80 years ago Tuesday, Oct. 18, 1932 Mssrs. J. Hornes, C. W. Twiss and S. Long, from the Swifts headquarters in Chicago, were guests at the Hotel Hamilton on Saturday. While here they made a survey of the district and announced before their departure for Dauphin that plans were under consideration for expansion of the Swift Canadian plant in Neepawa. 70 years ago Thursday, Oct. 15, 1942 A picture of George and Margaret Frost appeared in the Free Press last week, along with other fathers and daughters that are stationed at Fort Osborn Barracks. 60 years ago Thursday, Oct. 18, 1952 W. J. Cook, Neepawa, was notified last Thursday that the aircraft which crashed five years ago and on which his son was presumed killed has been located. The telegram from Ottawa read: P.C. 462. October. 52. Wreckage of Mitchell aircraft in which your son Flying Officer Benjamin Cook, D.F.M. was flying Oct. 18, 1947 has been located and identified nine miles north of Roslyn, B.C. R.C.A.F. casualties officer F/O Cook, navigator, was one of the famed Dambusters, that did so much damage in the Ruhr Valley during WW II. His plane was shot down but he survived. He took part in the first massed air raids on Cologne. 50 years ago Tuesday, Oct. 16, 1962 An unusual visitor to Neepawa’s Rotary Park Lake arrived late last week. He’s large and not very handsome and is starting to show his age. Carmen Lindsay, who lives on a farm overlooking the lake, says this particular visitor has appeared every fall for the past eight years, and possibly before that. Last year he brought a friend with him (we don’t know what gender). This year he is alone. In case you are wondering, this visitor is a pelican. 40 years ago Thursday, Oct. 19, 1972 An addition to the Salvation Army Citadel is being built by the local contractor Graeme Radford. The new building will act as Sunday School rooms and an activity centre. It is hoped to have the addition finished by the middle of December. 30 years ago Thursday, Oct. 21, 1982 Beautiful Plains Museum board has asked town council to rescind 1982’s school tax on the museum and consider exemption to municipal taxes. A letter read to council at a meeting Oct. 12, brought reaction from councillors. School taxes had been paid by the town when the museum was incorrectly placed on the tax roll by municipal assessors. Councilor Chris Heywood said they (the council) had no control over what was placed on the tax roll and $440 had been paid. The error for school taxes would be corrected next year. 20 years ago Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1992 Francis John Bremner passed away suddenly at his home Friday, Oct. 9, 1992 at 76 years old. Francis served on boards with Mentmore Pool elevators, Gordon School and Church and the Mentmore rink. He was also very involved with the Mentmore 4-H Beef Club, Neepawa Junior Rifle Club, Air Cadets and Hunter safety. He took great pride in his livestock but in particular his heavy horses which he took to Austin Threshermen’s Reunion and various parades. 10 years ago Monday, Oct. 21, 2002 Homer Gill and Eleanor Nicholson were awarded commemorative medals on the occasion of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in recognition of their service to the community. Gill is a former councillor and mayor of Neepawa, while Nicholson, a long-time community volunteer, is best known for developing the Neepawa Lily Festival. They were presented their medals at a recent ceremony in Dauphin by Member of Parliament Inky Mark.