The 2017 edition of the Grand Island Father's Day Lawnmower Races that took place Sunday was called the best ever by race organizers.

Islanders have missed their Sahlen's hot dogs so much that they were trying to order food before the new Buffalo Dog House even opened.

Soil samples will be collected from homes in the southeastern part of Grand Island in August, said Jackie James-Creedon, executive director of Citizen Science Community Resources. That soil will be tested for 130 different types of contaminants, including benzene, pesticides, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

The second of two charitable donations by the River Lea Quilters Guild took place Tuesday at a picnic meeting of the group.

Hundreds of Western New Yorkers will make a SPLASH and celebrate clean water and water-based activities on July 29 with Paddles Up Niagara 2017 presented nationally by Toyota.

Zealous Western New York hockey fans will try and attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest hockey game played - and raise money for Roswell Park Cancer Institute - as part of the 11 Day Power Play.

Assemblymen Angelo J. Morinello, R-Niagara Falls, and Mickey Kearns, D-West Seneca, have joined forces to champion legislation (A.8535) that would ensure money generated from the use of the Grand Island bridges remains in the community.

Empire State Development and the City of Buffalo on Tuesday announced the Central Terminal Restoration Corp. (CTRC) will welcome the Urban Land Institute (ULI) advisory panel to conduct a weeklong analysis of potential reuses of the Central Terminal starting Monday, June 26. The comprehensive review of future options for the iconic property at 495 Paderewski St., and related parcels, will be complete by June 30.

On Monday, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz announced a refunding of General Obligation Sewer District Bonds will be included in 2017 Erie County borrowing, an action that could result in approximately $1.687 million in savings for county sewer districts.

New York State Sen. Chris Jacobs, R-60th, has introduced legislation requiring the New York State Thruway Authority to pay an annual "impact fee" to the communities he said are detrimentally harmed from the tolls on the Grand Island Bridges.

Louis J. Billittier Jr., and Mary Beth Billittier-Darling announced Saturday evening that $25,000 was raised to benefit Western New York charities through the Louis J. Billittier Foundation at the "Great American Ride" Motorcycle Poker Fun Run and Raffle.

New garden boxes at St. Timothy Lutheran Child Care Center are signs of a new program growing at the school.

The New York State Police announced Thursday that the vehicle involved in a hit-and-run incident Tuesday has been located, but said, "No other information will be released at this time."

Tracy Schmidt said she attended past Grand Island Relay For Life events never knowing that one day she would be on stage during the opening ceremony telling her own family's cancer story.

Fuccillo Chevrolet of Alvin Road on Grand Island is a checkered flag supporter of the Grand Island Father's Day Lawnmower Races, a fundraiser for the Grand Island Relay For Life. The company presented a huge $500 donation Tuesday to Relay For Life, which supports the American Cancer Society's efforts in the fight against cancer.

The Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, in conjunction with First Tee Western New York and the Buffalo District Golf Association ("BDGA"), has announced the sixth annual Erie County Amateur Golf Championships will be held on Saturday, July 8, and Sunday, July 9, at Elma Meadows Golf Course.

Fuccillo Automotive Group celebrated the conclusion of its annual statewide "Huge-A-Thon" 2017 event by giving away two trips around the world. Two grand-prizewinners were randomly selected during a drawing on Tuesday, June 6, at Fuccillo Hyundai of Syracuse. The trips are valued at $42,000 each.

Canisius College is the recipient of a $10,000 grant from Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company's corporate citizenship initiative.

The annual Grand Island Father's Day Lawn Mower Races and Classic Car Show will take place along the West River June 18. Lawn mower races will begin at noon with the kids race, followed by a celebrity race at 2 p.m., and racing from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Relay for Life of Grand Island.

The Yasgur Project and Fluse are scheduled to play at the Father's Day Lawnmower Race event on West River Parkway June 18.

Grand Island resident Roger Cook received the "Making Democracy Work" Award from the League of Women Voters of Buffalo/Niagara last Saturday, June 3.

Islanders Pat Akinbami and Nancy Tobe told the Grand Island Town Board Monday that an informal poll of patrons at the Golden Age Center found unanimous support for leaving the center right where it is at the Nike Base.

Barbara Frase of Tonawanda was a longtime member of the Ladies of Charity. In 2000, she heard that the Ladies of Charity were collecting school supplies for needy school children. She told her friends in the Bishop's Committee Discussion Group, and they quickly filled a box of school supplies. Each year, the amount of supplies they collected increased.

After a member of the town's Conservation Advisory Board pointed out the environmental downside of a proposed green energy project, the Grand Island Town Board tabled approval of an applicant's special use permit request.

The Grand Island Class of 1967 50th reunion committee has been hard at work on lining things up for Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 6-8.

Grand Island Moose Lodge 180 presented two scholarships to members of the Grand Island High School Class of 2017 on May 17.

Members of the Grand Island Town Board vented their frustration this week with the state's care of the two parkways on the Island it's responsible for maintaining.

The River Lea Quilters Guild made the first of two charitable donations from money raised at its triennial quilt show.

Earlier this week, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced he would implement the Police Council Program to ensure a closer working relationship between his office and 28 police agencies in Erie County.

The federal budget received a failing grade from the Grand Island superintendent of schools at the May 15 Board of Education meeting.

The committee organizing the annual Grand Island Father's Day Lawnmower Race & Classic Car Show met at Say Cheese on Love Road to work out the details for the annual event, a fundraiser for the Grand Island Relay For Life.

The Grand Island Memorial Library will be exhibiting artworks of Leonard F. Nassoiy through June.

Councilwoman Beverly Kinney said from the very beginning she wanted the Grand Island Town Board to conduct a feasibility study on a proposal to build a new community center on the Island. She may get her wish at the next meeting of the Town Board.

Grand Island Fire Co. President Mike Dallessandro welcomed local government officials, family members and special guests to fire headquarters on Saturday, May 20, to commemorate 79 years of first-rate community protection by the Grand Island Fire Co. He stressed that such dedicated volunteerism is much more than a passing fancy, but rather a lifetime commitment that cannot prevail without unconditional family support.