Island Dispatch, 2007-07-27

              Island Dispatch 773-7676  $1.00 July 27, 2007 Vol. 63 No. 19 For Home Delivery of the Island Dispatch Call 773-7676 Niagara f H Pi Frontier proud publishers of Island Dispakh Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver Niagara-Whealfield Tribune www.wnypapers.com 24 Pages Revamped Plaza Dedicated page 3 Friends of Lynnette Tour page 5 Bailey in Pageant page .10 Man shot dead, GI woman hospitalized after gunfire on Crescent Road Story and photos by Karen Keefe A 26-year-old Grand Island woman is recovering from gunshot wounds today, and her 30-yearold male assailant was shot and killed Wednesday night on Grand Island by an Erie County sheriffs deputy. The tragic events unfolded on Crescent Road near Broadway, leaving the quiet neighborhood in saddened disbelief. Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard said the suspect, Thomas Dodge of Niagara Falls, failed to drop his weapon after repeated requests, and after he continued to threaten the young woman. Howard said the deputy's actions may well have saved the life of Tami M. Trottnow of Crescent Road. The Erie County bomb squad was also called in when it was learned that the suspect was carrying two pipe bombs in a backpack, police said, and several homes were evacuated as a precaution. The area was cordoned off during the incident, and more than a dozen emergency vehicles were on the scene of the shooting throughout the night. Trottnow is listed in good condition at the Erie County Medical Center, where she was treated for three wounds that were not life threatening, Howard said. The suspect was shot by Deputy Thomas Meredith of West Seneca, a five-year veteran of the Sheriffs Department in his mid-30s who regularly works at the Grand Island Substation. "He absolutely did exactly what we would have expectedexpected him to do under those circumstances," said Dennis Rankin, chief of Police Services for the Erie County Sheriffs Office. Pair Had Dated For 2 Months Howard said Trottnow and Dodge had been dating for about two months, and she apparently broke off the relationship on Monday. The sheriff said it appeared to be a "pivotal day." Dodge reportedly failed to go to work after that, and his father, who lives at 80 Crescent Road, in his concern to ascertain his son's whereabouts, had called a woman in Niagara Falls who is the mother of Dodge's 2year-old son. She reportedly drove Thomas Dodge to Grand Island on Wednesday night. The Niagara Falls woman was not involved in any of the subsequent events, the sheriff said. The struggle between Dodge and Trottnow began around 10 p.m. Wednesday, when police received a call of someone attempting suicide, Rankin said. A sheriff's deputy and a Grand Island police officer were nearby and responded immediately to the address Tami M. Trottnow (submitted photo) Members of the Erie County Sheriff's Department confer, and emergency crews from the Grand Island Fire Company stand by in the aftermath o? a snooting on Crescent Road near Broadway. Paddles Up Niagara, Round 2, this Saturday Story and photo by Karen Keefe The second annual "Paddles Up Niagara" is generating "great enthusiasm," said Rob Belue, executive director of the Niagara River Greenway Commission, which runs the event "It's a nice way to spend the day, and hopefully the weather holds out," he said. This Saturday's recreational 4.6-mile paddle for kayaks and canoes will take place on the Niagara River at the southern tip of Grand Island, right in Beaver Island State Park. There is no entry fee for paddle participants. Among the rules, you must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (life jacket), and your craft must be checked to ensure that it can safely make the trip. If you don't have a kayak or canoe, you can rent one in advance. But there won't be any available for rent on site at the park. Non-competitive Fun The theme is non-competitive and fun. Organizers extend an invitation for people to enjoy the waterway and its beautiful sights and sounds, including wetlands, wildlife and even a heron rookery. It's not necessarily an event just for the serious kayaker or canoe enthusiast - although they are welcome, too. "We wanted to get people out on the river to enjoy it. We didn't want them to be just dead tired when they got to the end of the line - and crawl into their cars and disappear," said Greenway Niagara River Greenway Commissioner Paul Leuchner kayaks within the East River Restoration Project, part of the water trail for Saturday's recreational event, Paddles Up Niagara at Beaver island State Park. SEE PADDLE'S, continued on page 12 SEE SHERIFF'S, continued on page 2 Monday \ Madness! LARGE CHEESE PIZZA I f $350 i " (ISalstlßj) J2131 Grand Island Blvd. '. \ Kutzbach RP^W I 628-1719 ___-**£& j 773-2573 M JsWM ' ;QS ®° y°u ne*td to buy I or sell a home? !A* Call Linda Kutzbach, I she knows how and \ j would love to help you! • W ; *£ach office Indepwdentiyif ' l ' owned 8 operated ft NOftH I