Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1980 --

• New Year’s Eve entertainment options for tonight include: A buffet, band and magic show for $50-per-person at Bogart’s in the Goliath Shopping Center; relaxed dining and entertainment by Tim Drehmer at Dockside Murphy’s; party favors and music by “Little By Little” for $20-per-person at the Hebron Volunteer Fire Department; and the gourmet cuisine of La Fleur at the newly remodeled Holiday Inn in north Salisbury.. 

• An Eastern Shore of Virginia grain and livestock farmer has been granted county permission to build a $3 million gasohol manufacturing facility in north Salisbury. William Davis III of New Church said the plant will be located near Naylor Mill Road along the north-south railroad line. Davis said he will hire between 20 and 30 workers, who will use barley -- not corn -- to create the 199-proof alcohol. The poultry industry had raised concerns about the plan, but that was based on Davis possibly using corn and thereby driving up costs based on demand.

• Benedict The Florist in Salisbury, a family business for 100 years, has been recognized as a Top 1,000 Member for outstanding sales achievement by Florists’ Transworld Delivery Association. The Benedict family received a walnut-based plaque proclaiming the accomplishment. The award is based on the number of floral orders sent to other FTD members during the year. Benedict's is located on the corner on South Salisbury Boulevard and East College Avenue.

• U.S. Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes was in Salisbury to dedicate the now-completed $2 million expansion of the Wicomico County Free Library. The two-year construction project nearly doubled the size of the Downtown Library to more than 50,000 square feet. Sarbanes noted local criticism of the project’s cost, but pointed out that most of the price tag had been paid by the state. The Senator, a Salisbury native, said the quality of local libraries “may well determine the quality of citizens the union will rest upon in the future -- it is important to keep that in mind in times of fiscal austerity.”

• Crime incidents in the first nine months of 1980 increased by 21 percent over the same period a year ago. State Police Lt. William H. Hurley attributed the increase to Wicomico’s rapid growth and influx of new residents. “We’ve got all of the problems here of a major metropolitan area and those of a rural area as well,” Hurley said. There were 11 murders in Wicomico County from January through September, compared to 19 for the same period in 1979.

• Ostine Nutter, a junior at James M. Bennett High School in Salisbury, has been crowned the 1980 Oyster Queen. At JMB, Nutter is a member of the school newspaper staff, class treasurer and captain of rifles. The crowning was part of the 31st annual Nanticoke Oyster Festival held at the Asbury United Methodist Church hall.

• The Wicomico County Council has agreed to help the city of Salisbury with its renovation of the historic City Park Bandstand. Council members will contribute $500 toward the project, which is expected to cost about $14,000. The council will give the money to the Wicomico Woman’s Club, which is overseeing fundraising for the construction.