congressman, Mike Arcuri, will be holding a town hall meeting on healthcare at the Varna Community Center (map) tomorrow, September 11th, from noon to 1:30pm.... [...]
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    Posted: September 10, 2009, 1:02pm EDT
    by simon

  • Stimulus to pay part of Dryden sewage plant

    I need to start posting more on local news, and especially one critical piece: the federal government will pick up $2.97 million toward the Dryden wastewater treatment plant rebuild with another $3.64 million loan. That's been a long long story,... [...]
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    Posted: September 09, 2009, 12:42pm EDT
    by simon

  • Gas lease map

    Talk about gas drilling is often pretty abstract. Signing a lease doesn't put a sign on the land saying "this land leased for gas drilling", and figuring out what has been leased can mean a long trip through stacks of...' [...]
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    Posted: August 31, 2009, 11:05am EDT
    by simon

  • Running for Town Board

    After years of saying "no" to running for office, I agreed tonight to run for Town Board this November. I'm very happy to be running with incumbent Town Supervisor Mary Ann Sumner and Town Board Member Jason Leifer, and hope...' [...]
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    Posted: August 26, 2009, 11:41pm EDT
    by simon

  • Finally, Dryden Dairy Day photos

    Yes, I know - it's already time for Dryden Old Home Days. I've foolishly sat on this collection of photos, though, and they need to see the light. Angelika took almost all of them, at the Dryden Dairy Days parade...' [...]
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    Posted: August 01, 2009, 2:52pm EDT
    by simon

  • Mystery basement photos

    Because we're having a foundation wall replaced next month, and because it's just been way way way too long, I've been cleaning out the basement. One of the things I found again was a rotting frame with these photos in... [...]
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    Posted: July 09, 2009, 1:26am EDT
    by simon

  • And where's he gone?

    I'm getting back into blogging, but right now I'm pretty distracted by the lunacy of our so-called New York State Senate. It's more a state topic than a Dryden topic (and Jim Seward has only played a bit part in... [...]
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    Posted: June 30, 2009, 9:31pm EDT
    by simon

  • Sungiva's fifteenth month

    Sungiva's teenage months are flying by. She started the month with her grandparents visiting, then her aunt, uncle, and cousin arrived, and she's been busy ever since with friends, animals, toys, and us. Reading with her aunt Mirjam, cousin Jonathan,... [...]
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    Posted: June 30, 2009, 8:55pm EDT
    by simon

  • A fourteenth month of Sungiva

    I know, I know. I'm late. We're almost halfway into her fifteenth month, and everyone wants pictures. Finally, here they are! Sungiva's fourteenth month included lots of visitors and visiting. Her grandparents came from Germany, and we all went to... [...]
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    Posted: June 10, 2009, 11:03pm EDT
    by simon

  • Village of Freeville opens website

    Freeville is now on the web, at http://freevilleny.org/, with a village site that includes both the basic contact information you'd expect, as well as photos, history, a list of businesses, and more. This piece of the introductory page really struck...' [...]
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    Posted: June 06, 2009, 1:36pm EDT
    by simon

  • Lane puts hat in; Hattery pulls hat out

    It's starting to be County Legislature election season again. I was delighted to hear that Mike Lane was running for the County Legislature seat representing the east side of Dryden. At the time I was guessing it would be a... [...]
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    Posted: May 12, 2009, 10:27pm EDT
    by simon

  • Varna Community Association meeting Monday

    It's not quite as tasty as a pancake breakfast, but the Varna Community Association needs residents to come to its annual meeting on Monday, May 11th at 7:00pm. The meeting is at the community center, 943 Dryden Road, and will... [...]
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    Posted: May 07, 2009, 3:57pm EDT
    by simon

  • Sungiva's thirteenth month

    Now that Sungiva is over a year old, it was time for her to explore more of the world. She might have been happy just playing nearby, but we took her on a 3000-mile journey from Dryden to Biloxi, MS,... [...]
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    Posted: May 06, 2009, 6:48pm EDT
    by simon

  • Hyperlocal news

    I do hope to return to writing hyperlocal news at some point, especially as the Ithaca Journal seems to have become the incredible shrinking paper. In the meantime, it's nice to know that I was ahead of the trend. As... [...]
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    Posted: May 05, 2009, 3:15pm EDT
    by simon

  • Sungiva's birthday is tomorrow

    It's almost been a year! Sungiva wonders how that chicken snuck in. (The back door blew open, but still...) Sungiva and Angelika watch ducks where they belong - outside. Mother and daughter in heavy-duty outerwear. Sungiva and her friendliest pet,... [...]
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    Posted: March 26, 2009, 11:49pm EDT
    by simon

  • Village elections today

    It's election day, even though it's a Wednesday in March. Dryden and Freeville hold their elections in March, and New York State considers St. Patrick's Day a good reason to hold elections a day later. Polls are open from noon... [...]
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    Posted: March 18, 2009, 9:37am EDT
    by simon

  • Sungiva's eleventh month

    She just keeps growing, and exploring more and more. She figured out crawling, is working on standing, and seems to be getting ready for walking. Sungiva explores the contents of her changing table. Sungiva chooses seeds for the garden. Sungiva... [...]
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    Posted: March 05, 2009, 8:40am EST
    by simon

  • From Staff Reports

    I noticed Saturday that the Journal seemed behind on reporting the approaching conclusion of the Shirley Kinge case. I picked up this morning's Journal, and noticed the headline at the top of the front page: "Judge to decide damages owed..." [...]
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    Posted: March 02, 2009, 8:52am EST
    by simon

  • Local elections an opportunity

    I'm not sure why the Ithaca Journal seems to have left this letter off its online opinion page for Thursday, but Village of Dryden mayoral candidate Wendy Martin wrote a piece that feels just right to me: Dragging on my...' [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2009, 9:57am EST
    by simon

  • Member item power play reaches Dryden

    Sometimes Democrats screw up just as badly as Republicans. Member items, basically money handed to municipalities and organizations on the say-so of legislators, have been an ugly spot in New York State for a long long time. We've seen the...' [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2009, 9:51am EST
    by simon

  • To consolidate, or not?

    Every now and then I get to argue with people who think we should abolish villages and just have towns, cities, and counties. Or abolish towns and villages, leaving cities and counties - or just have counties. Personally, I think... [...]
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    Posted: February 23, 2009, 7:55pm EST
    by simon

  • A brief rant about Cornell architecture

    [This isn't quite Dryden, but I suspect it's something a lot of people in Dryden have an opinion about.] It was very strange today to see the collapse of the Cornell hydraulics laboratory on the front page of the Ithaca...' [...]
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    Posted: February 19, 2009, 7:54pm EST
    by simon

  • A few million dollars for the Southworth Library

    It looks like Dryden will be getting its own micro-stimulus package, thanks to the record $3.44 million a buyer paid for the Lincoln victory speech they auctioned today. You can see more reporting on it here. I was worried about... [...]
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    Posted: February 12, 2009, 3:06pm EST
    by simon

  • Your state tax dollars supported...

    Whoa. It's been clear for years that the Republicans in the State Senate used state money to keep their operations afloat, but on this scale? That's an amazing patronage and PR infrastructure. We need more transparency, period. The only reason... [...]
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    Posted: February 12, 2009, 8:28am EST
    by simon

  • 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... [...]
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    Posted: February 11, 2009, 6:38am EST
    by simon

  • More caucusing

    It seems that the County Legislature has finally sorted out who's in charge and appointed committee heads. The bigger problem, though, isn't just who's in control, but the total process botch that made it clear that key legislative conversations happen...' [...]
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    Posted: February 07, 2009, 11:52am EST
    by simon

  • Tenth month of Sungiva

    There's a little girl starting to emerge from our baby Sungiva as she crawls around, pulls herself up on a regular basis, and gets better at making it clear what she wants. Sungiva tries sidesaddle on the rocking horse. Sungiva... [...]
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    Posted: February 01, 2009, 8:11pm EST
    by simon

  • Catching up on Village of Dryden elections

    This week's Ithaca Journal has had a few pieces on the Village of Dryden caucuses. Faced with opposition from Democrat Wendy Martin, Mayor Reba Taylor is stepping down and Republican Trustee Randy Sterling is running as the Republican candidate for... [...]
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    Posted: January 31, 2009, 12:42pm EST
    by simon

  • Village of Dryden to continue clearing sidewalks

    In a decision that will doubtless make at least one recent commenter sad, but makes me very happy, the Village of Dryden will continue to clear snow from sidewalks. So says the January 21 Dryden Courier, which just arrived today.... [...]
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    Posted: January 24, 2009, 3:19pm EST
    by simon
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