May 19, 1984

National Headlines:

• Thousands of keyboard workers entered the 7th annual fast typing contest sponsored by a national secretarial firm.  The winner typed 124.8 words per minute and received $2500 and a new Xerox memory typewriter for her efforts.  The contest honors secretaries who the event sponsor calls “the unsung heroines of the business world.”

State Headlines:

• A four-year, $900,000 renovation at Sylvan Lake is nearly complete.  The water level at the lake had decreased nearly 2 feet due to shore erosion.  The lake was also clogged with algae and cattails.

• During the past year SD Senator Larry Pressler made over 10 times as much money for speechmaking and writing than his colleague Senator Jim Abdnor according to figures released by a national public interest group.  Pressler earned over $59,000 while Abdnor brought in just over $4600.

Local/Area Headlines:

• “A Night in Heaven” was the theme for the Aberdeen Central High School prom.  Over 150 couples attended the dance, a special showing of “Hard to Hold” at the Cinema Twin and a continental breakfast at the Millstone Family Restaurant.

• The Augustana Lutheran Church in Claremont announced its plans to celebrate its centennial June 9 & 10.  A Swedish picnic, children’s activities and entertainment by Britton’s Uffda Brothers are among the scheduled activities.

• Rick Knobe, former Sioux Falls mayor, begins his job as Aberdeen’s new promotion director this week.  His annual salary is $38,500.

• Casa Del Rey Restaurants is celebrating 10 years of service. Enjoy nightly specials at Casa Del Rey Aberdeen 1715 6th Ave SE.  Kids--correctly guess the number of pinto beans in the jar and win a new bike.

• Sample ballots are available for the upcoming statewide primary election.  Republicans will choose either Dale Bell or Larry Mangels to face incumbent US Congressman Tom Daschle.  Democrats will choose a presidential candidate from Gary Hart, Walter Mondale, Jesse Jackson and Lyndon LaRouche to face President Ronald Reagan in the fall election.

• At the Movies:  “Footloose” at the Capitol and “Splash” at the Cinema Twin.

• On TV Tonight:  “Different Strokes”, “T.J. Hooker”, and “Mama’s Family”

May 20, 1999

National Headlines:

• Companies in the US are spending billions of dollars to prepare their computer systems for glitches expected to occur as a result of Y2K, or January 1, 2000.  Many consumers are finding Y2K service charges up to $40 on their monthly bills from various companies as they attempt to pass the costs on to consumers.

• Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson have revived the slumping “Good Morning America” and the team has agreed to continue anchoring the ABC morning show at least through May 2000.

State Headlines:

• Nearly 150,000 South Dakota adults have Internet accounts--this is double last year’s numbers.  Nationally 28 % of Americans were Internet users.  In SD the highest numbers of users are in the “most-wired” cities where there are colleges, universities or government headquarters such as Pierre.

• The statewide average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline at a self-serve pump is $1.17--up a nickel from this time last year.  The last time gas was this high was in December of 1997.

Local/Area Headlines;

• The work of Aberdeen graphic designer, Troy McQuillen, will be used nationally to promote ABC/Hallmark Entertainment’s production  “Cleopatra,” a mini-series scheduled to be televised next week.

• Aberdeen school board candidates are sharing their views on the proposed elimination of two city elementary schools and the building of a new high school.

• The city soccer tournament began today and will continue for the next week at sites throughout the city.  Seventy-one teams are competing and champions will be crowned in 10 divisions.

• The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Eureka’s new telemarketing company, The Connection, will be next week.  The company is expected to employ 80 people.

• The Batting Cage located west of the Southside soccer complex is now open for the season.

• Top video rentals for the week:  1.  “You’ve Got Mail”, 2.  “Step Mom”, 3. “A Bug’s Life”, 4. “The Waterboy” and 5.  “The Siege”

• There’s a new place to eat downtown-- “Rachel’s Restaurant” at 210 S Lincoln.  Open for lunch and again from midnight to 8am for breakfast.

• Tonight on TV:  “Friends”, “Frasier” and “ER”

• At the Movies:  “Star Wars:  Episode 1” and “The Matrix” coming next week “Notting Hill”

May 21, 1976

National Headlines:

• According to a study conducted by a California company, windmills could supply up to 18% of the nation’s energy needs by the year 1995.  The report envisions 54,000 giant windmills placed in remote areas of the western US.  Currently one windmill with a “wingspan” of 125 feet is being tested in Ohio.

• In the race for delegates in the two presidential primaries, Ronald Reagan leads Gerald Ford on the Republican side while Jimmie Carter has a healthy lead over all other Democratic opponents (Morris Udall, Jesse Jackson, Hubert Humphrey, and George Wallace.)

State Headlines:

• Groundbreaking ceremonies for the $7.2 million dome stadium on the campus of USD could take place as early as June since the Board of Regents approved its construction at their meeting today.

Local/Area Headlines:

• The Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce is developing a safety plan for the core area of downtown, which calls for converting Main Street to a northbound one-way street with diagonal rather than parallel parking.  Trees and benches would also be added to beautify Main Street.

• J.C. Penney has “The Fonz” T-shirts as well as lots of other “Fonzie” items that make great gifts.

• Students at Simmons Junior High filled and buried a time capsule in the front yard of the school today.  Student body president, Connie Floyd, spoke at the ceremony.  The Capsule is to be opened in 2026.

• Nearly $50,000 was bet during the second day of horse racing at the Brown County Fairgrounds.  The biggest return on a ticket as $111.40.

• Lenny Braun of Ipswich won the 880-yard run at the state class A track meet in Rapid City.

• Former Aberdeen Central wrestlers, Stan Opp and Steve Lovrien, advanced to the US Olympic trials to be held in New York later this summer.

• Tamara Pigors of Groton was selected as Miss South Dakota Teen Queen during the state contest held at the Aberdeen Holiday Inn.

• “Color My World” is the theme for the annual dance recital of the students at the Johnny Cavelle Dance Studio.

• Enjoy the Sherwin Linton Show all week at the Holiday Inn.  Also appearing are The Cotton Kings and Cleo Bee.

• The garbage shredder at the landfill has burned out a second motor so all unshredded garbage was buried at the landfill yesterday.

May 22, 1985

National Headlines:

• Michael Jordan has been named Rookie of the Year in the NBA.

• Hamburger chain McDonald’s is celebrating its 30th anniversary.  Since its inception in Des Plains, IL in 1955, over 52 billion burgers have been sold.  A complete meal (hamburger, fries, and soft drink) cost $.35 at the time; in 1985 that same meal cost $1.80!

State Headlines:

• The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission is hearing testimony from officials at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company who are requesting permission to raise phone rates in the state.  Currently the phone company has 180,000 residential customers and 30,000 business accounts in the state.

• The population of Rapid City has topped 50,000 according to census figures.

Local/Area Headlines:

• Several Aberdeen restaurants will soon be offering a special menu called “Eating a la Heart” to assist customers who are trying to eat a more healthy diet. 

• The eight members of the senior class at Java High School will be the last students to graduate from the school that is scheduled to close forever on July 1.  The remaining students in Java will attend school in Selby, Eureka or Bowdle next fall.

• The Aberdeen Humane Society is hoping to begin construction on a building this fall.  The Society was organized in 1982 and has been raising funds for this ever since.

• Construction is underway on a 3rd Super 8 Motel in Aberdeen at the junction of North 8th Avenue and Highway 281.  The facility should be ready for use in June.

• The Corvette Club is hosting a car show at the Super City Mall this weekend.

• Aberdeen Community Theater is presenting a dinner theater production of “I Do, I Do” this weekend at the Aberdeen Convention Center in the Sheraton Hotel.  Dinner and the show $15.00, show only $5.00.

• Hitch’N Post is celebrating its 15th anniversary by offering big savings throughout the store.

• City crews have been working at Wylie Lake for several weeks dredging the silt that has accumulated on the lake bottom and on the north shore.  The lake should be ready soon for the summer season.

• Aberdeen’s Montgomery Ward Store will close its catalog department on June 20 according to company officials.

• Tonight on TV:  “Highway to Heaven” and “St. Elsewhere”

May 23, 1969

National Headlines:

• The astronauts from Apollo 10 are orbiting the moon to “scope out” the proposed landing site for the July space mission that will actually land on the moon.

• A.J. Foyt won the pole position in the upcoming Indianapolis 500.  Foyt, instead of being thrilled to have captured the pole with his 170.5 miles per hour speed, was disgusted with himself for not breaking the overall track record of 171.5 miles per hour.

State Headlines:

• The South Dakota Democratic convention opens this weekend in Huron.  The biggest election of this year will be for the chairman of the party since this is not a national election year.

Local/Area Headlines:

• Aberdeen’s Industrial Park is open and Control Data is busily constructing its plant, which is scheduled to open later this fall.  The community raised $250,000 to develop the park with streets, water & sewer and branch rail lines.

• Other construction crews in Aberdeen are working on Dakota Midland Hospital, a 100-bed facility near Wylie Park that will open in June and Bethesda Nursing Home in the southern part of Aberdeen, which is nearly half way to being completed.

• Eighth grade graduation for students attending rural schools in Brown County will be next week.  The ceremony for approximately 280 graduates will be held at the Aberdeen Alliance Church at 901 South Main Street. 

• Ike’s Chicken Shack located on the Minnesota side of Lake Traverse is now air-conditioned. A smorgasbord is served seven nights a week.

• The Aberdeen swimming pool will open June 2 and season tickets are on sale now.  Family season tickets $15; single adult $7; teen $5 and kids $2.50.  Admission for a single swim is ten cents for kids and 25 cents for adults.

• Boys State begins next week on the campus of Northern State College. There are 567 boys from around the state registered for the weeklong government camp.

• Senator George McGovern will speak at Northern’s graduation. 336 students will receive diplomas and advanced degrees.

• Claremont will witness its final graduation as 9 seniors receive their diplomas next week.  The school will then close after serving the community for 56 years.  Students will attend school in Langford next year.

• At the movies:  Clint Eastwood double feature at the Orpheum--”A Fistful of Dollars” and “For a Few More Dollars”