Looking back: The Pine Beetle’s presence was known

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Forty-five years ago, in 1972, there had been much discussion about the presence of the Pine Beetle.

For several weeks prior to this the subject was on the minds of everyone. A few days before this, planes had been flying over the suspected areas. It seems that the Pine

Beetle infestation had reached epic proportions.

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Two people were killed on the McCullough Road in a head-on collision.

There were several others hurt in accidents around the county.

An announcement was made in The Atmore Advance that cable television was coming soon.

I remember my first look at cablevision. We were living in the desert at Barstow, Calif. Out there cable was required to see television because the mountains were in the way of regular tv. I learned to love it and we got really good reception. When I heard that cablevision was coming to our area, I was glad to hear it. Of course, just like everything else, it didn’t cost very much to have cable in the early days.

The weather in the summer of 1972 was very much different than 2017.

The newspaper announced that crops were doing fine, but rain was needed.

I don’t think we actually need rain now. It has dumped on us for days on end, but we are so much better off than those poor people who live in south Texas. Hurricane Harvey has covered them and more than 50 inches of rain has fallen on Houston, and other Texas towns. It is a sad thing. I hope the other hurricane forming in the Gulf, Irene, will not come this way.

Atmore Mayor Thomas G. Bryne died after a long illness.

The Escambia County waste disposal was praised by the U.S. agency.

Some prices I picked up were at Piggly Wiggly and A&P. Piggly Wiggly had ice milk for 38 cents for 1/2 gallon and Parade detergent for 49 cents for a box of 49 ounces. A&P had rib eye steak for $2.39 a pound and bananas for 10 cents a pound.

The City of Atmore had recently purchased some new equipment — an industrial size leaf blower and a chipper to clean city streets of limbs and brush.

The Blue Devils was getting ready to play the first game of the season against Robertsdale High School.

Farm Bureau gave a check of $1,000 to the project formed to fight drug abuse.

City Elections were to be held and only two people were on the ballot.

Herbert Barnes was photographed sitting near the pond fishing after his retirement from being assistant principal of Escambia County High School. He had also been a coach for many years at the school.