by Beverly Brown 

It's October 1977. Englishman James Hunt wins the Grand Prix of the US at Watkins Glen. Mario Andretti finishes second. 

 Al Capp, 68, creator of the Li'l Abner comic street announces that he will discontinue the 43-year-old strip next month due to ill health. 

 In South Africa, heart surgeon Dr. Christiaan Barnard implants a chimpanzee heart into a human who dies a few days later. 

 Bing Crosby, 73, dies of a heart attack while playing golf in Spain.  He is survived by his second wife, Kathryn, and seven children: Harry, Nathanial, Gary, Dennis, Philip, Lindsay, and Mary Frances. 

 The New York Yankees win the World Series when they beat the L. A. Dodgers 8-4. Reggie Jackson hits three home runs and is selected the series' most valuable player. 

 The SST Concorde lands for the first time at JFK Airport in New York. 

 A private funeral for Bing Crosby is held in California. The only celebrities invited to attend are Bob Hope, Rosemary Clooney, and Phil Harris. 

 Amy Carter, daughter of President Carter, celebrates her 10th birthday. 

 Prince Charles starts his good-will tour of the United States in Chicago. 

 Three members of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd are killed in a plane crash. 

 The experimental space shuttle Enterprise makes a successful landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. 

 Tom Jones performs to a sell-out crowd at the Broome County Veteran's Memorial Arena. Many fans who paid the top dollar of $10 per seat are upset when there are more ticket holders than seats. 

 The first snow falls on October 16, leaving a dusting of snow at the higher elevations. 

 The next day, a blizzard dumps a foot of snow in Pennsylvania, closing Route 81 near Hazleton. The Southern Tier receives a few inches of snow in the mountains and rain in the lower elevations. 

 An Open House is held at the Apalachin Fire Department. On display are the department's new pumper truck, new brushfire truck, and Station #3, the new firehouse. 

 Two computer stores recently opened in the Southern Tier - Micro World and The Computer Tree. 

 Top tunes include You Light Up My Life by Debbie Boone, ‘Star Wars' Theme/Cantina Band by Meco, Keep it Comin' Love by K.C. & the Sunshine Band, and Nobody Does it Better by Carly Simon 

 Monday night TV shows include Little House on the Prairie, Young Dan'l Boone, The San Pedro Beach Bums, The Betty White Show, Maude, and Rafferty. 

 Movies playing in local theaters include Damnation Alley, Valentino with Rudolf Nureyev, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, Kentucky Fried Movie, and A Piece of the Action with Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, and James Earl Jones. 

 And a 16-ounce bag of Milkyways or Snickers costs $1.59, a 14-ounce bag of Kraft Caramels costs 63¢, and a 12-ounce bag of Baby Ruths or Butterfingers costs just 94 cents. 

 Happy Halloween!