BUFFALO, N.Y. — 10 years ago this week in 2013:
President Obama was a Western New York visitor, stopping at the University at Buffalo as part of a swing through upstate New York and Pennsylvania to discuss the importance of higher education, the cost of college, and the need to get a handle on crushing student loan debt.
20 years ago this week in 2003:
Californians were in the midst of a gubernatorial recall election where no less than 247 candidates, some well known and others not, had initially thrown their hats in the ring.
This week's News 2 You Pop Quiz: who among them do you think eventually emerged as the winner about 6 weeks later, among the field that had been whittled down to a mere 135 candidates by this week in 2003. (for the answer, watch the conclusion of the video attached to this story).
Remember, this was back when Niagara Falls, Ontario officials announced that the Fallsview would be name of the city's second casino, when you could still catch a concert at the Continental in downtown Buffalo and when then, just as now, folks were complaining about rising gas prices.
"Just a couple of days ago it was $1.56 per gallon, and now it's more than $1.70," complained one motorist fueling up on Niagara Street, which makes one wonder what her thoughts might be today, with gas prices hovering close to $4.00 per gallon.
30 years ago this week in 1993:
More than 6,000 residents of Grand Island woke up to some eye popping news when The Seneca Nation of Indians filed a court claim seeking the return of the island's 18,000 acres to them.
They claimed a treaty granting the land to New York State in the early 1800s was invalid.
However, a member of the tribal council almost immediately stated that rather than having the land returned to them, the Seneca were more interested in negotiating a monetary settlement for it.
After a legal battel which would go on for nine years in the courts, a federal judge finally ruled the Seneca were not entitled to Grand Island, nor any compensation for it.
40 years ago this week in 1983:
The style of wearing gym shorts with knee length, three ring tube socks was seen as fashionable, beverage cans were still largely made with steel, and backyard carnivals were still a popular way to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Back in those days, motorists could use the I-990, but wouldn't get very far in their travels. At the time, the "Lockport Expressway" only went for just over a mile to the Sweet Home Road exit, and it would be a few more years before it was extended further.
You can watch past segments on the WGRZ YouTube channel