Twenty years ago — 1999

Joe Dispense, a Town of Dunkirk resident, has come up with an invention he calls “The Table Hand.” The retractable wheel assembly attaches to most conventional six-foot or eight-foot picnic tables. The Table Hand allows one person to easily move a picnic table around the yard, deck or wherever else it needs to go. The device comes fully assembled and installation is simple. Mr. Dispense used his skills in fabrication to design and build the product in his own workshop. The product received a U.S. patent in January.

Thirty years ago — 1989

The Sheridan Town Board continues to pursue the cleanup or demolition at the site of the former Iroquois Motel on Route 20 in Sheridan. Town residents have expressed concerns about the condition of the buildings and grounds at the site. The board has been attempting to contact the owner of the property for more than a year. Board members are in hopes that positive action can be taken this summer.

Forty years ago — 1979

Joselle Robin Bifaro, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bifaro of Fredonia and 1978 New York State Strut Champion, will be a representative of New York State in “The Little Big One,” the official National Majorette Title championship for juvenile twirlers to be held in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Seven-year-old Joselle is Chautauqua County’s Tiny Tot Champion and first-runnerup at the Syracuse State Fair. She has been twirling for three years and has won 16 trophies. She is listed in Who’s Who in Baton Twirling for 1978. Her teachers are Irene Schwenkel of Silver Creek and Pat Bragg of Buffalo.

Fifty years ago — 1969

The Honorary Empire Degree, awarded by the Future Farmers of America, was recently presented to Clinton Edson of Sinclairville. This degree is awarded to a father or grandfather who has had three or more of his children or grandchildren receiving the Empire Degree. The Empire Degree is the highest award given to members of FFA. Mr. Edson is the first from the Cassadaga Valley district to receive the honor. His three sons, Alan, Norman and Paul received their awards in 1965, 1967 and 1968, respectively.