BUFFALO, N.Y. — 2 On Your Side's Dave McKinley takes a look back at the headlines that made news this week in history.
10 years ago this week:
One of the coldest winters on record produced a record number of stays at area homeless shelters and warming centers, a record number of complaints to local utilities about high home heating costs, and some magnificent ice caves along Lake Erie at Crystal Beach. The ice caves became a popular attraction prompting thousands to visit, but with temperatures starting to warm police closed them off to the public.
Ranked #1 in the nation after a best in school history 25-0 start, the Syracuse men's basketball team lost its first game of the season, in a stunning upset to Boston College. After its strong start which stirred talk of a national title, Syracuse would go on to drop 6 of its last 9 games and get bounced in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament.
At his State of the City address, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced that city police would start carrying Narcan to combat the burgeoning epidemic of fatal drug overdoses.
Ironically, it was the same week the world's most-wanted drug lord, Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, more commonly referred to as El Chapo, was arrested in Mexico.
During that same speech, the mayor also revealed that a deal had been struck to turn the shuttered Trico plant downtown into a complex featuring two hotels, apartments, retail space and a parking ramp.
The $50 million project was supposed to be completed in two years but ran into several fits and starts which also led to design changes. Today, work has resumed at the site where luxury apartments are expected to be completed sometime this year.
Hearthstone Manor, a once popular place for banquets and wedding receptions, closed its doors...The Arctic's Edge exhibit at the Buffalo Zoo was just a construction sight upon which ground had just been broken...and Visit Buffalo Niagara President & CEO Patrick Kahler had just completed his first month on the job this week in 2014.
20 years ago this week:
The final episode of Sex and the City was aired and with it came the answer to a long burning question.
This week's news to you pop quiz: what was the real name of "Big"- Carrie Bradshaw's on again off again boyfriend throughout the 6 season run of the popular HBO show- which was finally revealed in the series finale aired that aired this week in 2004? (For the answer watch the conclusion of the video attached to this story).
It was the same week that Adelphia cable founder John Rigas, whose business portfolio at one time also included the NHL Buffalo Sabres, went on trial for fraud for which he would be convicted and sent to prison.
With courts clearing the way for individual states to permit same sex marriage, President George W. Bush made one last and unsuccessful effort to stem an impending tide of change by calling on Congress to “promptly pass and send to the states for ratification, an amendment to our constitution defining and protecting marriage as a union between a man and a woman as husband and wife."
30 years ago this week:
Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello and Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski came to terms on a new agreement to divvy up hotel bed tax revenue in a fashion which would allow for construction of the Crossroads Arena, which is today known as KeyBank Center.
The late great Jim Brown, who many consider the greatest football player of all time, came to Buffalo, and while here appeared on Channel 2 for a live interview during which time he was asked by news anchor Nick Clooney, “Are you a role model?”
Brown replied, “There is only one role model and that is God. All of us have too many negative aspects of ourselves to elevate ourselves as a role model. It’s a cliche that should be disregarded."
After nearly 60 years in business, W&F Manufacturing announced it would be closing it operations in Buffalo leaving 200 people out of work. The company made paraffin wax candy lips and teeth and novelty figurines, including the popular Gurley candles sold in five and dime stores throughout the nation.
40 years ago this week:
Although the NHL had adopted a policy in 1979 mandating that any new players entering the league had to wear helmets, by 1984 there were still many veteran players who were opting out of donning protective head gear.
Helmets, while suggested for snowmobilers, were also not required by any law and it would take New York State a few more years to make them mandatory.
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