Friday, Oct. 31, 1980 --

• The U.S. Justice Department announced that concerns over Eastern Shore Congressman Bob Bauman’s susceptibility to extortion was the reason it released details about the Maryland Republican’s arrest with a 16-year-old male prostitute. Bauman, who is facing a re-election challenge from Democrat Roy Dyson in just a week’s time, has agreed to participate in an alcohol rehabilitation program in return for a dismissal of the charges.
• Dr. William S. Womack, 55, an obstetrician and gynecologist who has practiced in Salisbury for the past 25 years, died Monday night in a Boston hospital. Womack had been hospitalized at Peninsula General Hospital but was transferred about five weeks ago to New England Baptist Hospital. A cause of death was not released.
• Former Baltimore Orioles third-baseman Brooks Robinson will serve as Grand Marshal for this year’s Salisbury Christmas Parade. About 150 units are expected to participate in the Dec. 7 event, which will — for the first time ever — not be held in Downtown Salisbury. The new route has the parade forming at Parkside High School, proceeding north to Beaglin Park Drive, turning left on Glen Avenue and the right on St. Albans Drive, and then proceeding through the Salisbury Mall parking lot before disbanding at Wicomico Senior High School.
• William Ahtes is beginning renovations on his distressed buildings in Downtown Salisbury. Scaffolding has gone up in front of the former Edwards Shoes, which will see a $125,000 renovation. Ahtes, meanwhile, confirmed that J.C. Penney has signed a five-year lease expansion for its store across from the County Courthouse.
• The Federal Communications Commission has approved the sale of WBOC-TV, WBOC-AM and WBOC-FM to two separate companies, which will split the related properties valued at $10.35 million. Paying $2.35 million, Evening Post Publishing Co. of Charleston, S.C., will take over the two radio stations and change their call letters to WVES-AM and WQHQ-FM. The television station, Peninsula Press and 86 acres in the Northwood Industrial Park will be sold to Mid-Atlantic Communications of Milford for $8 million. The media properties have been owned for several years by The Abell Co. of Baltimore.
• The James M. Bennett High School Golf Team won the County Championship held in cool conditions at Green Hill Yacht & Country Club. Vince Cherrix of second-place Wicomico High School took the low-medalist honor with a 78. Results from the local event set the team for the upcoming high school state championship at the University of Maryland in College Park: Leslye Johnson of JMB; Denny Scott, Tony Nichols and David Startzel of Parkside High School; and Cherrix, David Malone, Jeff Parker and Mike Davis of Wi-Hi.