Thursday, Feb. 5, 1971 --

• City and county officials are no nearer on a decision on what to do about a proposed Government Plaza Building in Downtown Salisbury. The two councils met in a closed-door dinner session to discuss the plan that would see a shared $3.5 million complex built in the public parking lot on Calvert Street. While there is consensus the two sides need to make a decision soon, one participant reported that the only thing the two councils agreed on was what to order for their joint meal.
• A 3-year-old child was killed in a fire at the Booth Street Townhouses, Salisbury’s third fire death within a week. Other deaths were a 56-year-old woman on Delaware Avenue and a 55-year-old woman on Race Street. According to Fire Marshal Donald Williams, the Booth Street blaze began in a living room sofa. Williams said his investigation suggested some children who had gathered indoors because of the cold weather were playing with matches.
• Wicomico public school teachers were scheduled to vote tomorrow on whether to accept a new pay plan that offers them $700 to $800 in annual pay raises. Teachers gathered in a mass meeting today in Wicomico Junior High School to hear the contract details spelled out in detail by a negotiating team. Teachers have asked for raises ranging from $600 to $1,250, depending on service and seniority. The contract calls for beginning teachers to be paid $7,100 annually, with a potential starting salary of $11,000, based on qualifications.
• Nightlife entertainment slated this weekend includes Riddle at Hullabaloo, Ronnie Leslie at the Holiday Inn Lounge, The Orbits at the Northwood Night Club, Mello Notes and King & Raydie Sterling at Triglia’s Country House, Bill Godfrey & The String Kings at the East Side Men’s Club, The Velvetones at the Moose Lodge, and Freddie Rosen & The Entertainers at Little Jimmy’s.
• Wicomico County Dog Control Officer Alfred Troublefield is investigating an incident in which a wild bird bit rookie city Police Officer Homer C. South III. Cpl. Vance Pusey said he was driving a patrol car on Market Street when a bird flew at the vehicle and then went under it. Pusey stopped the car and worked to retrieve the bird. South, who happened to be nearby on foot patrol, came over to help, When Pusey handed the stunned bird to South -- who asked to see it -- the bird flew at South and pecked him on the ear, breaking the skin. The bird, identified as “pied-billed grebe,” was taken to the Wicomico Humane Society.
• After several days of snow, sleet and temperatures in the 20s, better weather was expected to arrive for the weekend. Temperatures on Friday are expected to reach the high 40s or 50s, with the absence of snow in the forecast for more than 10 days.
• The roof of Salisbury’s City Hall is leaking so badly these days that employees have taken to placing buckets throughout the building. City Clerk Fara Tawes said the worst leaks are in the council chambers, where empty waste baskets and buckets have been strategically located to address the problem. Pieces of ceiling tile have also been fally -- but no one has been hit yet. The recent heavy snows accumulated on the roof has apparently compounded the problem.