Island Dispatch, 1999-12-03

              Island Dispatch .Complete Community Coverage 55 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District Sheriff Stars page 8 Vegas Night page 3  Mural Art page 8 DECEMBER 3, 1999 20 pages 650 Vol. 55 No. 33 (716)773-7676 Kelly's Country Store alive with holiday spirit by Kelly N. Gast After days of searching for holiday magnets or magnets of any sort really, I had almost given up. Trying to find a store that sells magnets, yes magnets, those little things that you stick on the fridge to hold up important phone numbers or your kids A+ homework, can be quite a task. Especially on Grand Island. But not at Kelly's Country Store. At Kelly's, there is an assortment of magnets available not to mention all of the other goodies. They, have it all. ,Even magnets. Upon entering the store foyer, there is a big red Express mailbox SNOW CONTEST?.. where children can drop their wish lists to Santa, assured that their mail will make it to the North Pole on time. Once you make it indoors, the aroma of scented candles and potpourri blends together perfectly, a calming scent that carries throughout the store. Kelly's definitely has an atmosphere which transports one back in time, a store filled with country goodness. It is hard for many people to ignore the counters full of fresh homemade chocolates-, from fudge to sponge candy and the rows and rows of candy jars. But if you can make it past the counters into the PAGE 2 Petition asking town to hold vote on land purchase filed by Rick Forgione A petition signed by approximately 260 people asking for a public referendum to decide if the town should spend $250,000 to purchase 206.5 acres of land on East River Road was received and filed in the Town Clerk's office Wednesday afternoon. However, . according to Supervisor Peter McMahon the total amount of signatures fall about 90 names short of the needed amount to force a vote on the issue. During its public meeting on Nov. 1, the town board unanimously approved use of $77,000 of mitigation money from developers, $104,000 from the Trust and Agency Fund, and $52,000 from the Open Space Fund to purchase the land adjacent to River Oaks, which includes 40 acres of unbuildable wetlands, from Scenic Woods Development. The board's decision was subject to a permissive referendum meaning that if five percent of the number of people who voted for governor in the last election signed a valid petition against the decision, then a public referendum would be held. McMahon said that such a petition would have needed nearly 350 signatures — about 90 more than the amount filed Wednesday. Island resident Rus Thompson, who has been one of the driving supporters behind the petition, said that he began collecting signatures because many Island residents were WORK OF ART - Shirley Luther and Nancy Sandford, cochairs of the Grand Island Veterans Memorial Committee, examine a life-sized angel, the work of Stone Art Memorial Company Design Artist William Koch. Memorial committee selects granite for panels, nearing goal FULFILLING BUNNY'S VISION - On Nov. 20, the Veterans Memorial Wall Committee took, one step closer in reaching the late Laveme "Bunny" Luther's dream of having a memorial wall on Grand island. The committee visited the Stone Art Memorial Company, Inc. in Lackawanna to choose the granite for the wall's panels. Pictured from left are (front) Jim Sharpe with son Eric, Mike Dlugosz, Kester Bleich, Nancy Sandford and Shirley Luther; (rear) Harvey Long, William Koch (design artist at Stone Art), Liz Reimann, Mary Cooke and Earl DeGlopper. The annual Pearl Harbor Day Memorial Services will be held at the Charles N. DeGlopper Memorial Post Veterans of Foreign Wars #9249, 2121 Grand Island Blvd., on Tuesday, Dec. 7, at noon. The services are in memory of those who died in the attack, and those who survived. Islanders are reminded to recognize Pearl Harbor Day by lowering their flags to half staff. Last year, town board members voted unanimously to adopt a policy mandating the lowering of all flags on town property to half staff on Dec. 7 of every year to honor Dec. 7,1941 — the date of the Japanese attack bringing the United States into World War 11. Along with area residents, town board members encourage area businesses to fly flags at half staff on Dec. 7 as well. Pearl Harbor Day observed on Grand Island continued on page 20 Members of the Grand Island Veterans Memorial Committee visited the Stone Art Memorial Company, Inc., in Lackawanna, on Saturday, Nov. 20, to meet the artist who will be sandblasting the panels for the Veterans Memorial and to choose the granite for the panels, which are the focal point for the memorial. Barre Vermont Grey Granite panels were selected and it was decided to have a polished surface, except for the area where the military emblems will be cut into the stone. This area will be unfinished, providing for the optimal amount of contrast. A down payment was paid with the placement of the order. Delivery is scheduled for May 2000. According to Nancy Sandford, co-chairman of the committee, over $18,000 of the targeted $30,000 needed for the project has been raised so far. However, with a fund-raiser sponsored by the Moose Lodge this weekend, and promised funds from the Erie County 2000 Budget, the committee will be only a few thousand short of their goal. The Grand Island Moose Lodge, 2524 Grand Island Blvd., will hold a buffet brunch, featuring entertainment and raffle prizes, on Sunday, Dec, 5, beginning at 2 p.m. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Memorial Wall fund. For additional information on the event, call 773--2912.According to Eric County Legislator Chuck Swanick, the adopted 2000 Erie County Budget will include $8,000 earmarked for the Memorial ■.Wall. . ■..■ The Stone An Memorial Company, Inc. was selected for the project based on the quality of their work,, their excellent reputation, competitive cost and scheduling considerations. The company was responsible for the stone art on the Tonawanda Veterans Memorial and the design artist. William Koch, will be starting work immediately on the designs for each branch of military service. A revised site plan for the memorial, drawn by Bill DeGlopper, Jr. of Cannon, was unanimously accepted by the committee at their Nov. 10 meeting. It was submitted to the Town of Grand Island Engineering Department the next day. With the granite tablets on the way, the committee will now concentrate on selecting the brick and construction of the wall to receive the tablets. continued on page 2