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Let's Go Back for May 3, 2013

by jmaloni
Mon, May 13th 2013 02:30 pm

40 Years Ago, April 25, 1973

Island boy names whale

The biggest baby in Western New York finally has a name - but it took the efforts of 1,300 kids to do it.

The 316-pound baby pilot whale now residence at the Aquarium of Niagara Falls was officially christened "Captain Jack" Tuesday in watery ceremonies officiated by the winner of the "Name the Whale Contest."

Kenneth Minklei, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred O. Minklei, came up with the winning name to get a backstage adventure for himself and his family. His parents and sisters Lynn and Lisa accompanied Kenneth to the show platform at the Aquarium to meet the young whale.

Six-year-old Kenneth, a first-grader at Huth Road Elementary School, won Aquarium memberships for his family. ...

30 Years Ago, April 22, 1983

Planned subdivisions could mean building boom here

Grand Island may be in for a building boom if subdivisions now on the drawing boards and beyond become realities.

The Town Board Monday set a public hearing for May 2 to consider rezoning property between 2410 and 2840 East River Road from Residence C to Residence A to allow single homes to be built there on 100-by-200-foot lots in the proposed East Riverside Woods subdivision.

Final plat approval was voted for the Waterside Park subdivision after a drainage problem back of Winkler Road houses was solved to Winkler residents' satisfaction. Planning calls for five-acre lots on the site, near the South Grand Island Bridge.

Sent to the Planning Board for additional study was the pre-application of the Staley Farm subdivision. About 120 acres on Staley Road will be divided into 10- to 12-acre plots if the Town Board grants final approval.

20 Years Ago, April 30, 1993

Fantasy Island has new name

Fantasy Island, a long-time Grand Island attraction, will open May 29 under a new name - Two Flags Over Niagara Fun Park.

The new insignia for the theme park includes the Canadian and United States flags over water symbolizing Niagara Falls.

Charles R. Wood, who owned Fantasy Island in the 1980s and sold it to International Broadcasting Corp in 1989, is again in command of the recreation facility. He purchased it in October from IBC, which had filed for bankruptcy.

10 Years Ago, April 25, 2003

Airstrip brouhaha leaves residents hanging

A proposed airstrip and hangar on Grand Island has sparked its fair share of controversy over the past four years. Attendees at Monday's Grand Island Town Board meeting, hoping to hear the board's decision on said hangar, were left hanging once again.

A handful of residents opposing the hangar, as well as Robert Mesmer - the Island resident seeking the aforementioned - expected to hear a decision, but a technical problem with the town's email system forced the board to once again table the matter.

Despite the many delays ... Mesmer feels the Town Board has been fair during this process. ... He also believes it is only a matter of time before the hangar site plan is approved.

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