Morton High School - Top Hat Yearbook (Hammond, IN)

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AMERICANS FREED AFTER 444 DAYS On November 4, 1979, 66 American diplomats were token hosroge by Iranian militant students in Tehran, Iran. This action set off a world wide concern for the safe release of these Americans. Why did the Iranians capture these Americans? Decouse the Ayatollah Khoemeini, along with the militants, demanded that the exiled Shah of Iran be returned home to face revolutionaryjustice. America was the Shah ' s home after he feld Iran in fear of a rebillion. In January, the Shah was treated for cancer and in late July the Shah passed away,- his impact to be resolved by President James Earl Carter. Throughout the ordeal, President Jimmy Carter had taken action specifically intended to retaliate against the Iranians. The President ordered Iranian students to report to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for visa checks and also validated all visas issued to Iranians for future entry in the United Stares. In addition, Carter froze Iranian assets before Iran could withdraw its money from the U.S. banks. Prior to Thanksgiving, two black marines and a woman were released. Shortly thereafter, 10 more hostages were sent home in rime for o Thanksgiving reunion with their families. In several instances, the United Nations met to no avail, namely because of the countries of Iran and Russia. Then in 1980 came one of the most humiliating episodes in United Stares military history — failure of a commando mission sent to rescue the hostages. Drawn up by President Carter, the April 25 mission failed because three helicopters had been grounded by malfunctions. Eight American servicemen died when a helicopter crashed into an airplane. Ironically, they met their deaths after the mission was called off. On the 251st day of the crises, Richard Queen, a vice consul or the embassy, was released because he needed more sophisticated medical care . Queen ' s illness was later diagonosed as multiple sderosis. Although many talks concerning the hostages rook place since the takeover, new hope arose from a new round of talks on January 18, 1981. These talks, held at the Algerian Foreign Ministry, were efforts to conclude negotiations to end the 14-month hosroge crises by trading billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets for 52 American captives. The U.S. ream led by Deputy U.S. Secretary of Store Warren Christopher and the Algerian officers, who acred as intermediaries, worked continuously through the night. Agreement with Iron was reached the following day, January 19, but Iran ' s chief hostage negotiator said the flight to freedom awaited official word that 9 billion dollars had been transferred to the Dank of England. This official word was received the following day, January 20, 1981, the 444rh day of captivity for the 52 Americans. At 10.30 a.m., Chicago rime, the hostages had taken off on the first leg of their long-delayed journey home. Desides o landing in Athens, Greece, where the jet was refueled, the hostages ' next stop was Algeria. There they were to board an American jet and then travel to their home” for the next five days, an American Military Hospital, in Weisbaden, West Germany. Then finally, at about 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 25, 1981, the 52 Americans first stepped on U.S. soil. After landing at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York, the former hostages went with their families to the West Point Military Academy. The nation ' s official welcoming celebration was held on January 27 at Andrews Air Force Dase in surburban Maryland. The festivities or Andrews were followed by on elaborate ceremony at the White House. It was now a fact that the entire nation shored in the joy for the safe return of the hostages. A yellow ribbon became the national symbol; only one of the factors which helped unify the United Stares. HAMMOND UNLOADS WASTE The City of Hammond was found responsible for discharging pollution in Lake Michigan during the latter parr of the post summer. The Environmental Protection Agency said the discharge forced Chicago beach closures last summer between August 6 and November 1. The EPA sued the Hammond Sanitary District for damages of $10,000 for every rime it violated pollution laws, as it was found to be the main polluter. High concentrations of bacteria entered a well beneath the station, due to an unwanted connection between storm and sanitary sewers. The pumping station discharged rhe liquid to the lake. The U.S. District Court of Chicago is going to ensure that action is taken to seal this unwanted connection. The Metropolitan Sanitary Disrrict of Chicago was responsible for beach dosings from July 21 through rhe 23. 16 National LOCAL

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STUDENT OBTAIN AWARDS ’OR ACADEMICS, SPORTS Chosen by The Teachers for her knowledge of American hisrory and government, Priscilla Punick won the Daughter ' s of the American Revolution Citizenship Award and the Voice of Democracy Award. Seniors Sean Egon, Joe Guerra, and Ron Kaminski oil received o finalist position in National Merit Scholarship Competition and dassmotes Dan Churilla and John Weis were named semi-finalists. Sports Tltllsts-Jane Herring, Frank Johnson, Aaron Soto, and Tony Gresham. Notional Merit Finalists-Sean Egan, Ron Kaminski, and Joe Guerra. A wards-17

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DEMOCRATS SHUT OUT REPUBLICANS Democrats maintained their hold on Lake County Government by winning oil five county government races in November, 1980. Former Hammond City Judge Frank Srodoto defeated Joseph Amodeo for Second District Lake County Commissioner, while Rudy Bartolomei topped Allen Evans in the race for Third District County Commissioner. COUNTY In other county races, Coroner Albert Willardo and Recorder William Dielski Jr. won second terms, while Surveyor Steve Manich was elected to a fifth term. In addition, four Democratic county judges were elected without Republican opposition. Lorenzo Arredondo was elected to the Lake County Circuit judgeship. Lake County Court Judges Nicholas Shiralli and Orval Anderson were re¬ elected to their small daims post, while Steven Dielok was elected to succeed Arredondo os judge of the county ' s third seat. An estimated 5,000job seekers stormed the Inland Employment office on Wednesday, January 21 after reading in the Hommond Times that applications would be given our on January 21, 22, and 23. Even though general labor applications were not distributed rill 8:30 a.m. that same morning, many people began lining up outside Inland ' s employment office at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, camping over night in order to get the applications. This was the first rime since February of 1980, that Inland was giving our applications for general labor positions. Republican Dan Quale defeated incumbent Senator Birch Bayh, a Democrat, in the election on November 4. Bayh, who is also a liberal, was seeking an unprecendenred fourth term. Democratic Representative Adam Benjamin, easily won his third term turning bock Republican Douglas Harkin. Indiana Lr. Gov. Robert Orr will lead the stare for the next four years. His running mare, and the stare ' s next lieutenant governor, is Republican John Murz. STATE The three Lake County Superior Court judges up for retention on a non-partisan ballot were kept on the payroll. Judge Darlene Wanda Mears pulled the most votes for retention. For the Indiana Senate, Ralph Poresra, a Republican from Hammond, defeated Mathias Kerger in the second district. Applications were for future openings only, nor existing jobs. An Inland spokesman said the applications would only be filed for future reference. When distribution of the application began, the crowd damaged the exterior of the building, o fence along one side of it, and o gate between a parking lor and a driveway. Five person were injured during several incidents of pushing and shoving. All were treated at local hospitals and released. Applications were distributed the following two days without a disturbance. NATIONAL Ronald Wilson Reagan became the 40th President of the United Stares with his landslide win over Jimmy Carter in the November 4th election. Reagan and Carter ran their campaign with the antics of Independent candidate John Anderson in the baGk of their minds. Although Anderson was excluded from the big debate , he did win five percent of the vote. Despite predictions in various polls, the margin of victory was quire large as Carter claimed victories in only seven stares and rallied 49 electoral votes compared to Reagan s 489 electoral votes. Reagan and running mare George Bush lead from the earliest returns and it quickly became clear that their rruimph was a prelude to a sweeping shift in American political power. For the first rime in 26 years, the Republicans gained control of the Senate as they captured 10 Democratic Senate sears. The upper house now contains 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats. On January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as President of the United States. This event, however, was nor the main concern of the nation. For it was on this same day that the 52 American hostages were finally released from Iron. IN UIUCKT Hammond Police Officer Larry Pucalik was fatally shot at the Holiday-Inn South on November 14, 1980. Pucalik, 33, had 7 years of service with the Hommond Police Department. APPLICATIONS CAUSE RIOT Notional Local 19