Worries of war, the local economy, coins — and even renewable energy — were all newsmakers in our region during the summer of 1980.
There hadn’t been a draft in the United States since the end of the Vietnam War, but with the problems in Iran and Soviet aggression, it was reborn that year, with mixed reactions.
“A group of Oneonta area residents plan to hand out leaflets at the Main Street post office today in protest of draft registration’s rebirth,” The Daily Star of July 21 reported.
“The group intends to continue to protest over the next two weeks, when all men born in 1960 and 1961 are required to register at a post office.
“Men who fail to register are subject to a possible felony conviction carrying penalties of up to $10,000 and three years in prison.
“Edward Humphreys, 19, said he intends to register, but not because of the threatened fines.
“‘I’ve had 19 good years in this country and I guess I owe for them,’ Humphreys said.
“Lingering doubts, he said, were erased as he thought of four high school football buddies now serving in the Navy and Marines.
“‘I’d like to finish school first,’ he said. ‘But I think the draft is necessary just to be ready if something happens.’”
The draft drew mixed emotions, as Star readers on July 31 learned, “Draft registration isn’t mustering record crowds at the Oneonta post office.
“Postal officials said Wednesday they were processing 25 to 30 young men a day since the July 21 resumption of registration.”
While most complied, others made sport of the process, as Ithaca postal workers had recent registrants such as Mickey Mouse, Jesus Christ, and Amy Carter, daughter of President Jimmy Carter.
Coins are making news in 2025, as they were in 1980. Talk this year is of eliminating the penny, although bright, shiny 2025 pennies are showing up in change.
According to The Star of July 14, 1980, “Oneonta banks have avoided a coin shortage that left other banks across the county ‘penniless.’
“A shortage of the copper coins first showed up in February when copper was selling for $1.41 a pound. People apparently began hoarding pennies then, in anticipation of copper value exceeding $1.50 a pound. “At that price, the copper in a penny would be worth more than one cent, and hoarders would make a profit from the metal value of the coin.
“But the price of copper never went that high, and has now fallen to 95 cents a pound.
“Oneontans are apparently not among the penny pinchers,” as all area banks reported healthy supplies of pennies.
Conversely, The Star also reported, “People are giving the Susan B. Anthony dollar the wooden response reserved for the fake nickels.” Apparently, no one asked for the new coin dollar or rejected the coin when it was offered in change.
In other coin news, The Star of Aug. 18 reported, “Oneonta’s bars and shopping centers are being invaded by creatures that drop bombs, go thump-thump-thump and eat quarters.
“Coin-operated video machines are attracting Oneontans of all ages. The games feature flashing colors, booming explosions and warring electronic creatures.” The writer’s favorites were Space Invaders and Pac Man — and they did eat a LOT of quarters.
Renewable energy weren’t common words 45 years ago, but they were amongst us. With a dateline of Stamford, The Star of Aug. 28 told readers, “An array of 30 solar panels adorn the roof of the Red Carpet Motor Inn, one of the first area businesses to turn to solar energy for part of its heating needs.
“‘You can’t do business today like you did five years ago,’ says owner Lowell Lewis. ‘You just can’t keep raising your prices forever.’
“The panels were installed about a month ago, but Lewis won’t be certain how much he has saved in energy costs until about a year from now. The panels are used to heat the 600-900 gallons of water used daily at the 37-unit motel.
“Lewis is optimistic the new system will work out. ‘It’s not something I just jumped into,’ he says, noting he has studied solar systems for five years.”
This weekend, getting from here to there in Delaware County during the summer of 1925.