5 years ago (2008): Panorama Ski Resort was left with a $2,162 bill after a fraudster left an invalid credit card and a fake address at the front desk.

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A motel owner in Radium Hot Springs was upset with the village because of its plans to install a cable box on his property. “People will see the box and keep on driving… we feel that there are alternate locations that are viable to run the fibre optic system. In fact we think it may have been chosen deliberately,” he said.

10 years ago (2003): A petition was  started to see a recount from the votes cast in Invermere during the provincial election. Liberal MLA Wendy McMahon was facing a by-election if petitioners gathered signatures from 40 per cent of eligible voters within 60 days.

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MP James Abbott wrote a letter to the editor titled, ‘The “C” Word’. Leaving the reader guessing as to which taboo word began with C, he finally mentioned Christmas and said Canadian culture was eroding.

20 years ago (1993): A 29-year-old painter from Kelowna was arrested by the Invermere RCMP for outstanding warrants. Upon his arrest, police found a yellowish-white powder in his cigarette pack which he admitted was ‘crank’, a mixture of crack and cocaine. Upon learning the man’s occupation, the judge chided, “You must get enough to sniff without this stuff.”

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Prayers were no longer a part of the opening procedure at the District of Invermere’s council meetings.

25 years ago (1988): Preparing for the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Olympic fever hit the valley when the Olympic Torch travelled from Windermere to the ski lodge at Fairmont. Local ski teams and members of the Bavin family carried the torch down Highway 93/95, while hundreds came out to witness the relay, including Heidy and Howdie ­— the official Olympic mascots.

35 years ago (1978): Panorama Mountain held its first annual Elephant Day, where seven teams of skiers competed in Giant Slalom and jumping competitions. Costumes were compulsory and contributed 50 per cent to the total score. The teams consisted of three men and one woman, and scores were based on total team effort. An average time was taken for the racing, between the fastest and the slowest on each team, and an average distance for the jumping event. Adding to the excitement was skydiver Dave Payne of Invermere, who made a perfect jump from a helicopter to land in front of the lodge.

40 years ago (1973): The opinion was growing that cigarette smoking would die out when it became socially unacceptable, just as using snuff and chewing tobacco had become so. A survey conducted by the National Cancer Institute of Canada hasd shown that, compared with the 50 per cent of the general population who smoked, only 35.4 per cent of doctors, 28.7 per cent of nurses and 29.2 per cent of teachers had the habit.