stories from the past

50 years ago

Vivanco, general director of Mexico’s National Frontier Program, is quoted in the Mexicali newspaper La Voz De La Frontera as saying the government will go ahead first with a new border facility at Algodones.

Algodones, along the Colorado River about 50 miles east of Calexico, is across the border fence from Andrade, a U.S. Port of Entry.

Traffic at this point to and from Mexico is relatively slow at all times and the gate has never been kept open on a 24-hour basis. Vivanco said the new border facility at Algodones will be kept open 24 hours a day.

The director said in Mexico City that Mexico will go ahead with the International Border Gate in Mexicali as soon as it is possible for them to acquire the land necessary.

40 years ago

Land and air crews were searching for the Naval crew members aboard an A-6 Intruder aircraft which crashed into the Chocolate Mountains Gunnery Range this morning, according to National Parachute Test Range officials.

The plane was one of several such aircraft from attack squadron 42 based at the Naval Air Station in Oceana, Va., on a three-week deployment at NPTR. The plane crashed during a routine bombing training flight about 8:15 a.m. today.

According to the officials, Army and Navy air and ground crews were still searching for the crew members at this morning. There are conflicting reports on whether either of the crew members were seen parachuting from the plane prior to the accident.

30 years ago

A $3.2 million renovation program that will modernize existing buildings and actually produce more classroom space is underway at four school sites around the El Centro School District.

The project includes work on 16 buildings at Harding, Lincoln and Washington elementary schools and Wilson Junior High School. The work is being funded primarily by a state program which pays for reconstruction of school buildings that are at least 30 years old.

“I think on the whole ... we’ll have an improved learning climate for children to come to school at and a place where they’ll feel more positive about their surroundings, said Assistant Superintendent Joe Vogel, who is supervising the work.

The most extensive reconstruction is taking place on the Wilson campus, where the main academic building has been redesigned to eliminate an indoor corridor and provide outside access to all classrooms.

20 years ago

The high school division Brawley Eclipse and the 16-and-under El Centro Chapparals recreational softball teams qualified for the American Softball Association regional championships over the weekend.

Both teams played in the Southern California ASA all-star state championship and qualified in their divisions.

Richard Corpuz coached the Eclipse to a 6-0 mark and a firstplace finish in the double-elimination tournament, which featured 18 teams in the Eclipse’s division. The Eclipse will move on to the ASA regional championships in Spokane, Wash., Aug. 6-9. Closed

The Chapparals made it to the regional championship with a 4-2 record and a fourth-place July 23rd finish in their 17-team division.

El Centro

Coach David Hansen will take his team to the championship tournament On in Aurora, Colo., August 8Th

from Aug. 6-9.