Saturday, July 12, 1980 --

• The bands ZZ Top and Humble Pie were in town to play a concert at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. ZZ Top, a Texas rock-boogie trio, is promoting their new album “Deguello.” Humble Pie, of course, is a British rock band famous for being the group with which superstar Peter Frampton got his start. Tickets are $8.
• John E. Causey, 86, became the first man admitted as a resident of the John B. Parsons Home For The Aged in Salisbury. In the institution’s 77 years, only women have lived in the facility on Lemon Hill Lane. Causey said he is looking forward to his stay there, where he will be outnumbered by women, 33-1.
• John “Jack” Morris, 57, owner of a Salisbury plumbing firm and a leader active in Democratic politics, was chosen to fill the remaining term of County Councilman Harry Hopkins, who recently died of a heart attack at age 67. Morris was chosen over two other candidates: Philip L. Tilghman, 38, the owner of an oil delivery company, and Charles W. Clark, 57, a Pittsville farmer.
• In a case that has been the talk of Salisbury since February, Millard E. Price III was acquitted of murdering two drug dealers as they laid on a motel room floor in a drug-induced stupor. Prosecutors had alleged that Price wanted to get rid of the men because they were drug-dealing competitors; the defense was able to raise credibility concerns with the jury, who listened to hours of testimony from an array of local drug culture figures.
• In business news, Hugh P. McLaughlin announced that Cecelia Stevens would be joining the Ahtes & Hanna sales team as partner. Stevens has six years of real estate experience and will be based in the company’s Kay Avenue office. Meanwhile, Jackie Armstrong of Thurston’s Studio & Camera Shop in Downtown Salisbury has been recognized for Outstanding Achievement as a participant in a Marketing & Management seminar in Washington, D.C.
• David F. Rodgers, Vice President of First Shore Federal Savings & Loan Association said a softening in mortgage rates would soon benefit those seeking a housing loan. Rodgers said he quoting rates of 11.5 percent for some customers, with a 2-point fee, but expects rates to settle between 11 percent and 12 percent by this fall.
• The School of Radiologic Technology at Peninsula General Hospital Medical Center announced the eight successful members of its 1980 graduating class. They are: Elizabeth Ann Snyder, Janet M. Payne, Patricia Blakely, Yvonne Miller, Joyce Macklin, Kathleen Quinn, Valerie Towns, and Debra Widman.
• With criticisms mounting in recent years over Wicomico schools’ soaring suspension rates, Director of Pupil Services Robert H. Douglas reported that the rate for the 1979-80 school year was down 3.3 percent, from 1,436 suspensions to 1,388. He said the new Saturday School program had helped stem suspensions: 250 students were offered Saturday School in lieu of suspension and 180 students had accepted that.
• Drs. Nevins Todd Jr. and Michael P. Bushness completed the 100th open heart surgery procedure since Peninsula General Hospital Medical Center began offering cardiac surgery. Just two types of procedures are offered by the hospital’s three heart surgeons: coronary bypasses and routine valve repairs. The average heart operation lasts four hours. The first open-heart procedure was performed by Todd in 1964.