10 years ago Feb. 16, 2011: The New York State Zoo at Thompson Park has a new leader. John T. Wright will take charge of the zoo in Watertown on March 7. He will replace former executive director John S. Foster, who resigned late last year. Mr. Wright is currently the general curator for the Hattiesburg (Miss.) Zoo. 25 years ago Feb. 16, 1996: The city of Ogdensburg will buy part of the Ogdensburg Mall for about $181,000. The agreement to buy Building 5-A, the most valuable portion of the retail center, ends a continuing battle between the city and mall owner Gilbert Jones, a Plattsburgh developer. Ogdensburg has been interested in buying part of the mall since Mr. Jones started foreclosure proceedings against the man to whom he sold the retail center. Owning Building 5-A will help the city recoup the more than $300,000 it invested in the building.