On this June 17 Day in Pacific Northwest News History, June 17, 1980, 700 employees are striking at Willamette Industries, the Circus Vargas comes to town, a general is denying rumors, Reed Rainey saves the day for Albany baseball, and cars are super cheap!
Monthly Archives: June 2021
June 11 1908, Wallace, Idaho, Mysterious Woman Wears Gown and Blows People’s Minds
Here’s a funny story I discovered looking through old Pacific Northwest newspapers.
On June 11, 1908, a mysterious woman appeared on the streets of Idaho in a directoire gown and shocked people enough that she made it into the news a few hundred miles. She must have been one hell of a woman.
The full clip can be read here: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79405998/
This is part of my Northwest News Nuggets, which explores fun and/or fascinating news stories from the Pacific Northwest’s past.
To LSD or Not to LSD–The Washington State LSD Legalization Debate of 1967 (Another Northwest News Nugget)
In 1967, Mark Litchman, representing Washington State’s 45th District, proposed House Bills 45, 467, and 536, all of which dealt with LSD. Litchman, having been counselled by acid guru Timothy Leary, wanted to keep LSD legal to some degree (not as a street drug).
I stumbled upon these news articles and found it to be a fascinating piece of Pacific Northwest history, as respectable members of society were openly discussing the legalization of LSD, which is something I have a hard time envisioning in our supposedly more enlightened and open-minded society of 2021.
Just a tasty little Northwest News Nugget.
Sources:
“A Political Viewpoint,” Port Angeles Evening News, February 14, 1967: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79156020/
“Praise Claimed for LSD Bill,” The Spokesman-Review, February 5 1967: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79156133/
House Journal of the Fortieth Legislature of the State of Washington at Olympia, the State Capital: https://leg.wa.gov/LIC/Documents/Historical/FloorJournals/House/1967HouseJournal.pdf
