1989 -
Here are a few Washington, DC area headlines:
Metro added rail heaters to its system.
Conspiracy and theft charges were dismissed against Col. Oliver North.
Mortgage rates then were 11%+ for a 30-year loan in some parts of the country.
For fans of the Bay Bridge (over Chesapeake Bay) – the one-way toll went into effect.
Scientists found 900 dinosaur footprints in what were mud flats near Culpeper, VA.
Former DC Police Chief Maurice Turner turned “Republican” and ran for Mayor. He didn’t win.
Short stories:
January 6th, in the face of an “iffy” forecast, then Fairfax County School Superintendent Robert Spillane said, “the roads tomorrow will be fine.” He was wrong. The quote from my script: “…It wouldn’t be fine. It was barely lousy.”
Inauguration preparations were underway and like every media outlet, we had to have stories about everything remotely connected to the inauguration - this one for George Herbert Walker Bush and James Danforth Quayle. In the ensuing inaugural parade, Bush rode in USA-1 (limo) and 211 units from all over the country participated in the event.
Muslim extremists were upset with Salman Rushdie for his book, “the Satanic Verses,” which was a sellout. Yes, there were threats against his life. He’s still with us. His memoir is expected to be published next year.
Most reporters are smart enough to know you ask the “sensitive” question last. That way you have enough material to use in case the interviewee either hits you or simply ends the interview after that question. March 17, a Marine Captain named Shirley Russell was missing. Her husband, Robert Russell, a former marine captain was a suspect (person of interest). I remember interviewing him about the “disappearance” of his wife. After a few minutes of questions, I put the final question to him: “Did you kill your wife?” After asking for a “time-out” he said he would never harm his wife. Russell was found guilty of murder.
In March, Eastern Airlines declared bankruptcy and was flying with replacement pilots.
Weather was a top story in March (how unusual). One of my famous quotes was, “they gave a rush hour and nobody came.” That, of course, could not eclipse my first “snow” live shot at River Road and the Beltway (1985) Our weather guru was predicting snow (prediction of snow meant apocalyptic repercussions). I didn’t see any snow during my live shot and opined, “The only flake out here is me.” The News Director was not amused.
A few members of VFW Post 10621 in Nokesville, VA who put up American Flags on utility poles along the main drag every 4th, decided to put the flag “upside down” in 1989. This is a distress signal, and was meant to reflect their feelings about a U.S. Supreme Court decision that protected desecration of the American Flag. I remember that day clearly. I was working with a network video crew. Rain was coming down monsoon style. That didn’t stop the Nokesville guys from making their point.
NASA began to harvest the fruits of Voyager II. After 12 years of travel, the unmanned spacecraft was creeping up on Neptune (4 Billion miles away). A major local source for comment on the mission was Dr. Richard Berendzen, President of American University. He would have a bigger personal story later on and step down as President.
For transportation enthusiasts, 1989 was the 25th anniversary of the Washington Beltway. When it first opened people could actually “make time” on the highway. Now driving can occasionally distract motorists from texting, or reading the newspaper (or iPad).
In August of 89, Pete Rose and gambling became a big topic. Would “Charlie Hustle” make it to the Hall of Fame? Odds weren’t in his favor.
Shocker: gas prices ---- July 4th 1.12/gal; by Labor Day, they had “dipped” to 1.06 nationally.
Occasionally, my service in the US Navy came in handy for assignments, although it usually wasn’t good news. The IOWA investigation wound up, finding that a “wrongful intentional act” caused the deaths of 47 sailors aboard the battleship. The battleship had been put back into service in 1984. She returned to her Norfolk, VA homeport on March 23rd. Later, aircraft accidents/fires aboard several ships caused the Navy to impose a 48-hour “stand down” (unprecedented) to review safety procedures.
Amateur radio (I am a licensed "ham" K9ICF) played a role in letting the U.S. government know about the mobs and looting going on, and the danger to U.S. citizens in St. Croix following a big storm. Through an amateur radio station in Fredericksburg, VA, I spoke with a doctor in St. Croix who described what was going on. The interview apparently caught the ear of government folks.
Louis Farrakhan filled the DC Armory with his talk about stopping the killing in DC. Councilman Harry Thomas and Fr. George Stallings (look him up) were there. Marion Barry was not.
And talk about history --- the Montgomery County Council was considering a 4.4 mile trolley line that would link Silver Spring to Bethesda and run along the abandoned Georgetown Branch Railroad. The Council (seven members at the time) voted 6-1 for it. The project was “de-railed” when cost estimates went from $75M to $224M.
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