Let's Go Back for Dec. 20, 2013

40 Years Ago, Dec. 12, 1973

Islander meets our new VP

Just after Gerald Ford was named by President Richard M. Nixon as his choice to fill the vacant office of vice president of the United States, Congressman Ford appeared in Washington with the staff from Sen. Edward Stevens office (Sen. from Alaska). ...

Among Stevens' staff members ... is Linda Beach, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Beach of West River Parkway. Linda, a Grand Island resident for some years, serves as an administrative aide to Sen. Stevens and often acts as a consultant for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the senator's home state of Alaska.

Meeting Vice President Ford was one of the more pleasant bits of business for this young Islander.

30 Years Ago, Dec. 9, 1983

RID cites Island handling of DWI

A study released by Remove Intoxicated Drivers, Niagara Frontier chapter, gives police and judges on Grand Island high marks for the "best jurisdiction" in control of DWI and DWAI cases.

RID's 1982 Niagara Frontier Study is based on data from 14 jurisdictions - Alden, Amherst, Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Clarence, Concord, Evans, Grand Island, Hamburg, Holland, Marilla, Orchard Park, City of Tonawanda and Town of Tonawanda. The study covered six months from March 1, 1982, to Aug. 31, 1982.

The reports data on blood-alcohol content at the time of arrests is seen by RID as having "implications about the alertness of the police in apprehending dunk drivers and about the subsequent treatment of such cases in the different courts." ...The local .138 (BAC average) is seen as indicating "all parts of the system seem to function well on Grand Island."

"Grand Island judges," the report says, "had the fastest disposition time of all the 31 judges studied. Speedy disposition boosts the morale of the arresting officers." ...

20 Years Ago, Dec. 10, 1993

Mesmer Dairy cleanup completed

The cleanup of the former Mesmer Dairy plant on Love Road is now clearly finished and the Department of Environmental Conservation expects to remove the hazardous waste from the site next week.

The DEC has spent $100,000 to remove hazardous materials, including ammonia, solvents and various petroleum products from the area.

According to Erie County 10th District Legislator Chuck Swanick, "The DEC has informed me that once they complete their work, the only remaining problem will be the natural gas well on the property."

"There will also be miscellaneous trash on debris on the property, but nothing else of a hazardous nature."

Town Supervisor Jim Pax sated, "We were fortunate to get this cleaned up. We have been able to resolve something that potentially could have created a lot of problems for the Island.

10 Years Ago, Dec. 12, 2003

Middle School parking violations

Grand Island School District officials are reminding parents to please obey the "No Parking" signs in front of Connor Middle School. Failure to do so is dangerous to students entering and exiting buses, and could result in a traffic ticket for parents.

Connor Principal Bruce Benson said the parking lot in front of the middle school is now for buses only. "We have designated a drop-off site for parents that will not interfere with the buses. ..."