These are some highlights from the News Journal on October 8, 1977:
Nationally
‘Minimum wage to go up’
“WASHINGTON (AP) — It is nearly certain that more than three million American workers paid the minimum wage will get a raise of 35 cents an hour next New Year’s Day.”
Versions of the proposed bill in the House “would raise the wage floor to $2.65 an hour on Jan. 1, up from the $2.30 that has been in effect since Jan. 1, 1976.”
Locally
‘Mike Bryan to be Wilmington Junior Fire Chief’
“Mike Bryan of 174 N. Wood St. will be the Junior Fire Chief at the Wilmington Fire Department open house. He is the winner of the contest sponsored by the Firebelles — the fire department’s auxiliary — in which local students were invited to complete and submit to the fire department a puzzle which appeared in a News Journal advertisement.” Second prize went to Bruce Marsh and third place to Matt King.
• Placing highest in the County Rural Land Judging Contest was the Wilmington FFA team of Jay Stacey, Scott Wood, Duane Achtermann and Craig Borton. Highest individual rural scorer was Donald Osborn of Laurel Oaks and second was Wayne Fisher of East Clinton. In the urban contest, top scorer was Tim McMannis of Laurel Oaks and second was William Beam of Wilmington.
• The Wilmington High School football team and its defense led by linebackers Bill Regan, Mark Perkins and Jim Heinrich defeated Hillsboro 17-0 at Alumni Field. ‘Cane end Todd Martin scored a touchdown from the 32 on a pass from quarterback Gary Williams.
• Howard and Cora (Huffman) Stewart celebrated heir 58th wedding anniversary by entertaining their niece, Lois Stewart, at the Windmill Restaurant.
• Local deaths included: Eugene Magill, 78, of 391 Darbyshire Drive, Wilmington; Mrs. Louis Jordan, 87, of SR 350, New Vienna; and Edwin Stephens, 52, of 2596 Bernard Road, New Vienna.
• Showing at the Murphy Theatre was “The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training” and at the drive-in was “Smokey and the Bandit.”