STORIES FROM THE PAST

50 years ago

More than 20 lawmen rushed to Pancho’s — a teen-age club on the 600 block of Main Street in El Centro at midnight last night to break up what was described as a riot.

According to El Centro police, a passing deputy sheriff saw a swarm of about 50 teen-agers “fighting, hooting and hollering” outside the place. He radioed in a riot call.

Two California Highway Patrol cars, four from the Sheriff’s Office and four from the El Centro police department rushed to the scene.

In all there were over 20 officers on the scene within minutes.

The lawmen included some plainclothes agents of the state Narcotics Bureau who keep an eye on the place.

According to a police officer on the scene, “There were kids running up and down the sidewalk, down the street and up alleys.”

40 years ago

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday agreed to pay for about $10,000 of repairs on Kepley School, which the El Centro and Central Union School Districts hope to move into this summer.

The school, owned by the El Centro district, has been used by the county superintendent of school office for its handicapped children programs.

But the county is moving into its new Center for Exceptional Children on Waterman Avenue in June.

The city school districts plan to move into the facility this summer, but they wanted the county to make the repairs.

30 years ago

SALTON SEA BEACH — Neither sunburn nor physical handicaps prevented seven swimmers from covering most of the 11-mile width of the Salton Sea Saturday during the Great Salton Sea Experience.

The group had little trouble until shortly before arriving at Salton Sea Beach.

They began their swim shortly before 6 a.m. at Bombay Beach on the east side of the sea.

Strong currents hampered the swimmers, so during the last quarter of the swim they were transported to the shore in boats.

There, at Salton Sea Beach, they were applauded by a large gathering of spectators. In all, the swim took just under nine hours to complete.

“They were tired and sunburned, but in good shape,” said Rosan Johnson, secretary of the Great Salton Sea Experience.

It was quite an accomplishment for two of the swimmers Della Dominguez of Salton Sea Beach has only one leg.

Joan Rimmer, also of Salton Sea Beach, has polio in one of her legs.

The handicaps didn’t seem to hinder the two as they swam the salty waters of the Salton Sea.