70 Years Ago
April 28, 1948
– The Napanee police court had its fullest docket in months as Magistrate J. P. Garvin had 41 cases before him. Some 21 of those cases were settled out of court. Among those, 12 Napanee area men were fined $10 and ordered to pay $3 in court costs for illegal possession of pickerel out of season and other Game and Fisheries Act offences.
Another case saw a man sentenced to four months in jail after striking an 81-year-old man in the head with a poker. The accused was heavily intoxicated when he committed the crime and testified he had no recollection of even being at his victim’s home the night in question.
– A transport proceeding through Deseronto crashed through the guardrail on the south side of Hwy 2 and fell down a 15-foot embankment. The truck came to a stop between two frame houses. Luckily the driver was able to avoid striking either.
– Jack Miller, the son of the president of Ross-Miller Biscuit Co. had an unpleasant experience while using the company office to study for his final exams at Queen’s University. Miller heard a noise at the back of the building and picked up the phone to dial police. Before he could complete his call, he was confronted by two masked men — one with a revolver. The man instructed him to put the phone down and let them out of the building. He did as he was told, then returned to call police. Nothing appeared to be stolen.
40 Years Ago
April 26, 1978
– South Fredericksburgh Township voters would go to the polls in June to decide whether or not to build a $250,000 recreation hall. The township’s recreation committee had been pushing council for action on the project. Committee chair Grant Huyck said “If we keep putting this off, nothing gets done.” Huyck indicated he was confident that Wintario, the federal New Horizons program, and the Ontario Community Centres Act would provide funding for the bulk of capital costs.
– Napanee deputy-reeve Graham Strong was calling for a smaller council for the town. He recommended a reduction from six councillors to four. Strong said the move was necessary as Napanee had twice as many council members as other municipalities within Lennox and Addington.
– A 26-year-old Napanee man was rushed to hospital with serious injuries after being struck in the abdomen with a stay bullet while working on his Slash Road property. Police seized rifles that matched the bullet from two men about a mile away from the property and reminded the public proper backdrops are necessary for target shooting.