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This Day in History - July 14-18


July 14, 1968

National Headlines:

  • Beginning tomorrow, the federal government will withhold an additional 10% from American worker’s paychecks to help pay for the Vietnam War, which is costing more that $28 million annually. So if your federal withholding was $20 per paycheck it will now be $22.  This extra surcharge will be in effect until next July—unless the administration elected next November chooses otherwise.
  • A diamond-studded candelabrum valued at $700 was pried off the top of a car owned by famed pianist Liberace while the car was parked in a hotel parking lot in Massachusetts.

State Headlines:

  • Some of South Dakota’s Democratic delegates committed to slain Senator Robert Kennedy may temporarily shift their votes at the upcoming national party convention to George McGovern to show support for the state’s “favorite son.”

Local/Area Headlines:

  • Post Offices in Chelsea, Zell and Westport are three of the 12 South Dakota post offices that will officially close on August 2.  They are among 250 rural post offices nationwide set for closure in an effort to save money.
  • The legal details are being worked out for the city of Aberdeen to sell the land currently occupied by the municipal ballpark to Northern State College.
  • The Faulkton Teen Theater Troupe under the direction of Jay Bachmeier will present a melodrama entitled “On the Bridge at Midnight” to benefit the town’s library fund. 
  • “The Harmonica Rascals” are the headline entertainment for this year’s Brown County Fair.  In case of bad weather, their show will be moved to the Civic Arena.
  • The cornerstone of the new Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Aberdeen at the corner of 15th Ave and North Dakota Street will be placed on Sunday in a special service.  The general contractor for the building project is Zeller Brothers Construction.
  • St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen has the city’s largest payroll—over $2 million for its 537 employees.  Northern is second with a payroll of $1.8 million for its 388 employees.
  • At the movies:  Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, and Sidney Poitier in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” at the Orpheum and Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau in the “Odd Couple” at the Capitol.  Starting tomorrow at the Capitol, John Wayne and David Janssen in “The Green Berets”

 

July 15, 1981

National Headlines:

  • President Ronald Reagan has nominated Sandra Day O’Connor, a 51-year old appeals court judge from Arizona, to fill a vacancy on the United States Supreme Court.  If approved by the Senate, O’Connor would become the first woman US Supreme Court Justice.
  • The on-going baseball strike has jeopardized this year’s All Star game.  As of today, it is doubtful the game will be played at all this year.

State Headlines:

  • The USDA is predicting a record wheat crop for the state’s farmers.  Early numbers indicate a harvest of over 25.8 million bushels of winter wheat, which is a 29% increase over last year’s crop.  The spring wheat crop is expected to yield 49.5 million bushels.  The higher numbers are due to an increase in acres planted and higher per acre yields.

Local/Area Headlines:

  • E.C. Pieplow chairman of the Aberdeen Centennial Committee reminded citizens that the party is not over yet.  The city celebrated in style over the 4th of July holiday weekend, but many centennial activities are scheduled right up to December 31 of this year, so the celebration continues!
  • Kristi Fischer (now Wagner) completed an auctioneering course at Reisch Worldwide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa.  She will join her family business, Fischer Auction Company.
  • Jean Gerber of Aberdeen has graduated from the Northwestern University Medical School and will begin a 5-year residency in general surgery in Chicago. 
  • The Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Department hopes to build a new outdoor hockey rink at Manor Park next year.
  • Planning a wedding?  Don’t forget that The Kitchen Connection and Scandia Imports in Aberdeen offer bridal registry services.
  • The price of a gallon of gasoline is $1.38 of which $.13 goes for various state taxes.
  • The  A-B-C Kiddie Shop in the Super City Mall is going out of business.  Stop in for wall-to-wall savings in the “going out of business” sale.
  • At the Movies:  Bill Murray in “Stripes” and Allen Alda and Carol Burnett in “The Four Seasons” at the Cinema Twins, Walt Disney’s “The Fox Hound” at the Orpheum.  “The Blues Brothers” and “Nice Dreams” starring Cheech & Chong are at the Star Lite Drive In.
  • On TV tonight:  “Barney Miller”, “Maude”, and “Kojak”

 

July 16, 1988

National Headlines:

  • Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Griffith Joyner and Karl Lewis are among the United States track stars competing this week for spots on the US Olympic Track Team.
  • The Democratic National Convention is in full swing in Atlanta.  The group will officially nominate Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bensten to run as the presidential and vice presidential candidates in the fall election against George Bush and his running mate Dan Quayle.

State Headlines:

  • Governor George Mickelson has appointed Brown County farmer, Jay Swisher, as the state’s new Secretary of Agriculture.  Swisher will begin his duties September 1.
  • The Governor also announced that the state’s annual “Coffee Day” would take place on August 3.  Restaurants throughout the state donate the proceeds from beverages sold that day to the Easter Seal Society.  The event has raised $264,000 in its 30 year history.

Local/Area Headlines:

  • Aberdeen merchants are busy at the annual Crazy Days celebration.  An estimated 3000 to 4000 shoppers participated in the first day of the event.
  • Aberdeen library patrons who abuse their borrowing privileges by keeping books 30 days or more past their due date will find themselves in Small Claims court beginning September 1 according to city attorney Tom Tobin.  During the past year 2000 items valued at $17,000 were borrowed and never returned.
  • Aberdeen is hosting the 18th annual International Germans from Russia convention.  Nearly 500 people are expected to attend the 3-day event.
  • The Petal Pushers Garden Club in Britton will host its annual breakfast next week.  Plan to attend and learn flower arranging tips.
  • Headliners at the 1988 Brown County Fair are Tanya Tucker, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Three Dog Night, and the Sweethearts of the Rodeo.  Booster badges for admission to all events are only $10.
  • The Aberdeen Big Band will provide dance music at Wylie Park Pavilion tonight.  Among the band’s members are Al LaFave, Scott Geffre, Dennis McDermott, and Paul Dutt.  Lara Kranhold is the band’s vocalist.  Proceeds will benefit Storybook Land.
  • The Black Velvet Band is playing for tonight’s street dance in Brentford.  Admission is only $3.
  • At the Movies:  Eddie Murphy in “Coming to America” and Tom Hanks in “Big” at the Cinema Twins and Dan Ackroyd and John Candy in “The Great Outdoors” at the Capitol.

 

July 17, 1969

National Headlines:

  • Apollo 11 astronauts are half way to the moon or precisely 120,003 miles from Earth and the moon.  Neal Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are scheduled to land on the moon on July 21 while Michael Collins continues to orbit the moon in the command vehicle.  President Nixon has requested the nation’s governors to declare Monday a holiday in honor of the event.

State Headlines:

  • St. Onge, a small western South Dakota community, was hit with 100 mile per hour winds and heavy rains in a storm that lasted only 10 minutes last evening.  Trees were uprooted, many roofs blown off, and some buildings completely destroyed in the brief storm that dropped 2 inches of rain. 

Local/Area Headlines:

  • Aberdeen native Julie Sommers will co-star in the upcoming CBS TV series “The Governor and J.J.”  Sommers will play J.J., daughter of Governor William Drinkwater who leads a small midwestern state.
  • The Aberdeen chapter of DeMolay has scheduled a water skiing marathon this weekend at Mina Lake in hopes of besting the existing record of 15 hours and 34 minutes held by a DeMolay chapter in Clearwater, Florida.  Marc Feinstein, Jeff Ingerson and Zig Zvejniecks are the organizers for the event.
  • Aberdeen Mayor William Hauck is promoting a change in the makeup of city government.  He is proposing a 12-member council with members representing 12 city districts.  Members of the group would receive no financial compensation and meet once a month.  The Mayor’s job would be that of overseeing the administration, and his/her term would be for only two years.  A city administrator would be hired to run the day-to-day operations of the city.
  • Wind has damaged the Wylie Park Pavilion’s roof and two of the building’s main interior beams, so the Elks have cancelled the Summer Festival, which was to be held at that facility this weekend.
  • Manley Feinstein is the new president of the Aberdeen School Board.  Duane Riedel was elected vice president.
  • This week’s top records include:  “In the Year 2525” by Zager & Evans, “One” by Three Dog Night, “Spinning Wheel” by Blood, Sweat and Tears, “Good Morning Starshine” by Oliver and “Romeo and Juliet Theme” by Henry Mancini.
  • Work continues on the new Plymouth Congregational Church at Melgaard Road and 4th Street in Aberdeen.  The church will have seating for 450 with overflow for 300 additional chairs.  The building is scheduled to be ready for use by fall.
  • There will be a teen dance in Brentford tonight with music by Red Cabbage.  The dress code indicates absolutely no jeans, slacks or shorts will be allowed.

 

July 18, 1971

National Headlines:

  • Auto executives in Detroit call the federal government’s mandate that air bags be standard on new cars by 1974 “lots of baloney”.    Critics of the air bags say that the noise the bags make when inflated could damage the eardrums of vehicle occupants.

State Headlines:

  • The South Dakota Board of Regents has approved a name change for Southern State College located in Springfield. The college will now be called the University of South Dakota at Springfield.
  • Officials claim that as many as 1000 elm trees may be lost in the state this year due to Dutch Elm Disease.

Local/Area Headlines:

  • The 1971 South Dakota Snow Queen, Sharon Reierson of Pollock, will leave today to participate in the Minneapolis Aquatennial activities.
  • Mark Thiel and Ellen Premack will represent Brown County 4-H clubs at the state fair later this summer.  Both won top prizes in the Brown County 4-H horse show to earn the trip to the state fair to compete.
  • The Groton City Band under the direction of Dennis DaFoe will present a concert in the city park this week. The band members include current high school musicians, alumni, and community musicians.
  • Warner defeated Frederick 3-2 in 10 innings in an Aberdeen City League baseball game today.  Warner’s Larry Strochein was the winning pitcher.
  • Bill McQuillen, an Aberdeen freshman at South Dakota School of Mines, received a $300 scholarship from the Monsanto Corporation for the 1971- 1972 school year.
  • Taco John’s, the hottest spot in town, in now open on East 6th Avenue in Aberdeen.  Menu items include tacos $.25 each, burritos $.30 each, taco burgers $.35 and soft drinks $.10.  All food is individually wrapped for your convenience to eat either in your car or at home.
  • Dance to The Flippers tonight at the Blue Dog Inn at Waubay. 
  • Enrollment at Northern’s second session of summer school is the highest in the institution’s 69-year history.  1650 students will be taking classes.  The previous record of 1391 was set last summer.
  • At the Movies:  “The Mephisto Waltz” at the Capitol and “Airport” at the Orpheum.  “The Lion in Winter” is showing at the Star Lite Drive In.
  • On TV Tonight:  “Lassie”, “Wagon Train” and “The FBI”