Let's Go Back Jan. 21, 2011

40 Years Ago, Jan. 20, 1971

Cluster housing, mobile homes, part of master plan to be aired

New provisions for 'cluster" housing, mobile homes and special uses of property within zones and the establishment of a inner beltway are part of Grand Island's proposed 701 Comprehensive Plan to be aired at a public hearing. ...

Cluster housing, a recent trend in residential development, permits the creation of large open areas by clustering houses together and cutting down on the individual yard space of homes. ...

Mobile homes, previously prohibited for longer than two months of each year, would under the proposed statute be permitted within certain areas. ... As defined by the proposed statute, mobile homes include living quarters on foundations as well as on wheels.

An inner beltway has been proposed to extend from Grand Island Boulevard near Staley Road in the south, curve around parallel to East River Road, and run into Grand Island Boulevard south of Long Road in the north. The road would provide for high-speed limited access travel for the more densely populated region.

30 Years Ago, Jan. 16, 1981

Public hearing on all-day kindergarten well attended

At least 100 parents attended Wednesday's public hearing in the middle school to express their opinions or listen to those of others interested in the proposal to extend kindergarten classes to all day sessions.

Of the 29 parents who spoke, about half appeared to be against the project and the other half in favor of it.

Of interest was a statement read by the president of the Grand Island Teachers Association not only announcing the organization is in favor of all day kindergarten from 1981-82 but also requesting the district look into the feasibility of a pre-kindergarten program.

"Because of changes in society in the past decade, we believe that early childhood education is an idea whose time has come," the statement said.

20 Years Ago, Jan. 18, 1991

Quality Quest group off to good start

There is every indication that the Quality Quest Coalition, a group of citizens interested in the town's welfare, is well on the way to becoming one of the Island's outstanding organizations.

About 60 Island residents who attended its second meeting Jan. 8 in the Memorial Library learned its goal is 'to promote the quality of life on Grand Island," to quote Lynn Daniels, one of its organizers.

During the meeting, residents expressed their ideas about what living on the Island means to them. The informal forum was presented by a wide range of Island citizens from comparative newcomers to long time residents.

10 Years Ago, Jan. 26, 2001

Seneca Land Claim - feds to drop ejectment

On Monday, Jan. 11, Grand Island Supervisor Peter McMahon announced that the U.S. Justice Department has decided to drop ejectment from the Seneca Land Claim case.

This means that landowners on the Island will not be at risk to lose their property as a consequence of the case.

"It is the policy of the United States not to seek any relief from private landowners in its cases involving the New York Land Claims," stated Assistant Attorney General Lois J. Schiffer in a letter dated Jan. 19. ...

The federal governments motion to drop ejectment is expected to be approved by Judge Richard Arcara.