Island Dispatch, 2001-02-02

              Island DISPATCH Family Fun page 9 The Streak Continues page 13 The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District 56 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers Slime Time page 5 Younded 1944 • Complete Community Coverage FEBRUARY 2, 200,1 20 pages 65c V01.56 No. 40 (716)773-7676 OxyChem to close Grand Island Technology Center by Christopher Marquis Occidental Chemical Corporation announced last week that it was phasing out operations at its Grand Island Technology Center on Long Road. Approximately 40 jobs have already been or will be eliminated as a result of this action. OxyChem, which is headquartered in Dallas, TX, announced that the decision was part of a "corporate-wide"corporate-wide effort to reduce costs." All of the facility's operations will cease by October 31, 2001.. Dr. Charles Rader of the GI Center told the Dispatch that the decision was made when the chemical branch of Occidental suffered a loss in the last quarter of 2000. The technology center, which had opened in 1958, was considered too costly to maintain. According to a company press release, all affected Grand Island employees are being given competitive severance and benefits packages and outplacement services are being provided to help secure new employment opportunities.Last May, OxyChem announced its withdrawal from the chemical SHUTTING DOWN - After more than 40 decades of operations on Grand Island, the OxyChem Technology Center on Long Road is being phased out. Grand Island Recreation upcoming events • There will be open gym time available to area youths at Kaegebein School on Feb. 2,9 and 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Activities are based on suggestions of participants. • There are still four upcoming Holiday Action Days planned at the Knights of Columbus. The dates are Feb. 19, March 16, April •11 and 18, and all run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be supervised games, activities and crafts available. There is no registration necessary and also no fee. • The annual Winter Fest is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Nike Base from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be scheduled events outdoors as well as ongoing activities indoors. There will be horse rides from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., along with snowmobile rides from noon to 3 p.m. There is a dollor donation per ride to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Buffalo. • There is still time to sign up your'adult volleyball and/or softball teams by calling the Recreation Department at 773--9680.• Anyone interested in participating in this years July 4 Road Race or Parade committees may telephone the Recreation Office. Councilmen hear concerns about Wilson Farms project by Christopher Marquis Grand Island Councilmen Kevin Rustowicz and Michael Heftka met with about 50 residents in the Grand Island Memorial Library on Wednesday night to hear concerns and opinions about the proposed construction of a Wilson Farms convenience store on the corner of Ransom Road and Stony Point. The rest of the Town Board, Supervisor Peter McMahon and Council Members Mary Cooke and Richard Crawford, were unable to attend because they were working to revise the Town's Zoning Code. Rustowicz taped what was said so that a transcript could be given to them at a later time. At the start of the meeting, Heftka stated that the original site plan for the Wilson Farms had been rejected because a setback variance had not been approved. He had not seen a new site plan since that time. He and Rustowicz were therefore not in a position to comment on the appropriateness of DISCUSSION TIME - Councitmen Michael Heftka (standing) and Kevin Rustowicz hear concerns from residents about the proposed Wilson Farms project during an informal meeting at the library. Governor announces privatization of Niagara Falls Airport NFTA and Cintra reach agreement on airport lease Governor George E. Pataki was joined by Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Chairman Luiz R Kahl and Juan Bejar, CEO of Cintra Concesiones dc Infraestructuras dc Transporte. S.A. of Spain, to announce an agreement on.a 99-year lease to privatize operations as the Niagara Falls International Airport during a press conference Monday at the airport,,. Y. "By using the private sector's expertise and capital resources at Niagara Falls International Airport, we can improve airline service to boost tourism, and help businesses prosper," Governor Pataki said. "Today's airport lease signing, along with USA Niagara Development Corporation, will provide important momentum in our ongoing, efforts to create new jobs and opportunities on the Fails' New York side, :. "We made history last year when we privatized Stewart International Airport, generating millions of dollars.in private sector .investment to improve services. By unleashing the power of the private sector, we can duplicate that success here in Western New York." Cintra Niagara will assume financial responsibility for running the airport, which currently operates at a loss of about $1 million a year. Additionally, Cintra Niagara will invest $10.f million in the NFTA. The $10.1 million is a minimum guaranteed commitment, which may only be spent on marketing, promotion, master planning, and capital improvements. 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