Diners were treated to the grand opening of Laughner’s Cafeteria in Southern Plaza and Pete Steffey’s in Greenwood. Both restaurants celebrated the week with specials and giveaways. The plaza, 4200 S. U.S. 31, was enjoying continued growth as construction was underway on eight stores.
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Anne Koch, a senior at Southport, was named queen of the Southside Inc.’s Strawberry-Art Festival.
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Sandra Sue Thompson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Thompson, graduated from Franklin College.
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Manual graduates Paul Goss, Larry Hall, Charles Yager Jr., Alfred Ratz and Jim Schultz were among those who earned degrees at Rose Polytechnic Institute at Terre Haute. Yager played football, and Ratz earned high honors.
50 Years Ago This Week — 1974
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Editor George Cafouros called for the resignation of The Indianapolis Star’s editor in chief. Cafouros cited The Star’s sensationalized reports of a so-called corrupt Indianapolis Police Department lacking substance, as the expose netted a “big fat zero insofar as indictments are concerned.”
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Psi Beta Psi hosted its annual Patriotic Parade, which featured decorated strollers, bicycles, wagons and ponies.
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Coach Jerry Baker’s kickball team won Baxter YMCA’s junior division. The squad consisted of Tracy Kettler, Lisa Cox, Julie and Beth Baker, Stacy Cedars, Dawn Davidson, Jane Bohley, Beth Georgescu, Laurie Kottkamp, Diana Wilson and Laurie Robinson.
40 Years Ago This Week — 1984
Hagan’s Bar & Grill, 1121 E. Troy Ave., celebrated its grand opening with lobster dinners for $9.75. (Unknown to most diners, those same lobsters were occasionally featured in late-night races across the pub’s parking lot. The owners, Brian Clark and Simpson Righthouse, and yours truly served as hosts for the “greatest spectacle in cruising crustaceans.”)
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Perry Meridian baseball coach Jim Roach and his 22-8 squad advanced to the state championship game against Hammond Noll at Bush Stadium. Team members were William Bryant, Dan Ward, Daniel Carnes, Jeff Daniel, Tom Heitler, Doug Ridner, Jeff Bray, David Haynes, Eric Warwick, Jeff Morris, Chris Fatheree, Ryan Spears, Jon Bolen, Alan Bush, assistant coaches Steve Taylor and Mr. Hickman and managers T. Tummers and Ron Hoffman.
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Marion County Sheriff James Wells was strictly enforcing an ordinance that prohibited swimming in unsupervised areas like ponds, streams and strip pits on county property. Wells said his actions were the result of three youths drowning last summer in unguarded waters. Penalties for violators ranged from attending lifesaving classes to fines up to $2,500.
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Kim Mullins, Lesa Mascari, Beth Canter and Juanita Burton each found themselves $750 richer as they were the big winners in the drawing held at the Indianapolis Trade Association fair at Southern Plaza.
30 Years Ago This Week — 1994
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the $2.1 million Indianapolis Police Department South District headquarters, 1024 E. Sanders St., were held. Mayor Stephen Goldsmith said the facility would serve as the cornerstone for the revitalization of Fountain Square.
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Billboards’ top country album was “Not a Moment too Soon,” by Tim McGraw. “Ten Feet Tall,” by Travis Tritt, and “Kickin’ It Up,” by Michael Montgomery, were No. 2 and 3.
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The basketball team of Allison Schott, Lora Spiker, Rhonda Bartlett and Kari Dearinger took top honors in the 11- and 12-year-old girls division of the three-on-three Gus Macker tournament.
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Hoosier youths were drinking less alcohol but smoking more marijuana, reported the Governor’s Commission for a Drug-Free Indiana.
20 Years Ago This Week — 2004
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Robert Spanogle, national adjutant of the American Legion, received the Silver Buffalo Award from Boy Scouts for his service to youths.
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Pasquale’s Pizza, 1291 N. Madison Ave., Greenwood, celebrated its 30th anniversary by selling all its menu items at 1974 prices.
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10 Years Ago This Week — 2014
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Business magnate and Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens was on hand for the opening of Kinetrex Energy’s liquefied natural gas plant in Beech Grove.
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