West Rome's pizza war between Pizza Inn (just past the high school on Shorter Avenue) and Village Inn (near the intersection of Shorter Avenue and Burnett Ferry Road) continued to heat up. Pizza Inn cut the price for their one-time medium pizza to 97¢, while Village Inn began offering cartoons, features, and movies from 5pm to 8pm, so that the family could be entertained while eating pizza. Village Inn was also touting their $1.79 pizza and salad buffet.
This week in 1970, Rome installed new, more powerful pumps to boost water pressure and ensure adequate water supply for residents of West Rome and those living off Alabama Road. The problem had become so severe in Fair Oaks Estates and Beech Creek that Rome and Floyd County had been forced to curtail new construction until the water supply issue was resolved.
Roy Goolsby joined Rome City Schools as assistant superintendent this week in 1970, coming here from Whitfield County. The board also tapped Sam Burrell, formerly principal at Main Elementary, to become assistant principal at West Rome Junior High School. The board also approved Nidk Hyder's request to increase the price of football tickets to $1.75 advance and $2 at the gate for adults.
Hank Williams Jr. came to the Rome City Auditorium on Thursday, May 14th, as one of seven musical acts performing in the Country Shindig. Other artists included the Cheating Hearts, Diana Trask, the Drifting Cowboys (Hank Williams Sr's original recording band), Merle Kilgore, and a comedian who performed under the name the Duke of Paducah. The concert sold out at $3 and $4 per ticket.
Pretty much every store in Rome had markdowns for Rome Days, an annual sales festival that began on May 13th and continued through May 16th. Today the concept of a four-day celebration of local businesses might seem antiquated, but Rome Days was a big event in the 1960s and early 1970s, with some business owners reporting that it generated sales that rivaled the pre-Christmas rush.
Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 43¢ a pound, Morton cream pies for 25¢ each, and bananas for 8¢ a pound. A&P had fresh whole fryers for 27¢ a pound, Eight O'Clock coffee for 77¢ a pound, and red delicious apples for a dime each. Big Apple had sirloin steaks for 99¢ a pound, corn for 8¢ an ear, and Coke/Tab/Sprite/Fresca for 33¢ a carton plus deposit. Kroger had ground beef for 53¢ a pound, Farmbest ice cream for 79¢ a half-gallon, and tomatoes for 19¢ a pound. Couch's had country ham for $1.19 a pound, Chef Boy-ar-dee spaghetti & meatballs for 29¢ a can, and cucumbers for a dime each.
The cinematic week began with Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (starring Robert Redford) at the DeSoto Theatre, What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? (an X-Rated Candid Camera film hosted by Alan Funt) at the First Avenue, The Lawyer (starring Barry Newman) at the Village, and If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (starring Suzanne Pleshette) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought The Magic Christian (starring Peter Sellers & Ringo Starr, with music by Badfinger and others) to the DeSoto, Vixen (an X-rated Russ Meyer film starring Erica Gavin) to the First Avenue, The Molly Maguires (starring Richard Harris & Sean Connery) to the Village, and Invasion of the Animal People (with John Carradine) West Rome Drive-In.
The Guess Who held on to the number one slot this week in 1970 with "American Woman." Other top ten hits included "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Vehicle" by the Ides of March (#3); "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#4); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#5); "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#6); "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens (#7); "Turn Back the Hands of Time" by Tyrone Davis (#8); "Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#9); and "Reflections of My Life" by Marmalade (#10).
If you couldn't be there, you could at least pretend: Woodstock—Music from the Original Soundtrack and More, a sprawling triple-LP with a foldout jacket, was released this week in 1970. While not every artist who appeared at the 1969 festival was represented on the album, most of the biggest names were present, including Crosby, Stills, & Nash; Richie Havens; Jimi Hendrix; The Who; Country Joe and the Fish; and many others. This was also the week when Randy Bachman chose to leave the Guess Who (who happened to have the number one song this week in 1970) to start his own group, Brave Belt. The new act went nowhere, but the members would eventually form another band, Bachman Turner Overdrive, that found much more success.
Get Smart, Buck Henry's spy spoof starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon, ended its five season television run this week in 1970.
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