Island Dispatch, 2006-02-24

              Island Dispatch $1.00 For Home Delivery of the Island Dispatch Call 773-7676 S Niagara Frontier Publications proud publishers of Niagara-Wheatfield Tribune Island Dispatch Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver www.wnypapers.com V01.61 No. 49 February 24, 2006 24 Pages Slaughter honors Quider page 10 Gymnasts win medals page 14 Relay gets a big boost page 24 Coppola, Jacobs square off in Feb. 28 Senate race by Karen Keefe In many ways, Republican Chris Jacobs and Democrat Marc Coppola are more alike than different Both promise to fightfor more jobs to keep our young people here. Both will work for more low-cost power to keep businesses here. Both Buffalo residents want to be more responsive to the needs of Grand Islanders. Neither thinks Grand Island residents should have to pay bridge tolls to the Thruway authority. Both are articulate young men with energy and vision. And they have another thing in common. Both want to finish out the state Senate term of new Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. The 60th District includes Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Grand Island. Tuesday, Feb. 28, is the day voters, in a special election, will decide which one gets to be state senator - but only until Dec. 31 - when the current term is up. However, whoever wins on Tuesday would have a head start in the November race for a four-year term. Their goal is similar: Make Western New York a winner in the economic sweepstakes. The paths they would take define them. Read our profiles of the candidates, starting on page 5. Marc Coppola Chris Jacobs GIFTS program thriving under Tonawanda 'Y' by Karen Keefe Grand Island has a new partner in providing town residents with afterschool care and family counseling referrals: The YWCA of the Tonawandas. Teamworkbetween the town and the *¥" is introducing new resources to help Islanders of all ages. If s all happening through an ongoing program known as GIFTS, an acronym for Grand Island Family, Town and Schools. The GIFTS family support center is located at the Nike Base, 3278 Whitehaven Road. Over the years, many Islanders have come to know this program when they looked for solutions to family problems. GIFTS has been a bridge over troubled water for families in need for the better part of a decade. But the GIFTS program itself has recently steered through some troubled waters to finally reach clear sailing. Overcoming Loss of Funding Grand Island Councilwoman Mary Cooke said that originally, the town and school collaborative known as GIFTS grew out of the town's Enrichment and Referral Center. GIFTS funding came from United Way, and its Cory Adanshick, Ben Parrington, Brendan Pratt and Nick Bonarek have fun and learn about high finance by playing a game of Monopoly at the YWCA after-school program at Huth Road Elementary School, (photo by Fred Clausj E-ZPass is getting easier with high-speed lanes by Dave Panzarella Grand Island travelers will soon be able to drive more easily through new high-speed B-ZPass lanes planned for the North Grand Island Bridge coming from Niagara Falls. The New York State Thruway Authority announced that it would add one 20 mph E-ZPass lane by the end of the year. Town Supervisor Peter McMahon says it should reduce Thruway traffic congestion but probably would not increase traffic to Grand Island itself. Thruway spokesman Patrick Noonan confirmed that the new highspeed E-ZPass lane would be located on the extreme left, farthest from the employees' building, on the southbound North Bridge. The E-Zpass lanes entering into the northbound South Grand Island Bridge from Buffalo will remain at their current 5 mph speed limit. While 20 mph wouldn't ordinarily be termed "fast," motorists will probably prefer it to the 5 mph crawl currently required by the Thruway. Drivers caught exceeding that limit risk fines and possible loss of E-ZPass privileges. $3.5 Million Project The Authority announced that it would spend more than $3.5 million Finishing what wind started Island resident Donald Pyriick Jr. of the 4600 block of East River Road begins the task of removing an uprooted 50-foot pine tree that fell into his neighbor's yard. The tree, which is owned by the Pytiicks, was one of the many victims of the near 70-mph wind gusts the entire Western New York region endured last Friday. The tree was believed to have toppled onto the yard at approximately 4 or 5 a.m. as the peak gusts were whipping throughout the area, (photo by Joe Eberle) continued on page 2 continued on page 2 Monday Madness LARGE CHEESE PIZZA $T95 m plus tax 2131 Grand Island Blvd. KutzbochQ^V Associate Broker  #1 Island Agent Wj^^M #1 Company in WHY 743-73*1 or 628-1719 Q* Da you need to boy or • sell a home? AoCaH Linda Katzbach, • she knows now and would love to hels yon.