Looking back - $7 million drug bust near Arden
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- Published on Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Neepawa press archives. Thur. Sept 12, 2005: An RCMP aerial photo shows a part of the marijuana crop op that was found at an Arden area farm.
By Cecil Pittman
The Neepawa Press
80 years ago, Tuesday, September 10, 1935
Roy Rush returned from Winnipeg Beach last week and has gone to Belmont to relieve on the CNR while Thomas MacKenzie is taking his holidays.
70 years ago, Thursday, September 13, 1945
An uncontrollable fire destroyed the house, barn, granary, drive shed and hog house as well as 350 bushels of wheat and 150 of barley at the farm of A. R. Graham, four miles northwest of town last Wednesday afternoon. Damage is hard to estimate but has been set at between $4,000 and $5,000. Some insurance was carried.
The farm had been sold to Mr. Graham only last fall by his father B. B. Graham who retired to Neepawa after 56 years of farming on that site.
60 years ago, Thursday, September 15, 1955
Barry Edwin Reilly, 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Reilly, has been awarded the Hotel-keepers and Brewers scholarship. A grade 12 graduate this year from Neepawa Collegiate Institute, Barry will shortly enter the University of Manitoba to commence a course in science (Geology).
50 years ago, Friday, September 10, 1965
Perfect record - employees at the Canadian Salt Company in Neepawa completed five years without a lost time accident August 28.
For their achievement, they were awarded a plaque, and a banquet and presentation ceremony is planned for later this fall, at which time company executives, provincial government and Workman’s Compensation Board officials will be present.
This record surpasses all previous ones set at the plant, the highest before was 1,681 days without an accident.
40 years ago, Thursday, September 11, 1975
Sunday, September 7, proved a special day for Neepawa United Church. It celebrated its 50th anniversary as a United Church, having held its initial service on August 30, 1925. Approximately 200 members and friends gathered at 1 pm to worship together and to celebrate the years past in the history of the church.
Those attending were received at the door by Mr. and Mrs. Claire Montgomery and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Murray. Those who joined the church in 1925 and those who were members of one of the uniting churches before that time were considered charter members and each was presented with a small corsage upon arrival at the church. There were 32 charter members present, and special recognition was given to them as they were introduced during the service.
30 years ago, Thursday, September 12, 1985
The Neepawa area now possesses a second dentist thanks to the recent start-up of Dr. Bryce McDougall’s practice at the new Mountain Medical Clinic on First Avenue and Hamilton Street.
Dr. McDougall, who began treating patients last week, pointed out “top line, brand new” equipment has been installed in the new section at the north side of the clinic. He personally designed the office which is “open area” so that he and his assistants can “flow easily” from one area such as the operatory (dental chair) to the laboratory and sterilization facility on the other side.
20 years ago, Monday, September 12, 1995
Provincial Autopac agents have a date with MPI officials in Winnipeg tomorrow - but there’s unlikely to be any hand holding.
The provincial agents are fed up with MPI’s new computer system, which was supposed to simplify Autopac transactions. Many agents say it’s done anything but. “We’ve had so many problems with the computer system, it’s slower than the way we used to do it,” said Don Schmall of Gill & Schmall Agencies in Neepawa.
“Sometimes the computer is down for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, or it will go down right in the middle of a transaction,” said Schmall. “There are certainly a lot of brokers who are unhappy.”
10 years ago, Monday, September 12, 2005
Two men were arrested following a $7 million drug bust - the province’s second largest ever - seven miles north east of Arden last Wednesday.
Corporal Colin Friesen of the Spruce Plains RCMP detachment said 35 officers took part in the drug raid that led to the arrests. “They were surprised,” Friesen said when the officers showed up at the Arden-area property Wednesday afternoon.
Armed with a search warrant, police seized around 7,500 marijuana plants growing in a field. The street value of the drugs is estimated at $7 million. Police took some plants for evidence on Wednesday and destroyed the remainder of the crop.
“That’s one of the biggest ones I’ve ever heard of in this area,” Friesen said.
Friesen said that police first became aware of the possibility a grow operation in the Arden area this spring.
