Island Dispatch, 1998-05-15

              Island DISPATCH  (716) 773-7676 24 Pages May 15, 1998 650 Vol. 54 • No. 06 Nile Madness LARGE CHEESE PIZZA 4-95 Tfc +TYX (£JzzX?sUbs) L__^z=—^l In Today's Issue: ■ "Let's Get Growing" if GIFC celebrates 60 years of service by Ray Pauley Public Info Officer Over 150 Grand Island Firefighters, their spouses, Town Officials and special guests attended a "milestone" 60th Anniversary Dinner Dance on Saturday evening, May 9, at the Buffalo Launch Club. State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt read a proclamation which expressed appreciation for the fine community service record. GIFC Board Chairman Peter Coppola also highlighted several major accomplishments brought about since the Fire Company was created on February 10, 1938, in the kitchen of Grand Island Town Supervisor John L. Mesiner Jr. He also noted that each and every member is extremely proud that the GIFC remains one of the "top notch" emergency service organizations of Western New York. To keep pace with current needs, a successful 1998 Fund Drive will help as the purchase of five AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) Units. Eighteen members were then recognized for their dedicated, selfless service to the community GIFC President Bob Aronica receives Legislative Proclamation from Assemblyman Sam Hoyt. The Thousand Dollar Question What Direction would you like to see Grand Island Business and Recreation take in the Future? That's the question the Chamber of Commerce is asking students to answer for an opportunity for a $1,000 award and the title of Youth Ambassador. Hurry! Time is running out - deadline for applications is May 22. Applications are available at the Chamber office, Grand Island High School, Ye Olde Book Shoppe, and Niagara Frontier Publications. Judging will take place on Saturday, June 6, at noon at the Town Center Gazebo. An Antique Car Show will be held in conjunction with the event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lockport Savings Bank to hold grand by Rick Forgione On Monday, May 18 the highly anticipated new Lockport Savings Bank, located at 2435 Grand Island BJvd., will open its doors for business. A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled to officially open the branch and kicking off a week long celebration. The bank has planned several fun-filled activities to celebrate the branch's opening with the community. On Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20 the bank will hold "Customer Appreciation Days" from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. During these two days special product offers will be available including special rates on CD and Loans. Refreshments will also be served. Savings Bank Life Insurance (SBLI) Day will be held on Thursday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Throughout the day information and special rates will be available for the banks life insurance program. A Kid's Day featuring Lockport Savings Bank's own mascot Ellis B. Bear along with other mascots including Buster Bison, Spyke and Periwinkle (Perry's Ice Cream) will be held on Friday, May 22 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will also include ice cream, face painting and a clown. The week will conclude with a live radio remote by WHTT Oldies 104 on Saturday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to noon. Refreshments and giveaways will be offered including a family of four trip to Cedar Point with all accommodations paid for. In addition to all of these events, the bank will hold a daily raffle throughout the week for two tickets to the Buffalo Philharmonic. BRANCH MANAGER - Richard Piechowiak has been named Branch Manager for the new Lockport Savings Bank on Grand Island that wiU open on Monday, May 18. READY FOR BUSINESS - JoAnn Belliotti has been named assistant branch manager of the Lockport Savings Bank branch opening in Grand Island. Seneca claim creates opportunities, realtors say by Christopher Caile If several Grand Island groups get their way a new and better image of the Island wiU emerge to counter all the bad publicity, misinformation and distortions about land values, tide insurance and other issues generated by the Seneca Indian lawsuit. 'The misconceptions have to do with the risks of loss and how title insurance can be used to offset any risk. And those misconceptions are creating a hesitancy to invest at this time," said Wally Grieser, a broker for Stovroff & Potter Real Estate. "In reality Grand Island now offers great low cost home buying opportunities," Grieser said. "But there has been so much confusion and misinformation generated around the Seneca lawsuit that home sales on the Island have been affected. But what most don't realize is that this same situation has also created opportunity to find exceptional values. What we have to do is correct the misconceptions to let people know." He also pointed to the potential upside to land values. 'There are a huge amonut of dollars now being committed to redevelopment of Niagara Falls, Ontario as well as the U.S. side. What do you think is going to happen to home values on the Island? Where else are people going to find waterfront, water recreation, golf courses, large parks and open land just minutes away from Niagara Falls? It has equally easy access from Buffalo, too. The Island is about the size of Manhattan, but offers about 27 miles of waterfront and has only about 18,000 residents and 6,533 single family homes. Thus it offers a rural village-like atmosphere, too. So far it's been relatively undiscovered but when it is, watch out." Grieser is part of a group of local Real Estate brokers who have been working to counter the misinformation about title insurance and other issues stemming from the negative image of the Seneca lawsuit. They have been working with the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Grand Island and Erie County through Chairman of the legislature Chuck Swanick to formulate a plan to get information out. WORKING ON A PLAN - (Left) Wally Grieser from Stovroff & Potter representing local realtors, Betty Harris, Co-Chair of the Chamber's Economic Development Committee, Jack Hanna, President of the Grand Island Builders Association, Nancy Saia representing the Erie County Bar Association, and Jack Hugill, First Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce met on the Island in the Chamber's offices on April 24 to start to map out a plan to promote the positives of the i&l_ul and w»wq t_e many questions potential buyers nave about local real estate. OOwi meeting attendees not shown included Jeff PaJlin from Ticor Title Insurance and David Mineo of Chicago Title Insurance companies. continued on page 8 continued on page 5 continued on page 4