Thursday, June 11, 2026

6/7/1956

 

EAST FAREWELL NEWS


Thursday, June 7, 1956   Vol. C571


LOCAL NEWS


RACE AROUND THE LAKE ANOTHER HIT


East Farewell – The 6th Annual “Race Around the Lake” took place on a beautiful Decoration day and ended with a spectacular finish. The official side of the race had a record high 70 riders and on the unofficial side almost 20 riders joined in at different parts of the race with an amazing assortment of decorated bikes, tricycles and other truly unusual vehicles. The race itself has had a six year tradition but the strange ‘added’ event of riders joining in along the way for as long as they want has been going on for four years now and has become more entertaining each year. This year the official race was won by Frankie Chase with a winning time of 1 hour 57 minutes. This year’s time was considerably slower than last year’s due to the increased peripheral activity that took place along the route. At one point a vehicle that can only be described as a self-powered butterfly piloted by a Wayne Winchell slowed the entire pack down by taking up all of Lake Shore Drive for almost one third of a lap. Winchell was finally pushed off the course and into the lake by bystanders and race participants who had come to a stop behind him. The bemused Winchell came out of the lake laughing and shaking his fists in either mock anger or total success, no one could tell.

This year the race ended at the Lakefront Plaza where there was a stirring sunset memorial service honoring all the fallen. The ceremony was very respectful contrasting the frivolity of earlier in the day. A single bugler, high school senior and ROTC member, David Kane, played Taps from the overlook while the flag was raised over the Plaza. A list of the townsfolk who had paid the ultimate price was read and a moment of silence was held. After the ceremony the large crowd was treated to several local restaurants fare presented on the Plaza and listened to the music of local band leader Gus Templeton along with other local bands, Al Jackson’s Blues Band and a new favorite folk trio, Diamonds. The beautiful weather was the perfect compliment for the early summer kick off holiday in East Farewell.

Butterfly bike piloted by Wayne Winchell


SPORTS


TRAVELERS GET SMOKED AT CORNING


Corning – The Travelers showed a rare letdown on Saturday when they lost to CGW 5-2. The game was not the average Travelers style with quick scores early and strong defense. This game was just the opposite, they didn’t score until the eighth and they committed an unimaginable 5 errors in the field. CGW on the other hand was almost flawless. Their ace, Bill “Smoke” Black, was sharp from the start, pitching a perfect first four innings. It wasn’t until the middle of the fifth that Dale Dunham poked a hit through the middle that the Travelers were able to get on the scoreboard, scoring Francis who had walked earlier. That single hit was all they were able to garner that inning and ‘Smoke’ continued to burn. He stayed hot until the eighth when he walked his first batter and then his nemesis, Johnny Cloos, finally connected with a low fastball and drove out of the park.

            CGW had an easier time but by no means a cakewalk. Traveler’s pitcher, Billy Green, held CGW to two hits until the fifth but unfortunately the Traveler’s defense was sloppy. By the end of the sixth CGW had done all the damage it needed to do, scoring two in the fourth and three in the sixth. The Travelers showed a surprisingly porous defense and seemed unable to hold onto the ball. Dropped and muffed balls were the reason for two of the four CGW runs.  But even if you take away those unearned runs the Travelers came up short on Saturday.

            The Travelers stay on the road this week as they travel to Bedford. The Bears are currently in the bottom half of the league standings so the Travelers may have an easier time. The game begins in Bedford at 1:00 on Saturday.


 NATIONAL NEWS


IKE HAS STOMACH SCARE – KHRUSHCHEV TOURS WITH TITO – HONEYMOONER FALLS OUT OF PLANE – ROBESON IN CONTEMPT


President Eisenhower undergoes an exploratory operation in the early morning hours, just 24 hours after he awoke with symptoms of indigestion reminiscent of the fateful heart attack he suffered last Sept. 24. This time, however, the president’s trouble was an obstruction of the small intestine which all official sources emphasize had no relation to his cardiac condition.  President Eisenhower was back on his feet and walked with some assistance from his hospital bed to an armchair 15 feet way.

Communist Party Chief Nikita Khrushchev, touring the region with President Tito of Yugoslavia, told a cheering crowd at Stalingrad that the United States is the richest country now “but tomorrow, we will be richer.”

A honeymooner falls 6500 feet to his death from a two-engine DC-3 Piedmont airliner flying from Charlotte to Asheville. Oren A. Pruitt went to get his bride a drink of water when he apparently opened the wrong door. His body landed near a cemetery near Shelby, NC.

The House Committee on Un-American Activities initiates contempt of Congress action against singer Paul Robeson after a session in which the Negro singer declared, “You are the bad Americans… you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.”

Robeson later told a newsman, “There was no contempt. I answered every question. I was just standing my ground.”


Many, many thanks to www.mrpopculture.com for contributing to this section of the East Farewell News.


 

Thursday, June 4, 2026

5/31/1956

 

EAST FAREWELL NEWS


Thursday, May 31, 1956   Vol. C570


LOCAL NEWS


SHIPPENSPORT CONFESSES - ROMANDO GONE


East Farewell – Monica Shippensport has confessed to taking the Flower Show budget estimated to be $3,000.00. Her partner, Romando, (strangely, only one name) is still missing. Miss Shippensport it seems was the unwitting accomplice of an elaborate scam that involved a whirlwind romance, a naïve young woman, lots of money, a scoundrel and a broken heart that ended with the scammed holding the bag and in jail.

            It all started last year around Thanksgiving when Miss Shippensport first met Romando. She said she met him in the Lost Oasis Bar after she got off work. Romando presented himself as a South American horticultural expert and started talking with Shippensport. She mentioned she was involved with the annual flower show, then he started making small talk. One thing led to another and the next thing Miss Shippensport knew she was being escorted around town by an elusive but very handsome foreign stranger. They became quite an item and were seen celebrating New Year’s Eve together at a local party. Miss Shippensport is said to have confided with a friend that she was hoping that the relationship would go further. Well, it certainly went further, on or around January 2nd Romando presented Miss Shippensport with a proposal. Not the proposal she was hoping for though, he said that with his experience and her budget they could put on the most fabulous Flower Show ever. All she had to do was give him the entire budget and so he could purchase some exotic South American flowers. Then she could go back to the Town Council and ask for more money to put on the show. Miss Shippensport, smitten by Romando, let her heart block her good judgment and handed over the cash to Romando in late January. She was able to postpone meetings of the committee because of the bad weather at the time so no one was able to question her actions until late February. When confronted with the fund dispersal, she explained the Romando was only going to use a small amount and he had promised to return the rest.

            It was in early April when Miss Shippensport went to Romando’s apartment and found it empty. Frantic, she started to look for him in all their usual places but to no avail. Thinking something nefarious had happened to him she went to the police. The police mounted a short search for him but soon realized the true nature of the crime. Bulletins were sent to surrounding towns and major cities in the area but they were not expecting to find Romando. “He is long gone, I bet he has left the country. If he was really from South America, I bet he is back there living high on the hog with our money,” said police chief, Ed O’Malley.

            Unfortunately for Miss Shippensport, she is under arrest for taking the money and will have to stay in jail until her hearing because she cannot raise the bail of $300.00. She is understandably upset and says her heart is broken and her pride has been severely damaged. Her hearing is scheduled for later this week. She has profusely apologized for her actions and has said she will accept what ever consequences that are handed down to her.   


Last known photo of Romando


SPORTS


TRAVELERS WIN GREAT GAME


East Farewell – The Travelers won one of the best played games, if not the best game, of the early season. The red hot Travelers (13-3) faced an equally incendiary Mountain View Explorers (12-4). Both teams had been enjoying winning streaks and both were playing top notch baseball. The leading hitters in the league were going against the two best pitchers in the league. Something had to give. The pitchers were the ones who took control. It wasn’t until the fourth inning that either team mounted any offense and it was not until the fifth that any runs were scored. Both pitchers, Joe Nagy for the Travelers and Joe ‘Freight’ Trane for the Explorers, were sharp from the start and kept up the pressure till the end. Only a few let downs for each let the power of the best hitters in the league show their stuff. Explorer’s biggest bat, Bobby ‘Hammer’ Taxen smashed a Nagy fastball out of the park in the fourth and Traveler’s Johnny Cloos clobbered a Trane curve for a two run homer in the sixth. That was the difference in the game. The Travelers prevailed 2-1 with Trane throwing a four hitter and Nagy throwing a three hit gem. With this win the Travelers are in sole possession of first place in the league.

            Next week the Travelers go on the road to Corning where they play CGW for the first time this season. The game begins at 3:30 in Corning.


 NATIONAL NEWS


IKE READY TO CAMPAIGN – KHRUSHCHEV DENOUNCES STALIN – DEAD SEA SCROLLS DECIPHERED – BUS SEGREGATION IN ALABAMA UNCONSTITUTIONAL


President Eisenhower displayed a touch of campaign fever when he told a national conference of Citizens for Eisenhower that he will campaign for a second term “as cheerfully, as energetically, as enthusiastically as it is possible for me to do.” 

Communist party Boss Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin as a mass murderer who was plotting the complete liquidation of his old Politburo colleagues. Stalin was accused of planning to wipe out former Foreign Minister Molotov and Politburo member A.J. Mikoyan among others. Stalin’s death on March 5, 1953 was attributed to natural causes.

Two more Dead Sea scrolls have been deciphered and revealed clues to a legendary buried treasure worth countless millions instead of dealing with Biblical subjects. The scrolls were found beside the Dead Sea in 1952. If the treasure exists, it includes 200 tons of gold and silver. 

In Alabama a three-judge panel in federal court ruled that racial segregation on city buses in Montgomery violated the Federal Constitution. But the court took no immediate action to issue an injunction against enforcement of city and State segregation laws. That will come later.


Many, many thanks to www.mrpopculture.com for contributing to this section of the East Farewell News.


 


Thursday, May 28, 2026

5/24/1956

 

EAST FAREWELL NEWS


Thursday, May 24, 1956   Vol. C569


LOCAL NEWS


WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FLOWER SHOW?


East Farewell- Lots of questions have been buzzing around town about the absence of the Flower Show this year. It was only in its fourth year but it was not held this year and people are asking questions. In the previous three years it was a successful event and quickly becoming a tradition in town but this year after announcing the dates and theme the event was not opened. The committee that was responsible for scheduling only met once late last year. Committee chairwoman, Monica Shippensport, had stated that the show was going to be scheduled for late March or the first or second week of April and things were moving along smoothly. It is rumored that around last Thanksgiving Miss Shippensport met an attractive but mysterious companion. Friends said the secretive companion went by the unusual name of Romando, only one name, like Liberace, and no known hometown. Everyone likes companionship during the holidays and the couple was seen about town enjoying each other’s company. Unfortunately for the Flower Show Committee Miss Shippensport started to neglect her responsibilities and with the hustle and bustle of the holidays meetings were postponed and rescheduled. The New Year rolled around and the rescheduled meetings were held but there was one glaring absence, Miss Shippensport. Also missing, Romando. The other thing that turned up missing was the budget for the Flower Show. Without the budget the committee was unable to make any plans for the show. Focus was pointed to finding Miss Shippensport and Romando. Late last week Miss Shippensport appeared at the East Farewell Police Department and lodged a complaint against Romando. The case became more complicated when she explained that Romando had absconded with the funds from the Flower Show budget and left her alone in a restaurant in Corning. She said she had advanced him the funds because he had told her he was very involved with the Philadelphia Flower Show, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the country. He promised to arrange connections with members from the Philadelphia show committee and bring bigger and better exhibits to the East Farewell show. Miss Shippensport also stated that she had become romantically involved with Romando.

            Needles to say, the police have a lot of questions. Not the least of which is where is the money? They also want to talk to Romando. Miss Shippensport is cooperating with police and has been remanded to her home and promised not to leave town. For the moment she is claiming to be a jilted lover who was scammed by her suitor. The police are not convinced. While Romando remains at large the total sum of money involved is estimated to be $3,000.00. The investigation is ongoing and the situation is far from being cleared up. The biggest loser is the townspeople of East Farewell and the surrounding communities because they have been deprived of one of the favorite events of the year.

            “We are trying to sort through this and there are a lot of questions that have to be answered,” said police chief, Frank Needles. “We have a lot a unexplained goings on and we still don’t know where the money got to. Mr. Romando is being sought and we have asked for help from neighboring police departments as well as the Philadelphia police department. We are hoping they will be able to give us some insight into this gentleman, we don’t have any information on him but on first look it seems he is your run of the mill conman who sucked in one of our citizens and stole lots of money from the town.”

Scene from the 1953 Flower Show


SPORTS


TRAVELERS CONTINUE HOT STREAK


EAST FAREWELL-The Travelers continued to streak through the league winning another three games in their last four games.  That makes their record 12-3 in the still young season.  More impressive is the fact that they have only let their opponents score an average of 3 runs a game with three shutouts.  The top three batting averages in the league are all Travelers; Bobby Watson, 1st base, .304, Anthony Dimero, right field, .311, and Johnny Cloos, center field, an astounding,.323.

            The latest run started with a win over Erie, 6-0, home runs by Cloos and Brown and three double plays.  That was followed by a thrashing of Albany, 10-3. That was highlighted by Johnny Cloos hitting for the cycle, a single, double, triple and topped off with a homerun.  The next game was a rare loss to Slate Mountain, 0-3.  The Travelers bounced back at home this week with a solid win over Monticello, 4-2.

            This could be a record setting season if this pace keeps up.  The best record the Travelers have ever had was the magical season of 1943 when then went 82 and 28.  The Travelers are on a record to pass that number this year. Their fortunes will be tested next week when they play the also red hot Mountain View Explorers with pitching ace, Joe ‘Freight’ Trane and league leading slugger, Bobby ‘Hammer’ Taxen. The Travelers will counter with their own ace, Joe Nagy, and all time hit leader, Johnny Cloos. The game begins at 1:30 on Saturday at the ball park.


 NATIONAL NEWS


FRENCH TROOPS BATTLE MUSLIMS - MORE YOUNGSTERS LIKE IKE – NBC SIGNS MORE RELIGIOUS PROGRAMMING – ROBESON CALLED TO TESTIFY


Thousands of battled-dressed French troops and special police swoop down on Alger’s Casbah area (Arab area) in an unprecedented raid for rebel suspects and arms. Arms were seized and 4480 Muslims were detained for questioning.

For the first time since New Deal days, America’s younger voters express a preference for a Republican candidate for President. Whereas 20 years ago two out of every three voters in the 21-29 age bracket favored Franklin D. Roosevelt, present indications are that Dwight D. Eisenhower would receive nearly as large a proportion in their vote in an election now. In another Gallup finding - If an election were held this week with President Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson - Eisenhower would lead at 62% and Stevenson - 35%.

NBC radio signs its fourth paid religious program. The policy of permitting religious groups to buy airtime was adopted less than three months ago. The network had presented such programs free of charge. The new program is “The Voice of Prophecy,” a program associated with the Seventh Day Adventists. Also NBC presents “A Portrait of Fred Allen” on the network’s “Biographies in Sound.” The presentation was a devoted tribute by some of his closest friends. Cardinal Spellman, Tallulah Bankhead, Jack Benny, Jimmie Durante and Uncle Jim Harkins and other appeared on the broadcast. Jack Haley served as narrator.

Negro singer Paul Robeson, the baritone with passport troubles, is subpoenaed to appear before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Robeson’s passport was revoked in 1950 on grounds that his traveling abroad would not be in the interest of the United States. He was awarded a Stalin peace prize in 1952.


Many, many thanks to www.mrpopculture.com for contributing to this section of the East Farewell News.