25 Years Ago

by Beverly Brown

It's December 1975. President Ford visits China and discusses world issues with Mao Tse-tung.

Arthur Treacher, 81, dies in New York City. The English born actor was famous for his chain of fish 'n' chips restaurants.

Thornton Wilder, author of "Our Town," dies.

In Norway, the wife of Russian dissident Andrei Sakharov accepts the Nobel Peace Prize for her husband who was denied an exit visa.

The Senate approves a bill to accept meters, liters, and grams as the predominant unit of measure. It is hoped that the metric system will be in general use by 1985.

Cher and husband Greg Allman reconcile after filing for divorce last month.

Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, 27, is sentenced to life in prison for attempting to kill President Ford in Sacramento on September 5.

Sara Jane Moore, 45, is also sentenced to life in prison for attempting to kill Ford in San Francisco on September 22.

A bomb explodes at the TWA baggage area at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Fourteen people are killed and seventy are wounded.

The price of a first class stamp will increase from ten cents to thirteen cents.

Instead of "Man of the Year," Time magazine names twelve women of the year including First Lady Betty Ford and Billie Jean King.

Tioga County agrees to buy the old Central Elementary School on Main Street.

The Kampai Japanese Steak House in Vestal celebrates their Grand Opening

Apalachin merchants complain that the sewer construction project is hurting business - the sewage pipes are blocking their stores' entrances, and "Road Closed" signs, detours, mud, and holes are keeping customers away.

Grant's Store at the River Plaza in Johnson City is among the 841Grant's stores nationwide that will close.

Endicott Johnson's Imperial Factory in Owego will close until February 2, 1976. The factory makes approximately three million pairs of sneakers each year and Grants is their biggest customer.

New York is one of nine states that file a petition with the Consumer Product Safety Commission asking that spray cans be taken off the market because the fluorocarbons are damaging the ozone layer.

Wednesday night TV shows include Little House on the Prairie, Tony Orlando & Dawn, When Things Were Rotten, That's My Momma, Cannon, Baretta, Starksy and Hutch, and The Blue Knight.

Movies playing at local theaters include The Hindenburg, The Man Who Would be King, Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Dog Day Afternoon with Al Pacino, Lucky Lady with Gene Hackman, Liza Minnelli, and Burt Reynolds, and Hustle starring Burt Reynolds.

The Hess toy truck costs $1.99 (including Eveready batteries), and a Pet Rock costs $4.00 (including instruction booklet).

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!