Twenty years ago – 1999

Confusion over Lake Avenue and New York Central Street in Silver Creek has been permanently settled. Silver Creek Village Board members unanimously approved Lake Avenue Extension as the official name of the street. Multiple street names had previously sown confusion among deliverymen and occasional emergency crews responding to the area. Residents feared authorities could not find the section in case of emergency.

Thirty years ago — 1989

From City Shorts ….. Members of Laborers Local 210 of Buffalo were picketing on Central Avenue this morning to protest the use of non-union employees by H. Olsen & Son of Forestville, the company hired to mill and repave Central Avenue between Third and Sixth streets. Mayor Madylon Kubera said the city tries to have outside work done by union members, but that when projects are bid out, the city must give the work to the lowest bidder, whether they are union or non-union.

Forty years ago – 1979

Chautauqua County’s natural gas boom which began about six years ago has not proven to be an overinflated balloon. About 20 gas exploration firms maintain record searchers here whose job it is to look up ownership of land before contacting property owners to seek leases to get rights. About 3,000 leases a year are being processed — a rate of about 10 per business day, most of which are in the northern part of the county.

Fifty years ago — 1969

Frederick Seegert, president of the Festival of Grapes Inc. and Mrs. James Brooks, corresponding secretary of the festival, will appear on the “Meet the Millers” show on WBEN-TV. Mr. Seegert, who operates Seegert’s Dairy in Silver Creek, was one of the organizers of the festival when it was first held in 1968.