Economy Picks Up Steam - October 1986

Economic growth improved in the second quarter, the government reported in October. The nation's unemployment rate edged upward 0.2 percent in September to 6.9 percent, the Labor Department reported, October 3. The department, said, October 10, that the index of prices paid by producers for finished goods rose 0.4 percent in September. The Commerce Department reported, October 15, that retail sales has risen 4.6 percent in September, the sharpest one-month jump in the nearly 20 years that records had been kept. The department said, October 22, that the economy had grown at an annual rate of 2.4 percent during the second quarter, a big improvement from the first quarter. Inflation rose 0.3 percent in September, the department reported, October 23. The cumulative increase in the cost of living in the 12 months ended in September triggered a 1.3 percent increase in Social Security benefits. The Commerce Department reported, October 30, that the nation's trade deficit narrowed for the second straight month in September, to $12.56B. The department said, October 31, that the index of leading economic indicators rose 0.4 percent in September.

Huge Oil Spill Fouls Alaskan Waters - March 1989

The largest oil spill in U.S. history occured after a tanker struck a reef in Alaska's Prince Edward Sound, March 24. The Exxon Valdez struck Blight Reef, about 25 miles from the town of Valdez, the southern terminus of the pipeline that carried oil from northern Alaska. The tanker, which was off course, was being piloted by the third mate instead of by the captain, Joseph Hazelwood. Exxon Corporation announced, March 25, that it accepted full financial responsiblility for the spill, which was initially estimated at 240,000 barrels. The 987-foot tanker had been carrying 1,260,000 barrels of crude oil, some of which was being siphoned into another ship. Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, the oil-company consortium that operated the pipeline, had said that there would be a spill containment team at Valdez, but that turned out to consist only of a barge that happened to be in drydock with a hold in its side. A skimming technique removed only a small portion of the oil. Exxon announced, March 26, it was ready to deploy a dispersant, but winds up to 73 miles and hour, March 27, thwarted that effort. The economic and environmental dimensions of the disaster grew daily. The fishing industry was temporarily wiped out, and the pictures on television of dying birds and otters, soaked with oil, stunned the nation. Exxon said, March 28, that it was impossible to contain the spill. Valdez Mayor John Devens said, March 28, that his community felt betrayed by Exxon. By March 29, the spill extended 45 miles. On hearing a report from federal officials after their return to Alaska, Pres. George Bush called the spill "a major tragedy," but the administration decided not to take over the cleanup. Having tested Capt. Hazelwood, the Coast Guard announced, March 30, that he had an unacceptably high level of alcohol in his blood. The FBI opened an investigation into the spill, March 31.

Chicago TV Flashback - January 23-24, 1988

WLS channel 7 TV schedule for Saturday, January 23, 1988

Morning

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7a - Care Bears Family

7:30a - Little Clowns of Happytown

8a - My Pet Monster

8:30a - Pound Puppies

9a - Little Wizards

9:30a - The Real Ghostbusters

10a - The Flintstone Kids

10:30a - Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show

11a - Animal Crack-Ups

11:30a - Health Show

Afternoon

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Noon - ABC Weekend Special

12:30p - Saturday Afternoon Movie: Room Service (1 hr, 30 min)

2p - ABC Sports Bowling: Pro Bowlers Tour (1 hr, 30 min)

3:30p - Wide World of Sports (1 hr, 30 min)

5p - Eyewitness News at 5

5:30p - World News Saturday

Evening

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6p - Field Trip

6:30p - Wheel of Fortune

7p - Dolly (1 hour)

8p - Ohara (1 hour)

9p - Spenser: For Hire (1 hour)

10p - Eyewitness News at 10

10:30p - Weekend Report

10:45p - Star-athon '88: A Weekend with the Stars (3 hours)

Early Sunday, January 24, 1988

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1:45a - Cerebral Palsy Telethon (3 hours)

4:45a - Cerebral Palsy Telethon cont'd

Child Survives Crash Fatal to 155 - August 1987

At least 155 persons died as the result of a crash August 16, of a Northwest Airlines jet that had just taken off from Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Mich. Miraculously, a 4-year-old girl, Cecelia Cichan, of Tempe, Ariz., survived. Her father, mother, and brother all died. The death toll was the second-highest ever for a U.S. plane crash. The number of persons aboard the plane was uncertain. Two persons were killed on the ground. The cause of the disaster was not immediately determined.

Chicago TV Flashback - December 3-4, 1983

WBBM channel 2 TV schedule for Saturday, December 3, 1983

Morning

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5a - Bill Cosby Show

5:30a - Kidsworld

6a - Captain Kangaroo (1 hour)

7a - The Biskitts

7:30a - Saturday Supercade (1 hour)

8:30a - Dungeons & Dragons

9a - Plasticman

9:30a - Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show

10a - Benji, Zax and the Alien Prince

10:30a - The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show

11a - NCAA Today

11:30a - CBS Sports College Football: Florida State Seminoles v. #12 Florida Gators at Florida Field (3 hrs, 30 min)

Afternoon

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3p - CBS Sports College Basketball: Indiana Hoosiers v. #1 Kentucky Wildcats at the Rupp Arena (2 hours)

5p - Channel 2: The People

5:30p - CBS Evening News

Evening

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6p - Channel 2 Weekend News

6:30p - Dance Fever

7p - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1 hour)

8p - CBS Saturday Night Movie: Quarterback Princess (2 hours)

10p - Channel 2 Weekend News

10:30p - CBS Late Movie: Trinity Is Still My Name (2 hrs, 25 min)

12:55a - Common Ground (1 hr, 45 min)

Early Sunday, December 4, 1983

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2:40a - The Late Show: Terror on the 40th Floor (2 hrs, 5 min)

4:45a - Take It from Here

#12-ranked Florida Gators blew out the Florida State Seminoles 53-14 and extended their losing drought to 2 games.

#1-ranked Kentucky Wildcats def. the Indiana Hoosiers 59-54.

Chicago TV Flashback - March 21-22, 1981

WLS channel 7 TV schedule for Saturday, March 21, 1981

Morning

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6:55a - Reflections

7a - Super Friends (1 hour)

8a - Fonz and the Happy Days Gang

8:30a - Richie Rich/Scooby-Doo Show (1 hour)

9:30a - Thundarr the Barbarian

10a - Heathcliff and Dingbat

10:30a - Plasticman/Baby Plas

11a - ABC Weekend Special

11:30a - American Bandstand (1 hour)

Afternoon

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12:30p - Weekend Edition with Theresa Gutierrez (1 hr, 30 min)

2p - Eyewitness Forum

2:30p - ABC Sports Bowling: Professional Bowlers Tour (1 hr, 30 min)

4p - Wide World of Sports (1 hr, 30 min)

5:30p - Eyewitness News at 5:30

Evening

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6p - Off the Record

6:30p - Hollywood Squares

7p - 240-Robert (1 hour)

8p - The Love Boat (1 hour)

9p - Fantasy Island (1 hour)

10p - Eyewitness News at 10

10:30p - Weekend Report

10:45p - Saturday Night Movie: Klute (2 hrs, 16 min)

Early Sunday, March 22, 1981

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1:01a - Late Night Movie: House Across the Bay (1 hr, 27 min)

2:28a - Reflections

Chicago TV Flashback - October 23-24, 1982

WBBM channel 2 TV schedule for Saturday, October 23, 1982

Morning

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5a - Channel 2: The People

5:30a - Mr. Moon's Magic Circus

6a - Captain Kangaroo (1 hour)

7a - Speed Buggy

7:30a - Sylvester & Tweety, Daffy, and Speedy Show (1 hour)

8:30a - Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show (1 hour)

9:30a - Gilligan's Planet

10a - Pandamonium

10:30a - Meatballs and Spaghetti

11a - NCAA Today

11:30a - CBS Sports College Football (3 hrs, 30 min)

Afternoon

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3p - CBS Sports Spectacular (2 hours)

5p - Channel 2: The People

5:30p - CBS Evening News with Bob Scheiffer

Evening

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6p - Channel 2 Weekend News

6:30p - Dance Fever

7p - Epcot Center: The Opening Celebration (1-hour special)

8p - CBS Saturday Night Movies: Blazing Saddles (2 hours)

10p - Channel 2 Weekend News

10:30p - Political Debate (1 hour)

11:30p - Best of CBS: Ransom for a Dead Man (2 hours)

Early Sunday, October 24, 1982

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1:30a - Common Ground (2 hours)

3:30a - The Late Show: Candidate for Murder (1 hr, 30 min)

Not set at press time.

571 Escape Sinking Cruise Ship - August 1991

A major disaster was averted when all 571 passengers and crew on a cruise ship escaped before the vessel went down. The Oceanos, operated by a Greek shipping company, was off the coast of South Africa, August 3, when it began taking off water. South African Air Force helicopters airlifted 200 people to safety, and the rest were picked up from lifeboats or the sea. The ship sank into the Indian Ocean, August 4. The captain, Yiannis Avranas, said a piston had burst in the engine room and torn a hole in the hull. Some passengers complained that the captain and crew had abandoned the ship without supervising rescue operations.

Population Put at 249.6M - December 1990

The Census Bureau released its final figures, December 26, and reported that the 1990 U.S. population was 249,632,692, or 10.2 percent more than the total for 1980. The "final" figure was 3.8 percent greater than the preliminary figure released in August, and might be revised further if an undercount could be shown. The West, up 22 percent, led the nation in growth between 1980 and 1990. The South was up 13.5 percent, the Northeast 3.4 percent, and the Midwest 1.3 percent. California would gain 7 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, while Florida would pick up 4 and Texas 3. Among states losing Congressional seats, New York led the list with 3.

Chicago TV Flashback - August 9, 1983

WLS channel 7 TV schedule for Tuesday, August 9, 1983

Morning

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5:55a - Reflections

6a - ABC News This Morning/Eyewitness News (1 hour)

7a - Good Morning America (2 hours)

9a - AM Chicago

9:30a - Edge of Night

10a - Too Close for Comfort

10:30a - Loving

11a - Family Feud

11:30a - Ryan's Hope

Afternoon

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Noon - All My Children (1 hour)

1p - One Life to Live (1 hour)

2p - General Hospital (1 hour)

3p - The 3 O'Clock Movie: Good Neighbor Sam part 1 (1 hr, 30 min)

4:30p - Eyewitness News at 4:30 (1 hour)

5:30p - World News Tonight with Peter Jennings

Evening

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6p - Eyewitness News at 6 (1 hour)

7p - 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour (Finale)

7:30p - Joanie Loves Chachi

8p - Three's Company

8:30p - 9 to 5

9p - Hart to Hart (1 hour)

10p - Eyewitness News at 10

10:30p - Nightline with Ted Koppel (1 hour)

11:30p - Late Night Movie: The Stranger (2 hrs, 10 min)