Yesterday in La Crosse
Some folks didn’t like the ‘F’ word (fluoride), 53 years ago
A citizens’ committee against fluoridation was formed in 1966 in La Crosse, to fend off a trend of adding fluoride to public water supplies. The group was planning to take steps to keep the city council from buying fluoridation equipment. Saying that tooth decay was not a communicable disease, prevention was not the city’s responsibility. Two fluoride referendums were defeated in the late 60’s before La Crosse finally adopted fluoridation in 1988.
A couple of popular area rock groups were based in La Crosse in ’66: the Dynamics, and the Fax, both featured in newspaper stories.
‘TV Bingo’ ended a brief run on Channel 8 on July 1st of 1966. Viewers would get their Bingo cards from IGA stores and Mobil gas stations, and watch the numbers drawn on TV every weekday, as they played for big cash prizes. The legislature shut down TV bingo shows for promoting gambling and unfair competition between retailers. Bingo was replaced on WKBT on the 4th of July with a new Gothic soap opera called ‘Dark Shadows’ in 1966, yesterday in La Crosse.
