Hants history
Here’s a look at what was making the news 25 and 50 years ago in the Hants Journal.
25 years ago (Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, 1993 editions)
• Two people were charged in connection with the suspicious death of Fred Simon Degenhardt, of South Rawdon, whose body was discovered in the Herbert River in October.
His 47-year-old wife, Laura Lillian Degenhardt, and her close friend, 25-year-old David Murray Brown, who were living together on King Street at the time of the arrest, were charged with first degree murder.
The trial date for the widow was set for June 1994; a date for Brown was to be set in January.
• A Mount Denson man died of a heart attack while in the woods looking for an ideal Christmas tree. His wife became concerned when he didn’t return to the car. A subsequent search located him.
• Close to $50,000 in damage was done to an apartment on Avon Street in Hantsport after an early morning fire. The fire in the apartment, which was a renovated barn, was thought to have been electrical.
• Residents rushed to aid a 19-year-old man who lit himself on fire at the gas pumps at Buckler’s Store in Scotch Village.
• Nova Scotians who received blood transfusions between 1980 and 1985 were urged to take advantage of confidential HIV testing.
• A vicious storm swept through the province, with winds reaching 100 kilometres per hour. Power outages were being reported faster than crews could repair the damage.
• A feature appeared in the paper announcing the persistent problem that was marijuana.
The story noted: “The substantial increase in the use of marijuana and other drugs by young people within the last five years is particularly tragic as these young people become buried alive in a chemical tomb.”
• The 1993 Christmas Angels Telethon was deemed a success, with $20,511 raised.
• There appeared to be little interest in the location of the former Windsor Elementary School on Albert Street. It cost the town close to $50,000 to demolish the historic schoolhouse and the town’s administrator was hopeful they could at least make that much back if it sold.
• Two local residents received Nova Scotia Community Service Awards.
Frederick (Ted) Burgess, of Walton, and Linda Wheeldon, of Gaspereau, were among the 10 people feted for outstanding volunteer service.
Burgess founded the Walton Volunteer Fire Department and served as chief until 1990. He also was a dedicated Red Cross volunteer for more than 30 years, and in 1993, he was working on preserving a wharf and breakwater, which had been slated for demolition.
Wheeldon, who was employed by the Community Living Alterna- tives Society in New Minas, “played a prominent and leading role in providing service and support to the mentally challenged.”
• Doctors announced they were concerned over the provincial government’s plan to cut $12 million from Pharmacare, the government program that pays for the medicine of seniors.
Windsor’s Dr. Rob Kimball, the president of the Nova Scotia Medical Society, called the situation a “fiasco” and that while health care reform is necessary, the provincial minister was taking a “chaotic route.”
• A decomposing 20-foot whale, which had been floating around for two months, finally came ashore on Kip’s Beach in Kempt Shore, but it wasn’t its final resting place. The whale was first buried in a shallow grave but was moved to the landfill after concerns were raised about the impact it could have on the clam bed and the nearby creek and swimming hole.
• Pat Sanford, of Falmouth, was named Sport Nova Scotia’s Female Athlete of the Month. Sanford, a powerlifter, was Canada’s only master (age 40-plus) competitor at the 1993 Junior Master World Championships in Ontario in November. She placed fourth overall. During that competition, she bench pressed 143 pounds, squatted 330 pounds and dead lifted 369 pounds.
• Patty McGregor, of Hantsport, videotaped her son and grandfather eating, a video that went on to win first place in the Sam Slick Video Contest. She won a Sony VCR.
• Employees of the Teacup restaurant in Windsor celebrated after winning best decorated business using a Sam Slick Theme. The staff dressed in Victorian era costumes and had a lit caricature of Sam Slick hoisted onto the restaurant’s roof.
• Downtown Windsor merchants were hosting a late night shopping party, featuring GST free sales or discounts of up to 30 per cent. Special events included ‘reindeer’ rides, storytime with Mrs. Claus, a concert featuring the school band, and an old-fashioned peanut/candy scramble.
• Sam’s electronic store in Windsor was promoting that is was selling NIKKO products. Among the items on sale was a remote threedisc multi-CD mini stereo system for $899, which included a free cellular phone.
• Music City, located at 97 Gerrish St. in Windsor, was selling hit cassettes for $9.99 and CDs for $17.99. Among the titles were Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, the Rankin Family’s North Country, Guns N Roses’ “The Spaghetti Incident?”, Phil Collins’ Both Sides and George Jones’ High-Tech Red Neck.
50 years ago (December 1968 editions)
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