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Show 76 That was the year, that was By Jay Wamsley Beauty contests, babies, basketball, bigger utility bills, , and birthday celebrations were among the top stories in Iron County's bicentennial year. January and February bubbled bub-bled over with news but not until the first baby of th,e year was born. She was April Dawn Atkins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rollins Atkins. After April Dawn ushered in 1976 maternity activity ac-tivity at Valley View, 549 babies were born before Father Time turned over his hourglass for another year. Royce Chamberlain took over the reins of the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce in January and Bob Welti made the first of two speaking engagements in Cedar City as he emceed the Annual Chamber Banquet. On January 13, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Latter-day Saints, Spencer W. Kimball, was featured guest at the Parowan 125th Birthday Anniversary An-niversary celebration. Pres. Kimball admonished the local children to remain clean and told their parents to honor and respect their pioneer heritage. The visit of Pres. Kimball was possibly the first of any LDS president since Brigham Young. It will remain a most memorable day for all residents for many years to come. Mid-January news was also highlighted by the 72-63 Cedar win over the Dixie Flyers. Council men sworn in Jack Whiting, Arlo Larson and Gordon Slack all took the oath of office as Cedar City councilmen and recommendations for changes at the Valley View Medical Center were released for-public for-public view by the County Attorney. At-torney. January also saw State Senator Dixie Leavij't introducing in-troducing legislation to investigate in-vestigate the membership and monetary dealings of environmentalist en-vironmentalist groups, particularly par-ticularly those active agaiast the Kapairowits project. The plans for the city-school cooperative swimming complex were approved. ap-proved. A 35-game winning streak of the Cedar Redmen was also snapped the last week in 1976's initial month by a two point lass to American Fork. Lawrence Leroy Alexander, 15, was charged with first degree murder in the slaying of an out-of-state man near the Kanarra interchange. Crash kills three Cedar City established a city court system, with Judge Christian Ronnow at the bench. February saw Edna A. Sargent named as business and Professional Woman of the year. A head-on crash, apparently caused by zero visibility in the midst of a blizzard, kii'led three Californians near Paragonah. Paul Williamson, Parowan wrestling stickout, took the state heavyweight title in 1-A competition com-petition as the Rams took third in the state level meet. The Cedar Redmen also took wrestling honors, winning the Region 11 crown. Two SUSC students lost everything but the shirt on their backs when a fire ripped through the American Motel in Cedar City, causing an estimated $10,000 damage. Basketball season finally drew to an end in March, with the Flyers and Redmen placing 6th and 7th in their first, year of 3-A competition. Particularly memorable was the sometimes era tic 75-72 win over the Logan Grizzlies. Kate increases started The first of numerous rate hearings concerned with rate increases asked by California Pacific Utilities was held in March. The first was concerned with a "pass along increase" to cover increases in cost of power purchased. As spring neared, Steve Hair was named to the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune All-State teams. Kim Nielson, Cedar High track and field star, broke the existing state high jump record with a leap of 6'10". Jim Clark announced his intentions in-tentions to run for County Commissioner, Garth Jones told of his intentions to run for a third term in the Utah House of Representatives and work began on construction of a three stage sewage treatment plant north and west of Cedar City. All in April. Kapairowits was continually in the news in the spring. The issue,, pro and con, was fought in the news and the letters found in the ' Record. 1 Readers were constantly reminded that 1976 was an election year. Dixie Leavitt was one of two politicians with-local ties that announced his candidacy can-didacy for governor of Utah. Leavitt announced his intention (continued on page 3) 1976 Passes in Review anniversary, and the new combined Enoch ward chapel was dedicated for use early in July. In the worst fire loss in years, the warehouse on Union Pacific property, being used at the time by Intermountain West insulation, in-sulation, was razed. Gregory Owenby, a Californian man, was charged with arson in the case. The Adams Memorial Shakesperean Theatre was completed and soon after Cedar City became the theatre showplace of Utah as the Annual Shakesperean Festival got underway. un-derway. In the midst of the theatre celebrations came the July 24th celebration with Alva and Zella Matheson leading the parade as Grand Marshalls. Cedar City and Iron County reported that valuation was up in 1976 and both correspondingly lowered their miU levies. As Reginald Hughes was hired as administrator to the IHC-managed IHC-managed Valley View Medical Center, Cal-Pac announced it umii IH an hfm-p the Utah Public (continued from page 1) in a series of public meetings throughout the state. Later, Scott Matheson chose Parowan to announce his bid for the Governor's mansion. Otto Fife was named honorary chairman of the Volunteer Support Service for the elderly. 102 Birthdays Phoebe Ann Reeves Davies celebrated her 102nd birthday in the Cedar Manor Nursing Home. Mrs. Davies, who later in the year passed away, was a long time resident of Kanarra. As April Showers were bringing May flowers, Ivan Matheson announced he would seek the Senate position given up by Dixie Leavitt. Intermountain Health Care, Inc., signed a five year management contract to take over the Valley View Medical Center and Calvin L. Connell celebrated his 100th birthday in the Iron County Nursing home. Politics on all levels were active in May: Grant Seaman and Ross Hilton announced their candidacy for county commission com-mission posts, Neil Adams was elected President at CHS, Don Hulet at PHS and mass meetings were conducted throughout the area. The new Iron County Courthouse Cour-thouse was dedicated in Parowan, with Judge Burns being the featured speaker. Calvin Rampton led the processional as SUSC seniors got their diplomas and Girl's State got underway. Utah International was singled out by the Utah Veteran's of Foreign Wars as the Veteran Employer of the Year in Utah. Kapairowits-its effects and benefits, continued to grab headlines as Governor Rampton spoke to a Cedar City group on energy, development and assorted concerns. Conventions were held, and on the Republican side, James Hoyle and Grant Seaman were given the nod to run for the two-year two-year commission seat, while G. D. MacDonald and James Clark would vie for the four-year post. Shakespearean happenings Shakesperean electricity began to fill the air in and around SUSC and Cedar City as more and more plans were finalized for the festival's 15th season. Love's Labour Lost, The Tempest Tem-pest and Julius Caesar were chosen as the featured plays. Mr. and Mrs. Arch Lamoreaux celebrated their 70th wedding Services Commission with four new rate increase requests. The major point of increase was the cost of a UPfcL owned line paid for by California-Pacific. Airwest told to stay In a long awaited decision, a federal judge ordered Hughes Airwest to continue its flights to Cedar City. Airwest had said it was economically infeasible for them to continue flights to the Cedar area. o Fair news began to dominate the columns of the Record in August. Preparations were made for actor Clint Walker to lead the parade and attend the Sunday e Night Program and 15 beauties il began vieing for the title of Miss r Iron County. ;t Political candidates were e continually dropping into Cedar if City as the Iron County fair and g surrounding communities fairs if took place. As many as four ', different candidates for state offices would visit Cedar City in the course of a day soliciting votes. Vern Romney and Dixie Leavitt were guest speakers at a e Chamber luncheon in August, s As Bob Welti emceed, Linda d Lunt was chosen Miss Iron y County, Oscar Hulet was sleeted il I as Grand Marshall and Iron r County's "biggest fiar ever" got underway. During the fair week, the Cedar City Daughters of the Utah Pioneers opened their museim in the top floor of a noted v Cedar landmark, e Primary elections were held v the same week at the Southwest e Livestock show and while hogs J were pictured as winners in the i. annual meet, announcement was made that the Swine-flu immunization im-munization was coming to Iron County. Durand found guilty H. M. Durand was sentenced to a five-to-life term in the Utah State Prison as the jury found him guilty of slaying Larry Bulloch. Durand had stated he shot Bulloch in self-defense, but the prosecution said he was guilty of second degree murder. Hearings into the Cal-Pac's four rate increases continued in both Cedar City and Salt Lake City. As the 1976 General election closed, Republicans swept all local offices, with Jim Clark and Grant Seaman winning new commission seats. Democrat Scott Matheson was elected governor, the majority of the rest of state offices being filled by Republicans. Parowan High School put on its biggest production ever, "Brigadoon," as Cedar City celebrated its 125th Birthday Anniversary. No sooner was the celebration over but questions arose concerning the ownership of land on which the flood control dikes south of Cedar rests. Fire at the Silver Leaf Cafe, County Commission setting the budget for 1977, former inmates of Cedar City-Iron County jail file negligence charges, Mohey Tawa named Utah's top drill team, and Santa arrives in Cedar City. Cedar City's Bicentennial Year, and You Were There! ! |