Students from the Grand Island Dance Center are getting into the holiday spirit of giving by holding a food drive to benefit the Neighbors Foundation of GI.

The town's updated signage at a main gateway to the Island.

Veronica E. Connor Middle School has announced its high honor, honor, and merit rolls for the first quarter of the 2011-12 academic year.

The fourth grade class at Kaegebein Elementary School celebrated "Colonial Day."

Children at Kaegebein Elementary School hunted over tables covered with paperbacks last Friday in search of that perfect book.

The Grand Island Recreation Department, the Grand Island Lions Club, the Grand Island Central School District, and Kelly's Country Store have combined for a series of fundraising events.

The Grand Island Board of Education worked through a varied business agenda Monday evening, including hearing a presentation from the district's Bullying Committee.

Recognizing a Grand Island Eagle Scout on the occasion of his Court of Honor.

Grand Island High School's National Honor Society held its annual spaghetti dinner on Nov. 18.

Monday evening, members of the Grand Island Board of Education met with school administrators and members of the district's facility committee to formulate an effective public information plan regarding the possible 2011 capital project. Two separate propositions, in the amounts of $46,822,155 and $4,596,629, will go to public vote on Tuesday, Dec. 20.

A Saturday matinee performance by the Spotlighters drama club at Grand Island High School will be a family reunion of sorts.

Eight very enthused Kaegebein students had an unusual but exciting ride to school on Monday, Oct. 17. They were picked up and driven to school in Grand Island Fire Co. trucks.

John Anthony and John Rodriguez were promoted.

Kester Bleich of Grand Island receives a flag from a Boy Scout during Friday's Veterans Day ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Wall on Bedell Road.

Grand Island Fire Co. Cadet Evan Shaw was awarded the prestigious Eagle Scout rank during a special ceremony on Oct. 28 at fire headquarters.

Islanders celebrated a windy Veterans Day at the Memorial Wall on Bedell Road last Friday.

The election of Councilwoman Mary Cooke to town supervisor has necessitated a search for another council member.

The Grand Island Town Board approved a 2012 budget last Thursday with roughly 2 percent increases in tax rates across budget lines.

The general fund appropriations total $6,764,540, with the amount raised by taxation at $2,162,590.The estimated tax rate, $3.12 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, is an increase of 2.2 percent from the 2011 rate of $3.053.

Taelor Reynolds, a Grand Island native, is currently starring in a Niagara University TV commercial.

Online home of Sentinel, Tribune and Dispatch offers new photo galleries, sliders and ad module.

Grand Island Cub Scout Pack 630 spent some time with U.S. Border Patrol agents Monday, Nov. 7, at the U.S. Border Patrol Sector Office on Grand Island to learn about the mission of Border Patrol and the duties of the agents.

The Grand Island Town Board passed a right-to-farm law Monday after receiving strong support from the Island's farming community at a public hearing.

The official installation of New York DECA members took place at Salvatore's Italian Gardens last Tuesday night.

The Grand Island Town Board issued two proclamations at its meeting on Monday.

Someone lit a fire under the Grand Island Republican Party on Election Day.

At the Monday evening meeting of the Grand Island Board of Education at Kaegebein Elementary School, Superintendent of Schools Robert Christmann announced the retirement of Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Karen Karmazin effective Dec. 7.

Christmann said that Karmazin would be missed and that he would have more comments on her tenure with Grand Island at the next board meeting. Karmazin declined to speak much at the meeting about her retirement, but did comment that her years of service have been "an extraordinary experience."

During an Oct. 20 "Meet the Candidates Night," candidates for town offices were asked durng the question-and-answer portion of the forum: Do you believe the town should pay for the maintenance of sidewalks not owned by the town, and if so, how would you propose paying for it?

Veronica Connor Middle School
Five musical groups performed at the Connor Middle School fall concert on Wednesday night in the Grand Island High School auditorium.

Grand Island put together its most dominating performance of the football season last Thursday to win the Chuck Funke Memorial Classic, 28-0 over Hamburg.

I was pleased to learn in a recent issue of the Island Dispatch that our Grand Island Community Federal Credit Union is expanding its services to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers on Grand Island.

Tuesday's general election features a rematch of the 2007 race for town supervisor between Peter McMahon and Mary Cooke.

Cooke said four years ago after her defeat that some had urged her to run a negative campaign, which she declined to do. This year, she's pointed out what she considers McMahon's shortcomings and called a vote for the incumbent a vote for the status quo. McMahon's campaign has primarily focused on his tenure as supervisor, saying that with regard to his accomplishments in such areas as reducing debt and expanding green space, "leadership is the key."

On the cusp of breaking the $1 million mark in funds raised for the American Cancer Society, supporters of the Grand Island Relay For Life held a "reunion."

School Bus Safety Poster Contest winners from Sidway, St. Stephen, Kaegebein and Huth Road schools were treated to breakfast at Tops on Thursday morning.

Challengers for town government offices took jabs at incumbents.

Wednesday evening, the Grand Island Board of Education passed three separate resolutions related to the possible 2011 capital project affecting all five public school buildings.

The first resolution, whereby the district would initiate an environmental impact assesment, as required by state law, relative to the proposed capital project, passed unanimously with a 6-0 vote.

The second resolution, whereby the district would put Proposition No. 1, a capital improvement project in the amount of $46,822,155, to public vote on Dec. 20, passed with a vote of 5-1

Every year at this time the Neighbors Foundation relies on donations from the community to fund the Holiday Assistance Fund.

St. Timothy's Fall Fest raised more than $3,000 for the church's day care.

Grand Island's own David Nolf will perform Friday, Oct. 21, at 9:30 p.m., at Club 101 in the Seneca Niagara Casino.