Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 2/24/1969 to 3/2/1969

 West Rome's Mike Jenkins and Billy Houston both won division championships in the Class AA Wrestling Tournament; Jenkins took the top spot in the 95-pound class, while Houston won in the unlimited division. Henry Studyvent took second place in the 180-pound class and Jeff Rogers took third in the 138-pound division.

West Rome's girls came from behind to defeat Cedartown 42-38 in the Region 7-AA semifinals on Tuesday night. Both Debbie Poarch and Phyllis Jarrard scored 19 points in the game. On Wednesday night, they defeated Cartersville 42-35 in a home game at the West Rome gym to win the Region 7-AA South championship. Jarrard was the top scorer with 20 points.

West Rome's band received a superior rating in Class B concert and sight reading at the Seventh District Music Festival, held on March 1st in Marietta. The Junior High honor band received an excellent rating.

The JA Industrials was named the Outstanding Junior Achievement company in Rome for January. West Rome's own Mike Shannon, VP of sales for the group, accepted the award for the Industrials, who were sponsored by General Electric's Medium Transformer Department.

West Rome Science Fair Winners included Debbye Morris and Steve Blad (botany); Marilynn Little (mathematics); Sam Hancock & Ida Hutchings (physics), and Billy Candler (psychology). Others who placed in the science fair included Jolynne Rice (second place, bacteriology); Ken Whittenberg (third place, botany); David Gardner (second place, chemistry); Debbie Holder (honorable mention, chemistry); Tom Blad & Mike Blanton (second place, engineering); Billy Houston (third place, engineering); Lon Rollinson (third place, physics); Dawn Scarbrough, Terry Owens, & Martha Riley (second place, psychology); David Hood (second place, zoology); Bill Doster, Jimmy Tolbert, Teresa Jackson, & Ellen Jackson (third place, zoology); and Dana Nichols & Dianne Hall (honorable mention, zoology).

Federal budget cuts cost Rome its US Weather Bureau station at Russell Field. The government announced that the station, which was open for almost a quarter of a century, would be closed by June 30th; it was one of 13 weather stations across the country that was shut down in a cost-cutting move.

Rome's burglars continued their crime spree this week in 1969. In the early hours of Monday morning, they tor ea piece of metal off the end of the Rome Tobacco Company building on Redmond Road, then entered the business and stole five cases of cigarettes and some cash from a deposit bag in the office. That same morning, burglars broke into Coosa High School and ransacked five vending machines, stealing cash and a variety of snacks. And if that wasn't enough, Kelly Springfield Automotive Center was also hit, with $220 in cash and hundreds of dollars worth of tired taken.

 Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 78¢ a pound, Double Q salmon for 69¢ a an, and Sealtest ice cream for 48¢ a half-gallon. A&P had Delmonico steaks for $1.89¢ a pound, Maxwell House coffee for 65¢ a pound, and grapefruit for a dime each. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 29¢ a pound, large eggs for 47¢ a dozen, and Heinz ketchup for 19¢ a bottle. Big Apple had spare ribs for 59¢ a pound, Ore Ida tater tots for 29¢ a bag, and assorted flavors of Bama jelly for 33¢ a jar. Couch's had country ham for $1.19 a pound, Chef Boy-R-Di spaghetti & meatballs for 39¢ a can, and yellow corn for 8¢ an ear.

The cinematic week began with Stalking Moon (starring Gregory Peck) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (starring Alan Arkin) at the First Avenue Theatre, and Candy (starring Richard Burton) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switchout brought Lady in Cement (starring Frank Sinatra) to the DeSoto Theatre, 2001: A Space Odyssey (starring Gary Lockwood) to the First Avenue Theatre, and House of Cards (starring George Peppard) to the West Rome Drive-In.

Jim Morrison of the Doors was arrested in Miami this week in 1978 for allegedly exposing himself during the show. The official charge was "lewd and lascivious behavior," which was enough to permanently mark Morrison as one of rock's "bad boys"--a reputation that he relished for the all-too-brief remainder of his life.

Sly & the Family Stone held on to number one for a fourth week with "Everyday People." Other top ten hits included "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#2); "Build Me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations (#3); "Dizzy" by Tommy Roe (#4); "Crimson & Clover" by Tommy James & the Shondells (#5); "This Magic Moment" by Jay & the Americans (#6); "This Girl's In Love With You" by Dionne Warwick (#7); "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (#8); "Touch Me" by the Doors (#9): and "Indian Giver" by 1910 Fruitgum Company (#10).