It's March 1983. In Helsinki, Scott Hamilton, 24, wins the Men's Figure Skating Championship for the 3rd consecutive year. Rosalynn Sumners wins the Women's Figure Skating Championship. Britain's Torvill and Dean win the gold medal in Ice Dancing. 

 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip visit California. During the visit, they play host on the royal yacht Britannia to President and Mrs. Reagan who are celebrating their 31st wedding anniversary.

 IBM unveils the Personal Computer XT. The basic XT sells for $4,995.

 The Nashville Network, a country music cable network, begins broadcasting.

 TV and radio entertainer Arthur Godfrey, 79, dies.
 Italy's exiled King Umberto II dies. He bequeaths the Shroud of Turin to the Vatican.

 Barney Clark, 62, the world's first and only recipient of an artificial heart (the Jarvick-7) dies of circulatory collapse and multi-organ system failure. Clark lived 112 days with the artificial heart.

 President Reagan announces that the United States will begin work on a futuristic defense system.

 Prince Charles, 34, and Princess Diana, 21, arrive in Australia for a six-week tour of the country and New Zealand. The couple break with royal tradition by bringing their nine-month-old son, Prince William, with them.

 In Binghamton, Irish folk signers Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy appear at the Forum. Tickets are $8 and $10. 

 In Waverly, Rynone Industries announces plans to lay off 60 to 70 of its 90 employees.

 The Tioga County Sheriff's Department and the Owego Police starts a program to fingerprint children. The prints, which will be stored by the parents not the police, can be used if the child is abducted or runs away. 

 SUNY-Binghamton students march to protest budget cuts.

 The Binghamton High School plans to issue ID cards to all students to deal with the problem of loiterers.

 On St. Patrick's Day, close to 1,000 people attend Noon Mass at St. Patrick's Church in Binghamton to pray for peace in Northern Ireland.

 As the first day of Spring approaches, most of the local school districts have not used any of their snow days.

 Three railroad cars jump the track in Owego near McMaster Street, spilling oats onto the tracks.

 The 6th Annual Richford Regatta, a seven-mile canoe race, is won by two brothers from Binghamton.

 In Newark Valley, Roland V. "Rollie" Noble, 72, dies. Noble is best known for his devotion to restoring the Bement-Billings homestead.

 After a six-week competition, the Broome County Video Championship is won by a 13-year-old.

 ABC broadcasts the 10-hour miniseries The Thorn Birds over four consecutive nights. 

 Top selling books include Space by James Michener, Mistral's Daughter by Judith Krantz, and Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon.

 Movies playing in local theaters include Frances, Trenchcoat, The Concrete 
Jungle, Lovesick, The Lords of Discipline, The Sting II, Tootsie, and High Road to China starring Tom Selleck in his first leading film role. 

 Top tunes include Billy Jean by Michael Jackson, Shame on the Moon by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, and Stray Cat Strut by Stray Cats.

 Post introduces Strawberry Honeycomb cereal.

 And a 12-ounce bag of Farley jelly eggs (regular or spiced) costs 69¢, a Cadbury Creme Egg costs 39¢, and a dozen Dunkin' Donuts Easter Eggs (egg-shaped donuts) costs $2.19.

 Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy Easter!