These are some highlights from the News Journal on February 17, 1969:
National headlines
• ‘Sirhan Jury to Hear Grier’
“LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Roosevelt Grier and others who saw the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy testify today before the jury trying Sirhan Bishara Sirhan for the murder. Grier, a 280-pounder who played on the Los Angeles Rams team, bulldozed aside the crowd in the narrow pantry of the Ambassador Hotel where Kennedy was shot, then pounced on the 112-pound Sirhan.”
• ‘Apollo Tests’
Shown “running tests in a space craft simulator” were Apollo 9 astronauts scheduled to “ride a Saturn V rocket into Earth orbit Feb. 28.” James A McDivitt, David R. Scott and Russell L, Schweickart were set to “test the lunar module designed to ferry two men to the moon from the command craft and back to another ship.”
Locally
• “Clinton-Massie’s cagers fell to Waynesville Saturday night 53-51; a late basket by Mike Cleaver was not allowed as officials said it came after time expired. Doug Wills played a great ball game” and had 13 points while Cleaver scored 12. FAVL champs Springboro downed Blanchester despite 28 points from Bruce Bogen and 23 by Dan Oliver. The Wilmington sophomore team defeated Centerville 58-38 in tournament action as Steve Conley had 19 points and Mike Morris added 10 along with the “nifty assists” from “Dana ‘Ace’ Dunn.”
• Wilmington wrestlers advancing in the district tournament were Randy Lewis, Joe Arvai, Mike Zurface, Dennis Pusateri, Steve Allen, Gary Van Pelt, Dave Stratton and Charles Luse.
• Local deaths reported included: Katherine Bobbitt, 89, of Wilmington; Richard Monahan, 76, of Cuba; Blanche Floyd of New Vienna; and Sadie West of Clarksville.
• East Clinton FFA members participating in area contests included Lynn Vanzant, David Roehm and Tom Terrell. New officers to be installed at the next meeting were Tom Terrell, Bob Blackburn, David Roehm, Marvin Fawley, Tom Rudisill, Danny Watson and Mark Allen.
• Wilmington Super Valu advertised: Flav-O-Rite potato chips 9 oz. twin pack for 49 cents; Fiddle Faddle, 39 cents; and Morton TV Dinners, 38 cents.
• Showing at the Murphy Theatre was Steve McQueen in “Bullitt.”
• On the TV schedule for the evening were “Laugh-In”, “Gunsmoke”, “The Avengers”, “I Dream of Jeannie”, “Peyton Place”, “Lucy”, “Mayberry RFD”, and “The Carol Burnett Show.”
