By Greg Bassett

Sunday, Oct. 7, 1979 --

• At an anti-alcohol rally held Saturday at the Salisbury Baptist Temple, the Rev. Oren Perdue told about 150 attendees and a handful of local officials that the community is ignoring the true cost of alcohol. Perdue delivered a fiery condemnation of alcohol and those who sell it, while pointing out that alcohol availability and consumption is destroying local families. Perdue has recently been conducting a personal campaign opposing the country’s granting of liquor licenses. Among the elected leaders in attendance were state Sen. Joseph J. Long and state Delegate Lewis R. Riley. 
• Palmer Gillis III has been selected as an Outstanding Young Man of the Year by the U.S. Jaycees. Gillis, who serves as Vice President of the Salisbury Jaycees, is employed by Showell Farms Inc. as a Special Projects Manager. His selection was in recognition of outstanding professional achievement, superior leadership ability and exceptional service to the community.

• Tickets for the World Championship Tennis Invitational, scheduled for February at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, are selling fast, according to county Public Service Director Lee Whaley. Of the 6,000 tickets available, more than 3,000 have already been sold, Whaley said. Bjoorn Borg and Ilie Nastase are among the big tennis names who have already committed to participate. There are five types of tickets available, ranging in price from $30 to $75 for the multi-day, round-robin competition.
• Mack Malone of Salisbury has about had it with “pumpkin bandits.” Malone, who grows a patch of pumpkins each year near North Division Street, said he loses about half of his crop each year to people who trespass and steal the golden, ripe fruit. He said it’s only early October, and already 300 pumpkins have gone missing over the nighttime hours. Malone said he doesn’t mind people taking a pumpkin or two, but he doesn’t appreciate it when people load up a truckful of pumpkins and flee.
• The Salisbury City Council will get a first look Monday night at an ordinance which would allow TV broadcasting stations in the central business district. A new TV station company -- MDV-Television -- is considering locating in the old Reads Drugstore on the Downtown Plaza.
• The Eastern Shore could one day be a prime location for growing peanuts, based on the success of a test program at the state’s growing and research center near Quantico. Scientists at the federal Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Md., said peanuts could bring farmers $600 to $700 from a single acre. Unfortunately, Mayland is not part of the federal commercial allotment for peanuts -- so that would have to change before peanuts become a major staple for Shore farmers.
• Noted Salisbury businessman Harry Miller, 67, President of Feldman’s Furniture Co., died today at his Riverside Drive home after a long illness. Born in Pocomoke City, he was employed at the furniture company for 42 years, serving as its President for the past 29 years. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Feldman Miller.
• Hollywood movies being presented in Salisbury this week include “A Force Of One” starring Chuck Norris and Jennifer O’Neill at the Boulevard Theater; Blake Edwards’ “10” starring Dudely Moore at the World Cinemas; and “Moonraker” starring Roger Moore as James Bond and “Breaking Away” at the Mall Cinemas.