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Yesterday in La Crosse

Take your rock music outdoors, 35 years ago

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In 1984, one area town was trying to decide where to have a rock concert. The Sparta schools were asked to permit a concert on school property during the June celebration called ‘Sparta Fest’…now known as ‘Butterfest.’ The football stadium was requested, but some school leaders were concerned about damage which could be done to the playing field, so a softball field also was considered for the concert site.

A large field of Democrats was running to challenge President Ronald Reagan that election year. After Gary Hart won New Hampshire, California Sen. Alan Cranston became the first Democrat to drop out of the race. Former astronaut John Glenn followed Cranston within a couple of weeks, leaving three major contenders…Hart, Walter Mondale, and Jesse Jackson. Mondale won the nomination. Reagan won 49 states in the election.

The Valley View Mall area got a new steak place in 1984. A Bonanza restaurant, later Grizzly’s, opened near Highway 16, next to K-Mart, later converted to an Office Depot. The business buildings existed 35 years ago, yesterday in La Crosse.

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.

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