A Look Back – June 23-29, 1961
June 23, 1961 – A bill to legalize dog racing with pari-mutuel betting was introduced in the Alabama Legislature today. The state at present has no legalized gambling. If the bill passes, revenue would go to education and old-age pensions.
June 23, 1961 – The Dixie Drive-in located north of Hartselle is offering a hamburger and milkshake for 30 cents.
June 24, 1961 – The Morgan County Gun Club is conducting its 1960-61 championship competition today and tomorrow at the organization’s skeet range on Burleson Mountain. Hartselle physician Dr. Harold Blanton is the club president. His son, Gordon, is also an expert marksman.
June 24, 1961 – Jack Hoffhaus, editor and publisher of the Enquirer, has been named citizen of the year by the Hartselle Civitan Club. In introducing Hoffhaus as this year’s award recipient, Edward Summers, chair of the nominating committee, pointed out that during his dozen years here, he has been active in virtually every phase of community life, especially the spiritual. He has served in multiple leadership capacities at First Methodist Church.
June 25, 1961 – John T. Kyle, 84, died early this morning at Hartselle Hospital. Funeral services will be Tuesday at 3 p.m. at First Methodist Church with the Rev. S. E. Paulk officiating. Mr. Kyle had been a prominent Hartselle merchant and belonged to several fraternal organizations. He also served for many years on the Morgan County Board of Education.
June 25, 1961 – Hartselle State Rep. Bob Gilchrist served as floor leader for the reapportionment bill considered by the Alabama House. Unfortunately for Morgan and other underrepresented north Alabama counties, it was defeated. Rep. Gilchrist is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
June 26, 1961 – A boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Slate of Hartselle this morning at Decatur General Hospital.
June 27, 1961 – Mr. and Mrs. John Pettus Dunaway announce the engagement of their daughter, Catherine Ann, to George William Sims, son of Mr. and Mrs. John V. Sims. Catherine Ann is a MCHS graduate and attended both UA and Jax State. She has recently been employed by the Morgan County school system. Billy is also an MCHS grad and attended Marion Military Institute. He is currently employed at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The wedding will be on Aug. 5 at First Methodist.
June 27, 1961 – A resident of Hartselle 3 committed suicide at his home early this morning. His widow told the coroner that her husband had been suffering from stomach pains. His insurance policies were found near his body.
June 27, 1961 – A drive was launched in New York today to put seat belts in every American car. Doing so, it is asserted, would save 5,000 lives annually and prevent 400,000 serious injuries.
June 28, 1961 – Morgan County Deputy Sheriff Gene McCurry attended the Alabama Sheriffs and Peace Officers convention in Birmingham this week.
June 29, 1961 – King’s Laundry & Cleaners, located across from Piggly-Wiggly, is closed from today through July 5 so that the owner, M.M. King, can take a vacation. He has not had a week off in a dozen years.
June 29, 1961 – Curry-Hames Furniture, located at 107 Railroad St., is offering new Admiral TV’s for $475 with the trade-in of the owner’s old set.
June 29, 1961 – Hartselle residents are preparing to vote on whether they want to switch from diagonal to parallel parking on Main Street. The Hartselle Citizen Group has been formed to promote the change. It asks voters to let “common sense and logic prevail over selfish interests in permitting your town to grow and prosper.” Parallel parking is seen as the only way “to eliminate the Main Street bottleneck.”
June 29, 1961 – The Morgan County Women’s Democratic Club met tonight in the Hartselle city electric auditorium.
