Friday, December 15, 2017

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 12/18/1967 to 12/24/1967

West Rome students had a very short two-day school week, with Christmas break starting on Wednesday, December 20th and continuing through New Years. School was scheduled to start back on Tuesday, January 2nd.

A rare December tornado struck the Maple Street area of Rome on Monday afternoon, causing some building damage but no injuries. A two ton pickup truck was lifted off the ground and deposited fifty yards away in a field, while twelve building suffered severe roof damage.

Keller Industries announced plans to build an 80,000 square foot carpet plant on the north side of Redmond Road, just east of the Lavender Drive intersection (almost directly across the street from Trend Mills). The plant was expected to provide a hundred full-time jobs once it was fully operational.

More burglaries across Rome: early Monday morning, burglars broke into Tilly Apothecary and stole an undetermined amount of morphine, demoral, and other drugs. Shortly after that, burglars broke into Garner Brothers Construction Company on Shorter Avenue and stole office equipment, clothes, a purse, a portable television, and a number of Christmas gifts intended for staff and family. Someone also broke into West Rome High School early Monday morning, but prompt police response scared them away before they could steal anything. Burglars broke into the EZ Shop on Shorter Avenue on Wednesday night, stealing an undetermined quantity of cigarettes and about $40 in cash. Early Friday morning, burglars broke into the West Rome Super-Discount store, stealing about $150 in cash.

West Rome was knocked out of the Rome News-Tribune Holiday Festival Basketball tournament on Monday night with a 90-54 loss to Calhoun. Kenny Stephens was West Rome’s top scorer with 17 points.

Piggly Wiggly had smoked ham for 49¢ a pound, whole coconuts for 19¢ each, and a two-pound can of Maxwell House coffee for $1.39. Big Apple had turkeys for 28¢ a pound, Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite for 33¢ a carton (plus deposit), and mixed nuts for 77¢ a pound. A&P had baking hens for 39¢ a pound, tomatoes for 25¢ a pound, and Ocean Spray cranberry sauce for 23¢ a can. Kroger had rib roast for 79¢ a pound, and Kroger white bread for 18¢ a loaf. Couch’s had pork roast for 49¢ a pound, English peas for 23¢ a can, and Sealtest ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon.

The cinematic week began with More Than a Miracle (starring Sophia Loren) at the DeSoto Theatre, Any Wednesday (starring Jane Fonda) at the First Avenue, and Journey to the Center of Time at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switchout brought Battle of the Bulge (with Henry Fonda) to the DeSoto Theatre and the West Rome Drive-In, and The Naked Runner (starring Frank Sinatra) to the First Avenue.

The Beatles took number on this week in 1967 wit “Hello Goodbye.” Other top ten hits included “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Gladys Knight &the Pips (#2); “Daydream Believer” by the Monkees (#3); “I Second That Emotion” by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (#4); “Woman Woman” by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap (#5); “Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)” by John Fred & the Playboys (#6); “Chain of Fools” by Aretha Franklin (#7); “Bend Me, Shape Me” by the American Breed (#8); “Boogaloo Down Broadway” by the Fantastic Johnny C (#9); and “Skinny Legs and All” by Joe Tex (#10).

Dean Martin abandoned his usual TV show format of multiple guests and short comic skits for Christmas 1967, instead bringing on his family and the family of his friend Frank Sinatra for a special hour-long episode on Thursday, December 21st. The show was the highest-rated Christmas special in 1967.

No comments: