Twenty years ago — 1998

The future of Dunkirk International Glass and Ceramics on Stegelske Avenue may be in doubt, as the company has been without power for three weeks. Power was shut off to the company on Oct. 17 for delinquent bills as Niagara Mohawk is owed a substantial amount. “Termination of services is a last resort for us,” said NiMo’s PR representative Stephen F. Brady.” We prefer to see businesses continue to operate.” The Dunkirk facility is also without incoming phone service. With the power shut off, the company is apparently operating with a limited number of employees.

Thirty years ago — 1988

Today marks the 50th anniversary of “Krystallnacht” or the “Night of the Broken Glass,” an outburst of violence directed at the Jews of Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia in 1938. On that night, in an alleged “spontaneous reaction of the German people,” 275 synagogues were burned, 7,500 businesses destroyed and almost 100 Jews killed. The police had received orders not to interfere with this “righteous outburst,” but on the next day they proceeded to arrest about 300,000 prominent Jews, who experienced a short stay in concentration camps. Germany had undergone a major step in the direction of the Holocaust.

Forty years ago — 1978

Area officials, plant designers and engineers were among the 50 people present for the official opening of Fredonia’s new wastewater treatment plant recently. The planning for the new treatment facility began in 1971 when the village was served with legal papers to update the sewage treatment plant in order to meet with federal and state regulations. The decision was made to locate the new plant on Route 5 in the Town of Dunkirk. This location will permit service to people outside the village of Fredonia.

Fifty years ago — 1968

A planned expansion of the M.Wile and Company Inc. plant on East Chestnut. in Dunkirk, provided an adequate labor force is available in the area, was announced by officials of the firm which manufactures men’s trousers. Frank Norton, manager of the Dunkirk facility, said that firm executives had been impressed by the excellent record of quality and quantity of production achieved in Dunkirk and that the proposed expansion would provide employment for upward of 100 additional workers, making M. Wile and Co. far and away the largest employer of girls and women in this part of the state.