Springville High School - L Artiste Yearbook (Springville, UT)

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LOCA I NEWS 19

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 CURRENT EVENTS Local Local news became national news in Utah in 1983 and 84 as major Hooding literally changed the face of the state. A mudslide in Spanish Fork Ca- nyon dumped millions of tons of mud and gravel, backing up the Spanish Fork River and causing a 3-milc long lake to bury the tiny town of Thistle, Utah. Major slides in Bountiful and Farmington destroyed more homes and caused millions of dollars worth of damage. State Street and 13th South in Salt Lake City were converted into alter- nate river routes to help ease the burden on the Jor- dan River. Sandbagging efforts of community members throughout the state minimized damage drastically. The water level of Utah Lake rose above the freeway level causing a need for dikes to be built. I;veil more serious flooding was predicted for the spring of 1984. The arrest of Arthur Gary Bishop, accused murderer and kidnapper of five young Utah boys became a major issue also. Because of press coverage, potential “unbiased” jurors were hard to find. Springville was also chosen as the sight for a new Stouffers Foods Corp. plant. A 2.3 million dollar grant from the federal government was secured to aid in providing utilities to the plant which would provide hundreds of new jobs. The quality of education became a major issue on a national basis also. Many citizens became con- cerned with the quality of teachers and education available to students. Most arc looking towards a major overhaul of the system. (Lynnae Whiting) Breek Bartholomew Brcck Bartholomew Breek Bartholomew 18 LOCAL NEWS

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CURRENT EVENTS National and International News in iIk United States in 1983-84 ranged from the usual confliet over nuclear war and its risks to way out fashions and fads inspired by the British “Punk” move- ment led by Boy George. The rock-cable network MTV has become a national fad. The Christmas Cabbage Patch dolls caused literal mass mania as parents frantically scrambled to secure a 330.00 “dough-faced” doll for their own child. The AIDS epidemic, originating in homosex- ual communities, began to move into the population at large as scientists scrambled for a cure to a disease which destroys the victim’s immunity leaving him vulnerable to deadly disease. Fewer than 14 percent of the victims sur- vived three years after diagnosis. fhe face of war was also predominant. More than 600 stranded medical students were evacuated from the island of Grenada as the 82nd Ariborne invaded the island. American peacekeeping forces in Lebanon seemed only able to “stand by and take casualties” as they were for- bidden to fight back in the early stages of the conflict. A suicide attack in Beruit by a truck loaded with dynamite smashed into Marine headquarters killing 63 Americans, 'flic conflict in El Salvador also continued. An estimated 90 percent of all of American military forces were spread throughout the world in an attempt to keep the peace. On an even more somber note, a Korean Airliner in- vaded Soviet airspace and after being warned, was shot down by Soviet jet fighters. Nothing but a grease-spot was left to mark the spot where 269 civilian lives had come to an end. Heavy flooding in Utah was contrasted bv one of the worst droughts in years in the Plains states, and Soviet leader Yuri Andropov died and was replaced by Chernenko. (Lynnuc Whiting) PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE Reed Magnum Jan Blaekstar (Above) War was a worldwide occupation in 1983 and 1984. Millions were left homeless and destitute. Second only to the dust-bowl of the 1930’s, drought cut agriculture production sharply in the plains states in sharp contrast with heavy flooding in Utah. 20 CURRENT EVENTS