01/02/1970 - Members of the former Echo Methodist Church today announced scheduling of Sunday evening worship services at the successor Echo Community Church, starting this weekend. The non-denominational services will be held at 7:45 each Sunday night, a spokesman said. Formation of the new church is being undertaken by a three-member board of trustees composed of Mervin Nichols, Eugene Cogley and Herbert McIntyre, all of that neighborhood.
01/02/1970 – Legislation sponsored by Rep. William Claypool of Kittanning would make it mandatory that motion picture theatre operators require proof of age of patrons under certain circumstances. There is concern that youth under age 16 are being admitted to theaters to see motion pictures with ratings over age 17.
01/02/1970 - Mr. and Mrs. Lee R. Claypoole, Kittanning RD 6, parents of a boy born in Armstrong County Memorial Hospital at 10:19 a.m. Jan. 1, were front runners today in the race to be the first Armstrong County couple having a child born in this county in 1970.
01/02/1970 – Snowmobile owners and dealers held the area’s first snowmobile rally behind the Bel-Mont Arena on New Year’s Day. More than 30 of the fast little machines took part in the event. Demonstration rides were offered to spectators. Enthusiasts hope to see snowmobile trails established in the middle Armstrong County area. An estimated crowd of 2,500 attended the event.
01/02/1965 - Ford City High School’s basketball team snapped an eight-game losing streak here last night, clipping Kittanning 63-52. It was the opening game of Section 1-A warfare in WPIAL play.
01/02/1965 - Jess S. Cavalini retired as a Pennsylvania Railroad freight conductor this week as he signed the register to report for his regular job as conductor on the 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. yard shifter at Kiski Junction.
01/02/1960 - State Police still are looking for the driver of a car which sped away after hitting Raymond R. Patsy, 28, of 602-3rd Ave., Ford City, as he walked across Route 68 from Bradys Bend tavern. Dr. F. P. Purdum of East Brady pronounced Patsy dead at the scene as a result of a broken neck.
01/02/1960 - A baby girl - who arrived 11 minutes after the New Year rang in - may have the Armstrong County First Baby Contest “in the bag”. The baby is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Johns of Worthington. Since most babies are born in the hospital, chances are that the little girl born to the Johns will walk off with the honors of being the county’s first baby of 1960.
01/02/1945 - Florence, Italy: Capt. John Moody, 230-pund Freeport, Pa., native, was the toast of the Fifth Army for his all-out efforts which were largely responsible for the 20 to 0 football victory over the 12th Air Force in the New Year’s Day Spaghetti Bowl game.
01/02/1945 - As Kittanning High School classes were resumed following a Christmas vacation. Dr. Clarence M. Long assumed new duties as high school principal. He succeeded Robert T. Lainge, whose resignation became effective Jan. 1. Dr. Long’s former position, that of Armstrong County schools superintendent, will not be filled until approval of the county board’s appointment has been made by Dr. Francis B. Haas, state Superintendent of Public Instruction. Meanwhile assistant superintendent C. N. Hanner is acting superintendent.
01/02/1940 - The new board of Armstrong County Commissioners was organized on New Year’s Day in the Armstrong County Memorial Hospital room in which Commissioner Ed. E. Schaeffer was confined. Clad in pajamas, but able to be out of bed after an attack of grippe, Schaeffer made the motion seconded by Walter H. Miller of Templeton, Democratic minority commissioner, that W. P. Smith of Applewold serve as chairman of the board. Smith thus assumed titular leadership at advent of his initial term.
01/02/1940 - Walter Bright, whose dime-to-dollar store was burned out in its entirety by a $75,000 blaze which gutted the three-story Odd Fellows building, Leechburg, came up smiling today from his seventh disastrous visitation by the elements - fire, water and earth.
01/02/1935 - More than 200 persons attended a New Year’s Eve party at the Gables, along Leechburg Road. Chuck Nauman and his orchestra of Tarentum provided music.
01/02/1935 - Hazel, 14-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Benn of near Lawsonham, was killed when she was struck by a northbound Pennsylvania Railroad train. The girl and her mother were walking along a road near the tracks and the child stepped up on the end of a tie when she was hit. The accident took place near the Mahoning bridge.
01/02/1930 - The Rev. B. A. Murray, pastor of Appleby Manor and Crooked Creek Presbyterian Churches, has accepted a call to the Highland Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh.
01/02/1930 - John Fox, 62, died at his home on Grant Avenue.
BIBLE MEDITATION – In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee… The word of God came unto John. – Luke 3:1-2. So often God passes over the experts and goes to the foot of the table to pick a nobody for His holiest purposes.