34 Years Ago (1984): The Weldwood of Canada plywood plant, set to cease operations, could be used as a nursery, according to International Woodworkers of America Local 1-425 Vice-president Wade Fisher. It was one of several ideas the union was considering to create jobs for the employees who were being laid off due to the closure of the plant and the opening of a new, modern sawmill. The local was also contemplating establishing a natural fish hatchery in the region, he said.
28 Years Ago (1990): A signed 25-year agreement meant Ainsworth Lumber had 30 months to get a strandboard plant up and running. The agreement also stipulated construction had to start within a year. David Ainsworth was cautious about committing himself to dates but told an audience of about 80 at the Red Coach Inn that “we will be able to meet the time frame. Financing will be the major hurdle from now on. It’s a lot of money for a company the size of Ainsworth. It isn’t that simple.”
22 Years Ago (1996): British Columbians were set to go to the polls on May 28 and all three major Cariboo South campaigns were more than anxious to get going after Premier Glen Clark asked to dissolve legislation following the tabling of a budget. NDP Campaign manager Gillian MacDonald said her troops “know we’ve got lots of work to do.” Liberal nominee Dave Worthy said he thought the South Cariboo was “going to be a very close fight.”
17 Years Ago (2001): The Cariboo South riding would not have a B.C. Green Party candidate because of a conflict between the party and Ruth Lake area farmer Charles Jones. Jones said the Green Party leader, Adriane Carr, refused to sign his nomination because he wasn’t a member of the environmental groups that ran the Green Party. “I really don’t want to discourage anyone from voting for the Green. There’s still a lot of good people. It still has potential,” he said. “I think right now, we’ve got some bad administrators.”
9 Years Ago (2009): A 650-hectare forest fire that took 70 Mile House by surprise left three of its residents without homes and a nearby 60 home subdivision miraculously untouched. According to 70 Mile VFD chief Dave Lindenfelger, one of his members spotted smoke from the fire at about 12:30 p.m. and alerted others. A call for mutual aid was made to six other departments. He said the fire was approximately one acre in size when they arrived on scene and travelling west toward residences on Komori Road.
