An eight-week community preparedness course will to take place at Grand Island Fire Co. headquarters.

Kaegebein Elementary School's second annual Harvest Fest is Saturday, Oct. 8. The event includes food, games, a dunk tank, a basket raffle and more.

The new school year means a new season of dance instruction on the Island as well.

Hundreds of spectators, volunteers and players turned out for the very first ball game played at the Sabres Miracle League Field in Veterans Park Tuesday.

Area business members had a chance to say thank you and goodbye to this year's outgoing Youth Ambassadors, Sydney Dudish and Kathleen Rustowicz, at the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce board of directors summer outing. The outing was held on the Grand Lady cruise ship.

At 8:36 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24, Grand Island Fire Co. firefighters responded to a structure fire at 303 Park Place, which had been reported by a neighbor who noticed "heavy smoke coming from the eaves." This home has been under construction by Joel Kruppa, a Niagara Falls firefighter who was not on the premises when the fire erupted.

Board of Education

At 9:22 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21, Grand Island Fire Co. firefighters responded to a commercial alarm of fire at Walgreens drug store at 2320 Grand Island Blvd.

Work continues on the Sabres Miracle League Field in Veterans Park.

A tradition continued Saturday in Lewiston as Grand Island High School's art team won the 27th annual Chalk Walk competition at the Lewiston Art Festival.

Visitors to Martin's Fantasy Island on Sunday, Aug. 21, will get an added bonus: admission to the WNY Oldsmobile Club's 17th annual Classic Car Show at no extra charge.

Rachel Novelli, owner of the Grand Island Dance Center, noticed that since she moved her business from the Sandy Beach area to the Grand Island Plaza people are walking in off the street to see what's going on.

The town will apply for a $400,000 grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for financial assistance with the Scenic Woods-Bicentennial Park project.

Grand Island Fire Co. Chief Kevin Koch reports that the GIFC has reached a record number of qualified basic live support and advanced life support providers as a result of vigorous recruitment and training policies.

Cyclists are invited to take part in The Ride Grand Island, a biking fundraiser that takes participants on a scenic tour of the Island while raising funds for cancer research and patient support programs at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

There were 210 boats with 243 paddlers at this year's sixth annual Paddles Up Niagara, a paddlesport event at Beaver Island State Park.

Several Grand Island firefighters were recently recognized for a lifetime of significant community service accomplishments during a Saturday evening event at Grand Island Fire Co. headquarters.

The Disabled American Veterans Mobile Service Office will stop at the Pfc. Charles N. DeGlopper Memorial Post No. 9249 Veterans of Foreign Wars parking lot, 2121 Grand Island Blvd., on Monday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

On Monday, Aug. 22, the power to Kaegebein Elementary School will be shut off to allow for repairs to an insulator on a power pole outside the building.

Amy Stewart visited Tuesday's Town Commons concert series to help support the Miracle League of Grand Island and Western New York's effort to raise money for an adaptive baseball diamond in Veterans Park for ballplayers with disabilities.

At its Monday evening meeting, the Grand Island Board of Education discussed the composition of the capital project planning committee.

This year, the Grand Island Lions Club's Special Kids Picnic entertained more than 800 kids and their chaperones to a day of food and fun, including boat rides, pony rides, face painting, music, hot dogs and hamburgers. The Lions rely on donations from the community to fund this event.

Building reconfiguration of elementary school grade levels is off the table for now as the Grand Island Central School District continues work on a possible capital construction project.

Fuccillo Chevrolet added another assist to its stat sheet of corporate good will.

New York State Sen. Mark Grisanti and Assemblyman John Ceretto wrote a letter to seek clarification as to whether or not the directors of the USA Niagara Development Corporation have the jurisdiction in their bylaws to increase the size of their footprint within Niagara Falls.

It was altogether fitting that Martin DiPietro needed a microphone and speaker for his comments at Saturday's birthday party marking the founding of Fantasy Island in 1961. Without an amplifier, no one would have heard the owner of the amusement park on Grand Island Boulevard above the screams and laughs of patrons on his midway.