80 Years Ago
April 19, 1939
-The Napanee Lions Club officially received its charter from district governor J.J. Brown at a meeting in Bowmanville. President Ernest Gibbard was on hand to represent the 65 members who had already joined the new service clubs. Bruce Malcolm, a Lion from Niagara Falls who helped with organizing the club, said he’d never seen a club have that level of membership to start.
– Prince Edward-Lennox Conservatives unanimously nominated MP George Tustin to run for re-election. At a convention in Napanee, members flayed the King government for not fulfilling its promises and for turning a trade surplus with the United States into a trade deficit.
– The 19-year-old Central Ontario Baseball League folded, leaving a hole at the senior amateur level. At times, Napanee had a franchise in the league, but it was not among the three last communities fielding teams. A neglect to sponsor minor baseball clubs in the region and a new Ontario Baseball Association rule limiting non-resident players were seen as the league’s downfall.
30 Years Ago
April 12, 1989
– Deseronto Mayor Dennis Tompkins announced plans for a waterfront makeover that could cost as much as $12 million. A development between First and Fourth streets was slated to include 12 townhouses, a six- or seven-storey condominium project with 40 units, and a 30-40 unit hotel and restaurant complex. Also considered would be docking facilities for 80-100 boats and recreation areas. Napanee developer Theo Nibourg was said to be behind the project, which would require official plan and zoning bylaw amendments to proceed.
– A proposed land deal between Napanee and Richmond Townships would not be forwarded to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs after Napanee council reversed the deal by a 5-4 recorded vote. Some councillors believed Napanee should annex more land than the 850 acres agreed to. Richmond Township Reeve Howard Cuthill responded by saying there would be no further negotiation and that Napanee was given the best deal his township could provide.
– Adolphustown residents overwhelmingly voted to allow liquor licencing in the municipality. Some 222 residents participated in a special referendum with 165 (75 per cent) voting to proceed. The township’s lone restaurant, the Waggin Weel, pushed for the vote and intended to secure the first licence.
– Police were investigating after a 38-year-old inmate was found dead at Millhaven Institute after suffering multiple stab wounds. The prison was to be on lockdown during the investigation.