STORIES FROM THE PAST

50 years ago

A new Seventh-day Adventist Church will soon be constructed at an estimated cost of $55,000, reports Pastor W. Paul Schooley.

To be located at 10th and Holt, El Centro, the edifice will have a seating capacity of 210, and will provide offices for the pastor, his secretary, deacons and laymen.

The rostrum will be structured with space for the choir.

The baptistery will be elevated behind the rostrum, and will feature a partial glass front.

40 years ago

High winds gusting to 90 miles an hour whipped the mountain area west of the Valley early today resulting in at least one death, overturning vehicles and forcing a complete shutdown of travel along Interstate 8 between Alpine and El Centro.

The California Highway Patrol office in El Cajon said at least one man is dead as the result of an overturned semi-truck near Buckman Springs.

Several other accidents, including overturned campers, have been reported in the same general area, but CHP officers indicated there have been few injuries.

The El Centro CHP office said Interstate 8 was closed at Imperial Avenue shortly before 10 a.m. today at the request of state highway officials.

The high winds were expected to spread into the Jacumba area and along Mt. Springs grade.

With up to 50 miles per hour reported blowing through El Cajon; however, an Imperial Airlines spokesman said local flights to San Diego are not being disrupted due to the weather conditions.

30 years ago

RIVERSIDE — The IVC Arabs defeated Salt Lake City College 10089 here Thursday, to advance to the semi-finals of the Holiday-Riverside City College Basketball Tournament for the third time in four years.

The IVC coaching staff is calling the victory an important one for the school’s program.

Salt Lake City rolled into the contest undefeated and ranked 15th in the nation by one junior college poll.

They averaged better than 100 points per contest, the second best junior college scoring average in the country.