Thirty years ago — 1994

Gowanda village residents came out in large numbers as they voted to keep the village police force. The results were 372 to 214 in favor of keeping the village police. More than 50 percent of the eligible votersturned out for this special election. By their vote, Gowanda residents have indicated they are willing to pay more in taxes to keep the village police force intact. The village board had expected to see a $39,725 annual savings by contracting with Cattaraugus County for police services.

Forty years ago — 1984

Dunkirk Fourth Ward Councilman Timothy Stoyle angrily blasted what he called a “minority of workers” in the city’s department of public works who are loafing and drinking on the job and failing to respond to requests from city residents. Stoyle said he receives an average of three calls a day from residents complaining about city workers. In addition to reports of city workers drinking on the job, he has received reports of workers who show up for work at 7 a.m., but never actually start work until three hours later, or those who take extremely long breaks at all times during the day. “We can’t even get simple things done and I want to know why,” Stoyle said.

Fifty years ago — 1974

The kindergarten classes at School 3 in Dunkirk made their stage debut in the original production of “Where the Wild Things Are.”