Vintage auto lost in fast-moving garage fire
Story and photos by Ray Pauley
Public Information Officer
Grand Island Fire Co.
Grand Island Dispatch, May 2, 2008

Firefighter trainee Nicole Gerber looks on as Fire Investigators Chuck Berlinger
and Steve Merboth confer with the owner and examine debris for fire origin clues.

Shortly after noon on Sunday, April 27, Grand Island Fire Co. firefighters responded to a garage fire at the John Sobieski residence on Stony Point Road. A neighbor reportedly discovered smoke venting from the structure and notified the homeowner, who in turn called 9-1-1 for emergency GIFC assistance, according to Chief Greg Butcher.

The separate garage was fully involved with flames when the first GIFC unit arrived on location within two minutes, and Butcher noted that there was no time to remove a 1980 Camaro that was parked inside undergoing restoration. Combined fire suppression efforts by attack crews utilizing Engines No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5, had the fire knocked down and under control in approximately 25 minutes, although attention to hot spots and overhaul extended on-scene operations.

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Wind chimes for life
by Alice E. Gerard
Grand Island Dispatch, May 2, 2008

The soft tinkling of wind chimes gives a tender melody to a light breeze. People tend to find wind chimes soothing and their sound tranquil and pleasant.

Wind chimes, which sound even in the faintest of breezes, sing all of the time. That constant song gave Stefani Perakis of Lewiston the idea to design wind chimes for Relay For Life.

“Cancer never sleeps,” said Stefani, who, with her mother, Connie Perakis, was selling the wind chimes at the April 26 roast beef dinner at the Knights of Columbus. Stefani and Connie are part of the Amazing Grace Relay For Life team, which includes this year’s honorary survivor, Lisa Dudley, and her mother, Grace Aswad, a three-time cancer survivor, for whom the team was named.

“The wind chimes are all handmade and are one of a kind,” Stefani said. “No one else has them.”

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Moose-kateers upcoming fundraiser
by Alice E. Gerard
Grand Island Dispatch, May 2, 2008

On a bright, sunny May 1, Dona Cameron and Maria Fox set up a table outside of M&T Bank at Grand Island Plaza to sell purple ribbons and to publicize Relay For Life Team Moose-kateers’ May 10 chicken barbecue from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Grand Island Rod and Gun Club, 1083 Whitehaven Road.

“We’re selling magnets and angels and barbecue tickets. We’re really trying to get rid of those. We want lots of people to come out to our chicken barbecue,” Cameron said.

“We are going to have a huge basket raffle. I think that we’re supposed to have over 100 baskets. They’re all going to be great,” Fox said.

Cameron said that she was hoping that the chicken barbecue would be a big seller. “We’re hoping to raise a ton of money,” she said. “We really want everyone to come out. It’s a great cause. Everyone’s been touched by cancer. Everybody can help make a difference in research. We need research, not only for new people who are being diagnosed with cancer, but also for people who have cancer that comes back.”

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Peace and SereniTea
by Donna M. Webb
Grand Island Dispatch, May 2, 2008

A blessing—that’s what Cathy Knight, co-owner of SereniTea Cottage & Gift Shoppe, hopes the teahouse will be for everyone who visits. “I want it to be a place where people can come and have some peace,” she said.

Knight and her partner, Rosemary Doeing, opened their SereniTea Cottage to the public last week at 2014 Grand Island Blvd. A good number of folks have stopped by just to get the brochure and find out more. “People don’t know what a tea is. It’s just not common,” Knight explained.

The brochure invites you to “leave all the technology behind and allow a steaming cup of tea to clear your mind, a warm scone to encourage your spirit, and the ambiance of SereniTea to quiet your heart.” To foster a peaceful environment, patrons are asked to silence their cell phones and pagers. Also, there is a sign that states, “To maintain a relaxed and calm atmosphere, we welcome children ages 5 and up.” Customers are welcome to visit the Hat Corner at SereniTea to borrow a vintage hat to dress for tea. A gift shop offers teacups, teapots and jewelry for sale.

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Car collides with Subway
Grand Island Dispatch, April 18, 2008
by Ray Pauley
Public Information Officer
Grand Island Fire Co.

When Mike Dudley took his wife Lisa, daughter Kara, and son Eric to the local Subway Sandwiches and Salads for a quiet Thursday evening meal, he could not imagine that it would suddenly turn into an extremely harrowing experience.

But that’s exactly what happened when a vehicle driven by 44-year-old Patricia Rafferty of Grand Island came crashing through the front plate glass window of the business, located at 2287 Grand Island Blvd., after jumping up and across a four-foot walkway.

Grand Island firefighters arrived on location at 6:23 p.m., according to Capt. Paul Gorman, who reported no serious injuries to the Dudley family members, who were sitting in the front booth where shards of glass and other debris landed within inches. Gorman described this entire incident as “an unexplained freak accident.”

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GICSD to receive $1.59 million increase in state aid
Grand Island Dispatch, April 18, 2008

The 2008-09 state budget contains a $1.59 million increase in school aid for the Grand Island Central School District, a 9.3 percent increase from the last fiscal year.

The school district will receive a record total of $17.79 million in state aid, according to Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, D-Buffalo, Grand Island.

“This is great news for Grand Island’s schoolchildren,” Hoyt said. “This increase in school aid will help lessen property tax increases and allow the Grand Island schools to continue reforming and enhancing its programs. This increase represents real progress towards providing our schools with the tools and the funding they need to provide our children with the best quality education possible.”

Hoyt also announced the restoration of state funding for 92 school resource officers (SROs) currently serving in schools throughout New York state, including Grand Island.

“I am pleased to announce that the 2008-09 New York state budget includes much needed funding for these valued members of the education community,” said Hoyt.

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Holiday Inn: new manager, makeover
by Laura Elia Balcom
Grand Island Dispatch, April 18, 2008

Scott Zeplowitz comes from a family of entrepreneurs. He grew up working in various family-owned businesses, including in sales and real estate. Then, while in college, he started his own company – a window treatment business, which he successfully ran for 10 years. In 2006, he rejoined the family business, the Holiday Inn Grand Island, owned by his father Maury Zeplowitz and business partner Howard Schweitzer, taking over as general manager in 2007.

“When the chance to work for the hotel came along, I took it,” said the junior Zeplowitz. “It was too good an opportunity.” And he hasn’t looked back, leading the effort to update the Holiday Island Grand Island – both inside and out.

Facility Upgrades

In July 2007, new tile was installed in the hotel lobby. In the next few weeks, new carpeting will be installed in the surrounding lobby areas, as well as in the ballroom corridor and on the ground floor, by the fitness center and pool. The hotel will also be renovating 150 guest rooms, in addition to the 150 that were already renovated over the past two years.

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‘Grand Lady’ cruises into 10th year
Photo and story by Laura Elia Balcom
Grand Island Dispatch, April 18, 2008

The 80-foot dining yacht “Grand Lady” ended up on Grand Island completely by accident, according to captain and owner Rick Deegan.

Deegan intended to open a dinner cruise company in Erie, Penn., however, the situation didn’t work out quite as expected.

A South Buffalo Irish Catholic, Deegan spent 23 years at Buffalo Charters, working first as a general manager, and then captain, eventually becoming a partner, before splitting with the company in 1996. When he learned that the Erie Port Authority was in search of a dinner boat and water taxi operator, he thought it sounded like the perfect opportunity to start fresh.

Deegan submitted a proposal. When the Port Authority’s executive director started directing customers interested in charters to call him, he took that as a good sign. So he closed the deal on the ship – and lost the bid.

“Here I am, I have a boat and no place to take it,” said Deegan. “At the time, I knew one of the owners of the Holiday Inn quite well. So I called him up, had lunch with him, and showed him pictures of the boat. I asked him how he’d like to have this boat at his dock. He said ‘yes.’ ”

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Technology reinvented
by Donna M. Webb
Grand Island Dispatch, April 18, 2008

Angelo Grande has taken his previous technology-based camp for kids and transformed it into two new, but related, businesses.

Remember the Technology Camp of America? It was in the building that sits in front of Grinders Skate Park. Students learned about technological principles in fun ways—like building robots and using software programs to design sturdy bridges or product packaging. Unfortunately, though, there wasn’t enough interest to sustain the new venture. Grande reluctantly closed his technology camp in 2005, but kept the TCA name.

While the camp was in business, people saw various applications running on the computers. Then, Grande began to receive a number of requests for computer assistance from parents and business owners alike.

When he taught a unit involving the creation of buttons and T-shirts with logos, some of the adults took notice. They wanted something similar for their company or organization.

“At that point, the business model was focused on the kids,” Grande said.

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Teatime at River Lea
by Alice E. Gerard
Grand Island Dispatch, April 18, 2008

In 1840, Anna, Duchess of Bedford, invented the English custom of the afternoon tea to prevent that “sinking feeling” that people get at approximately four o’clock in the afternoon after having not eaten since breakfast. She invited friends to join her in enjoying a cup of tea and a sandwich or a scone.

Holding an afternoon tea continues to be a popular activity in England and, in the past few years, it has become a fashionable event in the United States. According to Carol Moore, vice president of the Grand Island Historical Society, the group’s annual Victorian Tea, scheduled for 2 p.m., Sunday, at River Lea, is so popular that it sold out by the end of March.

The Victorian tea will feature a special blend of tea, called Maisie’s tea, said Jane Duffy, who is co-chairing the event, along with Carolyn Dobert and Sharon Nichols. “One of our members made up the recipe for the tea. We will have scones with clotted cream and apricot preserves. We have sandwiches, always cucumber, and shrimp. We’ll also have ham salad and chicken salad.”

Dessert will feature “teapot cookies,” made by Duffy. Other desserts will include chocolate dipped strawberries and shortbread, said Dobert. She added that the food, which was all donated by friends of River Lea, will be served by docents dressed in “crisp white aprons.” Town Historian and Society member Teddy Linenfelser, who will also be in costume, will serve as hostess. She will meet partygoers at the door and will escort them to their seats.

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Town tree planting scheduled for May 10
by Alice E. Gerard
Grand Island Dispatch, April 18, 2008

On May 10, Island volunteers will have the chance to start the process of turning Grand Island Boulevard into a tree-lined roadway, said Town Councilwoman Mary Cooke at a joint school and town board meeting on Monday, March 31.

“We want to beautify our business district, which is something that our townspeople have been asking us to do for a long time,” Cooke explained, adding that the upcoming planting is the first one to be done off of town property.

Previous plantings have taken place on town property. For the town’s sesquicentennial in 2002, 150 trees were planted. On Nov. 10, 2007, volunteers planted 60 trees in Veterans Park, Town Commons, and in front of the fire hall on Grand Island Boulevard and Baseline Road. “The actual sites of the 19 trees that will be planted are on the right of way on Grand Island Boulevard,” Cooke said.

To plant trees on a right of way, the town must obtain work permits from both Erie County and New York state. Cooke said that the state and county have assured the town that, as long as the town submits its paperwork, the work permits should be ready for a May 10 planting.

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On display
by Alice E. Gerard
Grand Island Dispatch, April 11, 2008

This replica of the flag that was flown at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo was one of the gifts that Ruth Englert, first vice president of the Grand Island Historical Society, received during the 100th anniversary of the exposition in 2001. Also on display at the April 3 Historical Society meeting in River Lea were a hatchet from the Indian Village, a deck of cards featuring all exposition buildings, and a jigsaw puzzle – all of which are actual souvenirs of the exposition. A slide presentation of historian Roy Nagle’s collection was also presented. Nagle, a reporter for the Buffalo Daily Courier and, later, the Courier-Express, maintained a large photograph and memorabilia collection, most of which dealt with Buffalo’s past. For his efforts, Nagle received the Red Jacket Award from the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society in 1957, among many other awards and honors.

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Spring sports begin anew
Grand Island Dispatch, April 11, 2008

The sunny, warm weather means, hopefully, the spring sports at Grand Island High School will run as scheduled. Tuesday, the Vikings’ Mike Mucci took to the home court in a third singles match. Mucci lost to Rob Batcho 6-1, 6-4. GI lost to Kenmore West, 5-0.

‘He’ll never see me under here!’
Grand Island Dispatch, April 11, 2008

Blackjack the cat crawled under a piece of paper as if to hide. Blackjack, a Bombay cat owned by Islander Kent Webb’s family, sometimes gets the crazy idea that he can lie on the dining room table, and is only thwarted by the threat of a shot from a water bottle (as seen in Mark Webb’s hand). If the cat doesn’t get off the table, he gets sprayed on his back with a fi ne mist. Blackjack was found as a stray kitten at the Buffalo Airport a few years ago, and when the lady who rescued him had to board a plane, he was taken in by the Webbs. (photo by Donna M. Webb)

Volcano Experiment
Grand Island Dispatch, April 11, 2008

The third grade students at St. Stephen School were led by Mrs. Samplinski in creating volcano effects in science class. The students observed how the lava would flow from the volcano as the ingredients were added to cause the eruption. Each student created his own volcano for demonstration to the class.

What’s that sound?

Grand Island Dispatch, April 11, 2008

It was a sort of “bring your dog to work day” at Niagara Frontier Publications as Kathy Duff brought her 3-year-old Jack Russell terrier, Buster, to the office. Buster emulated the Dispatch editor during his stay: he wrote a story and edited photographs, then chased a tennis ball and took a nap.

Hello, spring Grand Island Dispatch, April 11, 2008 Niagara Frontier Publications photographer Alice Gerard found these crocuses on Baseline Road, the first flowers of spring.