Island Dispatch, 2005-03-11

              Island DISPATCH  Founded 1944 • Complete Community Coverage 60 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 Corporate Bowl Kicks Off Page II Niagara In NCAAs Page 14 * See Us On <* Web r\ Phone: <716) 773-7676 • la\: (716) 773-7190 • K-Mail: M PNo\\s('clmail.com Vol. 60 No. 51 March 11.2005 $1.00 24 Pages Skyhawk at Super Gas An A 4 E Skyhawk, a U.S. Navy attack plane, is grounded for the time being at Super Gas/Sunoco, 2024 Grand island Blvd., brought up on a double-drop trailer by a Grand Island crew headed by John Simon, owner of Super Gas and Grand Island Sales and Service. The plane is bound for the Hamburg VFW, where it will be part of a military exhibit. See story inside for more details, (photo by Karen Keefe) Island deputies brace for pink slips by Karen Keefe Erie County Sheriff's deputies at the Grand Island Substation are bracing for several layoff notices that likely Will be sent out by Friday at the latest. "We're hoping to maintain at least two cars on the Island at all times, but we can't guarantee that," said the Sheriff's Department Chief of Police Services Richard T. Donovan. "People who are assigned to the Island and doing a good job (are going to be getting pink slips)," he said. The dozen deputies who report for work on Grand Island repeatedly have been given cause for concern - and then given a reprieve - in a roller-coaster-like scenario over the past month. "It takes a toll," one deputy told the Dispatch. Others are exploring options in police agencies elsewhere, in case the job-cutting ax falls. Town Backup Plan Grand Island has received Civil Service approval to hire up to 12 seasonal full-time or 30 seasonal part-time town police officers to fill in for any laid-off deputies, and, in fact would like to attract any laidoff workers to apply. The pay would be $14.85 per hour and would come from the town's fund balance. The town currently has nine parttime officers. Supervisor Peter McMahon said about a dozen or more job applications have come in. He also said the town is exploring various types of cooperative arrangements with other area police agencies. A Dozen Deputies Donovan said currently there are three deputies assigned to each of four "watches" in District One, which is Grand Island. When other county employees were getting the bad news that the county's budget crisis was hitting home, deputies were spared job cuts because their boss, Sheriff Patrick Gallivan, went to bat for them in state Supreme Court. He and other elected department heads won a temporary restraining order stalling cuts, claiming in court that County Executive Joel Giambra's budget mess and legislators' massive cuts shouldn't affect their staffs because they are mandated by law to provide a certain level of service. But the legal string has played out - pending further appeals - and the crisis seems about to claim as many as four positions among the Island crew, according to reports circulating in the Substation. Donovan said deputies who provide services under contracts will keep their jobs in units such as Family Court, Social Services, Warrant Enforcement and Domestic Violence. 38 Job Cuts County wide However, of the 128 sworn Ted Bates named Citizen of the Year Edgar (Ted) Bates is being recognized with the Community Service Award by the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce at its upcoming 39th annual Citizen of the Year Award Banquet. Today's Dispatch continues its profiles of the honorees leading up to this year's event, which will be held Thursday, April 7 at Holiday Inn Grand Island Resort and Conference Center beginning at 6 p.m. News 4 Anchor Erika Brason will return this year as Mistress of Ceremonies. Ted was born in Meadville, Pa. He attended the Mercersburg Academy and Vale University where he was a member of the Fence Club, a social fraternity. He married Beth in 1960 and honeymooned in Hawaii. They were immediately attracted to Hawaii and stayed two years. While there, Ted worked in Waikiki, where he managed the Reef Tower Hotel. His son Warren, was born in Hawaii- Ted was a member of the Hawaii Hotel Association. Islanders since '64 While in Hawaii he was hired by Northwest Airlines and was located to Detroit to work with their sales staff. Their daughter Karen was born in Detroit. Northwest Airlines transferred Ted to Buffalo to assume the duties of area sales manager, and they moved to Grand Island, where they have lived since 1964. Their daughter, Jill, was born here. He joined IBM in sales in 1966 and stayed with this group until his family purchased Hennigar Travel Service in 1975. They retained ownership of the agency, which changed names to Red Jacket Travel Service, until 2000, when the agency was sold to R J Koch Travel Service. Active in Rotary Ted joined the Rotary Club of Grand Island in 1975 and remains active in their many endeavors; He served as president of the club in 2001-02 and currently serves as assistant governor in Rotary District 7090. He has held several positions of responsibility, most recently as project director for Rotary's addition of a new entranceway at the Golden Age Center. Ted has been honored with Edgar (Ted) Bates continued on page 2 m' continued on page 2c3= St. Patrick's Day Jm At a Glance  'W Sunday Q& St. Patrick's Day Parade v Down Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday Ancient Order of the Hibernians Party Niagara Falls Conference Center 5 to 10 p.m. Jackdaw in Concert Seneca Niagara Casino Bear's Den 7 and 9 p.m. For a complete listing of area events, visit NFP's Web site at www. wnypapers. com 1 r 2nd Section h_M ly W, " ■ directly on the River Oaks Golf CotirselTJi *m"j'i''- B ■■■ I ■■■ I V no n\_ /Ml J_ hah, ■ 4>. .\.! or_<™kJj fast n°°k and snack bar-2nd||r-b*m--s "•a 'J u r t.._—ai_—j-— ill ■ iiii iipcH j ___:— , gjgjjg jsst  1 ffffik r . V Pill E>—■'■Hl Too many upgrades and extras to roentidi c■' -i..i .L.. t, «,„ »".9 |ff llf f V ■■Wlb W Celebrating Hometown Life I^SSS**-"* { gP'r ri.iVl l'J '" + Selling or Buying a home... Cu.l I i-iotuhe* ill hrtrwu. »•* | | - Ss_____