40 YEARS AGO (1983): The Village of 100 Mile Hosue was forced to take out an early loan from the bank after unpaid taxes led to a cash flow problem. The unpaid taxes, which included residential and commercial taxes, totaled $218,801. Mayor Ross Marks said the village typically borrowed money from banks around April to make ends meet until the bulk of the Village’s taxes were paid in July. The majority of the overdue taxes came from the private sector with some taxes still owed from 1981. Marks said the village had the right to take over the properties and sell them if taxes were not paid within three years.
30 YEARS AGO (1993): A small but vocal minority of parents stood opposed to a proposal to install a condom machine in Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School’s bathrooms. They instead called for the promotion of abstinence. PAC chairman Elsie Thomas said 12 parents attended the meeting along with six adults who did not have children in the school. Thomas said there were some “strong overpowering people” at the meeting who shut down attempts to discuss the issue. She believed the silent majority of parents, who were open to the idea, had not attended the meeting.
20 YEARS AGO (2003): Over the course of two weeks 100 Mile House RCMP busted several cannabis grow-ops in the South Cariboo. On Jan. 17 RCMP seized 852 plants from a Sheridan Lake man, 240 mature plants from Bridge Lake and 50 plants from a Deka Lake address. On Jan. 22, after responding to a hydro diversion, officers discovered evidence of a 1,588 plant operation on Lower Houseman Road. Const. Diana Racine said January is a quiet time of year for police, giving them the time to investigate and shut down such illegal enterprises.
10 YEARS AGO (2013): School District 27 announced its decision to close Buffalo Creek Elementary and 100 Mile Junior Secondary School. Despite some opposition from parents and community members SD27 intended to go ahead with the closures to address an $800,000 budget shortage. In addition to closing the schools, SD27 planned to reconfigure local elementary schools to K-7 and Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School to 8-12. SD27 chair Will Van Osch said they made these “very difficult decisions” in the face of declining enrolment and dwindling budgets.
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