STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
It has been 18 months since the U.S. Department of Justice filed suit in a San Diego federal court calling upon the Imperial Irrigation District to enforce the 160-acre limit in the Imperial Valley.
The next step in the lengthy procedure that will ultimately lead to a court clash between the Justice Department and IID attorneys is scheduled for Sept. 13. At that time it is expected that the opposing attorneys will seek to agree on certain stipulations, or ground rules, for the subsequent trial. It’s believed the trial date may also be set at that time.
Since December of 1964 when the bombshell was dropped by a U.S. Department of Interior solicitor, Frank J. Barry, who offered the opinion that the Imperial Valley should not be exempt from the limitation, attorneys representing the IID and the Imperial Resources Associates joined forces to combat the ruling.
40 years ago
Sheriff’s officials said today the investigation into the near-fatal shooting of the two Quechan Indian girls near Winterhaven Wednesday has “run into a dead end.”
After a weekend of following-up “too few leads,” investigators have indicated little hope of finding either the crime scene or the persons responsible for shooting Bonnie Parker and Elsie Baxter last week and leaving them for dead.
The girls both 17, were reported to be in guarded condition at a Phoenix Hospital where they were transferred Thursday following temporary treatment at the Yuma Regional Medical Center.
Miss Parker was found slumped on a bridge near Winterhaven last week. Sheriff’s deputies said she had been shot in the cheek and throat.
She was able to write a note telling deputies her friend Elsie had also been shot. Searchers found Miss Baxter had been shot in the head.
30 years ago
MEXICALI — Former circus acrobat Jorge Paez won the International Boxing Federation world featherweight championship here Thursday by way of a split decision.
Paez appeared to be trailing defending champion Calvin Grove most of the fight but decked Grove three times in the 15th round.
One judge scored the fight a draw, two others gave it to the hometown fighter.
It was the first defeat in 34 professional fights for Grove. The champion had defended his title once before. Paez is now 28-21. He went into the fight with 23 knockouts.
It was the last time an IBF fight will be scheduled to go 15 rounds.
20 years ago
The county Sheriff’s Office has issued its deputies and correctional officers, and some probation officers, sleek new side-arms after using Smith & Wesson revolvers seemingly forever.
A committee made up in part of Sheriff Oren Fox; Capt. Mike Schneewind, chief deputy in charge of training; Manny Garcia, sheriff’s sergeant for training; and sheriff’s firearms instructor Steve Rebik were involved in a two-year trial-and-error process of choosing a new weapon to replace the office’s .357 Magnum revolvers.
After firing 9-mm, .40-caliber and .357-caliber Glocks, Heckler & Kochs, Smith & Wessons, Berettas and SIG Sauers, the committee members settled on the .40-caliber P229 SIG Sauer.