TWENTY YEARS AGO – 1994

New York’s beer and soda industry retained $69.2 million in unclaimed bottle and can deposits over a year period. Gov. Mario Cuomo, who is fighting to retrieve those deposits for New York, said the money should instead be going to fund state environmental and parks projects. Cuomo has been trying unsuccessfully to convince the Legislature to direct the unclaimed deposits to the state for a decade.

THIRTY YEARS AGO – 1984

Bingo is a big business on the Seneca Nation’s Indian Reservation near Irving. Operating five nights a week for the past four years, an occasional “monster bingo” is held, with the high stakes event drawing thousands of people. Employment of Native Americans at the bingo hall has made a slight impact on the general unemployment rate in the area, but the bingo games have also greatly contributed to the area economy, with people traveling from Detroit, Chicago, Toronto and Syracuse, among other places, for monster bingo.

Forty years ago – 1974

The annual Silver Creek Nike Club Talent Show was held recently, attracting about 500 persons. First place winner was Deborah Richir performing, “The Discovery of the Baton.” John Muccigrosso took second place for playing the ukulele and singing “Sweet Sixteen.” Third prize winner was Karyllyn Maloney, performing a modern day modern dance to “Leroy Brown.”

FIFTY YEARS AGO – 1964

A flock of blue heron have begun making their summer nesting home at the Harold Fancher Farm on County Road 307 in Arkwright. The flock has grown to about 44 nests in the preceding summer and may be one of the largest in Western New York.