Thirty years ago — 1989 More than 10 suspicious fires have occurred in the East Town of Dunkirk and Fourth Ward area during the past several weeks, including one which started in the base of a storage garage at the Gregory Szukala residence, 10962 South Roberts Road. A passing motorist ...

Thirty years ago — 1989 Student of the Week is Ryan Freling, a senior at Dunkirk High School. He is the son of Thomas and Patricia Freling of Washington Avenue. Ryan is a member of the National Honor Society, serves as president of SADD, Student Council treasurer and vice president of the ...

Thirty years ago — 1989 Dunkirk High School’s Jennifer Kubiak will compete in the Section VI Diving Preliminaries in the Alumni Arena natatorium on the University of Buffalo campus in Amherst. Jennifer recently won her third Chautauqua County diving championship in Frewsburg. Forty ...

Thirty years ago — 1989 The winner of Marine Midland’s “Show Off Your Kids!” contest was Jason Bishoff. He received a $200 U.S. Savings Bond in a random drawing of participants. Jason is the 4-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Bishoff. They reside on Lincoln Avenue in Dunkirk. Jason ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 Filming has been finished in Hollywood for “Gone in 60 Seconds 2000,” a remake of Tony Halicki’s low-budget cult classic of 1974, but movie-goers will have to wait until March for its release. While Dunkirk native H. B. “Toby” Halicki’s film cost less ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 The Dunkirk-Fredonia Lions Club recently celebrated its 58th Charter Night with special recognition being given to two of its members. Bert Bullock was the recipient of the Multiple District 20 Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award and is the highest honor ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 It took more than 50 years for Cassadaga resident Donald Bemus to actually hold in his hands the Purple Heart he earned in World War II as a tailgunner on an Air Force B-17. The plane was shot down in Hungary while on a mission and Don ended up spending three months ...

Twenty years ago — 1999 Dunkirk’s AL Tech Specialty Steel Corp., a 92-year-old Western New York steelmaker one mired in a $250-million debt, has risen from the ashes of bankruptcy and has been renamed Empire Specialty Steel Inc., the United Steelworkers of America announced recently. ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 Meeting Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino in person was a dream come true for Darrin Carlson, an eighth-grader at Cassadaga Valley Central School. The trip to Florida that made this happen was provided through the special efforts of the CVCS community. Darrin, ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 Concerns have arisen in the Dunkirk school system that some Hispanic students in special education classes may be there not because they are learning impaired but rather because they are still learning the English language. About 48 percent of the special education ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 The Dunkirk Housing Authority has approved a contract to purchase a 13.7-acre site at 1076 Central Ave., near the former Cardinal Mindszenty Field, from the estate of Mary Lagana to develop an assisted living facility and single-family building lots. The property ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 As a result of months of negotiations, AL Tech Specialty Steel Corp. of Dunkirk has successfully emerged from Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Court, effective Nov. 1, 1999, as Empire Specialty Steel Inc. The reorganization was a concerted effort on the ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 The Barker Historical Museum announces the opening of their new exhibition, “Made in Fredonia. Retired SUNY Fredonia professor Douglas Shephard will be the guest speaker with a program entitled, “So What Else Is Old.” The exhibit will highlight inventors and ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 Democratic candidates in Dunkirk clearly defined the term “clean sweep” on Election Night, winning all 10 city races. Mayor Robert Kesicki received 75 percent of the vote in his bid for a second term, defeating Republican challenger Madylon Kubera, a former ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton, the elusive running back who was the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and took the Chicago Bears to their only Super Bowl championship, died Nov. 2 after battling a rare liver disease. He was 45. The cause of death was listed as bile ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 The presentation of awards for service to the Hispanic community was among the highlights as Hispanics Organized for Progress and Education held its eighth Gala Dinner at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. This year’s winners were Helen (Carreras) Cruz of Fredonia and ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 Peter Michael Goetz, renowned performer of stage, screen and television is in-residence at the Fredonia State University College Department of Theatre and Dance this month. He is teaching a mini-course in acting and rehearsing to perform in the Walter Gloor Mainstage ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 Postal carriers were recently honored for their years as members of the National Association of Letter Carriers. They are: Harry Falco, 45 years; John Michalak, 35 years; William Trudnowski, 35 years; Eddie Aniszewski, 45 years; Gerry Haase, 40 years; Eugene ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 An OBSERVER Letter to the Editor by Brenda Butler of Dunkirk recommends that, as a safety issue, the city should continue its efforts to get all trains in the city on the elevated tracks that run along Third Street. She notes that attempts to have these trains ...

Twenty years ago – 1999 Nearly 100 residents voiced varying opinions to county officials on the proposed Millennium Parkway in the town of Dunkirk during a 90-minute informational meeting. The proposed roadway is part of a comprehensive master plan adopted by the Chadwick Bay Region ...