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Let's Go Back for Feb. 18, 2011

by jmaloni
Thu, Feb 17th 2011 12:00 pm

40 Years Ago, Feb. 17, 1971

Islander to join in opposing NHL old-timers

Don Colan of 1378 Staley Road, Grand Island, will be among the players when the Niagara Falls Hockey Alumni, better known in some circles as the "Over Thirty" Hockey Alumni, hit the big time Saturday as they tackle the National Hockey League Old-timers at the Hyde Park Ice Pavilion in Niagara Falls.

Proceeds from the benefit games will go to the Crippled Children's Fund in Montreal and to the Niagara Falls Retarded Children's Foundation.

The game will feature such old-time greats as Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, Doug Harvey, Elmer Lach, Ken Mosdell and Dickie Moore.

30 Years Ago, Feb. 13, 1981

Kindergarten presentation set for Wednesday

The School Board Monday held its first workshop session to review 1981-82 budget request from the town's three elementary schools as well as the middle and high schools.

All programs were considered on a preliminary basis only and no definite action was taken. However it was indicated the projection of 90 fewer students in the elementary schools and the subsequent elimination of one teaching position there could result in an improvement in the average grade size, from 24 to 23 students per teacher.

Total budget requests presented by the board to school principals, could represent a 4.7 percent increase in expenditures for academic programs, William McGee, director of personnel and support services, estimated.

A change in the time allotted to kindergarten classes also could affect the cost to taxpayers the first year, as much as no additional state aid would be available until 1982-83. Alternates (are) now being studied by the board.

20 Years Ago, Feb. 15, 1991

Islander becomes nation's valentine

A mistake on a birth certificate made at Kaiser Hospital in California six years ago has brought much national attention to Grand Island and, in particular, one little girl over the past week.

Dominique Candace Crocitto, age 6, of East River Road, has become a celebrity due to that error. The first-grader at Kaegebein School discovered last week that she is legally a boy, because a staff member at the hospital where she was born inadvertently put male on Dominique's birth certificate. The mistake went unfounded until she was informed last Tuesday, Feb. 5, from a local competition director that she was unable to compete because of the legalities regarding her gender. The gender error couldn't have happened to a less likely individual, as some 48-beauty pageant trophies attest to the fact that she is very much a girl, a talented one at that. Dominique, daughter of Dom and Susan Crocitto, has been competing successfully in baton and beauty competitions for many years of her short life to date.

Sue Crocitto commented that when Dominique first learned of the error she was frightened. ...

But her fears were soon eased by all the attention the news brought. She was soon sought after like a movie star. ...

"People started calling for interviews right away," Sue said. "Current Affair" called first, then "Hard Copy," then The National Examiner, followed by "The Joan Rivers Show." ...

Sue said it was really exciting the way the media picked up on it, adding that that really made her daughter forget about being a boy.

10 Years Ago, Feb. 23, 2001

Town receives more than $22,000 for snow removal

Highway Superintendent Ray Dlugokinski announced that the Town of Grand Island has received $22,203.15 from the New York State Emergency Management Office.

Due to the early and lasting record-breaking snowfall in November and December 2000, Grand Island fell with the boundaries identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State Emergency Management Office, making the town eligible to receive those funds.

Dlugokinski had submitted his application noting the every high consumption of road salt and high overtime man hours needed to deal effectively with the unexpected heavy snows during that time period

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