These are some highlights from the News Journal on January 29, 1977:
National headlines
• ‘Thousands stranded in Ohio’
“(AP) — Wind whipped across snow-clogged highways Friday, stranding thousands of motorists and isolating dozens of towns, while record low temperatures taxed dwindling natural gas supplies as an icy blizzard swept through Ohio.
“At least six deaths were attributed to the violent weather Friday. Virtually all roads in the northwestern quarter of the state remained impassable today as highway crews had to wait for strong westerly winds to subside and visibility to improve before tacking drifting snow. Little relief was forecasted for today by the National Weather Service, with highs expected to be in the 5-below t0 10-below zero range.”
• Freddie Prinze’s condition improves’
“LOS ANGELES (AP) — Television comedy star Freddie Prinze’s chances to survive the bullet he put through his head have improved, a friend says, but the 22-year-old entertainer was still near death.” (Editor’s Note: Prinze died on the day of this story, Jan. 29, 1977.)
Locally
•“Snow continues to pile up in Wilmington’s downtown district as high winds caused extensive drifting Friday. Local weather observer Kent Pickard said the county had received 25.1 inches of snow through Friday morning. Most streets in the downtown area were deserted Friday afternoon as the winds continued and the temperatures dropped below zero.”
• “Clinton County highway crews and city crews today continue to fight what appears to be a losing battle against the now and extreme cold. Joseph Kocher, superintendent of the Clinton County Highway Department, said most county roads are still not clear. All township roads were reported closed today. Kocher said Melvin Stone Company, WKW Contruction Co. and Paul Evans Trucking helped the county in clearing the roads by moving in their heavy equipment.”
“Emergency housing facilities, heated with oil, are being arranged in Clinton County as throughout the state in compliance with a request from the Disaster Services Agency and forwarded to Gov. James Rhodes to all mayors and county commissioners in the state. A teletype dated 12:04 p.m. Friday reads in part: ‘A natural gas crisis raises a real possibility that some Ohio communities may face a complete loss of natural gas service.’ … City officials, at the direction of Mayor Robert Moyer, have made arrangements to provide emergency shelter for 3,200 people in buildings heated with some form of energy other than natural gas. Transportation would also be available.”
• Showing at the Murphy Theatre (for anyone who could get through the snow) was “The Most Hilarious Suspense Ride of Your Life!” — “Silver Streak” starring Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh and Richard Pryor.
