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April Fool's Day Archive, Contents:
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City of Providence Closes For Day
Date: April Fool's Day, 1986
Categories: Government, Radio, United States, 1986, Bait and Switch, Fake Warnings
Carolyn Fox, a disc jockey for WHJY in Providence, Rhode Island, announced that the 'Providence Labor Action Relations Board Committee' had decided to close the city for the day. She gave out a number for listeners to call for more information. The number was that of a rival station, WPRO-AM. Reportedly hundreds of people called WPRO, as well as City Hall and the police. Even more called into their offices to see if they had to go into work. WHJY management later explained that it had never imagined its joke would have such a dramatic impact on the city.
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All text Copyright © 2011 by Alex Boese, except where otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.