80 Years Ago
May 17, 1939
Final arrangements were being made for the arrival of King George and Queen Elizabeth, which was to take place in Kingston on May 21, 1939.
Nearly 600 Napanee school children were to be transported to Kingston to witness the arrival of the royals. Meanwhile 42 veterans were assigned to guard the railway crossings across Lennox and addington County as the train carrying the royals rolled through the county. The 12 car train was painted royal blue and silver for the occasion.
Following his visit to Canada, King George was expected to make history as the first crowned head to ever sleep at Washington, DC’s White House.
– A Bath and Amherst Island tax collector convicted of stealing nearly $15,000 from both municipalities was sentenced to four years in Portsmouth Penitentiary.
30 Years Ago
May 17, 1989
Town of Napanee police were finalizing the switch to hand policing responsibilities over to the OPP.
The final details of the contract were still being worked out, which included a 2,400 square foot addition to their Centre Street headquarters. All but one of the nine Napanee police were expected to join the Napanee OPP, with the other taking a job within another OPP detachment.
– Napanee residents were looking at a four per cent tax hike as the town finalized the 1989 budget.
– A coroner’s jury called for stepped-up safety measures on job-sites where workers are exposed to falls of more than three metres.
Their findings were part of an inquest into the death of a man working on the construction of the Goodyear Tire plant.
– Napanee’s Leroy Blugh signed a two year deal plus option with the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos. The NDSS Golden Hawk standout was drafted seventh overall.
An All-Canadian as a member of the Bishop Gaiters, Blugh was one of two Canadian college stars invited to play at the American all-star game, suiting up next to the likes of Heisman winner Barry Sanders and top NFL pick Troy Aikman.