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Retrospective

Twenty years ago — 1998

Fredonia Police Chief Daniel Johnson is retiring May 1 after 13 years at the helm of the village police department. The village board voted 4-1 to accept Chief Johnson’s letter of resignation for retirement purposed and directed Mayor Frank Pagano to send him a letter of thanks for his 24 years of service to the village. Chief Johnson said his retirement plans include opening a liquor store in the former location of Xtreme Detailing and Bison Auto Glass at 112 East Main St., and taking care of his rental properties throughout the village. The board also recognized the Fredonia Beaver Club for donating a new village entrance sign at Routes 20 and 60 and a $15,300 thermal imaging camera to the Fredonia Fire Department, one of the first of its kind outside the Buffalo area.

Thirty years ago — 1988

A proposed consolidation plan for three local Catholic elementary schools, originally targeted for implementation this fall, was tabled for more discussion and public input during the bimonthly meeting of the Northern Chautauqua Catholic Schools Planning Committee. The proposal put forth by the committee last November, as a result of decreasing enrollment, was striving for Holy Trinity School in Dunkirk to be for kindergarten to fourth grade and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School, also in Dunkirk, to be grades five to eight. It would also have called for the students at Fredonia Catholic School to be absorbed by both Dunkirk schools. However, the plans were put on hold recently due to the reassignment last December of the Rev. Msgr. Kenneth Menge, former St. Elizabeth Ann Seton pastor, to a Kenmore parish.

Forty years ago — 1978

Susan Niles, a former Dunkirk resident, is the newly appointed art director for Mademoiselle magazine. She worked her way to the top of Mademoiselle magazine in three years. Although Miss Niles currently resides in New York City, she told the OBSERVER she will always consider Dunkirk her home.

Fifty years ago — 1968

Two employees of Kraft’s Dunkirk plant, Stephen Harris of Shorewood Drive, Dunkirk and James W. Normand of 322 Park Ave., Dunkirk have been honored by Kraft Foods with the presentation of the J.L. Kraft jade ring award in recognition of their outstanding services. Presentation of the awards was made by Anthony A. Maltese, plant manager.

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