80 Years Ago
December 13 1939
Saturday’s Market prices were listed as: geese, 20 cents per pound, butter, 30 cents per pound, eggs, 25 cents per dozen and potatoes, 30 cents.
-At the final council meeting for 1939, the Town of Napanee heard from chairman of the finance committee, Reeve Daly, reading a statement from treasurer M.P. Graham, that the town had balanced its budget for the year. The town had a surplus of about $126.
-A Richmond man pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was fined $10 and was sentenced to one month in jail. His driver’s permit was also cancelled for three months.
30 Years Ago
December 13 1989
Napanee’s Quinte Regional Detention Centre was biding time in light of new proposed hirings announced by the Ministry of Correctional Services.
Corrections minister Richard Patten announced on Dec. 4, 1989, as many as 115 additional correctional staff would be hired to alleviate health and safety issues, overcrowding and understaffing in Ontario’s jails.
Patten also announced the construction of a new 272-bed correctional facility in Milton along with an extra 68 beds to be added to the Mimico Correctional Centre.
-The Napanee Pipe Band honoured Ken McNevin for his 23 years of service with the band. McNevin took over the band at a time when it had just 15 members.
-Earl Hill was re-elected as chief of the Bay of Quinte Mohawks for an eight consecutive term.
It was a tightly contested vote, with Hill garnering 305 votes, just three more than Murray Maracle.
-Angry county secondary school teachers concerned with the lack of progress in contract talks with Lennox and Addington County Board of Education were bringing in the heavyweights.
In a rare move, the county Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation bargaining team requested an OSSTF provincial executive take-over of talks.
-An Ameliasburgh man denied burying drums of liquid waste on is Concession 1 property in a continuation of his trail on environmental charges.
Tests done on well water neighbouring the man’s property registered high levels of chemical content.