Twenty years ago — 1998

Alan Sage, son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Sage of Dunkirk, has received a special letter of commendation from Vice President Al Gore in recognition of support for the National Performance Review. Mr. Sage led a team from the Central Intelligence Agency, the State Department and the Department of Treasury in the design and development of a website for NPR. Vice President Gore recently announced the new Internet capability which can be found at www.fcn.gov. A senior operations research analyst with the Treasury Department, Mr. Sage is a 1986 graduate of Dunkirk High School, currently living in Columbia, Md.

Thirty years ago — 1988

The Brocton Preserving Company, located on Central Avenue in Brocton, was founded by Carl C. Spoto 60 years ago. Mr. Spoto renovated an old plant which had been destroyed by an earlier fire and started his own business. The company was one of the first to can French cut string beans and also processed raspberries, strawberries, cherries, carrots, peas, beets and many tomato products. Its products were sold to a large number of wholesale and chain stores until the 1950s.

Forty years ago — 1978

Wendy Johnson is the 1978 Seneca Indian Fall Festival Princess. She is the 17-year-old daughter of Mrs. Edna Johnson of Four Mile Level Road, Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. Sponsored in the contest by the Seneca Nation Recreation Department, Wendy is an honor student at Gowanda Central School. She was crowned by Blythe Thompson, the 1977 princess, during the fourth annual fall festival activities held at the Saylor Building.

Fifty years ago — 1968

Five hundred youngsters between the ages of 5 and 12 entered this year’s “You and the Zoo” contest in Buffalo. Judging took place Aug. 29 at the Hotel Lenox. Honors came to Dunkirk when 6-year-old Edmund Schober, son of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Schober, 604 Central Ave., Dunkirk took top prize and a $25 U.S. savings bond for his forceful creation of a 12-inch high clay sculptured gorilla entered in the 5- to 6-year-old age group. Mr. R. Patrick Lavery, a professional artist with his own gallery and one of the two judges for the competition, is so interested in Eddie and his talent, he has contacted his parents to arrange a meeting. He also plans to cast the gorilla in metal.