Week of May 23, 1981

Police storm Spain’s Central bank in Barcelona to free the last of 200 hostages,

killing one of the 11 terrorists gunmen who had held them captive for 37 ours

OPEC decides to freeze crude oil process for the rest of 1981. The current policy

allows members to charge as much as $41 a barrel and suggests $36 as the

basic price.

Israeli jets blast Palestinian bases in Lebanon, knocking out several surface-to-

air missile batteries and leaving 20 dead.

Treasury Secretary Donald Regan says that the Administration will not promote

legislation to bail out ailing S&L’s. “The thrifts are losing money, so what?”

commented Regan.

Saying the results of U.S. peace efforts

have been “almost miraculous” so far,

President Reagan asks his special

Mideast envoy, Philip Habib to continue

his attempts to avoid war between Israel

and Syria in the Lebanese missile crisis.

A Gallup Poll says 68% approve of the

job President Reagan is doing.

Inflation falls in April to an annual rate of

5.1%

Earl Butz, former Agriculture Secretary, pleads guilty to a felony charge of federal

tax evasion for understating his 1978 taxable income by more than $148,000.

President Regan declares that financiers who oppose a tax cut are selfishly

trying to protect their own interests and ‘are not a source of good economic

advice.” “In Wall street, I think they’re looking through a very narrow glass and

see only facet.” They’re sitting there, watching anything they think may change

the interest rates and the bond markets.”

Amnesty International marks its 20 th anniversary with a sweeping condemnation

of “torture, murder, abduction and imprisonment” of political prisoners by scores

of United Nations member countries. The London-based human rights

organization said “nearly half” of the 154 U.N. member nations are “believed to

be holding prisoners of conscience.’

Week of May 23, 1981

Invitations to the July 29 royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana

Spencer have been sent to more than 2,500 people around the world, including

President Reagan, so says Buckingham Palace.

In Italy, kidnappers holding Antonio

Filograna, a wealthy shoe manufacturer,

sent a left little finger to his family with a

note demanding $3.5 million on top of the

$1.5 million they already have received.

A radar-jamming jet crashes during a

night landing on the flight deck of the

USS Nimitz, killing 14 and injuring 14.

The carrier, accompanied by the

destroyer Mooseburgger, were just 60 miles off of Jacksonville and were headed

to their homeport of Norfolk.

Sports - Billy Martin is suspended by the American League for harassing home

plate ump Terry Cooney in a game at Toronto.

The California Angels fire manager Jim Fregosi and name veteran manager

Gene Mauch to replace him.

Bobby Unser files an appeal with the U.S. Auto Club, seeking to reverse a

decision that moved Unser from first to second and made Mario Andretti the

winner of the Indy 500 last Sunday. Unser crossed the finish line five seconds

ahead of Andretti, but it was ruled he illegally improved his position by passing

several cars as he emerged from the its during a yellow caution period. The

penalty for such an infraction is a lap.

Former Ohio state University football coach Woody Hayes is reported in

satisfactory condition after an operation in which doctors removed a sponge that

was mistakenly left inside him during previous surgery.

Entertainment -

Movie director Boris Sagal dies after he accidentally walked

into a moving blade of a helicopter on Mt. Hood. He was

shooting background scenes for an NBC television movie,

“World War III.” Witnesses say he got out at the right door of

the helicopter and walked into the tail rotor.

Week of May 23, 1981

$10 million - Comedian Richard Pryor sues the National Enquirer for libel, saying

the tabloid falsely reported last September that he continued taking cocaine while

hospitalized for severe burns.

Passing - George Jessel, who was also known as the unofficial “Toastmaster

General” of the nation. He was 83.

Music news - Beer commercials seem to be the rage in the music world. There’s

Dave Mason for Miller Beer; Charlie Daniels for Busch; Eddie Rabbit also does

Miller Beer; don’t forget Kool & The Gang for Schlitz Malt Liquor and the

Commodores for Schlitz. Journey has just joined Budweiser.

Plasmatics singer Wendy O. Williams appeared

on the “Tomorrow” show with Tom Snyder and

bragged about her arrest in Milwaukee for indecent

exposure. The charges have since been dropped.

Radio news -

Gary Owens, a staple on Los Angeles afternoons

over KMPC is leaving the air June 12. The station is

going through a change, but Owens will still be

behind the scenes at the Gene Autry-owned station. He has been there since

1962.

Television news -

On Saturday Night Live - Host Ray Charles with Franklyn Ajaye.

Don’t miss “The Best of Sullivan” in syndication. The Ed Sullivan years.

Thursday night television -

CBS - The Waltons, Magnum P.I., CBS Reports

NBC - NBC Magazine with David Brinkley, Movie, Tonight, Tomorrow

ABC - Mork & Mindy, Bosom Buddies, Barney Miller, Taxi, 20/20, Nightline

PBS - Soundstage

HBO - Boxing’s Best: Muhammad Ali, Sports Illustrated: The First 25 Years

The Waltons - Elizabeth is kidnapped by a backwoods man

Taxi - Alex, upon not receiving an invitation to his daughter’s wedding, decides

to crash it.