STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
Unlike other sports, high school wrestling is not divided into classes according to school size. The only division is a line in the middle of the state that divides the north from the south.
Thus, all Southern California high school wrestlers are tossed into the same elimination process. There are over 1,600 high schools taking part in California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section wrestling.
One of the four elimination tournaments is being held at Pomona, Saturday. This is the one that the Imperial Valley wrestlers are entered. It is one of the smaller tournaments, with just over 360 schools taking part.
The tournament starts at 8 a.m. at the Cal Poly gym. The top four wrestlers in each division earn the right to advance into the final tournament the following Saturday at Fullerton.
The Imperial Valley is sending 26 wrestlers into the CIF tournament Saturday. Last season, two Valley wrestlers ended with CIF championships. They were Brawley’s Robert Dowden in the 112 pound class and Holtville’s Greg Nunn in the 138 division.
40 years ago
Spray paint cans will be banned from sale to minors in El Centro beginning Friday despite some criticism from local merchants.
The El Centro City Council, Wednesday decided to implement the “spray can ordinance” similar to Calexico’s as written after local merchants questioned a regulation that the cans “may only be offered for sale from an enclosed counter, access to which is only available to a clerk.”
Lloyd Gibbs, manager of Barr Lumber, acting as spokesman for merchants, said “We commend the council for its stand and implementing the ordinance.” He added that he would comply with anything the council did.
But he questioned the specified regulation that said that merchants were confused as how to interpret it.
The council passed the ordinance last month to help combat the graffiti problems in El Centro.
30 years ago
CALEXICO — Nearly 500 people joined United Farm Workers President Cesar Chavez Sunday in a peaceful march and rally dedicated to the memory of Rufino Contreras, 27, the UFW striker who was slain during a bitter 1979 lettuce industry strike.
Carrying banners and waving black and red UFW flags, the marchers walked from UFW headquarters on West Second Street to Rockwood Plaza before returning to the UFW parking lot to hear brief speeches by Chavez and local UFW officials.
20 years ago
WRIGHTWOOD
— The tense weeklong search for a Brawley teen lost snowboarding at Mountain High West ski resort has ended wonderfully.
Jeff Thornton, 14, was found alive just before 2 p.m. Friday by the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team at 5,600 feet in Bear Gulch, near East Fork Canyon.
“Other people pulled out but they stuck with it throughout the week and came up with him,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Mark Bailey.
Jeff was alert, extremely exhausted and hungry, but otherwise stable, according to authorities.
He was airlifted by a Sheriff’s Department air unit to Foothill Presbyterian Hospital in Glendora, where he arrived about 3 p.m.
The Brawley Union High School ninth-grader was in fair and stable condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit Saturday night, according to hospital spokeswoman Jean Palmer.