15 YEARS AGO (2009): B.C. NDP finance critic Bruce Ralston appeared at the 100 Mile House United Church to slam the B.C. Liberal government on the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), gaming grants and the provincial budget. Fourteen people showed up to listen to the critic, who had insisted the government was not honest on the HST prior to forming government in the last election. In addition, he added that Premier Gordon Campbell and Finance Minister Colin Hansen had announced that the HST was the most important thing the government could do for the economy. Ralston claimed that during the 2009 election, the Liberals said that they would not do an HST - and stated that the Maritimes, which had an HST in place, led to investment temporarily going up while there being no change to the prices big companies were charging.
22 YEARS AGO (2002): The first shot 100 Mile House had at a monster madness appeared to be a success. Businesses had drawn crowds through their doors with late-night sales during an Oct. 25 event, while Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School put on their annual haunted house in the Cariboo Mall. The president of the 100 Mile House Retail Merchant Association Doug Steven said it was too soon to say if the merchants would put it on again next year, as it was a decision likely to be made by January 2003. The evening had concluded with a fireworks show that had been going on for six years and which was called the best ever by Jeff Kendy, the chair of the South Cariboo Fireworks Committee
30 YEARS AGO (1994): Ten rugby players and two coaches from Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School went to Prince George to face off with four Prince George teams in the inaugural Polar Sevens Tournament. The PSO Eagles had defeated Duchess Park, then defeated a PGSS B team, only to lose to a PGSS A team - but then come back strong, defeating the Kelly Road crew that was described as "weary." They had finished second place in Prince George - and the 100 Mile Free Press article singled out Norm Knutsen, Denis March, James Brown, Jamie Walker, James Grant and Darryl Scott - all Eagles players, as playing "strong rugby".
42 YEARS AGO (1982): Residents of the 108 Mile Ranch reacted angrily to a water rate hike made on Oct. 1 for the amount of $42. The reaction came despite a half-page advertisement in the May 26 edition of the 100 Mile Free Press announcing the application for a rate increase by the 108 Waterworks Company Limited and a follow-up story on the planned increase on June 2. According to Grace Steitzer of the 108 Motor Home Lodge, which had handled waterworks billing and enquiries, some 15 users had protested verbally on the telephone about the increase.
