Site of Shooting Was a Popular Nightlife Spot
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SOMERSET COUNTY — Award-Winning Investigative Journalism — DELIVERED TO WWW.OURTOWNJOHNSTOWN.COM YOUR DOOR! madeinsomersetcounty.com WEEK OF AUGUST 12-18, 2020 FAMILY VALUES COMMON GROUNDS OUTREACH GIVES Staff photo by Bruce Siwy BACK WITH The entranceway to the stairs for the apartments at 318 Chestnut St. in Cambria City. ‘BLESSING Site of shooting was a Staff photo by Bruce Siwy BOXES’ The curbside view of 318 Chestnut St., where Maxine Andrews was shot in the passenger seat of a parked vehicle. — B1 popular nightlife spot BRUCE SIWY This distinction brought Hadix, then bought it in [email protected] $100,000 in renovation 2014. money to the Cambria Greene said ownership (Editor’s note: This is County War Memori- in the 1970s was especial- the second in a series of SPORTS articles on the unsolved al Arena and an NHL ly creative about maxi- homicide of Maxine El- exhibition game between mizing profit. GRANTS len Andrews, a 29-year- the Pittsburgh Penguins He noted that Fred old from Johnstown’s and Tampa Bay Lightning Babich — who lived for AVAILABLE Hornerstown neighbor- later in the year. decades in a loft above the hood who was killed in In the “Slap Shot” mov- right-hand side of Ace’s November of 1978.) FOR ie, Newman’s character starting in the mid-1970s Reggie Dunlop mentions — had a space in the rear SNOWMOBILE, Though shootings were “the Ace’s” on three of that section converted almost unheard of here, separate occasions in his into an apartment. He ATV PROJECTS the neighborhood in efforts to take women out would have band mem- which Maxine Andrews — B4 on a date: bers stay in those rooms was murdered was known • “I was gonna come after performances so he for making a different down the other night could avoid having to pay kind of noise in 1978. and ask if you wanted to for their hotel stay else- “It was the hotspot,” go the Ace’s. But, I don’t where in Johnstown after said Dustin Greene, the know, something came an Ace’s gig. current co-owner of Ace’s, up.” “It was the place to have a former nightclub now • “Hey, let’s go some- place! You know the your wedding, it was the WEEKLY specializing in catering Ace’s?” place to go to night club,” RECIPE WINNER and event production. • “Otherwise, you Greene said. “And the “I really want to say JOYCE SHARP know, I would have giv- owners had weddings in that if you think John- en you a night on the – A4 the venue on a Friday or stown and you think town. We could’ve gone Saturday night, and then nightlife in the 1970s, it to the Ace’s.” flipped it at 10 o’clock for was Ace’s. Because it was, Well before Newman a concert venue.” it was the hotspot for and company were in “We have tons of stories nightlife entertainment in town, the structure at Staff photo by Bruce Siwy of parents of our wedding Johnstown police confi rmed that Maxine Andrews was visiting the 1970s, especially the 318 Chesnut St. was couples now in this day friends in apartment No. 2 at 318 Chestnut St. the night of her late ‘70s.” occupied by the Rodoljub and age saying that they murder. Maxine was shot and group. This was an ethnic either met at Ace’s, they killed Nov. 6, 1978, while Croatian singing society had events (or) their wed- know who they were. But cousin’s home in the city sitting in a car parked founded here in the early ding was at Ace’s. there was somebody that not long before Max- along Chestnut Street out- part of the 20th century. Maxine’s reason for lived out there.” ine’s death — has always side of Ace’s in Cambria “They had a perfor- being outside the venue “(Maxine) lived with bothered her. Both she City. Understanding the mance space here at Ace’s on the night of her death, my grandmother and my and her brother, the Rev. social fabric of the neigh- before Ace’s existed at however, may have had aunts. She just said that Clarence Washington, borhood — and Maxine’s 318 Chestnut St.,” Greene less to do with the club she was just going out characterized Maxine as reasons for being there — said. SO-853925-1 and more to do with the with friends (that night), confident and fearless, may provide key context “Originally this proper- other upstairs apart- that’s all she said. But she as someone who didn’t ARE YOU DOWNSIZING? in the renewed efforts to ty . was a movie theater. NEED MONEY FOR TAXES? ments. didn’t say where she was spook easily. solve her case. And the projection room DID YOU INHERIT A COLLECTION? going.” “She got scared. Some- is still there and the — — — Though her sister’s thing frightened her, and WE CAN HELP! — — — attributes of a theater are death was a total shock, she left.” WE BUY ALL COINS there.” While Fred Babich lived Teresa said there were And today, Teresa and If Greene’s assessment According to Cambria GOLD-SILVER in the spacious area above indications that Maxine her brother, the Rev. Clar- of Ace’s “lounge” era days County Recorder of Deeds PAPER MONEY 312 Chestnut St., a small- was becoming paranoid ence Washington, have is substantiated by its rich Melissa Kimla, property JOHN PAUL SAROSI, INC. er set of apartments were in the months prior to her a few ideas about why history of hosting musi- records show that Frank 106 Market Street ∙ Downtown Johnstown located on the left-hand murder. people may have wanted M-F 10-5 Eve/Sat by appt. cal acts such as Tommy and Florence Babich side of at the building at to hurt Maxine. 1-814-535-5766 ∙ 1-800-334-1163 James, The Guess Who purchased the property SO-853602-1 SINCE 1974 - WE PAY MORE! 318 Chestnut St. — — — and KC and the Sunshine from the Rodoljub society Sgt. Cory Adams of the (Editor’s note: This Band, this notion is firmly in 1961. They opened it Johnstown Police Depart- Teresa recalled a story was the second in a cemented by its place in as a club by 1970, and ment confirmed that Max- told by their cousin short- series of articles on the pop culture. expanded it by razing and unsolved homicide of ine was inside apartment ly after Maxine was killed. During the mid-1970s, rebuilding 312-314 Chest- Maxine Ellen Andrews, No. 2 just before she was “They were sitting in popular actor Paul New- nut St. four years later, a 29-year-old from shot in a vehicle parked the living room . (Max- Johnstown’s Horners- man and a host of other turning it into a 20,000 along the street. ine) was visiting her, and town neighborhood who Hollywood types were square foot complex There were four total all the sudden the lights was killed in November TThere’here’s NONO in Johnstown to film the spanning nearly the entire units accessible by both went out,” she said. of 1978. Pick up next irreverent hockey comedy block. FFeeee UUnlessnless an inside side stairwell “When the lights came Wednesday’s edition “Slap Shot.” of the Daily American and the front-facing fire back on, she said my WWee HHaveave The film remains a — — — or Our Town for the We Have escape that led to the sister was gone . which cult classic in the sports second installment of HHardwareardware fforor YYOOUU!! sidewalk along Chestnut was very, very odd. And this series, and visit world, and its infamy Various members of the Street. she said she didn’t see her dailyamerican.com or undoubtedly helped the Babich family owned the “She went up there and after that.” ourtownjohnstown. city capture the popular property until 2005, when would visit friends,” said According to Teresa, com/dailyamerican for 701 Von Lunen Rd., Johnstown vote for the inaugural it was purchased by John Maxine’s younger sister, this apparent incident web extras, including Phone 814-539-1659 Kraft Hockeyville title Matolyak. Greene and his podcast episodes.) Teresa Andrews. “I don’t — which occurred at the Fax 814-539-0239 in the spring of 2015. business partner, Joelle A2 Wednesday, August 12, 2020, Our Town, Johnstown, Pa. OUR TOWN GENERAL MANAGER/ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OPINION Becky Flyte bfl[email protected] LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY EDITORIAL CARTOON Our Town welcomes letters to the editor which express a specific view on topics of general interest. Letters submitted MULTI MEDIA SALES for publication must be signed and contain the address and MANAGER telephone number of the writer. Letters should be limited to Genna Smith about 250 words. [email protected] Our Town reserves the right to edit all letters. Letters can- not be returned. Letters may be mailed to Our Town at 334 W. Main Street, PO Box 638, Somerset, PA 15501. You may also CIRCULATION fax them to us at 814-269-9783 or email them to bruces@ MANAGER ourtownjohnstown.com. 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