STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
The former operator of the Imperial Valley Memorial Cemetery failed to obtain a change of venue for his trial on grand theft charges this morning, and Superior Court Judge George R. Kirk set Sept. 16 for the start of his trial in El Centro.
Herbert C. Melin, the former cemetery promoter and operator, was arrested on April 10 by the California Highway Patrol in Descanso. He had been indicted by the Imperial County Grand Jury the day before. Since then he has been free on bail of $6,250.
The charge against Melin — that he stole $50,000 while he was operating the cemetery — came after a long investigation by the office of District Attorney James Hamilton and by the state Cemetery Board. The efforts of the latter were a result of pressure from Asssemblyman Victor Veysey to look into Melin’s operations, which ended when he abandoned the cemetery in January 1967. It had fallen into sad disrepair and Melin left the state for Texas where he reportedly went to work for another cemetery firm.
Melin, along with his wife and daughter, also faces a civil charge brought by the state accusing them of mismanagement of the cemetery perpetual care trust fund.
40 years ago
SANTA ANA (AP) The fiery crash of an A-4 Skyhawk aircraft at a target complex near the Naval Air Facility in El Centro has left a Marine pilot dead, a Marine spokesman said.
Marine Sgt. Bill Grindstaff identified the pilot as Capt. Paul Pittman, 28, who lived in Laguna Hills but was originally from Bend, Ore. He was from Marine Attack Squadron 211 at El Toro.
The crash occurred after the jet caught fire Monday during a routine training mission. The incident was under investigation.
The plane was using one of the ranges at the National Parachute Test Range when the crash occurred.
A team of accident investigators arrived at NPTR today to determine what caused the crash. According to the NPTR “an in-flight emergency” occurred to cause the crash.
30 years ago
The Salton Sea can be saved if the multitude of governmental agencies with an interest can find a way to raise the $100 million to $350 million the project will require, according to a draft report prepared for the Salton Sea Task Force.
The report, prepared by Meyer Resources Inc. of Davis, outlines three technically feasible solutions to the twin problems of increasing salinity and flooding around the sea, including a waterway that would allow highly saline water to be drained into the Gulf of California.
The other alternatives include the solar pond power plant proposed by the Imperial Irrigation District, Imperial County and Ormat Engineering, and the diked impoundment within the sea that has been discussed since 1974.
“Technical alternatives that would control salinity and flooding at the sea, are available, and at estimated levels of cost that seem justified by expected benefits,” the report says.