Copyright 2000 The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News
September 20, 2000, Wednesday, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: LOCAL, Pg. 3B
LENGTH: 1013 words
HEADLINE:
EX-PRESIDENT BUSH TO ATTEND LOCAL BENEFIT
BODY:
Former President George Bush will be in Buffalo today to preside
over what could rank as the most successful political fund-raiser in Western New
York history -- all for his son Republican presidential candidate George W.
Bush.
Erie County Republican Chairman Robert E. Davis said the proceeds
from tonight's Buffalo-Rochester event at the North Buffalo home of Republican
stalwarts Anthony and Donna Gioia could approach $ 400,000. The guest list for
the $ 5,000-per-ticket affair includes Gov. George E. Pataki, Lt. Gov. Mary O.
Donohue, County Executive Joel A. Giambra and County Comptroller Nancy A.
Naples.
Also expected are state GOP Chairman William D. Powers and
former Rep. Bill Paxon and his wife, former Rep. Susan Molinari. Gioia, one of
upstate New York's top Republican fund raisers, said he has also arranged for
Bush to tour Roswell Park Cancer Institute, in recognition of the former
president's onetime chairmanship of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital in
Houston.
The Roswell Park tour was expected to begin at 4 p.m. Bush was
to attend the dinner at the Gioia home at 6:15 and depart at about 7:30.
Davis re-elected chairman of county GOP
Robert E. Davis
was re-elected chairman of the Erie County Republican Committee during the
party's reorganizational meeting Tuesday evening.
Davis will serve his
third term at the helm of the local party.
Also named Thursday were
Ralph J. Vanner Sr. and Carmen Vacco, vice chairmen; Frank Gaglione, treasurer;
Anthony Martino, assistant treasurer; Donna McCartney, secretary; and Mary
Machelor, assistant secretary.
Pastors group dedicates new
headquarters
The Association of Hispanic Pastors of Western New York
dedicated its new headquarters at 314 W. Ferry St. in ceremonies Tuesday.
The newly renovated facility will house not only the association's
offices, but also space to be made available for community outreach services and
an employment research center.
The building formerly housed a clinic
operated by Kaleida Health's Columbus Community Health Center. Kaleida donated
the building to the association in 1999.
The association is composed of
about 40 ministers who serve 8,000 people.
Count of dead birds
with virus rises to 13
Erie County's tally of dead birds infected with
the West Nile virus is up to 13, with positive test results for two new birds in
the county, Health Department officials said Tuesday.
The two new
infected birds, both blue jays, were found on Grand Island near East River Road
and in the Town of Tonawanda on Sherwin Drive, said department spokesman Kevin
Montgomery.
The number of infected birds found in the Town of Tonawanda
increased to four, Montgomery said. The two diseased blue jays were found
earlier this month, but the results were not in until Tuesday, he said.
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne infection that can be transmitted to
humans. The virus' symptoms are flu-like. In its most extreme form, which is
rare, the virus can cause encephalitis, a deadly swelling of the brain.
Warning issued on bottled water
Erie County residents
should beware of the bottled water they are drinking, now that cases of
contaminated bottled water have turned up downstate, Dr. Anthony J. Billittier
IV, county health commissioner, said Tuesday.
"I would ask area
residents to be cautious when drinking bottled water," said Billittier. "The
isolated incidents of tainted bottled water emanating from the downstate region
dictate the need for increased awareness here in Erie County."
The state
Health Department is investigating 42 cases of contaminated water reported to
health officials by state police, health officials said. The water is marketed
under eight brand names, officials said.
Billittier said the bottled
water found downstate had high levels of chlorine or ammonia. Erie County
residents should check their water for odd odors or for broken safety seals
before they drink the water or give it to a child, he said.
The county
Health Department will be doing random testing of bottled water from area stores
to determine if any tainted water has appeared in Western New York, Billittier
said. He said residents finding impure water should call the Health Department
at 858-7671.
NCCC, Daemen to offer dual admission
SANBORN
-- Students hoping to save on tuition costs by attending Niagara County
Community College and then transferring to a four-year school have yet another
choice.
The president of the college, Antonette J. Cleveland, and Martin
J. Anisman, president of Daemen College, signed such an agreement last week.
This is the community college's 12th such agreement with area institutions.
Students can now apply for entrance to the dual-admissions program when
they submit their applications to NCCC, or at any time before they complete 30
credits at the two-year school.
Students can select any Daemen major
designated to be parallel to the NCCC program and can transfer with full junior
status to Daemen.
County to join 'black light' test
County Executive Joel A. Giambra has announced that the county will
participate in a pilot project to determine the effectiveness of ultraviolet, or
"black," light as a substitute for chlorine in purifying treated sewage and
wastewater.
The testing will take place at the Southtowns Wastewater
Treatment Plant under the sponsorship of Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. in
cooperation with the state Energy and Research Development Authority. URS Corp.,
the University at Buffalo and ESG International also are supporting the study.
Without altering the chemical makeup of the water, ultraviolet light
kills bacteria and viruses in wastewater by disrupting their natural DNA,
preventing them from reproducing. Chlorine creates toxic
byproducts and does not kill cryptosporidium.
The study
will evaluate three commercially available light systems during the next 12
months. Ultraviolet light is used in smaller plants, such as the county's
Holland plant, but this is its first use in a larger plant in Erie County.
LOAD-DATE: September 22, 2000
