STORIES FROM THE PAST

50 years ago

Words to a once-popular song state “You can talk about your Clementine and sing of Rose Marie .... ”

In Calexico sports circles, you can talk about Ken Yaryan, Nick Ellis, Earl Tankersley and Edson Fielder, but give Bulldog fans the exploits of Joe Andrade any day of the week.

Above mentioned pitchers were tops on the IVL baseball circuit. Each led his prep team to a loop championship. But, Bulldog fans, those of the 1930 era, believe Andrade leads the pack.

Coach Joe Enserro has probably heard of the onetime Bulldog fireman. The present Calexico mentor could rest easy if he had a pitcher of Andrade’s caliber on his roster.

During the ‘30s, Andrade is accepted as being the IVL’s top hurler. He worked under Coach Ed Covington.

40 years ago

Diners at an El Centro restaurant can take a second look today when the pretty waitress pours that second cup of coffee.

It’s okay. The girl with the great big smile is officially the prettiest in Imperial Valley and now it’s on to Santa Cruz.

Sally Arguilez, 18, took first in swimsuit competition and along with it the queen’s tiara at the Miss Imperial Valley Pageant Saturday in Palmer Auditorium.

Along with the title, the Imperial Valley College sophomore received $400 in scholarships, another $400 in wardrobe prizes from local merchants and a chance to compete in June for Miss California in Santa Cruz.

Remigia Bermudez was first runner-up and first in evening gown competition.

30 years ago

Beginning this fall, individual school districts will take over the job of transporting special education students and children enrolled in two other county-run programs, local school superintendents decided Wednesday.

As a result of the decision, the superintendents will recommend to local school boards that the districts provide hometo-school transportation for severely handicapped students to the Imperial Valley Center for Exceptional Children, and students enrolled in three special schools for pregnant minors and one for children who have been placed on probation (Court Schools).

“We are proceeding on that basis,” said Herb Farrar, superintendent of the County Office of Education. “We will be phasing out (transportation) at the end of the summer.”

While present funding for the transportation program runs out at the end of June, the superintendents agreed to pay the county to provide summer school transportation from July 1 to July 13.

After summer school concludes, the county will provide only program-related transportation, such as to and from work experience jobs, therapy sessions and field trips, Farrar said.

20 years ago

Having won the San Diego Presidio League Under-17 South AAA Championship and the Presidio Champions Cup last fall, the Dynamo of El Centro Select Soccer Team is now setting its sights on winning the 1997 Under-17 Open State Cup.

Dynamo is one of 24 teams set to compete in pool play starting Saturday and, as with all of its other accomplishments, this will not be an easy task for the local club.

Only the winners of the six pools and the top two second-place finishers move on.

“There are no cripples in State Cup,” said Dynamo coach Jim Graham. “These are the top teams from the most competitive leagues.”