"The first thing most people associate with Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians is New Year's Eve, the traditional event for Guy Lombardo and his world-famous band welcoming in another year at some famous New York hotel. This year Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians will be far removed from both New York and New Year's Eve when they play in the Bradford Community Centre Friday, May 27. Mr. Lombardo, a native Canadian with a 13-member band including a crooner, will play all the old favorites for about 1,000 persons at the community centre. Guy Lombardo and his band will come to town by private bus just before the performance, and be bused out immediately after. He will not be spending any time in the immediate area. With less than 200 tickets left, Mr. Travis said that it was unlikely that they would last too much longer, even considering the fact there are four months to go until the performance. Tickets may be purchased from any Rotary member."
"Chicken thieves got away with between 39 and 40 fowl from the barn of Thomas Stewart, 10th line, West Gwillimbury. The pilferers had evidently used a car or light truck in their night prowling, as the marks of tires were plainly visible on the side of the road. It was thought they made their way along a gulley running from the vicinity of the car through a field to the back of the barn. The sound of a fire alarm bell for the first time in many months cause excitement in the town. It was soon discovered, however, that a representative of the Fire Underwriters Association was in town on one of his periodic visits and had put in a fire alarm, calling out the brigade for a test run. The inspector was reported to have been satisfied with the prompt and business-like response."
"There was quite a moving experience on Holland Street, Bradford, last week. An Ontario Hydro worker on the roof lifted low-hanging electrical wires as a home was moved to Bathurst Street, disrupting traffic temporarily along the way."
"The Rotary Club of Bradford celebrated its 25th anniversary last week and announced the Rotary project for 1977: a rock garden with fountains at the corner of Barrie and John Streets. Referring to the expense, past president Brad Walker laughed, 'Once that's done we'll have exactly what we started with 25 years ago - nothing.' Mr. Walker is one of the charter members of the club, and he, along with Clare Ritchie, Frank Maurino, George Allan, Jim Everitt, and Jim Simone, were presented with silver plaques for their 25 years of service. Rotary district governor Norm Guild of Brampton was on hand to make the presentation. Lions Club president Bernard Horne called for closer relations between the two clubs and recalled the years of the co-operation on several major projects in Bradford."
"Jim Church, chairman of the Bradford Public Utilities Commission was appointed last week to the finance committee of the Ontario Municipal Electric Association. Mr. Church, a 17-year veteran of the PUC, will work with fellow commissioners from across Ontario for the upcoming year, dealing with the financial operation of the association. A life-long resident of Bradford, Mr. Church is also a member of the Bradford volunteer fire department. The Ontario Municipal Electric Association is the spokesman for more than 340 municipal utilities, including Bradford. The OMEA represents more than two million residential, commercial and industrial customers served by municipal distribution systems. These customers consume two-thirds of the electrical power in Ontario."
"Everyone knows Barrie has its Kempenfelt Kelly, reportedly seen from time to time in the bay. But did you know Innisfil Township has a monster, too? Grades 5 and 6 at Innisfil Central school built a 30-foot Innisfil Iggy as a snow sculpture exhibit for the Innisfil Winterama. Although Iggy was not a prize-winner, he inspired teacher Ray McDonnell to write a poem about it."
"More than $1,700 in pledges was recorded at the ski and skate-a-thon Saturday, sponsored by the Gilford and District Lions Club at Ski Haven. It was estimated that Harv Speiran of Gilford was the oldest of the 100 participants. It was also he who chalked up the most money in pledges, over $300, while skiing more than 10 miles. He wouldn't reveal his age. A young bank teller, Kim Brown of Bradford, had $258 in pledges, the highest for the women. Participants came from Gilford, Lefroy, Churchill, Bradford, and surrounding districts. The even was held to raise money for the Lions camp for the deaf at Parry Sound and the camp for the Blind at Lake St. Joseph. Snow and ice conditions were not the best but they did not deter entrants from having a fun-filled afternoon. Many enjoyed making use of the facilities loaned by Ski Haven to the Lions Club."
"Doug Bone, who began collecting old telephones only three years ago, says he now has the largest private collection of antique and unusual phones in Canada. He stumbled into his hobby quiet by accident. Doug and his wife, Joan, who shares his interest, visited the Bruce peninsula in search of glass insulators. While there they were offered two old box telephones. They were not especially interested but bought them anyway. Doug cleaned them inside and out, which was all he needed to stir up the unbounded enthusiasm for the hobby for which he is known today in both Canada and United States. Since that time, he has purchased a major part of one man's collection and all of another's. In addition he visited many of the 30 independent telephone companies still operating in Ontario. He bought a few old phones and a few parts and threw his energy into restoring, trading, and buying phones. His collection includes 160 telephones, all clean and polished like new."
"After 31 years of teaching about 1,000 pupils at Bradford public school, Barbara Stewart is retiring at the end of this school year. It's a thought that brings a mixture of emotions for her. On one hand is the anticipation of doing the things she has been dreaming of for years: travelling extensively in winter and relaxing at her cottage in Minden in summer. On the other hand: "I'm going to miss the children," she admits, 'And the staff too. I have many good friends here. I retired as the organist last June. I guess you could say I'm tearing up all my roots...no, routines. I'm tearing up all my old routines.'Although she is leaving Bradford for good at the end of this school year, Miss Stewart has reassured her friends that she will be coming back often to visit."
