50 YEARS AGO:
The truck weighing scales on the Yellowhead Highway officially opened with the first trucks stopping around 9 a.m. Trucks with a gross weight of less than 12,000 pounds could be issued with a sticker which would allow them to pass the scales without stopping each time.
Liberal candidate Mac Bryson spent some time in the North Thompson where he met hundreds of people. Starting off at Clearwater were two coffee parties at the Radmacher and Parker residences, followed by a tour of Camp Two mill where Mac met and talked to the crew.
45 YEARS AGO:
A Motocross race went ahead on schedule at the ¾ mile motocross track behind Mountain Sports in Clearwater. There was a representation of many brands of motorcycles from as far south as Ashcroft and north from 100 Mile House with a total of 38 entries.
Stan Saari stopped in Clearwater for lunch after a trip of about 2500 miles from Theif Falls, Wisconsin. With him he brought the Boss Cat II, claimed as the worlds fastest snowmobile by the Arctic Cat Company. Mr. Saari was enroute to the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver during his brief stopover.
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40 YEARS AGO:
The North Thompson had a surprise theatre performance. The Caravan Stage Company, complete with horse-drawn carriages, puppet shows and an afternoon “Tabootenay”, planned to pull into the Clearwater Secondary School grounds on August 25, setting up banners and a stage.
The second annual Craft Fair was a huge success and was held in Little Fort at the community hall and on the grounds with crowds mingling and buying until late afternoon. During the Fair a short play, The Pied Piper, was acted out by a dozen small children who were trained by Celeste Derkson, manager of the crafts shop for the summer.
35 YEARS AGO:
Two major sporting events were planned for the coming weekend. In Clearwater, Saturday and Sunday the Raft River Riders held their annual horse show at the new grounds on the flats. At the same time, Vavenby featured the annual loggers days with mens’, womens’ and junior events leading to trophies for the top logger.
The Blue River demolition derby proved a crashing success with entries from Clearwater, Vavenby, Valemount and Blue River. More than 500 people attended the weekend derby with the event also including family fun such as the “best dressed” car award, which was won by Don Turtiak’s police car.
30 YEARS AGO:
TNRD Area A director Paul Caissie presented a cheque for $2,500 to members of the Highway Rescue Society to operate and maintain this valuable service. The grant, from the regional district, was issued under the TNRD Letters Patent as a grant-in-aid.
The Clearwater Swim Club completed another successful summer of swimming lessons. Approximately 330 swimmer ranging from moms and tots to bronze cross took swimming lessons that season. The club was instructed by Lee Erikson, Dana Hay and Tammy Arduini, assisted by Eleanor Hall, Chrystal Anderson and Angie Hay.
25 YEARS AGO:
Police believed a trucker found dead in the parking lot of the Wells Gray Inn died of a heart attack. A motorist driving through the parking lot just before 11 a.m. alerted the staff that a man was laying on the ground beside his tractor-trailer unit. RCMP were called to the scene. It is believed the trucker died while checking his tires.
20 YEARS AGO:
An unfortunate chain of events was being blamed by Conservation Officer Kevin Van Damme for the death of a young male grizzly bear and for the endangerment of several forest workers. The grizzly had been spotted near a weeding contract block on Miledge Creek (located north of Blue River). After moving away from the area, a group of three workers was approached by the grizzly which, after firing a warning shot, was then was shot dead by the foreman to protect his men.
15 YEARS AGO:
Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo visited Blue River, Vavenby and Clearwater during the last leg of a tour of northern B.C. She had pledged to visit every community in the province during her five-year term in office.
North Thompson Indian Band was using fish fences on the Raft and Barriere rivers to harvest salmon. “We’re trying to encourage people to come out and talk to us … we’re doing this harvest in a sustainable manner,” said Fred Fortier, NTIB councilor and chair of the Secwepemc Fisheries Commission
Kamloops Tru Value Rebels won the Senior D Men’s provincial softball championships in Kamloops. The team included a number of players from the North Thompson.
10 YEARS AGO:
Union of B.C. Municipalities invited two representatives of the District of Clearwater’s junior council, Cara Pelton and Jesse Akers, to attend the convention in Vancouver. This council was believed to be the first in the province and there was hope other communities would take on the idea.
Two Clearwater males were arrested and placed in custody after RCMP seized cocaine, marijuana and several prescription medications at a residence. In addition to the drugs police also found a quantity of ammunition. Police said this was the culmination of a year-long investigation.
Mayor John Harwood presented Sportsplex employees Joe Timms and Warren Hofer with a recreation building service worker certification.
5 YEARS AGO:
Rodeo Rednecks put on a gymkhana to benefit the three children of Angela Wilson. The children had been left motherless following a domestic dispute the previous May.
Neskonlith Indian Band issued an eviction notice to Imperial Metals, owner of the proposed Ruddock Creek Mine, which is located near Tum Tum Lake east of Avola. The eviction by band chief July Wilson was in response to the Mt. Polley tailings pond spill.
1 YEAR AGO:
After seven years living in Canada, a local couple finally received Canadian citizenship, making them Canadians not just in residency and spirit, but as official canucks. Aida Andersen and Lars Kolind attended a ceremony in Kelowna where they took the last step toward becoming full Canadians, though the pair said they’ve felt Canada has been home since their arrival.
Several local churches held what they dubbed Adventure Week, which was supported by the North Thompson Community Foundation, and according to youth pastor Kim Bridge, the event was a great success. “We were planning for 20 kids and we had 46 different youth attend, so I’m thinking we did very well,” she said.
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