A party threw the school district budget out of whack, 38 years ago

In 1980, leaders of the La Crosse School District found themselves in a tight spot.  They had to give 15 days public notice before scheduling budget meetings, and they ran out of time to do a budget review.  So, they were forced to make half-a-million dollars in program cuts for the 80-81 school year.  It turned out that the district had cancelled a scheduled budget review meeting so school officials could attend the opening reception for the new Radisson Hotel.

Heileman had some big building plans in 1980.  The brewery broke ground for a $30 million expansion, including a new brewhouse, a waste treatment plant, and a krauesening cellar.  In those days, Heileman was running commercials promoting Old Style beer as being “fully krauesened.”  The brewhouse would be built by the same Madison contractor who had just built the La Crosse Center and the Valley View Mall.

The Golden Globes, honoring movies and TV shows from 1979, were given out in January of 1980.  The best movies were the drama “Kramer vs. Kramer” and the bicycling comedy “Breaking Away.”  TV awards went to Alan Alda for “M*A*S*H,” Ed Asner for “Lou Grant”…and three cast members of the sitcom “Alice” were winners.  They were Linda Lavin as Alice, Vic Tayback as Mel, and Polly Holliday as Flo.  Well, kiss my grits…38 years ago, 1980, yesterday in La Crosse.