Twenty years ago — 1998

An OBSERVER photo shows Fredonia State art students and faculty members erecting “Cloud Stop,” in the plaza outside the Rockefeller Arts Center. The sculpture, by Eric Stein of New York, is on loan to the college for one year following a six-month show in Chicago at Pier Walk ’98, the biggest exhibit of large scale sculpture ever assembled. Constructed of heavy timber, fiberglass and steel, the sculpture is 16 feet high and 32 feet wide. Mr. Stein is a 1974 painting graduate of Fredonia State.

Thirty years ago — 1988

Roberian, the newest winery in Chautauqua County, is a boutique winery with a strong family orientation, having 19th century ties to the productive gravel ridge in Sheridan where the Haggerty family first grew grapes at the turn of the century. Robert Roach, his wife Mary Ann, and their six children have all labored in the fields or contributed in other ways to the efforts leading to the Roberian winery. The Roberian winery is located at 2614 King Road in Sheridan.

Forty years ago — 1978

American religious fanatics who massacred a California congressman and four members of his party have begun committing mass suicide and authorities said about 800 had killed themselves by drinking poison. Guyana Minister of Information Shirley Field Ridley and the U.S. State Department said between 700 and 800 of the followers of the California-based People’s Temple Group had been found dead so far, apparently after drinking poison in a bizarre last communion. Their leader, the Rev. Jim Jones, took part in the suicidal pact which occurred in Jonestown.

Fifty years ago — 1968

The mayor’s Citizen Advisory Council has gone on record as approving the proposed Lamphere area site for the 45 units of low-income housing under the turnkey method. The proposed site must be approved by the Dunkirk Common Council. A comparison with public housing which has been developed in similar areas in other cities shows that rather than lower real estate values, the development would actually enhance the area.