Looking Back — May 4, 2017

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/05/2017 (3089 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In 2007: Sacharko wins provincewide talent competition

SIXTY YEARS AGO

Bill Sumpton, a 15-year-old student at McLaren School, was awarded the Buckingham Trophy for oratory.

The Brandon Art Club is observing its 50th year of organization.

FIFTY YEARS AGO

Cecil G. “Cec” Lewis officially opened his third store today. Located on the north side of Victoria Avenue between 25th and 26th streets, Lewis’ Variety Store will sell housewares, hardware, plumbing and heating and sporting goods. It also serves as a post office and a collection agent for Manitoba Telephone System, Manitoba Hydro and Plains West Natural Gas Co. Also located in the building is a billiards parlour, owned by Lewis and apprentice plumber Don Morling. The other businesses are the Floor Crafts Store and a barber shop.

FORTY YEARS AGO

Vehicle travel has been restricted to Highways 10 and 19 in Riding Mountain National Park because of the extreme fire hazard.

Metev Woollen Mills, 54 Assiniboine Ave., has recently installed three new wool-carding machines. A crane was needed to hoist the machinery into place through a hole which was knocked in the wall in the upper storey of the building. The new machines will double yearly production of 300,000 pounds of hand-knitting yarn and blankets.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Two people were killed after a semi-trailer truck from Calgary slammed into a train at a crossing about three kilometers west of Virden on the Trans-Canada Highway this morning in heavy fog. The collisions closed the highway as six rail cars were derailed, spilling potash onto the highway.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

Former Canadian heavyweight champion George Chuvalo was brought to Russell by the Major Pratt Peer Group recently to talk to students and parents on his life experiences.

The Rossburn Game and Fish Association is getting $12,000 from the province for work to improve the quality of fishing at Rossman Lake.

TEN YEARS AGO

He did it! Local musician Mike Sacharko returned to the Palomino Club in Winnipeg for the final phase of the provincewide Bud Country Talent Search and was awarded first place. Late last month he competed against 10 other rural semifinalists — singers who had won their local competition in rural towns — and in the finals.

After a two-year hunt for more space, BDO Dunwoody affirmed its faith in downtown Brandon by announcing its move to the 10th Street Emporium. The accounting and financial advisory firm’s current office in the 100-block of 10th Street is too small for the growing company.

Thirty-seven members of the Brandon Fire Department were presented with new badges yesterday. The wallet badges are inscribed with each member’s name, the year they joined the department and their employee number. The first badge was presented to the longest-serving current member of the department, Capt. Dave Pope. Tomorrow will mark the 38th anniversary of the day Pope joined the BFD, and to recognize his service, his badge is inscribed with the number 100. Other badge numbers ascend from there.