March 16, 1950: A trio of projects boosted city development totals for 1950, already near $1 million. Southwestern Metals Inc. said its sponge iron plant would begin operations, First National Bank announced plans for a new building, and Eastman Corp. …
March 15, 1978: The Longview Mall opened with 40 of what developers said would be an eventual 80 or more stores. Said one Longview couple: “We’re really happy with this mall. Now we don’t have to go to Dallas or Tyler.” A grand opening was set for Augu…
March 14, 1964: With orders of about $12 million including three for massive offshore drilling platforms, R.G. LeTourneau announced the company bearing his name would expand significantly to meet demand in the coming year.
March 13, 1951: Trial began on a lawsuit seeking to force the city to let voters decide if they wanted to elect commissioners by districts. The change sought would divide the city into four wards, with each represented by one commissioner, and a fifth to be elected at large.
March 12, 1951: Construction work began on a new 20,000-square-foot building to house laboratory facilities of the U.S. Air Force’s school to be operated by LeTourneau Technical Institute. Existing buildings were being used by Air Force personnel for classrooms, barracks and mess and recreation halls.
ROME (AP) — Expressing alarm both about mounting infections and slow government responses, the World Health Organization declared Wednesday that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic but also said it’s not too late for countries to act.
March 11, 1986: Gov. Mark White led dignitaries and an estimated 500 people who took part in groundbreaking ceremonies for the city’s new $2.9 million public library. The 35,000-square-foot facility to replace the Nicholson Library was to be built at C…
March 10, 1937: U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and her party ate lunch in Longview en route to Shreveport from Fort Worth. She was scheduled to speak that afternoon and evening on “A Day in the White House.” Lunch was salads, sandwiches and coffee served in the back seat of Shreveport Mayor Sam A. Caldwell’s Lincoln V-12.
March 9, 1948: A crowd that overflowed the council chambers turned out for a public hearing on the city’s $729,861 budget, which was adopted. It set priorities on street work and envisioned a bond issue to expand the city’s water supply.March 9, 1966: Test runs of several hundred barrels at the $15 million Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. plant were completed. Shipments of beer in aluminum kegs were set to begin in April and production of can and bottle beer would start in May. The plant employed about 275 people.
March 8, 1934: Longview police began a citywide drive against gambling machines and devices, and Chief Sid Henderson said officers so far had confiscated more than a dozen machines. No charges as yet had been filed.