Looking Back — Feb. 27, 2024

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/02/2024 (932 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SIXTY YEARS AGO

Brandon Mayor S.A. Magnacca is asking for assistance for between 70 and 100 families who are going to find themselves in Rivers shortly without accommodations. Recent cuts in defence spending have forced the closing of some RCAF establishments in Eastern Canada. Group Capt. C.M. Black, commandant of CJATC Rivers, approached Magnacca for help in finding accommodations for the families of the officers and enlisted men who will be moved to the Rivers camp.

FIFTY YEARS AGO

Ray Laval, assistant secretary-treasurer for Brandon School Division No. 40, has been appointed health services administrator for Deloraine and Melita hospitals.

FORTY YEARS AGO

A Deloraine pilot was in stable condition with undetermined injuries in Deloraine Memorial Hospital this morning after his light plane crashed near Ninga yesterday. RCMP say the Cessna 150 piloted by Brice Tannahill, 46, crashed in a farmer’s field about 4.5 kilometres north of Ninga.

After a few weeks of flirting with spring-like weather, southwestern Manitobans were brought back to the reality of winter this morning with a mini-snowstorm leaving three centimetres of snow.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Darlene McLeod’s Grade 4 class at Souris held a party to celebrate Keiko, the killer whale’s (and star of the movie “Free Willy”) 15th birthday and participated in a conference call with a class from Prince George, B.C., where the students exchanged information and sang “Happy Birthday.” The Grade 4 class started off in the fall writing letters to the Mexico City aquarium to complain about the inhumane living conditions of Keiko, which served as a lightning rod to the “Free Keiko” movement across Canada.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

An updated Statistics Canada study shows that the nation’s number of people over 65 who continue to work increased from 255,000 in 1996 to 305,000 in 2001. This increase of nearly 20 per cent is significant compared to the 11 per cent growth in the total senior population of the same period. Of these, 18 per cent were 75 and older.

The nine-acre Keystone Centre property could be carved up or kept whole depending on what Brandon City Council decides to do as it makes its new development plan this year. The consultant hired to do the plan is talking with the Keystone about whether to preserve part of the property as greenspace and turn another into commercial property if the board and community agree it fits the site.

TEN YEARS AGO

A report of human remains along the Assiniboine River in Queen Elizabeth Park was made to police at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The discovery was made by an equipment operator who was clearing away debris and deadfall from a wooded area along the riverbank as part of continuing cleanup from the 2011 flood. The work is being done by a local landscaping company hired by the city. Officers responded, confirmed that the remains are human and guarded the scene overnight.

Frigid temperatures have plagued Brandon this winter, and February has been particularly frostier than usual. According to Environment Canada, we can expect more of the same for at least a few more weeks. It looks like Saturday will be especially brisk — Environment Canada’s forecast is -40 C, and that’s without the wind chill.