Each week, the Gazette looks back on stories from the past. Here is what happened this week, by year…

1923

• Despite the zero weather and the long distances to be covered, attendance at the annual county meeting of the Orange Lodge at Northport on Tuesday totalled about seventy. From points over 20 miles away. — Consecon, Rednersville and Wellington — members came to the County meeting and every one of the ten primary lodges in the county, was represented. The day was taken up by routine business and discussion of plans for the great Grand Lodge gathering at Picton in March.
• An illustrated lecture was given in the Community Hall on Thursday evening by Rev. C. W. Adams, representative of the Navy League. It was under the auspices of the local Women’s Institute that Mr. Adams was brought here for the lecture and he expressed his appreciation of the growing interest in the work of the Navy League that is becoming manifest through the efforts of the Women’s Institutes throughout the country.
• A service of Consecration was held on Friday evening by the Young People’s League of the Methodist Church and was marked by a good attendance of its members. Miss Edith Lloyd, the president, led the opening exercise, and, assisted by the pastor, conducted a reception service at which a number of names were added to the active membership roll of the League. 

1943

• Sergt. Air Gunner Arthur Harrison of Cornwall has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. He was the rear gunner of an aircraft which was attacked when near the northwest coast of Germany. He shot down an enemy fighter from close range. Sergt. Harrison is one of four sons of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Harrison, Cornwall, all whom are in the armed services. He graduated as an air gunner in April, 1942, at No. 6 Bombing and Gunnery School, Mountain View.
• The dance at Waring’s Corners School on Friday night was enjoyed by a good crowd and by popular request another will be held this Friday night. Proceeds were for the British War Victims’ Fund, and $7.50 was realized. This will be used to help purchase Blitz Trikes, the county’s present objective. Music was furnished by Greenfield’s orchestra and on Friday night Rolston’s orchestra will be in attendance. 
• The annual meeting of the Royal Street Cheese and Butter Co., Ltd., was held in Milford town hall. Mr. Sherriff gave a very interesting talk on cheese production and gave encouragement to maker, company and producer. Mr. Phil Roblin explained some of the activities of the Belleville Cheese Board and the Ontario Cheese Producers’ Association. Mr. E. L. Bronskill, manager of the Bank of Nova Scotia, spoke as to the satisfactory banking relations with his bank and the company. 4,250,084 pounds of milk was delivered at the factory in 1942, producing 141,593.7 lbs. of butter fat, from which 364,199 lbs. of cheese was made selling for $70,786.89.

1973

• Too many rules and regulations was one of the major concerns expressed by several attending a hearing in Picton Thursday night by the Ontario Legislature’s Select Committee on Motorized Snow Vehicles in Queen Elizabeth School auditorium. The problem was mentioned at several points and finally drew a burst of applause when Gazette News Editor Jack Evans, a member of Picton Town Council, burst out with a tirade against what he termed the “proliferation of laws.” He said there are hundreds upon hundreds of rules, regulations and laws at every level and in a multitude of acts, federal, provincial and municipal.
• There is now in our school a project being discussed that will have a large effect on students in P.E.C.I., both present and future. It will enable the citizens of Picton to view our school and the activities in it, in the comfort of your own living room. Mr. Zaback of the audio-visual department in the school has proposed that P.E.C.I. be joined with Quinte Cablevision to broadcast programs to Picton viewers with a cable hook-up.
• The Bloomfield Recreation Committee would up 1972 with a bank balance of $200.45, according to a report on the year’s activities issued recently. The committee was organized in 1971 and since that time has raised a total of $698.81 through card parties, draws and interest. Of this amount, the committee spent $218.98 on benches and bleachers for ball diamonds, $7.23 on hockey equipment and $31.35 on a Hallowe’en party. 

1983

• Rebecca Chambers, 12-year-old daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Don Chambers of East Lake Road, will compete in the provincial gymnastic meet in spring. A year ago The Gazette published an article about Rebecca and her achievements in this field. She is the only gymnast in the County to attain such a high level and may be the only one to represent eastern Ontario. Her first two qualifying meets were successful. She won a silver medal in December and then on Feb. 12 was awarded the gold medal in her gymnastic series at an eastern Ontario meet held in Kingston. She competed against 19 others in her category.
• Power was out in several southeastern townships of the county on Wednesday for up to three hours in some spots. The blackout affected North and South Marysburgh Townships, Hallowell and part of Athol Township, said John Inwood, area manager for Ontario Hydro. Power went out at 1:14 a.m. and hydro was notified by its warning system which goes into operation when lines with 44,000 volts or more are affected. The problem originated at the distribution station in Milford where an insulator broke because of moisture cause by condensation due to weather changes, said Mr. Inwood.
• It was an exciting moment for Mrs. Grace Rundle of Picton when Constable Doug Goodkey and Major Ray Young, both neighbours, returned to her the family’s antique cannon which had been missing or several weeks. The cannon was discovered lying in a ditch on South Bay Road by Willard Deline’s son sometime on Feb. 17. He recognized it as missing because he had read the story about its theft in The Gazette. “I was so excited and so happy to have it back. I had checked outside each morning just to see if it might have been returned,” Mrs. Rundle said.