Januaries past, 25 years ago.

From the LaGrange Daily News, 1991.

Front Page News

Most Local Growth in Incorporated Area — Troup County’s population grew by 11.1 percent over the past decade, according to final figures released Jan. 23 by the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

LaGrange’s figure was up 5.8 percent — apparently caused by extensive annexation — but West Point’s fell by 17.1 percent and Hogansville’s by 16.5 percent. That means the lion’s share of growth occurred in the unincorporated area where most subdivisions have been constructed over the past 10 years.

The city of LaGrange had appealed its preliminary census figures, resulting in the addition of 623. Hogansville’s appeal had added 47.

Final census figures for the county are: Troup County — 55,536; LaGrange — 25,597; Hogansville — 2,976; and West Point — 3,371.

New City Council Meeting Room — The LaGrange City Council will begin the new year in its brand new council chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall.

Renovations underway at police headquarters meant City Council could no longer use Recorders Court as a meeting site.

Daniel Construction Company completed the new chambers at a cost of $111,669, which included the walls, installing new heating and air-conditioning units, carpeting and seating.

The first regular meeting of the council will be held Jan. 8.

Oil-Stopping ‘Smart Bombs’ Guided by System Built Here — The bombs that were dropped on Kuwait to stop a massive oil spill in the Persian Gulf were guided to their target by an infrared system built at the Hughes Aircraft Plant in LaGrange, according to plant manager Ed Howard.

Coalition forces targeted a dumping station in Kuwait from which much of the oil was flowing. Because military planners wanted to limit damage to Kuwaiti assets, the decision was made to use the infrared-guided version of the GBU-15 Bomb, Howard said.

On Saturday night, an F-111 Aardvark aircraft dropped two GBU-15s from medium altitude over Kuwait. Each bomb was guided precisely to hit a pipe manifold controlling the flow of oil. The bomb’s 2,000-pound warhead did the rest, Howard said. By Monday the rate of discharge had essentially stopped.

LaGrange Grandmother on Duty in Gulf — Robert Murphy, 308 Park Ave. in LaGrange, has a big American flag in front of his house because his wife, Staff Sgt. Janice L. Murphy, is in Saudi Arabia with the 138th Medical Company.

A 47-year-old mother of six grown children and step-children, Sgt. Murphy is a soldier … and a grandmother. Two grandchildren, Shanna and Bryant Reese, live in LaGrange.

Sgt. Murphy left for Saudi Arabia on Jan. 3 with the Atlanta-based National Guard unit she has belonged to for over 17 years.

A nursing student at LaGrange College at the time she was called up, she is with a triage unit, like a frontline medical staging area where casualties are taken first.

This is the second foreign assignment for Sgt. Murphy, who had treated Mayan Indians while her unit was training in Guatemala.

Miss Troup County 1991 Crowned — Julie Gilmer of Pine Mountain was crowned Miss Troup County 1991 in the annual scholarship pageant Saturday night at Callaway Auditorium.

Miss Gilmer succeeds Miss Trina Stewart of LaGrange. There were 14 contestants.

Runners-up include Lynda Doss of LaGrange, first runner-up; Hogansville’s Angie Spinks, second; Greenville’s Anise Morrison, third; and Troup High student Elaine Schmidt, fourth.

Former Miss Troup Jill Averil and Jeff Sargent were mistress and master of ceremonies for the pageant.

Academy Crowns Queen — LeAnn Woodson was crowned 1991 LaGrange Academy Homecoming Queen during half-time of the academy’s basketball game against Cross Keys.

Both the academy girls and boys won their games. The new queen was crowned by Betsy Marlowe, 1990 queen.

LeAnn’s two free throws with 50 seconds left in the third quarter of the girl’s game gave the Lady Warriors their first lead in the girls’ game, 32-31. Final score was 36-31.

Local Artist Featured at Auburn — Annie Greene, LaGrange artist, will be featured in a one-woman art show at Auburn University from Jan. 29 to Feb. 20.

Her yarn paintings will be on display in the Foy Union Building, beginning at the opening reception on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. The public is invited to the opening.

Winterfest 1991 — Lady Granger basketball standout Tiffanie Cox is being congratulated after being crowned Miss Winterfest during festivities Friday in the Granger gymnasium.

Title of Mr. Winterfest went to Buster Owens, who was not present due to a previously scheduled football recruitment visit to the University of Tennessee.