STORIES FROM THE PAST

50 years ago

If the rate of air pollution continues to increase as present data indicates, man may have about 100 “breathable” years left on earth.

This dire projection of a possibility was made yesterday by California State Sen. James Mills (D-San Diego) before the Brawley Rotary Club.

Mills, whose slight professional demeanor is belled by a deep resonant voice, imparted this and other warnings during an address he titled, “The Effect of Air Pollution on the Climate of the Earth as a Whole and How Lives of All Mankind May Be Affected By It in the Future.”

The length and meaning of the title was about as sobering as some of the conclusions the senator had drawn during his study of the subject.

Referring frequently to information he had gathered from such experts as E.A. Shuck, who is researching air pollution for the University of California, Mills cited a less-publicized theory that the oxygen balance in the air is being tampered with.

In other words, man’s machines are burning up the air.

40 years ago

Basketball players doing what they’re told to do when orders are given play a disciplined game and that’s the foundation of achievement for coach Otto Low.

The coach of the Central Spartans faced the Brawley Wildcats on Thursday night in the CUHS gym, eyeing a second straight Central Invitational Basketball Tournament title.

Central defeated Vista in 1976 to finish on top. The Spartans played an outstanding game against Brawley in the 13th annual tourney and scored an impressive 53-29 win.

Low drew up a game plan for the Spartans to use and outlined it to his players. The winners followed instructions and the outcome had been decided at halftime.

The real ability of the Central coach to teach defensive basketball will be apparent the evening the Spartans win a game by a score of 10-0 or 20-0.

30 years ago

Unusually cold weather and increasing confidence in the local economy were hailed by store managers throughout the Valley on Wednesday as the principal reasons for dramatically increased sales this month compared with December last year.

“Our sales this month were over 50 percent ahead of last year,” said Leo Gronich, who owns Garlan’s Department store in Calexico. “The recent devaluations of the peso didn’t affect us at all.”

Gronich said his sales were boosted by unusually cold weather which has continued throughout the month of December. “We’ve been selling a lot of jackets and sweaters and we’re still going strong,” he said.

Pilly Sun, who manages the National Dollar Store Ltd. in Calexico, said his sales were also outstanding.

“Our sales have been much better than last year. Since February, our sales have averaged 30 percent over last year. Our sales for December are about 22 percent ahead where we were in December last year,” he said.

20 years ago

PALM DESERT — Inside Hollywood circles, it is referred to as a sequel.

And as often the case, the Imperial Valley College men’s basketball team found out that the second time around can often be as painfully ugly as the original.

Nightmare in the Desert. Take two.

For the second time in two days, the script facing IVC included a first-half collapse of nine minutes, this time resulting in an 89-76 loss to Los Angeles Valley College in the College of the Desert Holiday tournament Monday afternoon.

“If you’re not executing and you’re not getting good shot selection, you’re not going to win,” IVC coach Marty Zwart said. “Right now, we’re not playing smart.”

And as was the case in the Arabs first-round tournament loss to Santa Monica, the inability to play consistently solid basketball was enough to do IVC in.