STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
The new stretch of freeway south of El Centro had its first wreck early this morning when a La Mesa man kept right on going off its western end.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Eldon D. Brubaker, 34, was driving his compact Asian station wagon west on the freeway at 1:15 a.m. when he apparently failed to notice all the signs announcing the end of the freeway at the Drew Road off-ramp. The CHP said that he flew about 90 feet through the air before making a landing. He was taken to El Centro Community Hospital where he was reported in satisfactory condition this morning.
40 years ago
Public officials today discounted rumors that large amounts of pesticides may have washed into flood waters at a crop-dusting airstrip.
No pesticides were spilled in the flooding at D.S. Dusters, 1684 Anderholt Road, according to Deputy Agricultural Commissioner John Taylor.
However, empty pesticide cans stored at the airstrip were floating in floodwaters, Taylor said. The case had been rinsed.
Tests taken at the site showed very minute concentrations of pesticides well within tolerance levels, he said. The highest concentration was .004 parts per million which Taylor described as a trace. The smallest concentration was .006 parts per billion.
30 years ago
With or without the upgrading from Naval Air Facility to Naval Air Station, the Navy base at Seeley will continue to grow, according to Capt. Mike Boston, commanding officer.
Boston today said he is still awaiting an announcement from Washington where the decision to upgrade the base or continue its present status is still under review by the Navy’s Major Command Status Board.
However, the base is continuing to grow as a facility. There are indications that more growth is underway. Boston said he is waiting now for an announcement that two squadrons will be based permanently at NAF.
The C-NARTA squadron (Chief of Naval Air Training) with 80 to 100 people, pilots and crew members, may be assigned permanently to the base. The squadron has been more or less permanently at the base for over a year.
Public Affairs Officer Bob Haagenson said C-NARTA would like to stay at NAF because the flying weather is better here than in Texas. “They can fly virtually every day and that saves the government money.”
20 years ago
RANCHO SANTA FE — Just as you think of IBM for computers and General Motors for cars, Richard J. Heckmann wants you to think of U.S. Filter for water.
“It is incredible to me there isn’t an IBM for water. At $2.5 billion, we’re on our way,” Heckmann told U.S. Filter shareholders at the company’s annual meeting Thursday in Rancho Santa Fe, 20 miles north of downtown San Diego.
Fueled by acquisitions, U.S. Filter has seen sales skyrocket 100-fold since 1991. The Palm Desert-based company has less than one share of the $300 billion global water and wastewater market, but it is the industry’s main player. The nearest rival, Culligan, is seven times smaller.