Island Dispatch, 2007-10-12

              Island Dispatch Niagara (ft "Til Frontier Publications proud publishers of Island Dispatch Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver Niagara-Wheatfield Tribune www.wnypapers.cam For Home Delivery, of' the Island-Dispatch . ;-' €mli 770-7676. ' 773-7676 $1.00 V01.63 No. 30 October 11, 2007 20 Pages Talking economy page 3 GI takes title page 14 Meeting provides answers from Thruway Authority Photos and story by Larry Austin State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt's public meeting with the Thruway Authority at Grand Island Town Hall provided an opportunity for the Authority to backpedal from earlier reports that a toll increase was coming. Hoyt said the purpose of the meeting last Thursday was to discuss the redecMng project slated for the southbound South Grand Island Bridge in 2008, to address the possible systemwide increase in tolls, and to' discuss bridge safety in light of the collapse of a bridge in Minnesota. Both Hoyt and Grand Island Town Supervisor Peter McMahon thought the meeting was a positive one. "We, I think, got some assurances from the Tteuway pubMK although jwe've had them privately, that there was going to be consideration given to our toll situation in terms of the increase that's proposed," McMahon said. "We got public reassurance that we had privately about the condition of the bridges, that*they weren't going to fall in, and I think they've got their head screwed on fairly straight with regards to the redecking project, which is going to create some anxiety," MeMahon added. McMahon said later that issues with the Thruway Authority arid transportation in general is of higher concern for the average Islander. "We're so dependent here on a car and on transportation because we travel off the Island for a lot of goods and services," he said. "You can't go to a hospital here. You've got to go off the Island. You can't go to a shopping mall here. You've got to go off the Island." "Be c a use we're depen- dent on cars, ! as opposed to people who live in j Tom Pericak State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt makes a point during a meeting at Grand Island Town Hall as Erie County Legislator Michele lannello looks on. Peter McMahon Rotarians adopt South Parkway Photo and story by Donna Webb You may have seen them last Saturday morning - a group of people donning bright orange vests and carrying large trash bags of the same color. A dedicated group of 14 Grand Island Rotarians, and even the son of one of the club members, got together at about 8:30 a.m. with one goal in mind: to cleanup "their" section of theßeaver Island South Parkway. Twice a year, the Rotary Club, as part of the Adopt-a-Highway Program in New York state, picks up trash on the median and the sides of the road. They cover the South Parkway from Red Jacket Road all the way up to the state park. Ibis year, they also cleaned up the lot between the post office and Rite-Aid where there was a great deal of paper litter. Sonia Castillo-Smith's son, Victor Sarmiento, age 13, came with his mother to assist in the efforts. Castillo-Smith explained that the dirtiest part of the section they picked up was near the fence by the pedestrian bridge that is close to Kaegebein Elementary School. "We enjoyed the time out; we contributed a (bit) to the cause of making Grand Island a little better," she said. Dr. Tom Sheehah, who organized the event, estimated that 15 to 20 totaltotal bags of trash were collected by the Rotarians in the two locations. When asked how long the Rotary Club has been involved with this clean-up, he said, "We've been doing it since at least 1995." As a matter of fact, he found what was probably the most unusual item - a set of 5 used tires. An Adopt-a-Highway sign that recognizes the contributions the Rotarians make toward a cleaner environment stands near the corner of the South Rotarians volunteered their time on a vfery humid morning to clean up the Beaver Island South Parkway and a vacant lot on Baseline Road. Front row, from left: Bob Gruber, Bob Helenbrook, Dr. Jerry Barlow, Dr. Tom Sheehan with Victor Sarmiento in front of him, Woody Hausler, Kent Webb, and Sonia Castillo-Smith. Back row: Angelo Palamuso and Dick Earne. Not shown in the photo are John Harbison, Dr. Hans Koritz and his wife, Eva; Donna Webb, Grand Island Councilman Gary Roesch, and John Bruno. GIHS suspends 19 athletes by Larry Austin Grand Island High School suspended 19 student-athletes following a lengthy investigation into a birthday party that included alcohol. "It's a long week, I'll tell you that," said Grand Island Athletic Director Jon Roth Saturday after completing the investigation. Roth looked into a party in the Sandy Beach section of Grand Island on Saturday, Sept. 29, I which started with a small group I of about 15 high school invitees, | according to the school district, and soon grew to more than 150 students from multiple high schools. j 'Thirty-nine athletes were at J the party and 19 were suspendj ed, all different sports," said j. Roth. j "My job as an investigator was f to interview every Md," he said. j "We created a list and then interviewed every kid, and we did the best we could with what we had ■with statements from kids." "I just followed our athletic agreement. I had no sheriffs report. There's no police. I had no adult witnesses, so we basically interviewed all 39 kids. We just, j point blank, asked them if they j were drinking." i Roth said the policy states that • if a student-athlete is at a party | and sees alcohol, he has to leave j the party immediately. 1 "As far as the athletic policy j reads, I stayed very consistent. | If they were there, I asked them J if they were drinking. If they j weren't drinking, I asked them, j Were you aware of alcohol?' And | if they were aware of it, they had j to leave immediately, so it was pretty cut and dried. If they were j aware of it and they left immedij ately, they're okay. If they drank, j it's a little more severe." Coincidentally, the Erie 1 .County Sheriffs Department arrested 22 underage drinkers in Clarence at a house party. Working on a tip, Deputy Dan Brinkerhoff discovered the owners of the home were away and unaware their son and daughter were hosting what the department called "an illegal event." Unlike in Clarence, no arrests were made at the GI party. (See page 7 for the Grand Island PoliceSEE SEVEN, continued on page 3 SEE BRIDGES, continued on page 2 ; i Linda ||l|i: j 1 ] Kutzbach pPPsPiI j j Associate Broker Fffl J s ! ; 628-1719 g>-1.1 j \ , / te"ta^are / ; ■ . W '! ' l Each o'Sice independently , ', | North owned & operated s j ! ! t '"'''^■EVt'itirlßcTNiflij I ! , , f * zMSmSlStit' i MJPffHM J Ion your home 1 | f joan<f!ugokinski@ceiitury2l,t:omj | f I I : , ■