September 28, 1932 –
Needles folk complain no relief work
Complaints are being made by residents of Needles that no relief work is being provided in that district. One resident writes: “Could you tell us if there is nay chance of some relief work? It is two months since they had any here, and they are working other places. If there is not going to be any here, is there not some place where my husband could go to get some? We are out of everything. We have no cow, chicken, pigs or anything we can sell, as there is no sale of apples. I have eleven children, five of whom are going to school and as we can’t get anything at the store (as we have not been able to pay our bill), they will have to stay away from school after this week, as we can’t even get them their scribblers and they are to get other books that will cost over $6, and we have not got five cents. It for sure is not very nice to have to ask like this, but we have to try something. There is nothing the children can do up here, either, as no one has money to do anything with. Will you please let us know of anything that will help a bit right away?”
September 24, 1942 –
New prisoners food plant opening
The Red Cross is opening another prisoners-of-war food plant, equipped to pack 20,000 parcels a week in Windsor, Ontario and a fifth is contemplated at Winnipeg. At present there are three packing plants; Toronto, Montreal and Hamilton; each with a capacity of packing 20,000 parcels per week. During the first six months of the year the Red Cross shipped approximately 1,900,000 food parcels valued at $4,750,000.
September 23, 1992 –
Pine mushroom prices soared to $75 a pound
Pine mushrooms were fetching $75 a pound late last weekend but the price plummeted on Monday morning. A large shipment of mushrooms arrived on the Tokyo market from Korea, driving the price of the North American mushroom downward. On Monday the price was $30 per pound.
September 26, 2002 –
Protesters storm ferry at Fauquier
About 50 protesters clamoured aboard the Needles-Fauquier ferry to protest the provincial government’s plans to implement tolls and privatize the Arrow Lakes ferries. Chanting “No tolls, not for sale!” and carrying placards with messages like “Liberals are killing our communities,” the protesters were joined by Christopher Swain, an Oregon man who is swimming the entire length of the Columbia River to promote awareness of growing pollution levels in the river.
At the time, as a result of BC Hydro’s decision to harness hydroelectric power by flooding the lakes, the government promised to build a bridge across the lake and to provide 24-hour free ferry service until a bridge could be built.
Travellers seemed generally to agree with the protesters. “If a promise was made (to build a bridge), they should build the thing and keep their promise.”
