Island Dispatch, 1997-07-25

              Island DISPATCH  July 25,1997 20 Pages {showcase! FAMILY RESTAURANTS 2352 Grand Island Blvd. • DINE IN TAKE OUT • NEW MENU • NEW HOURS OPEN EVERY DAY 7A.M.-MIDNIGHT 773-32111 Official Newspaper for the Town of Grand Island & the Grand Island School District (716) 773-7676 650 Vol. 54 • No. 14 j "As the voice of Grand Island"1 ■X ST mwmm "MM Armament collection may be seized by Defense Department by Christopher Caile What is described as one of the world's largest private arms collections owned by a Grand Island man may be seized by U.S. Defense Department officials. They are stored at a warehouse at 711 Northland Avenue in Bufffalo. Officials charge that Thomas W. Gould, 44, failed to display the military items in a public museum as required by law. Investigators also say that he failed to have National Guard units demilitarize the armaments and that some are still in working condition. Also questioned is if the armaments are private rather than a museum collection. Included are Sherman tanks, armored personnel carriers, antiaircraft guns, howitzers and other equipment owned by Gould. He is owner of Innovative Chemical Corporation, and Great Lakes Contracting, a subcontractor on the Veterans Park Project. Most recently Gould became known to many on the Island through his promise to Supervisor James Pax to donate materials and labor for two new soccer fields at the Park which have become a center of a controversy since they were not finished. The U.S. attorney's office in Buffalo has begun an investigation to see if the armaments were legally obtained In March 1996 Gould was ticketed for driving an armored personnel carrier to a Grand Island bar. There are also numerous stories of other incidents involving driving on the Island with the same vehicle. Gould's attorney, Alan Feuerstein, says that Gould has not been charged and that his client properly registered the museum with the State Education Department. And although it does not have regular hours, Feuerstein said that as far as he knew it was open to the public by appointment. READY TO RlDE—Bike riders got a short briefing from Bill Gugino before Saturday's "Friends of Lynette" fund-raiser. The 4th annual Island bike tour helps raise money for cancer research and education, (by Bert Brochey) Ferry Village project nears closure by Christopher Caile At Monday's Town of Grand Island board meeting Councilman Jim Sharpe said he and Councilman Dick Crawford "were happy to report the coming to an end of the process of development of a comprehensive plan for Ferry Village." Sharpe and Crawford were cochairmen of the Ferry Village Master Plan Committee. The town then accepted the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Ferry Village Master Plan. Copies of the master plan are available for public examination at the Grand Island Memorial Library. There is now a 30 day written comment period ending August 21 for public input. Comments should be directed to the Town Engineer, John Phillips. Then on Tuesday, September 2 at 8 p.m. there will be a public hearing for acceptance. Ferry Village is a historic waterfront hamlet located adjacent to Beaver Island State Park at the south end of the Island. Several private marinas are located immediately to the north. While planning for development of the village area the master plan also seeks to preserve the current residential land use comprised of mainly single family residence neighborhoods. The plan recommends these neighborhoods be contained within a special Bike tour raises funds for cancer research by Bert Brochey An estimated 100 or more bicycle enthusiasts assembled at Nike Park last Saturday for the "Friends of Lynette" bike tour. The annual fund-raiser is in its fourth year and proceeds to go to the Friends of Children with Cancer, the pediatric unit at Rosweil and for cancer research and education. Renee Gugino, who lost her mother Lynette Grizanto to cancer, organized the tour in honor of her mother. Her husband Bill said that the family also lost their son Billy Jr. to cancer at the age of 15 months. Gugino said," It's a way to give something back because most people don't realize the importance a support group like Friends of Children with Cancer give. They make life as pleasant as possible knowing most of the children are terminally ill. They throw pizza, birthday and Christmas parties for the children and they add a personal touch." Gugino said that organizing the bike tour is easy with the help and hard work of his wife Renee, his mother Joyce Gugino and friend Nancy Kulp. He added that last year, $3,000 was raised with 110 riders entered. This year's tour raised $3,200. At this year's bike tour, participated received a prayer and a blessing before the start of the event from Dr. Kevin Backos of the Bible Presbyterian Church. The tour was laid out around the Island and marked by signs showing the route. There were rest area along the way to provide drinks and fruit to the riders. "The Friends of Lynette fundraiser is a great way for bicyclist to get together for a wonderful cause," said Bill. PUMPED UP—Mercedes Nowakowski gets her bike tires inflated before Saturday's bike tour at Nike Park as her grandmother, Barbara Nowakowsi, looks on. (by Bert Brochey) Island resident faces drug charge A Grand Island resident is facing drug related charges and may serve 1-3 years in prison if convicted. Shawn Korman, 22, was arrested at his 94 Fieldstone Dr. home on July 23 following the issuance of an arrest warrant by Buffalo City Judge Shirley Troutman, after he sold cocaine to an undercover sheriff detective in Buffalo last year. Korman was charged with the criminal sale of a controlling substance and criminal possession of a controlling substance with the intent to sell. He was transported to the Erie County Holding Center to await arraignment on Thursday in Buffalo City Court. Erie County Narcotics Chief Alan Rozansky and Detective Louis Tufillaro, also of the ECSD, made continued on page 4 continued on page 14