Apalachin Comunity Press, February 2000

25 Years Ago

by Beverly Brown

It's February 1975. Punxsutawney Phil doesn't see his shadow, indicating that spring is just around the corner!

In Britain, Margaret Thatcher, 49, is elected leader of the Conservative Party.

Bess Truman, widow of President Harry Truman, celebrates her 90th birthday.

Chinese year 4673, the year of the rabbit, begins.

After a New York City radio station plays a George Carlin monologue on the air, the FCC rules that the broadcast was indecent.

Patty Hearst turns 21. She was kidnapped over a year ago at her where-abouts is still unknown.

John N. Mitchell, H. R. Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman are sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison fro their roles in the Watergate cover-up.

The United States is in the deepest recession since World War II. Prices are rising. Unemployment is high.

Daylight Saving Time returns two months earlier this year in accordance with the 1973 emergency federal legislation which seeks to reduce the use of energy.

In a speech given at SUNY Binghamton, social critic Dick Gregory says he has evidence that the CIA has infiltrated the press, is involved in illegal drug operations and is providing weapons to juvenile gangs. He also says that if more of the world's plantable land were used to grow food then there would be enough to feed 40 billion people.

Doctors Briones, Abraham, Farescal, and Ryan announce plans to open a combined practice at 17 Lake Street in the Village of Owego.

The Tri-Cities Opera performs Rigoletto at the Binghamton Masonic Temple.

Syracuse University raises undergraduate tuition from $3,030 to $3,340.

Some students at Owego Free Academy are circulating petitions in favor of creating designated student smoking areas in the school to prevent students from smoking in the bathrooms. School officials attempted to discourage smoking in the bathrooms by removing the doors from the stalls. This has not stopped students from smoking there.

The Vestal High School band wins the 34th annual Edison Pageant of Light field band competition in Fort Meyers, Florida, and places first in the Largo Band of Gold National Competition in Largo, Florida.

New York's unemployment rate is the highest since the Depression.

Saturday night TV shows include Emergency, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart, and The Carol Burnett Show.

Movies at local theaters include Young Frankenstein, Earthquake in Sensurround (You'll FEEL it as well as see it!), Dustin Hoffman in Lenny, and The Stepford Wives.