The Cole Bros. Air Circus promised thrilling aerial acts at its inaugural air show at Stout Field. The admission charge was $1, with proceeds benefiting the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary.
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Dr. Ray Wurtz was named the richest, most eligible bachelor on the Southside.
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People interested in seeing a television show broadcast in color could stop by the Kasper Furniture Co., 860 Virginia Ave., to watch Westinghouse’s “Best of Broadway.” “We feel that there is a lot of interest in color television even though there is a scarcity of color programs on the air at this time,” said Kenny Kasper.
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The Southside Market on New Jersey Street featured 22 vendors selling fresh produce.
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The widening of Madison Avenue to six lanes in northern Perry Township and southern Center Township resulted in the demolition of many buildings. However, the Key West Shrimp House, which was looking for a new location, reported that it was business as usual.
Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1964
An RCA transistor pocket radio cost $8.88.
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McDonald’s, the leading purveyor of french fries in the United States, claimed that it was President Thomas Jefferson who brought the concept of fried potato slices from France to America. The restaurant chain also asserted that 70 percent of U.S. residents ate fries with their hamburgers.
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Five model apartments and a sales office opened at the $3 million Mount Vernon South complex at U.S. 31 and Thompson Road. A one-bedroom apartment could be purchased for $59 a month.
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Manual senior James Hancock was a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship competition.
Forty Years Ago This Week – 1974
J. Bernard Smith was installed as president of the Southside Kiwanis Club. Other new officers were Clyde D. Fields, vice president; Mutt Bonesteel, secretary; and Theodore J. Carr, treasurer.
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Little Joe’s Nursery, 501 E. Edgewood Ave., was holding a $10 sale on 15-foot silver maple trees and spreading yews and 4-foot white pines and arbor vitae.
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Winter must have arrived early as an advertisement for Parsley’s Heating & Cooling read, “If your present heating system can’t cut it on these cold winter days, think about installing a modern, efficient Heil system.”
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John K. and Helen O’Neill of 7129 S. East St. harvested a 26-pound head of cabbage from their garden. The monster measured 12 inches in diameter, and its outside leaves were 33 inches wide.
Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1984
Hunger Inc. celebrated its first anniversary of helping critically hungry people in Perry Township. The pantry, which had aided more than 200 needy families in its first year, was housed in the former Orme Carpets building at Epler Avenue and old Meridian Street.
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The Indiana Council of English Teachers named Manual High School English educator Marilyn Dever as its Hoosier Teacher of the Year.
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October was declared as Toastmasters Month in Greenwood by Mayor Jeanette Surina.
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Tim Gough of Greenwood won a new Thunderbird in the J.C. Penny/Sharp Ford giveaway, which was held in conjunction with the U.S. Clay Court Championships. He was pictured accepting his keys from Sharp Ford President Mike Shore and Greenwood J.C. Penny Manager Roger Loney.
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Silk and Lace, advertised as Indianapolis’ newest exotic club and a truly classy place with beautiful dancers, featured 25 cent beer night on Wednesdays.
Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1994
Allie “Grandma” Ettenburn was pictured with her five-generation family: daughter Wava Perry, grandaughter Donna Urquhart, great-grandson Christopher Urquhart and great-great-grandaughter Breyanna Urquhart.
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The Thirty-third Degree, the highest honor bestowed in Scottish Free Freemasonry, was conferred upon local residents John W. Baugh, Fred F. Buckingham, Clyde E. Fields, Howard R. Johnson, Lawrence E. Shepherd and Phillip C. Thrasher at the Cleveland Convention Center Music Hall. The degrees were awarded for outstanding service to the organization or for significant contributions to mankind.
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The Little Red Door Cancer Agency and St. Vincent Hospital teamed to provide free mammography screenings to women who could not afford them. The Little Red Door was also offering free prostate cancer screenings.
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Police suspected that a cigarette caused the fire in the basement of Cravens Residence Hall for women at the University of Indianapolis. A few walls were tarnished by the smoke, but the building suffered no structural damage.
Ten Years Ago This Week – 2004
Marilee Richards, a 14-year member of the Perry Township Fire Department, was promoted to captain. Todd Kirkham and Jim Adams, nine- and 10-year members, respectively, were promoted to lieutenants.
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Max Oldham and Roger Kingery split $5,500 in the reverse raffle sponsored by the Perry Township Kiwanis Club. Spotlight Publisher Jerry Cosby served as master of ceremonies.
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Perry Township Schools sponsored a districtwide fundraising contest for Baxter YMCA, which was still recovering from tornado damage suffered in 2002. Southport Middle School took first-place honors by raising $2,090. For their efforts, pupils got to wear short pants to school. A front-page picture depicted the smiling faces of Joe Matkins, Jayla Leath, Megan Thompson, Cody Wilde, Kim Perkins, Samantha Jackson, Chris Webb, Julia Turpin, Zoe Johnson, Nikki Thomas, Abbey Allen, Kevin Long, Luke Schofield, Jordan Jackson, Montez Tyler and Steve Kirkwood.
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Clinton Young Elementary first-graders visited Adrian Orchards to learn how apples grow. Brianna Jones, Anthony Burdette, Baylie Russell, Taylor Fox, Tyler Donovan, Andrew Hole and Mary Thang were pictured with their teacher, Amanda Spangler.
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Perry Meridian’s freshman cross-country team won the Marion County tournament by placing five runners in the top 20: Alex Sylvester, fourth; Johnny Duty, eighth; Austin Conley, 14th; Kyle Walker, 16th; and Jimmy Schoettle, 19th. The team, which also featured Jonathan Kim, Will Fenn and Billy Remeika, was coached by Gary Raker and Steve Fleenor.