Twenty years ago — 1999

The state Public Service Commission has approved the sale of Niagara Mohawk’s coal-fired power plants in Dunkirk and Tonawanda to NRG Energy Inc. for $355 million. The purchase involves the Dunkirk Steam Station and the Huntley Station in the town of Tonawanda. The two plants combined produce enough electricity to power 1.3 million homes. NiMo is selling both stations as part of a corporate plan to sell off its generating plants as New York State opens its electric markets to competition.

Thirty years ago — 1989

The Westfield/Mayville Rotary Club recently presented $300 checks to Mayville students Beth Howard and Chad Karl to help finance their upcoming trips to the USSR through the “Peace Child” tour program. The program offers students with musical talent an opportunity to visit different regions of the USSR and perform concerts.

Forty years ago — 1979

Robert Wdowiasz, owner of a garage on Route 20 in Sheridan, has initiated a one-man campaign against the complete conversion to metric measure in the United States planned for 1980. In addition, an organization called “Don’t Think Metric” has been formed to defeat metric, claiming the movement of American civilization from east to west took place – by the inch, the foot, the yard and the mile.

Fifty years ago — 1969

Mayor Joseph J. Steger has recommended sweeping changes to the Dunkirk City Charter in regard to street improvments. Mayor Steger said that the last major streets project was undertaken eight years ago. Under the present charter requirements, the entire burden of cost for street paving falls on the shoulders of the property owners on the improved streets. “The day is over,” the mayor said, “when abutting property owners should have to pay for the whole cost of paving a street.”