Island Dispatch, 1997-05-09

              Island DISPATCH f__^%years "As the voice of Gi^nJblind^ May 9,1997 24 Pages 650 JUNK CARS I REMOVED | MARTY'S TOWING, IN(C[ ! 1741 Baseline Road ! Guano Island. NY 14072 | j * Auto Repairs 4 Tires  j 'I1 Batteries t* ! Official Newspaper for the Town of Grand Island & the Grand Island School District  (716) 773-7676 Vol. 54 • No. 05 ABRUPT MEETING- Two cars of a four vehicle accident Friday end up at die corner of Whitehaven Road facing Grand Island Boulevard, (by Christopher Caile) Van flips over in Gulf station by Christopher Caile Just minutes after a four car crash at the corner of Whitehaven and Grand Island Boulevard, a van entering the Gulf Station on the same comer flipped over. The driver asked not to be identified because she was so embarrassed. "1 had just entered the station and because spaces at the pumps were occupied I circled around them and was looking there when I felt the side of the van lift up," said the distraught motorist. The van's front wheel ran over a guide from a utility pole at the corner of Whitehaven and Grand Island Boulevard which is anchored into the blacktop of the driveway. As the van continued forward it followed the guide wire upward lifting one side of the van until it flipped over. Later, the van was dragged backward by a tow truck so it could then be pulled upright. There was damage along the side of the van and the driver's side window was shattered. Lynn Wheeler, of Wheeler Service which manages the station said the utility pole guide wire is dangerous. "In the last month we have had three or four cars hit it, but this is the first that flipped over. I'm calling Niagara Mohawk to ask them to do something about the guide wire." Her brother Jim said that until the guide wire problem is rectified he was going to park a vehicle in front of it to protect other drivers. THE VAN FLIPPED OVER THIS- In the Gulf Station on the corner of Whitehaven and Grand Island Boulevard a flipped over van lies in front of the utility pole guide wire which caught under the front wheel of the vehicle as it circled the parking lot. One side of the vehicle was lifted, flipping it over, (by Christopher Caile) Collision causes damage, injuries by Christopher Caile Late last Friday morning a car failing to stop for a traffic light at the corner of Grand Island Boulevard and Whitehaven Road was hit broadside and careened into other cars waiting at the light. The accident left four damaged cars and injuries. Traffic was impeded for almost an hour. State Police Trooper Chris Pyc said that Teresa Antholzer, 19, of 2138 Meadow Lane driving a 1991 Chevy heading west on Whitehaven failed to yield for the traffic light at Grand Island Boulevard and was hit broadside by a Grand Island Town pickup truck driven by Gary Seifert who was driving south through the intersection on Grand Island Boulevard. The impact bounced AnthoJzer's car across the center line and it careened into a Buick Park Avenue driven by Regina L. Gnacinski, 43, of 2811 West River Road. The Buick was pushed back into a second vehicle, a 1996 Chevy pickup truck driven by Terrence J. Hutchins of 8 Perkins Place, Buffalo. Antholzer's car sustained major damage to the front and sides. She was taken to Niagara Falls Memorial Hospital and was treated and released. There was front end damage to the Town pickup truck but Seifert the driver declined treatment although his right arm was bruised. Gnacinski sustained neck and ¥>_c_ injuries; __«_ vws._ _____ lo ECMC. Her car bad front and driver side damage. Hutchins was not hurt but the front end of his pickup truck was damaged. Assisting at the scene were the Erie County Sheriffs department, and the Grand Island Fire Department. Closed meeting raises doubts by Christopher Caile It has all the ingredients of a 1950's cold war spy novel. Behind closed door meetings, secret memos, orders of secrecy, groups pitted against each other, politics and danger. During the town Board workshop session Monday, against the objections of Councilman Jim Sharpe citing "open government" regulations Supervisor James Pax, and Council members Mary Cooke, Dick Crawford and Andrea Moreau, all of them Republicans, voted to exclude the press and go into private session. On the meeting agenda was listed: 7:30 p.m. Doug Learman, Building Inspector-Re: Island Pools on Grand Island Blvd. The property is owned by a Republican Committee member Dick Gerspach. While waiting outside, Building Inspector Doug Learman said he has asked for the meeting to discuss a memo he had received from town attorney Will Wiles concerning Island Pools. Obviously upset Learman said, "They (the town) needs to be able to let me do my job." When asked about the memo Learman said, "I can't talk about it," but he did relate it was stamped "Privileged and Confidential." When questioned why the press , was excluded from the meeting Wiles first said it was because discussion pertained to litigation. But within minutes reporters were told something else. They were excluded, "because they were going to talk about a 'personnel matter,'" said Wiles. At issue was a pending legal action involving occupancy without a permit of occupancy of a newly constructed metal building which had floor construction that did not meet local building codes. Civil engineer Mike Lydle originally designed the foundation for the structure. "I was asked to analyze the building when they put in what was a second floor for storage which was not included in their plans and without approval. My analysis said it didn't conform to building codes," said Lydle. "They used perlins (roof members) for floor joists instead of floor joist members. They thought