Memory Lane
Memory Lane: The Sun and the Flare become one
From new names to new homes, and big computers to ball games, the start of summer has always brought big news.
June 2, 1946
As of June 2, 1946, the "Arabian Sun" and the "Flare" are combined into one publication, and the new publication will be known as the "Arabian SUN and FLARE."
The editorial policy will remain the same, to give you NEWS primarily about things happening not only in Dhahran, but in Ras Tanura, Abqaiq, and a new one added temporarily -- Al Kharj.
As evidenced by this issue, Ralph Reed, Fletcher Johnson, Jean Johnson, and a nom de plume writer from Ras Tanura have made this edition quite interesting.
May 24, 1961
3,000TH HOUSE PRUCHASED THROUGH HOME OWNERSHIP PLAN
Ali ibn Miskeen, a mail clerk in the Senior Staff Mail Center, Dhahran, on Saturday acquired the 3,000th house built or purchased by a Saudi Arab company employee through Aramco's Home Ownership Program.
On welcoming the large group who came to congratulated the new property owner, D.J. Sullivan, assistant general manager of Operations, cited the Home Ownership Program as "one of the best ways Aramco can assist an employee to improve his living standards and, at the same time, help him create an estate.
Saudi Arab employees of Aramco are acquiring houses through Home Ownership Program assistance at an average rate of 50 per month; the company has loaned a total of SR90 million for such homes already acquired or in the process of being built or purchased.
MAY 19, 1971
5 RESCUED FROM BAY'S ROUGH SEAS
Brothers Jim and John Bowler of Dhahran carried out a two-phase rescue mission Friday afternoon when boats carrying five English Airworks employees capsized in waves three to four feet high at Half Moon Bay.
A sailboat with three aboard was the initial casualty, but the closest brush with tragedy came when a small motorboard carrying two Englishmen became swamped after going to the sailboat's aid.
May 21, 1986
COMPUTERIZATION TO ENCOMPASS ALL AMS HEALTH CARE RECORDS
When Aramco Medical Services (AMS) put into operation its 8 megabyte IBM 4381 computer in February 1985, it seemed adequate to handle projected plans for computerizing necessary health care data for Aramco employees and their dependents.
As it turns out, the Patient Car system project workload has progressed so rapidly that an additional 8-megabyte memory unit has been ordered.
Already implemented and working well are appointment scheduling, patient admissions and discharges, and file-tracking. In mid-July, the system will begin incorporating laboratory test data. With some 2.7 million lab tests to be administered by AMS in 1986, the need for greater computer memory capacity is understandable.
May 23, 2001
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL SWINGS INTO HIGH GEAR
The Dhahran Youth Baseball Association (DYBA) held Opening Day ceremonies at King's Road ball field May 17, marking the beginning of the Major Division II, PeeWee, and T-Ball seasons. The leagues run through early July.
Jim Davidson, a longtime DYBA volunteer, threw out the first pitch of the season and entertained the crowd with a whistled version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."
The Senior and Major Division I leagues began in March and will conclude with the DYBA Kingdomwide Invitation tournament May 28-June 1, with teams from Dhahran, Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Jubail, al-Khobar, Riyadh, Jiddah, Khamis Mushayt, and Kuwait competing.