Stories from the past
50 years ago
A grant of $264,000 and a $66,000 loan have been approved by the Economic Development Administration to build a multipurpose community center in the California section of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation.
These funds were requested by the Quechan Tribal Council in Yuma. Total cost of the project will be $330,000.
A variety of social educational and economic programs including vocational training classes will be housed in the new building.
40 years ago
SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Gas & Electric Co. says it is negotiating with Magma Power Co. to build a $45 million 50 megawatt geothermal power plant at Niland near the Salton Sea.
Utility spokesmen said Monday that a letter of understanding was signed by San Diego Gas & Electric’s wholly-owned subsidiary, New Albion Resource Co., with operation tentatively scheduled to begin in 1982.
The announcement comes just one week after SDG&E announced that it was negotiating with Republic Geothermal Inc. to build and operate a 48-megawatt geothermal plant on the East Mesa.
The $51 million plant, that would be built by Republic and operated by SDG&E, is slated to begin in 1980.
Magma would provide geothermal heat, operate the plant, arrange for basic permits and financing and prove the geothermal field’s potential to provide heat for 30 years.
30 years ago
POWAY — The Calexico Little League All Stars are still alive in the sectional tournament here, but dropped into the elimination bracket over the weekend.
Saturday Calexico lost to El Cajon Western 6-4, but the Valley champions came back and beat National City American 2-0.
Calexico was slated to play today and to win the tournament, will have to play every day until Thursday. The double-elimination tournament could end as early as Wednesday if the winner of the winners bracket wins the first game of the final round.
Today Calexico was slated to play a rematch with Rancho Peñasquitos, the team the border city team defeated in the first round of play Friday. The game today had a 5 p.m. starting time.
Saturday Calexico had to come from behind. El Cajon Western pitcher Shannon Monroe struck out 13 Calexico batters, but the District 22 champs came back from trailing 3-1 to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth inning.
But El Cajon Western scored three times in the bottom of the fifth, and while Calexico scored once in the sixth, the locals could not tie the score again.
20 years ago
An El Centro neurologist convicted in 1994 of sexual battery against a patient wants to practice medicine again, this time in La Jolla.
Thomas Tartaro, 50, lives in the San Diego area four years and six months after a plea bargain was struck in Imperial County. Tartaro had practiced medicine in El Centro for several years as a neurologist and had been a popular specialist in the Imperial Valley.
Tartaro was charged in 1993 with eight counts of felony and misdemeanor sexual battery and sexual battery while his victims were restrained. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of sexual battery. In exchange he was sentenced to five years probation and agreed to not practice medicine while on probation.
According to documents filed in April by Tartaro’s attorney, Thomas Storey of El Centro, Tartaro thinks he has paid his debt to society and wants to reapply for his medical license, revoked by the state medical board in May 1995. That process will take nine months to a year, if his application is approved, according to a letter from Sacramento-based attorney Robert Sullivan, who represents Tartaro in his dealings with the medical board.