On Saturday, Feb. 9, Serene Gardens, 2800 Grand Island Blvd., will host a free Japanese cooking demonstration and tasting, beginning at 4 p.m. Explore two basic staples of Japanese food, miso soup and sushi roll, with Serene Gardens' Chef Satomi Smith.

Coming off of a recent Buffalo Soup Fest award for "Best Kept Secret," Satomi will demonstrate how she prepares these dishes from the first step; making broth for miso soup, washing the rice properly, making the vinaigrette for sushi rice, etc. Following the class there also will be a sake and wine tasting.

Football and chili go together like Interact and Rotary. The latter two joined together Tuesday at Grand Island High School to make chili in advance of the Super Bowl.

Grand Island is putting out the "Open for Business" sign and taking a proactive approach to business development.

Members of the town's Economic Development Advisory Board are ramping up efforts to promote the town as business-friendly. EDAB Co-chair Tom Knight said the group's goal is to recruit new business to the Island "that are a fit and makes sense, without stepping on the toes of existing businesses."

The music department at Grand Island High School has turned its ship around 180 degrees in presenting "Anything Goes" as its spring musical this year.

Members of St. Stephen School Mission Club lovingly decorated special placemats to be given to incarcerated men and women, through the Kairos prison ministry.

The Grand Island Rotary Club, in its weekly meeting at the Buffalo Launch Club on Jan. 16, was treated to an unfolding story of the difficulties, and successes, of Muslims in Western New York reaching the public with the message of their tolerance and Americanization.

The talk was by Dr. Khalid Qazi, professor of internal medicine at the University at Buffalo, and also chair of the WNY Muslim Public Affairs Council. He led off with an example of how security difficulties kept a "MASH" unit sent by the U.S. Army to Pakistan from really helping after a devastating earthquake there in 2005, until Qazi and other medical personnel (Pakistani natives) who were also there on a relief mission, intervened.

The talk was by Dr. Khalid Qazi, professor of internal medicine at the University at Buffalo, and also chair of the WNY Muslim Public Affairs Council. He led off with an example of how security difficulties kept a "MASH" unit sent by the U.S. Army to Pakistan from really helping after a devastating earthquake there in 2005, until Qazi and other medical personnel (Pakistani natives) who were also there on a relief mission, intervened.

Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard administered the oaths of office to newly elected Grand Island Fire Co. officers on Saturday, Jan. 12, at fire headquarters, 2275 Baseline Road.

Both firematic and administrative officers were sworn to uphold their 2013 community protection duties. Howard was joined by Erie County Legislator Kevin Hardwick, New York State Assemblyman John Ceretto; representative of New York State Sen. Mark Grisanti, Ron Descenes; Grand Island town officials, including Mary Cooke, other special guests and family members in praising the selfless dedication of these GIFC volunteers.

On Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce held its board of directors meeting and installation of newly elected directors at the Holiday Inn Grand Island.

Grand Island High School has announced that Job Search Seminar will be held Thursday, Feb. 14, at the Holiday Inn Grand Island, 100 Whitehaven Road, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Breakout sessions will be provided by local colleges.

Job Search Seminar was developed by the Grand Island High School Business Department in response to local businesses and their need for more qualified and prepared student workers.

The Grand Island Central School District (until May 1) will make available to all hall walkers an individual locker in which to store their personal items while exercising. These lockers are conveniently located close to the high school Viking Mall.

Call Bobby Cushing at 773-8820, ext. 6, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to obtain a locker number and personal locker combination number. Should there not be a person to answer a phone call, press "0" and leave a message, which will promptly be returned.

The next airing of Grand Island High School's Viking Vision news program establishes another milestone for the student-driven news program.

On Sunday, Dec. 30, the Buffalo Launch Club installed its new board of directors for the 2013 season.

The Launch Club is one of the oldest and most highly regarded powerboat clubs in the United States. Newly installed Commodore Andy Barbasch says that the club is anticipating one of its best years ever; "While half of our members are non-boaters who join for the facilities and activities, our boating members consider the park-like setting of the 95-slip marina the premier boat club in WNY."

The Village Inn and Serene Gardens were winners Sunday at the third annual Buffalo Soup Fest, held at the Hearthstone Manor in Depew. Village Inn owner Mike Carr and Sarah Mallare took home the Best Chili award at the event for their Mayan Chocolate Chili, while Satomi and Dr. Joshua Smith of Serene Gardens took home an award for Best Kept Secret.

Rehearsals are ongoing for the Grand Island High School Music Department presentation of the Cole Porter musical "Anything Goes" in the auditorium of Grand Island High School.

Students from Grand Island High School had a record-setting weekend in Lockport. A team of 101 students in the DECA program traveled to Lockport High School for the Region 12 DECA competition. Fifty-seven returned with awards, the most Grand Island has ever had in the program's history.

Niagara County Community College hosted more than 800 students from 22 Western New York school districts at Tech Wars 2013 on Wednesday. Competitions ranged from RC Heavyweight Sumo Robotics to 3D Modeling and CO2 Car Races.

A car fire broke out on Friday, Jan. 11, by the Buckhorn Island onramp ahead of the northbound Grand Island bridge.

Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard reports that sheriff's deputies made two arrests on the Island for driving while intoxicated over New Year's Eve.

As part of a yearly tradition since 1999, members of the boys junior varsity basketball team at Grand Island High School and the members of the GIHS Venture Yearbook have teamed up for a noteworthy cause.

Young Island singers have a new outlet for their talents.

The kindergarten students at Sidway Elementary School entertained parents and grandparents with the annual Kindergarten Holiday Show.

On Dec. 12, the Grand Island Lions Club held its annual Christmas party at the Holiday Inn Grand Island.

One familiar face and one new face were sworn in to public office on New Year's Eve.

At a ceremony in Grand Island Town Hall, lifelong Islander Chris Aronica was sworn in to a seat on the Grand Island Town Board, and John Ceretto took his oath of office to the New York State Assembly.

Notable events of the past year.

The U.S. Border Patrol's Buffalo Sector participated in numerous charity events this month to provide assistance to local communities during the holiday season.

Buffalo Border Patrol employees donated approximately $50,000 to the Combined Federal Campaign program, which ended Dec. 15. CFC is the world's largest annual workplace charity campaign. Buffalo Sector increased its donations by $1,000 from last year's totals, which accounted for 9 percent of Western New York's CFC efforts.

For the past 15 years, the GIHS DECA Club has sorted food for needy families during the holidays. The distribution place originally was at the Stony Point Road firehall, until the generosity of the community forced the Neighbors Foundation to find a larger space, the Knights of Columbus.

The "Give Change to Make a Change" fund drive at Veronica Connor Middle School raised $1,653.33 for the Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island.

Children at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church will learn about the real meaning of Christmas this weekend through the medium of musical theater.

The Grand Island Neighbors Foundation and volunteers brought pallets of donated food to the Knights of Columbus hall on Whitehaven Road for unboxing, sorting and distribution to needy Island families at Christmas.

Approximately 100 people attended last Thursday's Grand Island Chamber of Commerce holiday party at the Buffalo Launch Club.

The Rose Liquor Store of Grand Island is giving its neighbors a hand by assisting the Neighbors Foundation in its annual holiday food and fund drive.

At a surprise birthday party for Les Dumas, a Knights of Columbus member, guests brought contributions to Toys for Tots and the WNY Food Bank in lieu of birthday gifts.

In keeping with the holiday spirit of giving, the Zonta Club of Grand Island donated $1,500 to the Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island on Tuesday at the Zonta Club's annual Christmas Party at the Buffalo Launch Club.

In a surprise addition to Monday evening's agenda, the Grand Island Board of Education voted to terminate the contract of Interim Superintendent of Schools Robert Christmann.

Christmann officially resigned as superintendent of schools on Oct. 1 after six years of service to the district. He has been functioning as interim superintendent since then and has a full-time position as executive director of the Western New York Education Services Council. His last day of service to Grand Island should be in mid-January.

Student volunteers at Grand Island High School helped to make the holiday a little brighter for children, the needy, and student clubs at the Share the Holiday Magic fundraiser.

Brian Stiller, medical center director of the VA Western New York Healthcare System, was the guest speaker at a meeting of the Grand Island American Legion Post.

For the third year in a row, Kelly's Country Store, at 3121 Grand Island Blvd., is selling Christmas trees, with proceeds to benefit the Grand Island Lions Club's annual Special Kids Picnic, as well as the club's other service projects.

Approximately 30 dancers from the Grand Island Dance Center performed Saturday afternoon, Dec. 1, at the 84th annual Niagara Falls Firefighters Christmas Toy Fund Telethon, which was broadcast on cable access television on Time Warner.

With the holiday season officially upon us, it's important to make time to celebrate with family and friends - and holiday lighting is a key part of those festivities. By following a few simple tips, customers can benefit from a more environmentally friendly, safe and cost-effective way to light up the holiday season.

The Thanksgiving celebration in Cyndi Booker's second grade classroom at Kaegebein Elementary School included learning activities with a Thanksgiving theme, Colonial wardrobe made by Booker herself, complete with collars for the boys and bonnets for the girls.