25 Years ago in the DNR
DebSF -- July 9th, 2009
The date was Monday July 9, 1984. Above the fold on the front page, the AP reports that crews have begun to clear an Amtrak wreck in Williston, Vermont. The train derailed Sunday, July 8, killing 5, injuring 137 after hitting a section of track washed out due to flooding.
Also prominently featured was the story of National Wildlife Fund’s execute VP Jay Hair’s visit to the White House. The NWF’s 4.1 million members voted for Ronald Reagan by a 2-1 margin in 1980, but by 1984, 63% of membership disapproved of Reagan’s environmental record. Reagan and Hair were meeting about environmental groups outrage over the appointment of Anne Burford, (first female head of the EPA, compelled to resign as chair during troubled times) to head a national advisory committee on climate and environmental issues. Hair discussed “Season of Spoils” with Reagan, and read portions of the book to the President in the oval office, saying, “These are your people. They believed in you and your programs. And you’ve lost them”.
Also above the fold on the front page, from the NYT news service, a story on inter-city crossings in Beirut shut down between Moslem West Beirut and Christian East Beirut due to large protests, postponing the city’s attempt to resume more of a normal life after nine years of civil war, invasions and interventions by international entities.
The lead editorial concerned the jobless rate, which dropped in June from 7.5 to 7.1%, a 4 year low. Inflation is about 5%. The end of Reagan’s first term in office marks the first time in 20 years that both inflation and unemployment have declined during an administration. The editorial notes that in 1980, inflation was over 12% and unemployment was 7.5%. Then came recession, increasing unemployment to over 10%. Quite calm in tone and very wonky, when compared to similar editorials today! Also included were pieces by David Broder and Tom Wicker on the upcoming Democratic convention for the ’84 presidential race, with lots of speculation about potential running mates for likely nominee Fritz Mondale. Letters to the editor were downright decorous, mostly involving a discussion of recent federal legislation passed to encourage states to increase legal drinking age and included an announcement by William Townshend of Forestville of city/county task force to study problem and make recommendations to elected officials.
Inside, Jerry Falwell raps Michael Jackson and Boy George, saying they are not good role models for American youth, and will soon “disappear as one more fad”. Falwell continues, saying that the entertainers are good people, but are portraying a femaleness and a gender neutrality that this is a negative role model for children
In local news, DNR reporter Margie Shetterly reports on the Pear Street Center, a city alcohol and drug rehab facility. They’ve created of a program to train HHS students as peer advisers in the schools and the community on substance issues. Eight HHS students are to be trained, to eventually be paid $3/hour to become involved in center sponsored activities and to act as advocates for responsible consumption. Joan French, a prevention specialist at the center, picked “the cream of many crops”, selecting juniors Carlyle Whitelow, Sean Hart, Angie Lock, Wendy Senger and seniors Preston Jones, Sabrina Hevener, Scott Meech and Laura Benford. French noted that this program stems in part from a 1983 survey by the Pear Street Center of 650 7-12th grade students in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Just 17% had never had a drink. 655 active drinkers, 24% active and heavy drinkers. 19% did not think that teenagers could become alcoholics.
Barry Gantt, 23, a Harrisonburg man, is named “male model of the south” in a contest in Alexandria.
Schewels got hit with a robbery, losing more than $5,000 in televisions and and tape recorders from its Elizabeth Street warehouse.
In sports, Johnny Mac wins the men’s singles title in Wimbledon, thrashing Jimmy Connors 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. Tom Watson beats Greg Norman to win the Western Open Golf Tournament. In baseball, the Staunton Braves walk over Harrisonburg 14-5, and in the Rockingham County baseball leagues annual all star game, the south squad beat the north squad 8-2 in a game played at JMU’s J. Ward Long Field on campus. Olympic diving trials are going on, with Greg Louganis doing well. Really well.
Oh, and Leggett’s is having a sale. Men’s dress shirts: $9.49-15.99, Women’s Swimwear $7-$47.99.
The A&P has a 6 pack of Old Milwaukee for $1.99, and 3 lbs. of peaches for $1. London broil is $1.99 lb, and deli ham is $.99 . Kroger has 3 loaves of sandwich bread for $1.49, northwest Bing cherries for $.99 a lb, and eggs are $.99 a dozen.
At the Roth 1-2-3, it’s Gremlins, the Bad News Bears, and Ghost Busters. At the Virginia on Main Street: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The Harrisonburg Drive-In (Rt. 11-N) is showing Connan the Destroyer and the Iceman. Or you can head south on 11 to get to the Roth Drive-In for Cannonball Run and Never Say Never Again.
This was fun to do, with some expected and unexpected differences in the paper over the 25 years. Lots more international and national news from various wire services (which makes sense, pre-internet and widespread cable news coverage), but much less reporter-attributed local stuff.
I’d forgotten what a big deal the Lebanese Civil Was was at the time. A number of pieces in the paper covered various aspects of the war; even Dear Abby’s column was about a US soldier killed in Beirut.
Deb, Thanks for doing this. Funny that Jackson was in the news then as well. It’s always intersting to see how much impact or staying power “above the fold” news has had.
Indiana Jones at The Virginia. Sigh.
Odd that both Falwell and Jackson are now dead, both controversial figures in their own right.
Interesting perspective on “much less reporter-attributed local stuff,” considering that there’s so much more pressure on local papers now to produce all-local content. Paper started losing “filler” from the wire at the same time the industry began losing ad revenue. Bad combination.
“Quite calm in tone and very wonky, when compared to similar editorials today! ”
Interesting. Seems that our civil discourse has declined to the point where there is little agreement of facts. It’s become a battle of who screams the loudest.
Interesting article, Deb! Cool way to look back in our town’s history and an insight into what people at the time thought about :)
“Inside, Jerry Falwell raps Michael Jackson and Boy George, saying they are not good role models for American youth, and will soon ‘disappear as one more fad’.”
I’m not sure who these two people are that the good reverend is talking about. Has anyone else heard of them?
Zen, I agree on your point about yelling the loudest. What’s the solution to our dialogue problem? How do we agree on facts when so many “facts” are readily available, in both fiction and non form online. How do we change how we interact with one another?
Deb, great piece. Thanks
That is THE question, is it not?
I think for starters we should listen more, and talk less. You know, it’s sad that in this day and age we have so many devices that promote better communication, and yet we perform the function so poorly.
Zen, absolutely…the problem is that when the “truth” gets stretched to the limits, one side or the other doesn’t like it. We all to often hear about accountability and openness but what that means to those that say it differs widely from what those that hear it want it to mean…I say it’s partly cloudy, you hear it’s mostly sunny….all depends on what the person WISHES to hear.
Part of the problem, as I see it, is that contemporary journalism attempts to present two sides to every issue, and usually only two.
The problem being that there are few things in this life that are one of only two ways—left OR right, Republican OR Democrat. The world is more than black and/or white. This polarizing of issues only serves to pit people against each other for the sake of arguing their point, rather than honestly debating to some sort of conclusion or consensus.
The reality is that we all have much more in common with each other, than not. Our national dialogue becomes focused on our differences, rather than our similarities. And so as a result, some interests don’t really care what makes sense or is a viable solution, they’d rather just annoy the other side and view that as some sort of victory. Meanwhile the problems persist and our divide deepens.
The role of journalism should not be to present us with some bogus idea of “balance.” Fairness, yes. The coverage should be fair to all of those concerned. But balance for the sake of balance is ridiculous. It creates a dichotomy on issues, that are false.