SNAP Back In Time takes a look back at newsmakers from yesteryear.

Friday, Jan. 23, 1981

Support for Hostages

Tuesday was the day the armband came off for Mickey H. Bowers, 40, of Endy. It had been a long 444 days for him and for a lot of other people.

Jan. 20 was the day 52 American hostages were freed in Iran, ending a tense and frustrating vigil for millions of citizens.

Bowers was the manager of the cutting room at Allison Manufacturing Company in Albemarle.

During the first week of captivity for the hostages in Iran in November 1979, Bowers joined 200 or more fellow employees at Allison in wearing armbands to show their concern for the hostages.

Pharmacy

The store formerly known as Purcell Drug Company moved into  the old Belk Building at 119 W. Main St., Albemarle, and changed its name to the David-Little Drug Co.

The new store was about 5,000 square feet.

Hospital

Stanly County Hospital was officially using its new name of Stanly Memorial Hospital.

Boy Scouts

Jake Fisher, president of Homes by Fisher, Inc., Richfield, was installed as president of the Central N.C. Council of Boy Scouts of America at the annual recognition dinner at Pfeiffer College.

Phone Service

The decision on Extended Area Service (toll-free service) for all of Stanly County now rests with the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

The poll of telephone subscribers of the three phone companies involved, which was taken before Christmas, showed 52.8 percent of those voting in favor of the EAS.

The highest percentage favoring the toll-free service to the Locust-Stanfield area served by Southern Bell was in the Oakboro Exchange with 87.2 percent in favor. Norwood subscribers of the Mid-Carolina Telephone Company voted 60.5 percent in favor.

Fire Chief

Stanley Pinion was elected chief of the Norwood Volunteer Fire Department at the annual meeting Jan. 8. Francis Byrd, who had served as head of the department since it began 30 years ago, was retiring. Joe Taylor was elected assistant fire chief.