20 YEARS AGO – March 17, 2003
The Community Justice Program faces “restructuring” and won't be taking files for the “time being,” but it won't go under, according to one of the board’s co-chairs. Changes will be coming after a special meeting Thursday night, but the program will survive, said co-chairs Wendy Haugan. She said there would be a better idea on Monday of what exactly is in store for the program after other board members had a chance to meet. The program made an appeal to the city for $25,000 in January after receiving an order from the Solicitor General’s office to retroactively hand over money which had been mistakenly used to fund the program since 1998. Fort St. John Mayor Steve Thorlakson said the funding request was making its way through the normal budget process but couldn’t shed any light on how far away the decision was.
31 YEARS AGO – March 17, 1992
The vacant movie theatre in Taylor burned down Sunday night. The entire building was engulfed in flames, neighbouring buildings weren’t damaged, and there were no injuries because of the fire. The Taylor Volunteer Fire Department and the Fort St. John RCMP responded to the fire, which broke out at 8:30 p.m.
40 YEARS AGO – March 17, 1983
The Irish eyes of Oliver Flanagan are smiling in gratitude on Canadians this St. Patrick’s Day. The veteran Eire politician thanked Canadians for helping his countrymen through the years from the potato famine onward. “I am emotionally moved by the fact that I am here on St. Patrick’s Day,” he said. “I think it is a wonderful privilege for me, and certainly a blessing, that I did not think I could achieve.” Flanagan, member of the Irish parliament for Laos-Offaly, was to officially open the annual conference of the Canadian Association for Irish Studies today at St. Mary’s University. “It is a great tribute to the Irish that the Canadians have shared this day with them.”
75 YEARS AGO – March 17, 1948
On the seventeenth of ‘ould’ Ireland, Ed Cuthill, local butcher, had his store decorated up like a little bit of Killarney. Shamrocks were strewn about and over the cash register was a bouquet of apple blossoms. The floral design was by Ed’s talented wife, who had just returned from a visit to the coast.
