Current News

Marjorie L. Egan, entered into rest March 24, 2014. She was a resident of Grand Island.

The Erie County Legislature issued a proclamation at its recent meeting to recognize and commend the Island Dispatch on the celebration of its 70th anniversary.

Dale L. McCready, 58, a longtime resident of Grand Island, died suddenly March 19, 2014.

Marjorie L. Egan, entered into rest March 24, 2014. She was a resident of Grand Island.

The Erie County Sheriff's Office responded to 183 calls from March 22 to 28. Below is a sampling of the noteworthy incidents on Grand Island.

The following incidents occurred from March 24 to 30, as reported by the Grand Island Fire Co. A total of 31 calls were answered by the department during this period. The GIFC has now responded to 337 calls so far this year.

The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce has named Grand Island High School teacher Cheryl Chamberlain Citizen of the Year - Educator 2013.

The chamber will honor her at the 48th annual Citizen of the Year Awards Thursday, April 24, at Byblos Niagara Resort and Spa.

Chamberlain has been teaching with the Grand Island Central School District since 2000 when she and her husband, Gregory, moved back to where he grew up to raise their daughters Brooke and Sarah. When they moved into their home on Stony Point Road, Chamberlain was considering going back to school and her husband said, "Why don't you substitute teach at the schools on Grand Island?" This started Chamberlain's career focus in business education.

Be a pampered princess in a "castle" on Saturday, April 12, as the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas hosts the Tonawandas' Women's Expo & Boutique at the landmark Tonawanda Castle, 69 Delaware St., in Tonawanda.

Niagara Cerebral Palsy held its fifth annual Snowflake Basket Auction on March 21 and 22 at the Niagara Falls Elk Lodge. Shown are attendees choosing where to put their tickets.

The Niagara County Sheriff's Office is investigating a robbery that occurred in the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 9, at the 7-11, 6955 Ward Road, Wheatfield.

The following is a sampling of calls received by the Town of Niagara Police between March 28-31.

The Easter Bunny was a special guest at the quarterly senior dance at the Wheatfield Community Center last Saturday. The next senior dance will be in July.

Leadership Niagara will travel to St. Catherines, Ontario, for a daylong session on binational relationship building and best practices on creating and sustaining cross-border communities with their Canadian counterparts, Leadership Niagara of Ontario.

Congressman Brian Higgins announced Roswell Park Cancer Institute has been awarded $406,247 in grant funding from the National Cancer Institute. The two-year federal grant will provide $221,589 toward the project in the first year, and $184,658 the following year.

"We know that cancer research saves lives," said Higgins, a member of the House Cancer Caucus. "The certainty of continued funding from sources like the National Cancer Institute that allows researchers to explore a wide range of treatment options is critical to the goal of finding a cure."

The grant will allow Roswell Park researchers to study an innovative new treatment, anticancer agent FL118, for pancreatic cancer.

The Buffalo Sabres will host their annual "Fan Appreciation Night" Sunday, April 13, during the team's final game of the 2013-14 regular season.

The American Business Women's Association Western New York Charter Chapter has announced Dr. Donna Fernandes, president and CEO of the Buffalo Zoo, will be the keynote speaker at ABWA WNY's spring networking and professional development event.

NBC's "America's Got Talent" returns to Radio City Music Hall, one of the nation's most storied and historic venues, for its upcoming ninth season. The show will air live from Radio City Music Hall twice a week when live episodes begin this summer on July 29 (9 p.m.). "AGT," ranked as the No. 1 summer reality series, premieres May 27 at 8 p.m.

The Most Rev. Richard J. Malone, bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo, announced earlier this week Catholic Charities' 90th annual appeal has raised $7,941,945.04 to date, representing 73.5 percent of the $10.8 million goal.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald has kicked off the highway and bridge construction season with a message to New York motorists to use caution in highway maintenance and construction work zones.

On April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mount St. Mary's Hospital and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its eighth opportunity in three years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

As spring weather brings more outdoor work by individuals, contractors and excavators, National Grid offers an important safety message: Call before you dig.

Congressman Brian Higgins, a member of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, spoke on the House Floor to recognize Water Week, which brings clean water advocates from all over the country to Washington, D.C., to work together to develop strategies to keep waterways healthy and ensure access to clean water for all Americans.

Assemblyman John Ceretto renewed his commitment to the concept of equal pay for equal work on Tuesday, Equal Pay Day. As the sponsor of equal pay legislation in the Assembly (A8784), Ceretto is pushing to have the bill brought to the Assembly floor for a vote.

The History Center of Niagara is taking reservations for its 2014 spring bus trip, which will be held Saturday, June 7. The daylong bus tour, running from approximately 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature visits and views of some of Buffalo's most historic places.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is looking for entrants for its 2014 photo contest. The theme is: "A Good Thing Growing - Celebrating Niagara County Agriculture." Organizers are looking to recognize, promote and celebrate:

The Castellani Art Museum's art history series "Meet Me at the CAM" continues Wednesday, April 16, with "Dream Windows: An Exploration of the Japanese Garden," a presentation by Robert Poczik.

The Rev. Darius Pridgen of True Bethel Baptist Church led the House of Representatives' opening prayer Wednesday. Pridgen, who serves congregations in both Buffalo and Niagara Falls and holds the position of Buffalo Common Council president, was invited to address U.S. Representatives by Congressman Brian Higgins.

According to US2020, by 2018, there will be 1.2 million job openings in the U.S. in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields, with a significant shortage of qualified applicants to fill them.

The Ride for Roswell is more than just a bike ride around the city or a fundraiser for cancer research. It's a rare bond between thousands of strangers who are fighting for the same cause: a cure for cancer.

The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. announced this week the state is moving ahead on plans to redevelop and dramatically transform the soon-to-be-acquired state land holdings on Buffalo's Outer Harbor into a vibrant and accessible waterfront for residents and tourists alike.

On Tuesday, a request for proposals was distributed to consultants to develop a master "blueprint" of land use and development recommendations for 171 acres on the city's waterfront. The selected consultant team will work with the public to plan Buffalo's future on the waterfront.

Attention resident and nonresident anglers and hunters: The Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp. is alerting outdoor enthusiasts New York has made several changes to its sporting licenses this year, including a reduction in fees.

The Niagara County Industrial Development Agency board of directors has approved an application for assistance for Wurlitzer Industrial Park Inc. The park is a multi-tenant facility on the site of the former Wurlitzer organ factory at 908 Niagara Falls Blvd., North Tonawanda.

"It is just as important to keep existing infrastructure and office space as up to date as possible as it is to provide incentives for new builds," said NCIDA Chairman Henry M. Sloma. "In this instance, these upgrades and improvements will not only help retain existing companies at the industrial park who employ almost 300 residents in the local community, but also immediately creates new jobs and the potential for even more new jobs once the renovations have been made."

The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team's foundation, the Buffalo Sabres Foundation, has approved 18 requests for charitable grants throughout the 2013-14 season.

The money disbursed in the grants was raised from Buffalo Sabres Foundation events throughout the year, including the team's annual golf tournament, corporate challenge, 50/50 raffle, "UnPucked" event, pre-game autograph surprise sales, and various online auctions of team memorabilia.

"We are very proud to be able to provide funding to these worthwhile organizations," said Cliff Benson, president of the Buffalo Sabres Foundation. "These groups serve many deserving individuals throughout our community and they help make Buffalo a better place to live and work."

Applications are now being accepted for the Ruth and William O. Sass Scholarship to encourage excellence in the field of nursing.

Community leaders and elected officials will join members and friends of the Memorial Medical Center Auxiliary for a "rockin' good time" Friday when the auxiliary holds its 13th annual "Rock-A-Thon" to benefit the hospital.

The Center for the Arts, University at Buffalo, presents an evening with Boz Scaggs Monday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for "The Memphis Tour" are $67, $57, $47 and $37.

The Mount St. Mary's Foundation will hold its first "Amazing Grace Scavenger Hunt" Saturday, May 10, in the Village of Lewiston. Allison Violante is the chairwoman of the event.

Ann Harkins, CEO of The National Crime Prevention Council (home to McGruff the Crime Dog), and Keli Wilson, AlertID's founder, are teaming up to create awareness and support victims during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Tina Oddy has been chosen by Village of Youngstown Mayor Raleigh Reynolds as the 2014 Village of Youngstown Citizen of the Year. With just under 20 years dedicated to making Youngstown a better place to live and raise a family, Oddy is committed to the youth of the community, helping to create programs that enrich lives.