Island Dispatch, 2007-05-04

              Island Dispatch  V01.63 No. 7 24 Pages proud publishers of Island Dispatch Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver Niagara-Wheatfield Tribune www.wnypapers.com 773-7676 $1.00 May 4, 2007 Niagara Frontier Publications For Home Delivery of the Island Dispatch Call 773-7676 Author Visits Schools page 10 ] Artpark Unveils 'Dreom-Season' page 16 j Painting the Town Purple page 24 j Drug concerns addressed at high school by Karen Keefe "Did you know that as of March 2007, there have been 12 drug incidents at the high school, resulting in three students being taken out in ambulances and one in handcuffs?"Thaf s the question Grand Island High School PTSA President Maureen Lewis e-mailed to parents on April 24. The e-mail, flyers and a general concern about drugs brought some 60 to 70 parents and resi- "dents to the high school auditorium Monday for a program . called "Current Drug Trends and Paraphernalia," presented by Sali ly Yageric from the Erie County ; Council for the Prevention of Al• cohol and Substance Abuse. One Island, One Team, One Dream A new anti-drug initiative has formed on Grand Island. With the slogan "One Island, One Team, One Dream, Striving to be Drug Re-Treeing Vets Park  ? Grand Island celebrated Arbor Day last Friday by planting 25 American Elm trees in Veterans Park on Bedell Road. The American - S Elm trees were donated by the Home Depot Foundation as a part of the Re-Tree WNY campaign. The work was done by volun- | ':• teers from the Home Depot store in Niagara Falls, the town's Commission for Conservation of the Environment, Quality Quest and '■'• 9 local garden clubs. "This is the First step in what we hope will be a very significant effort to 'Re-Tree' Grand Island," said Town - 9 Supervisor Peter McMahon. (photo by Joe Eberle) Grand island High School students show off their talent Review by Joshua Maloni Photos by Nathan Keefe Last week, James Rayhill and Jason Voltz brought sexy back. They also rode a bicycle, Irish danced, dressed like the Village People, mocked their vice principal and fought Mortal Kombat. In front of almost 600 people. Including their parents. Their teachers. And their classmates. -What would possibly possess them to do such a thing?. "Jason and I are kinda' goofy," Rayhill said. "We just don't care what people think; we go up there and do what we think is funny." It was that kind of thinking that led them - and more than 20 Grand Island High School students - to take part in the annual talent show on Thursday, April 26. The event, held in the auditorium-turned-<'American-Idor-stage, was a fund-raiser for the junior class. Nearly $3,000 was raised, and will go toward the students'senior prom. "There were more kids than I thought would show up," Assistant Principal Christopher Swiatek said. "It was very well organized by (English teacher) Amanda Souliske." Grand Island High School English teacher Rachael Fraser, left, and student Devan Golda were among the talent show's top performers. SEE DISTRICTS, continued on page 2 SEE STUDENTS, continued on page 2 I {HMoliday'll j Madness I j LARGE CHEESE PIZZA ' $050 fljli&isUßS) j 2131 Grand Island Blvd. • |Ma||piiiiiii f^jMnHrTIHffHyTHHBB WMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm , ] • Kutzbaeh IjpW • ; 628-1719 Wj-Af ; 1 \Q% Do you need to buy j j I- j or sell a home? j j \AS Call Linda Kutzbach, j j j she knows how and j j j would love to help you! j j 1 EachoHicetndepr-ndelti, • | I I owned & oper?ted #s NOufT ' I 1