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Area roads were in the news 30 years ago this week.

Bonitans were urged to attend a May 25 public hearing on the status of Old 41. Set by the Florida Department of Transportation, the hearing was to address the deletion of the road from the state's primary highway system and a proposal to renumber it as a county road. This action followed the completion of the U.S. 41 bypass through Bonita Springs. Bonitans were expected to protest the action because they wanted Old 41 redesignated as Business 41 to keep motorists coming through.

In other road news, state officials said the new Interstate 75 through Southwest Florida could be open by 1985, thanks to the availability of state matching funds.

"Traffic can be moving by 1985 on I-75 between the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Naples on the southwest Coast and Andytown to Miami in the southeast, according to Florida Secretary of Transportation Tom Webb," The Banner reported.

The Bonita Springs Jaycees elected officers that week, welcoming Howard Biolchini as their new president. Other officers included vice presidents Bob LePree and Rick Camp; Rick Dowdal, secretary; Greg Hodson, treasurer; and directors Eddie Cole, Ernie Fernandez, Gary Murphy, Mike Biolchini, Jerry Pastore and Mike Bode.

The Jaycees were gearing up for the annual Miss Bonita Springs Pageant. Titles were also going to contestants for Little Miss Bonita Springs, Miss Sparkler and Master Firecracker.

The Jaycees also discussed that year's project of rebuilding three local bus stop shelters. LePree was heading up a committee to repair the shelters and the club was appealing to parents to monitor their children more closely at the bus stops to prevent vandalism.

Gary and Diane Murphy fished from the Whitecap II off Fort Myers Beach that week, catching two giant sea bass weighing 375 and 450 pounds each. It took eight people to get the fish aboard. Murphy planned quite a fish fry at the Pastime Tavern.

Glazier Building and Real Estate announced the sale of a riverfront home on a 25-acre parcel for $175,000. The property was listed by Florida Fidelity Realty Co., and purchased by Joseph and Shirley Elam of Indiana from Helen Hector Franklin. The home, located on West Terry Street, was to be occupied by Phillip and Billy Jo Pawlik of Bonita Springs.