Island Dispatch, 2000-09-15

              Island DISPATCH Garden Club page 5 Touchdown! page 12 56 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 Histories page 7 Founded 1944® Complete Community Coverage SEPTEMBER 15, 2000 20 pages 65 c Vol. 56 No. 20 (716)773-7676 Brown beats Coppola in primary upset by Christopher Marquis Buffalo Councilmember Byron W. Brown pulled off an upset victory over incumbent State Senator Al Coppola to win the Democratic Party primary for the 57th New York State Senate District, according to unofficial results, from the . boards of elections of Niagara and Erie counties. The 57th district covers parts of both counties, including Niagara Falls, Grand Island, and a part of Buffalo.. . Brown, was clearly helped by a grassroots campaign within Buffalo. According to a press release from Brown's office, "Campaign-workers have knocked on over 5100 doors in the 57th District, and Councilmember Brown has attended over 1100 events, giving Mr. Brown and his teams of volunteers a unique understanding of the issues, problems and concerns in the 57th District." Coppola's support came mostly from Niagara County, where he received twice as many votes as Brown. Grand Island Democrats also favored Coppola, giving him 440 votes to Brown's 171, accordingaccording to the Town Clerk's office. Brown stated that his victory was the result of strong support from across the region to his positive message of Economic Prosperity for all of Western New York. On Thursday, Brown held a thank-you reception for volunteers at their Niagara Falls Headquarters, at 501 Third Street. Coppola did win the Green Party primary, and will also appear on the Conservative and Working Families tickets in the November general election. Brown will also appear on the Liberal ticket. They will face Bob Woolworth on the Republican and Independence ballots, and Anthony Murty on the Right to Life ballot. Brown, 41, graduated from August Martin High School in Queens, NY. He holds a dual BA in Political Science and Journalism from State University College at Buffalo and a Certificate in State and Local Government from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He was elected in 1995 as Masten District Councilmember, He is the president of the political organization Grassroots, Inc., and a member of the Board of Trustees of Western New York Public Broadcasting. He, was an elected delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention. He has a wife, Michelle Austin- Brown, and a son, Byron. When asked what he hopes to accomplish in the State Senate, Brown replied that he wants to "secure more of New York States' $78 billion budget of WNY." He also intends to "seek an increase in state tourism dollars of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Grand Island and Western New York." Other issues Brown states he is concerned with include supporting public transportation, expanding State Empire Zones, protecting the environment, supporting working UNDERDOG - Byron W. Br ... ■ ■]'i-d tric'ics to tion.Mi :n 'umupfil S:at? Senatoi Al Cocpoia mi tne Dcino-'ratic pii'»inry. I-190 motor vehicle accident results in fatality Shortly after 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 13, Grand Island Fire Company Rescue Personnel responded to a two car motor vehicle accident in the southbound lane of the 1-190 near the South Grand Island Bridge. Witnesses stated that a southbound passenger vehicle had suddenly swerved into the path of the Fed Ex van, which struck the driver's side of the errant auto. Grand Island Fire Company Chief Peter McMahon arrived on location one minute later and determined that the victim, 68-year-old Letrevia Chapman, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, had already been removed from the damaged car. A passing motorist, Scott Phen, a Mercy Flight paramedic on his way to work, had stopped to render assistance and had initiated CPR. Meanwhile, Grand Island Fire Company paramedics began extensive ALS treatment, but the victim remained unresponsive. At 12:50 p.m., Mercy Flight landed nearby and transported the Chapman woman to Erie County Medical Center for further medical attention but efforts to revive her proved futile. Although all Graf Fire Company units returrS in service at 1:19 p.m., a major southbound traffic jam continued for some time afterward. School Board Meets at Eco Island The Grand Island School Board met at Eco Island (the school district's ecology museum) Monday. Before the meeting, the Board and visitors were treated to a tour of exhibits. Eco Island Curator DianneTiede proudly displayed the interactive museum's newest geology exhibits. Tiede acknowledged the support from local citizens, corporations and institutions. Specifically, she thanked Life Technologies for donating shelves and other supplies; and Buffalo State College for a 250 million year-old fossil of a Eurypterid (a local shellfish about 4 inches long). The School Board meeting followed immediately after the brief tour. School Board Director Dr. Paul Fields announced that the School year began very successfully. This year's attendance is 3,248 students in all four of the Island Schools; an increase of 34 students. "Unofficially an increase of 1.3%" according to School Superintendent Dr. Fields. Fields gave high praise to Transportation director Jack Burns for the smooth conveyance and ontime delivery of children from their homes to the school. He thanked Building and Grounds Director for the extensive maintenance and cleaning projects completed this summer. Fields also acknowledged the work of Dr. Karen Karmazin, Director of Curriculum, for her orientation program; which was very well received by the districts newly hired teachers. In other actions the Board approved the following meeting minutes: Board of Education, 8/28/00 Special Education Meetings, 5/25, 5/30, 6/13, 6/15, 6/20, 6/21, 6/22 and 7/5/00. The Board noted the payroll for 9/1/00 and the Treasurer's Report for July, 2000, They accepted the terminations of three Substitute Teachers and a Teachers Aide.. They approved: The creation of a Teachers Aide Position The board granted the following professional appointments: David Holmes, Probationary Special Education Teacher Patricia Lane Campbell, Long Term Substitute, Special Education Teacher Renee. Jagiello, Long Term Substitute, Special Education Teacher ~ 250 million year-old fossil of a Eurypterid (a local shellfish about 4 inches long). continued on page 9 continued on page 2