Twenty years ago - 1994The Colony House opened in Silver Creek on Dec. 19, 1953. Forty-one years later, now named The Colony Restaurant, it is owned and operated by brothers Vito "Duke" and Jeff La Barbera, serving as manager and chef. The first "Colony House" was built and operated by Russell ...

Twenty years ago - 1994Although he is running unopposed, Dunkirk Clerk of Assessors Bill Dill said he still plans to wage an active campaign in the coming weeks before the November election. Mr. Dill, who has been endorsed by the Democratic party, stated the job of assessor seldom wins anyone a ...

Twenty years ago - 1994A unique store has recently opened which caters to fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror and the like. Q-Box is located at 355 Central Avenue in Fredonia (the old YMCA building). While one of their specialties is unusual figure and "garage" kits depicting such comic ...

Twenty years ago - 1994Victor Kugler of Dunkirk was the grand prize winner of a Mountain Bike in KFC's (Tops Plaza) grand opening. Bill Hammond of Silver Creek and Richard Sprague of Cassadaga were winners of KFC Football Packs. The new restaurant is the second KFC location owned and operated ...

Twenty years ago - 1994Michaela Albach, a 17-year-old Dunkirk High School junior, will get the chance of her young life later this month when she sings on Star Search. A singer since she was 5, Michaela auditioned in Manhattan in May (where she sang Mariah Carey's "If It's Over") and was ...

Twenty years ago - 1994The Ripley Board of Education, during its meeting, honored Ralph Chiesi for his efforts to keep the school yearbook afloat. Mr. Chiesi, a concerned parent, was given the Board of Education Award for his work in raising $8,000 for the 1994 yearbook. The money also was used ...

Twenty years ago - 1994Two Angola girls garnered Festival of Grapes Pageant titles in Silver Creek. Catherine Marie Buckley was crowned the 1994 Miss Festival of Grapes while Brittany Lawrence was named 1994 Little Miss Festival of Grapes. In all, 13 young women and 12 girls competed for the ...

Twenty years ago - 1994An OBSERVER photo shows Justin Strawser, 10, of Silver Creek as he spits a grape into a bucket during the annual grape spitting contest at the Silver Creek Festival of Grapes. Justin was named "Grand Champion" after managing to land more grapes in a bucket than any other ...

Twenty years ago - 1994The 25th anniversary season of the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center on the Fredonia State University Campus opened recently with a gala dinner and concert. The pre-concert buffet was held on the stage of the Robert W. Marvel Theatre. Brass and trumpet fanfares greeted ...

Twenty years ago - 1994Northern Chautauqua Catholic School began its 1994-95 year in its new location on Washington Avenue in Dunkirk. There are 198 students registered this year. Michael Goth was named the principal of the school this summer. New staff members include: Cathy Wojcinski, ...

Twenty years ago - 1994Paula Pichon, 21, of Forestville is the youngest woman on the local race car circuit. She has been driving at Stateline and Eriez speedways for three seasons and has consistently been among the top drivers in the trophy class. This season she was among the top five female ...

Twenty years ago - 1994A large crowd attended a Mass at Holy Trinity Church recently along with a meeting in support of reopening Cardinal Mindszenty High School in Dunkirk. Local parents have been organizing to reopen the school closed in 1979. The Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Joseph Gatto. ...

Twenty years ago - 1994The Dunkirk Patriots Drum and Bugle Corps recently purchased a new travel bus. Donations from local organizations and fund-raising efforts by members of the corps allowed the group to purchase the 1983 International bus. The bus is shown in an OBSERVER photo along with ...

Twenty years ago - 1994Featured in the OBSERVER Sports Scrapbook is Betty (Burke) Bartkowiak, who spends her summers on Genet Street in Dunkirk and her winters in Barefoot Bay, Fla. She played basketball, softball and volleyball for Dunkirk High School, graduating in 1949. She was the recipient ...

Twenty years ago - 1994The third annual Share-A-Dream caravan of 18-wheel rigs will be traveling a 30-mile round trip between Fredonia and Westfield today. Each trailer cab will be carrying a child in need and his or her parent or guardian as passengers. A riderless tractor-trailer will serve ...

Twenty years ago - 1994The time has finally arrived at Dunkirk High. After 11 straight non-winning seasons, the Marauders count themselves among the Division 6 contenders. That, at least, is the estimation of Coach Mike Sarratori, who states he is very optimistic after being rehired for his ...

Twenty years ago - 1994Two family-owned companies in Pomfret are now carrying the Penske name. The DeCeilio Truck Leasing Corp. and DTL Carriers Inc. have been bought by the Penske Truck Leasing Co. DeCeilio Truck Leasing Corp. was founded in 1950 by the late Herbert DeCeilio. The fleet began ...

Twenty years ago - 1994An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of a Sept. 1 early morning fire that damaged the building at 27 Water St. in Fredonia which currently houses Lena's Pizza Parlor. No damage estimates have been announced. The building is owned by Thomas J. Phelka and ...

Twenty years ago - 1994A two-person yellow submarine known as "Sea Probe I" and built by Bill Vacanti in his Dunkirk garage, is on its way to the West Coast to become a deep-sea research vessel. Mr. Vacanti's company, "In-Search-Of Associates" is a limited partnership with about 30 investors ...

Twenty years ago - 1994One of the oldest maple trees still standing in Cassadaga will soon be no more. A large limb of the tree, which stands an estimated 60 feet high and carries a girth of 11 feet, fell across Maple Avenue on Aug. 28 during the storm which damaged a number of other trees ...