Is Owasco Lake getting worse?

A recent article in the Auburn Citizen describes an interesting debate between two local experts about the water quality of Owasco Lake. Eilleen O'Conner, the Director of Environmental Health and Bruce Natalie, a Cayuga County Planning Engineer have opposite takes on this important issue. I feel most people that live on or spend much time on the lake would agree that it is getting worse. The various new invasives, weed growth issues, and continuing problems with phosphorus from sewage treatment plants and agricultural run off are influencing the water quality in Owasco Lake significantly.

We hope the debate continues with the WQMA in 2012. Hopefully, the new Chairman Keith Batman can focus a strong response on some of these issues. Owasco Lake definitely needs more attention.

Can you help? Come to the OWLA meeting this Wednesday Feb. 1st at 7pm at the Springside Inn in Fleming to learn more and maybe help spur some new solutions.

What do you think?  Leave us a comment..........

- Lakeman

Read the article: http://auburnpub.com/blogs/the_sixth_floor/is-owasco-lake-getting-worse/article_f1330a5c-37cd-11e1-9374-0019bb2963f4.html

Recycle a Xmas tree or maybe a musical instrument

Cayuga County is sponsoring a trade-a-tree program to recycle your Xmas tree, Jan 9th -13th at the Natural Resources Center on County House Rd. in Sennett, Read more at:

http://auburnpub.com/news/local/trading-trees/article_7754c574-39b0-11e1-a43c-0019bb2963f4.html

How about recycling an old musical instrument?............My wife and I recently were cleaning a closet and found an old clarinet from her youth. We set it out with the intent to find a new home for it, but never did. Over the holidays I stumbled upon a notice in the newspaper looking for used instruments to support music lessons for inner city youth. I called the number in the ad and was connected with Dick Ford at Signature Music in Syracuse. Dick has helped over 75 students since the programs inception in 2000. I had the pleasure of meeting Dick when I dropped off our clarinet donation last week. Dick is a passionate guy who had the vision and knowledge to put together this program for less fortunate inner-city kids. If you have an instrument or would like to learn more about this program, you can contact Signature Music at 315-478-7840.

Read more about this great program at:
http://blog.syracuse.com/neighbors/2011/12/cny_music_students_perform_at_community_events.html


To learn more about general recycling in Cayuga County, be sure to visit the counties recycling web-site for the latest information how you can recycle at :http://co.cayuga.ny.us/hazwaste/

- Lakeman

Reminder: No January OWLA meeting

There will not be a January 2012 OWLA meeting. Please join us as we kick off 2012 with our first meeting in February. The meeting will be at 7pm, Wednesday February 1st, at the Springside Inn on West Lake Road in Fleming.