Island Dispatch, 2003-07-03

              Island DISPATCH  Founded 1944 • Complete Community Coverage The Farmer's I Almanac predicts: T-Storms Warm \ Is ;.* m>k' \ Check the >i eailwr | ; on p$ 2 .L. ' ... J Plenty Of Offerings Page 7 Now That's i Unique Page 3 1*110110:1716)773-7676 • I a\: I716» 773-7190 • l-I-Msiil: M TVusO.'clmaiUom 57-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 24 Pages 85&' Juh 3. 2003 No. IS Vol. 59 School, town board members express concerns on key issues by Jon Sandino Grand Island School and Town Board members as well as others . shared opinions and expressed concerns on several key issues during their joint meeting Monday night, including student wellness and the recent "Senior Night" vandalism debacle. Like all communities, Grand Island faces a slew of problems, some bigger than others, when it "comes to students,* but according to District Superintendent Dr. Thomas Ramming, none may be bigger than teenage drinking. "One issue I wanted to bring up... it was brought up by students and the (town) supervisor (Peter McMahon), is the issue of teenage drinking," Ramming said. According to GIFTS Coordinator Sue Novits, within the last nine months, out of 64 referrals specifically requesting counseling, 13 of those were drug- and alcohol-relatedalcohol-related issues. "In nine months, that's more than one a month, and of course, these are (only) the ones we know about," Novits said. Carol Jones, district director of pupil personnel services, added "in the last five years, every study that's been done by Erie County or a parent teacher association... consistently on the Island has shown drug and alcohol abuse are the An all out search The Erie County Sheriff's Department responded to a missing persons call late Monday afternoon. Reports indicate that a group of teens had been out late Sunday night drinking. At approximately 3 a.m. Monday morning, one of the teens, a 15 year old, was dropped off to the fields bordered by Whitehaven Road, the 1-190, Town Hall Terrace apartments, and Fantasy Island. When the teen in question went missing, concerned friends searched the field where they had dropped him off earlier. Unable to find the teen, a call was placed to the sheriff's department and an official search commenced at approximately 4 p.m. The Sheriff's newly commissioned helicopter, Air-1, was called in to assist officers on the ground with the search. The teen was later discovered in the basement of the apartment building in which he resides at Town Hall Terrace. Pictured, Air-1 searches for the missing teen as people look on from the water slide at Fantasy Island. Look inside this weeks Dispatch for more on Air-1, which was just officially placed into service on Tuesday, (photo by Brian Garman) Troops return to the 'Land of the Free, Home of the Braye' photo by Brian Gorman story by Ralph Schwarz With the Fourth of July only days away, area fami-; lies already had a j reason to cele-1 brate as they 1 reunited with j their loved ones I as 157 members 1 of the 914 th J Tactical Airlift j "Wing"'"* returned j home last Monday after months of deployment, in the Middle East. After the six C-130 Hercules transport aircrafts safely touched down and reached their parking positions at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, hundreds of family members and friends, many of them carrying flags and banners, stormed the tarmac, looking for their own personal hero. In this sea of happiness draped in red, white and blue, family members reunited with their husbands, wives, sons, daughters, and friends. At times, the jubilant cheers of the homecomers and the greeters seemed louder than the noise coming from the propellers of the fourengine planes. "Going away is tough, but coming home is great, and that's a great way to come home" said Maj. William Schunk, who was welcomed by his wife and son at the air base. After spending the last four months in Saudi Arabia and Oman, coming home did not come soon enough for the Wheatfield resident. "I thought we would be home a month ago," he said. "But then we did not go. So when we were told that we're going home this time, we cautiously optimistic because we were disappointed before." j Like many of his j fellow-soldiers, iSchunk looks forward to spend J some quality time with his family. j "That's all I want !to do, spend time with my little guy and my wife," he said. "Just staying home, going to carnivals and amusement parks. This area is such a great Sisters Larissa (right) and Nicole Nowaczyk of Depew stand in front of the Fuccillo Chevrolet eagle that was .on display at the Niagara Falls Air , Force base as they anxiously wait for ' their brother, SSgt. David Nowaczyk of the 914 Air Wing, to arrive home after serving in Iraq. continued on page 24 es* j continued an page 24 &* Lewiston • Porter • Town of Niagara • Wheatfield • Grand Island &re» Pay IfrraM'Petals At a Glance Friday Dick Bessel 2.3 Mile Road Race/314 Meter Kid Race 9 a.m. Start For more information call 773-9680 Annual Independence Day Parade Grand Island Boulevard, immediately following the road race For more information call 773-9680 Tuesday Free Summer Band Concert Town Commons Gazebo, 7 p.m. For a complete listing of area events visit NFP's Web site at www.wnypapers.com CONCRETE WORK Driveways • Patios • Sidewalks • Pattern, Stamped & Colored Concrete FREE ESTIMATES • FULLY INSURED