Island Dispatch, 2000-09-01

              The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District Founded 1944 • Complete Community Coverage Island DISPATCH 56 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers Jaws of Life pageS Monslgnor Nogaro page 5 Sharks page 16 SEPTEMBER 1.2000 28 pages +4 Page Bridge Section V01.56 No. 18 (716)773-7676 West River Homeowners, Cleanups and Meetings The West River Parkway is one of Western New York's most scenic roads. Part of the reason for the Parkway's splendor is the West River Homeowners Association. On Saturday, September 9th the West River homeowners will have their annual West River Parkway Cleanup. This sixteenth annual Adopt a Highway event was the first such event in New York State. Participants should meet at the Whitehaven Overlook at 10:30 am for supplies and instructions. For more information call 773-7702. On Saturday, September 16th Quality Quest will hold its annual Beach Sweep. Participants should meet at the Riverside Salem UCC 4339 West River Rd. for more information call 773-7621. West River Homeowners do more than periodic cleanups. Members plant flowers around thei mailboxesmailboxes and even around Parkway signs to beautify their community. The natural beauty of the area is what drew the residents there and they do a great deal to enhance it. The organization holds regular meetings so homeowners can express their concerns. Their last meeting was a summer get-together at Loverde's West River Grill on Sunday July 30 "to support a West River Business" according to Club President Sue Farley. The Fall Membership Dinner and Meeting Thursday September 28 at 6:30 pm., at the Buffalo Launch Club. The guest speaker will be Francis X. Carroll Vice President, Public Abstract Corp.. His presentation will concern Indian Land Claims and their settlement (or lack therof) in the United States. Dinner is by reservation only. For more Information call 773-4960. The natural beauty of the area is what drew the residents thereand they do a great deal to enhance it. Supervisor McMahon offers traffic advisory Town Supervisor Peter McMahon is alerting drivers to probable congestion on Stony Point Road at the Ransom Road and Bedell Road intersections for all of next week. The additional traffic is due to the start of the school year and construction on Baseline that will detour traffic to Ransom. Over 200 school staffers N in addition to school buses and students with cars N will be on the road in the morning hours. Those who expect to use the roads at this time are advised to leave home early, and to be extra careful. See the "Traffic Alert Map" on page 3 for additional information. Bus safety rules for back to school Children are never too young to be instructed in safe conduct on or near the bus. In fact, most fatalities in which children are killed by their own buses involve kindergartners and first graders. With some simple rules, bus rides can be a troublefree experience for kids. The Grand Island School District Transportation Center has released a packet of rules to ensure that students can go to and from school safely. According to Jack Burns, Supervisor of Transportation, "Safe transportation requires a team effort by the driver, students, parents, teachers, administrator, school board and the motoring public."There are a number of ways in which children can be injured, on or near the bus. Everyone should take precautions to help avoid any problems. The Transportation Center recommends that parents or guardians accompany their children to the bus stop in the morning, and pickup their children at the bus stop in the afternoon. Children should know what to do if this schedule is interrupted.Conduct at the bus stop, even when the bus is not there, should be orderly. Students should arrive 5-10 minutes before the arrival of the bus. Students are not to push, pull, fight, or chase other students. When the bus approaches, students should line up no closer than 15 feet from the road, and not approach the bus until the vehicle's doors are open. When approaching the bus, students must not walk behind or reach under the bus. Kindergarten students must sit in the front of the bus. Parents should instruct their children on how to sit properly. Kindergartners should know their name, house address, and phone number. The decision to use a lapbelt is up to the discretion of parents and children. Students are to remain seated until the bus has come to a complete stop and the driver has opened the door. Before stepping off of the bus, students are to look to the right to make certain that a car, motorcycle, bicycle, etc. is not passing the bus on the right. When crossing in front of the bus, students should be far enough from the bus so that they can see the driver, and the driver can see them. Clothing can also be a factor in bus safety. It is recommended that all drawstrings be removed from a child's clothing. Backpacks are handy for consolidating loose objects into one area. High visibility clothing (i.e. florescent, neonday glow) can also help avoid serious accidents. For parents whose children are picked up from or delivered continued on page 2