Island Dispatch, 2008-10-31

              Island Dispatch 773-7676 October 31, 2008 20 Pages V01.64 No. 33 $1.00 S Niagara Frontier Publications proud publishers of Island Dispatch Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver Niagara-Wheatfield Tribune www.wnypapers.com For Home. Deßvety of the Island Dispatch Call 773-7676 Open for Business page 2 Undie Sunday { page 2 Lions page 18 Inside The Dispatch I Church 6 : School ...8 j Sports 12 \ Classifieds 14 ' Crossword... 15 ; Service Directory 19 Picture Page 20 Driver escapes injury in plunge over embankment by Ray Pauley Public Information Officer Grand Island Fire Company Shortly before 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27, Grand Island Fire Company rescue personnel responded to a report of a one-car motor vehicle accident in the vicinity of 1004 East River Road. According to Grand Island Fire Co. Chief Kevin Koch, 17-year-old Julia Figliotti of Grand Island had apparently lost control of her vehicle on a dangerous curve, let the roadway and traveled about 100 feet down a steep embankment. Her vehicle came to a rest against a tree and a dock just a few feet short of the Niagara River. The woman was able to ! safely exit her vehicle prior to the arrival of GIFC rescuers and declined 1 hospitalization, after an evaluation by GIFC medics disclosed no appar| ent injuries. I Fire and police officials both agreed that Figliotti was "extremely I lucky" to have emerged unscathed from her harrowing experience. 1 All GIFC units were returned to service at 6:28 p.m. Julia Figliotti's vehicle missed several trees on its way down an embankment | before coming to rest just short of the Niagara River, (photo by Ray Pauley) Island man facing numerous charges i | The Erie County Sheriffs Dc- Jpartment has reported that a j Grand Island man was arrested j on numerous charges following a I domestic-related incident on the I night of Oct. 24. j According to Sheriffs Capt. I Ronald L. Kenyon, Austin L. Wil\ son, 24, of Bedell Road, had pointled a loaded gun at his wife and i an acquaintance of hers following j an argument that evening in their j apartment. During a struggle for j control of the gun that followed, a : round was fired which lodged into \ an exterior wall of the apartment. ■ Fortunately, no one was injured in i the blast, Kenyon reported. Wilson was arrested following the incident by Senior Det. James Hatch and sheriffs deputies Brian O'Hara and Joel Schenfield. He was charged with criminal possession in the second degree, a Class C felony; reckless endangerment in the first degree, a Class D felony; and menacing in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Officers from the Grand Island Police Department assisted county sheriffs at the scene. Wilson was incarcerated in the Erie County Holding Center, pending his arraignment in Town of Grand Island Town Court. Voters to decide 144th Assembly District Grand Islander Shelia Ferrentino will try to dethrone incumbent Assemblyman Sam Hoyt of Buffalo in Tuesday's general election. Ferrentino is a Republican in a heavily Democratic district Her platform calls for what she says are needed changes in state government Ferrentino beEeves the Assembly must take the lead in promoting economic growth. "It must put the needs of its citizens ahead of the special interests," she says in her platform. "We need to create the conditions that foster job growth," she said. "I will take on irresponsible spending and the disabling tax burden that supports it The Assembly must reduce the taxes, fees and regulations that have choked the economy and have undermined personal initiative, business growth and family budgets." Hoyt won a heated Democratic Party primary battle over Barbra Kavanaugh after weathering an Internet campaign. He has called for expanded health care and educational opportunities for children and families in Western New York in his campaign. Additionally, his campaign calls for: •Accountability in job creation programs such as Empire Zones. •Making government more open. •Cleaning up blighted neighborhoods, as with the Restore New York program. State Sen. Antoine Thompson is running unopposed in the 60th Senate District after defeating attorney Mark Grisanti in the Democratic Party primary in September. See page 5 for a sample Election Day ballot Shelia Ferrentino Sam Hoyt Today is UNICEF Day Lee Tefkowski, seated, enjoys the costumes of children at Sidway Elementary School last week. Halloween is more than trick-or-treat for Tetkowski, the coordinator of the local UNICEF Day on Grand Island. Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF raises money for clean water, good nutrition supplies and educational opportunities in developing countries around the world. Once again this year, children will be carrying little orange cartons seeking donations for UNICEF on Halloween. Pictured with Grand Island Town Supervisor Pete McMahon are children from Mrs. Black's kindergarten class, from left: Rose Meaney, princess; Aaron Szczepankiewicz, dragon; Scan McMann, policeman; and Mikayla Mallare, ballerina, (photo by C. Meaney) Shop The Summit Mall for ~~Mnnriiav~l I Un^S5bach 118 JiT^^^ Value, Convenience and Style! i (S ™«««***jr 8 628-i719 K'fw fiom^Ptoi KMmmmm Visit our shops, restaurants M&sttneSS 773-2573 / lS*£S*«»»I l^^WseOrS...Steve&Borry's...SaveilL0t...Ot... ®?SlS!»S) $Q75 pluslax J 1» i /**•//Ifo* I Food Court...and much gtioref J 2131 Grand Island Blvd. . , «S» www.iindqkufabach.tcm / ofthkeearef ' ■*"'U%IaU NQtvalidwithanyotlwofcrs.ExpireslO/31/oa ' «" North <■«»..) a opn.«t»a """"" ■ ■—— Jk'