STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
Rushing for three touchdowns, returning a punt 75 yards for another, kicking three extra points, running for an extra point and hitting one of five field goal attempts, Troy Stephens scored 31 points for the Imperial Tigers last Friday and with the big total pushed Holtville’s George Hoyt into second place among the Valley scoring leaders for the first time this season. Troy has 56 points and Hoyt has 53. Stephens’ field goal was the first in several years for a local player, according to veteran Valley football watchers. It was a 17-yard field goal. Troy missed four other attempts, but one from the 37 was about a yard wide.
George had a good night last Friday with two touchdowns and four extra point kicks. In third place is Brawley’s Doug Womack with 31 points. Womack scored 13 for the Wildcats last Friday.
40 years ago
The Board of Supervisors Tuesday agreed to award a $75,000 contract to Westec Services Inc. to prepare a geothermal transmission corridor study.
The study is being financed by the state Energy Commission.
Although the study is aimed at power corridors for geothermal development, supervisors expect to use the data to fight the placement of power lines through the Valley for out-of-state nuclear developments.
A Supervisor said, “I couldn’t care less what San Diego wants or what Buckeye (Ariz.) wants. We want to take care of the concerns of the people in this Valley, and if that means having power lines go around the county, then I expect this report to say that.”
The problem of placing transmission lines through the Valley erupted into controversy two years ago when San Diego Gas & Electric Co. proposed a corridor for the Sundesert nuclear plant it hoped to build near Palo Verde.
30 years ago
After eight months of negotiations between the Imperial Irrigation District, Metropolitan Water District and Congress, the fate of the All-American Canal is now in the hands of President Reagan.
For the second time in two weeks, the House of Representatives on Thursday approved legislation that authorizes MWD to concrete line portions of the All-American and Coachella canals. This authorization is contained in a bill that settles a water rights dispute between cities and Indians in north San Diego County.
The House, which first passed the bill on Oct. 5, had to reconsider the legislation because of minor changes made by the Senate before it approved the bill on Wednesday.
The bill now goes to the president, who is expected to sign it next week.
Despite initial opposition from local officials, negotiations between lobbyists for the IID and MWD have produced a compromise that protects the IID’s water rights, said IID attorney John Carter.
“We didn’t want lining of the All American Canal to start with,” said IID President Tony Gallegos. “They were the ones pushing it. All we’re doing is making sure that the interests of the people of the Imperial Valley are protected.” As in Metropolitan’s original proposal, the compromise gives all Colorado River water users, including MWD and IID, the right to participate in the lining project, which is expected to save 100,000 acre feet of water per year. In exchange for this, the original legislation transferred rights to the conserved water to the participating contractors in perpetuity.
It is assumed Metropolitan is the only agency with the financial strength necessary to undertake the $180 million project.
20 years ago
IMPERIAL — In an exciting match played before an electrified crowd, the Holtville High School volleyball team went into Imperial’s home gym and left with a three-games-to-two victory.
“They performed great,” Holtville coach Mike Wahlstrom said of his charges.
The first game of the five-game marathon started tightly. Then, behind some good serving by Michelle Tucker and Dallas Jernigan, the Tigers pulled in front 10-5.
“I thought we played well, but we wanted it too much,” said Jernigan.
Led by Lindsay Cato, the Vikings pieced together a comeback, and eventually won the game 15-11.