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 Browns Bread transport halted by glare ice on the roads has to be unloaded into smaller trucks, corner of Elizabeth Street and Midland Ave. Freezing rain has disrupted travel in the area. The fare on many Midland tables was a bit light at lunch hour as housewives waited in vain for milk, grocery and other deliveries, delayed by hours. All morning long the whine of spinning tires was the most common sound to be heard around town.

 Winners of the spelling bee held at Port McNicoll last week were Sandra Adams of Port McNicoll and Albert Eplett of Victoria Harbour. Henry Greer presented the winners with pencil sets on behalf of Bayport Branch of the Canadian Legion. 

 Seats were hard to find even early in the evening at the North Simcoe Liberal nominations held in Elmvale last week. Big community hall was filled long before 8 p.m. Some 300 people had to be turned away from a second hall in one of the largest political meetings in this area in years.

  Mysteries of the spirit level are explained by Guy Johnstone, shop instructor at Sacred Heart School, to Clifford St. Amant, on right. A number of articles made by the boys were on display during open house last week.

  Temperance paid off for these Regent Public School pupils, winners in a poster contest sponsored by the WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union). In this group are Harry DeVries, Kevin Rodgers, Rodney Miller, Dietmar Wagner, John Argue, Dawn Annand, Marion Emma and Faith Cripps. 

   Between breakfast and lunch the house of Mr. & Mrs. George Bowen at George and Gloucester Streets became this charred shell in a fire Monday morning. Fire Chief Arnold Tippin said the blaze may have been caused by faulty wiring. It was understood that there was no insurance on the dwelling. There are seven Bowen children in all, ranging from two years to 18 years. Monday afternoon they were taken in by Mr. Bowen’s brother, Earl Bowen, at 210 William Street. George Bowen is an employee of the CNR.

 Midland firemen are displaying one of the certificates they earned for passing the recent county fire instructors course in Barrie, conducted by the Ontario Fire Marshall’s office. Dave Hudson, Chief Arnold Tippin, Harold Hamilton, Fred Grigg and W. E. Allsopp who studied such things as the ways of fighting fire, ventilation, forcible entry at least cost, ladder work, extinguishers and pumping. The course was one night a week for 20 weeks.

  Winners in the French speaking section of the oratorical contest sponsored by the Midland and Penetang Lions Club at MPDHS Wednesday are seen above with Lion Ed Walker. Richard Gignac, left, was named winner with Donald D’Aoust, runner up.

  Junction (Firth’s Corners) of Hwy 12 and Cty Rd 6 (Balm Beach Road) just west of Midland is being realigned. Gone are the old red house on the far corner and another house that stood almost dead center in this picture. The road on the right is Yonge Street which will be moved into the space being cleared, moving the junction several hundred feet further south. This was the scene of many serious accidents, partly due to the house that has been removed obscuring sight lines and the steep grade from the Balm Beach road to Highway 27, that difference can still be seen from the Full Line Electronics & Shoppers parking lot to the highway.

   George Vent and his son Don have been in the ice business in Victoria Harbour for 20 years and pack away about 2000 sixteen inch blocks like this every year. Graded A-1 by the county health authorities, the ice is taken from Hogg Bay.

•  DeNure Transport truck burns on the 400 just north of the 401. The 16 ton load of flour, shoes, plastic pipe, nameplates and electric dryers was a complete loss. The driver, Don Bidmead from Moonstone was able to disconnect and save the cab.
• Victoria Harbour council discusses ways to limit the annual damage and mischief surrounding the smelt season.
• West Bend Aluminum Company of Wisconsin to open a factory in Barrie to manufacture the West Bend & Elgin lines of outboard motors.
• Queen of Hearts contest and Winter Carnival Queen contest are running at the same time.
•  Apparently Simcoe County Health Unit doesn’t think too highly of either the location or the housekeeping of Penetang’s town dump. This was the impression Penetang council received when a letter written over the signature of Dr. J . R. Anderson was read by Clerk W. H . Hewson.  The letter indicated inspectors had not been satisfied with conditions at the west end dump , what is commonly known as the “Firstbrook property”. It claimed garbage was spread too widely around the area and that there was a very heavy infestation of rats. The town was asked to seek a new dumping area. Councillor Ray McDonald said he felt the main objection was that the present dump is too close to the water. He said it is difficult for town employees to maintain proper order as individuals dump garbage all over the place.
• Ken Ball of Penetang, son of Cpl. and Mrs. Blake Ball and troop leader of First Penetang Scouts, will be among the 37,000 Scouts from 67 countries who will be attending the “Jubilee Jamboree” in England August 1 to 12.
• 25 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK — Midland and Penetang to produce a civic and industrial film of the two towns. The services of a Toronto film studio had been secured through the efforts of the Model and Bijou theatres. (Did it happen, we are looking into it)—- Members of Midland’s Retail Clerks’ Association condemned the practice in which store employees were pressured into buying tickets for events in the town.  —- Ontario Hunters and Game Conservation Associations had petitioned the Ontario government to permit the use of dogs for hunting purposes. The petition was the outcome of a discussion at a meeting of the association in Toronto. —- A former member of Victoria Harbour council, C. R. Burns died suddenly in his Victoria Harbour home.
• Having to plead guilty to his second charge of drunk driving proved costly to a 62 year old resident of R.R. 1, Wyebridge, when he appeared before Magistrate K . A. Cameron in Penetang police court Feb. 7. Accused was sentenced to the minimum jail term, under the circumstances, of 30 days. In addition, his licence was suspended 12 months, and the vehicle he was driving (his wife’s) was ordered impounded for three months. [This was a serious penalty considering there was no accident or injury involved. Maybe a return to this is needed.]
• The Midland General Store is advertising on CKVR TV channel 3.
• Canadian Ski Jumping championship is to be held at the Midland Ski Club on the weekend of February 23rd.

WEDDINGS  — Mr. and Mrs. Allan Lavigne wed in St. Ann’s Church, Penetang, Jan. 26. The bride is the former Anita Putz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Putz, Penetang, and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Lavigne, Midland. —- Mr. and Mrs. Neil Goneau of Midland married in St. Margaret’s Church, Midland, Jan. 26. The bride is the former Inez Bonneville, daughter of Mrs. Bertram Argue, and her husband is the son of Mrs. Arthur Goneau, Midland.