Stories from the past

50 years ago

CALEXICO — Federal agents and city fire department investigators were continuing their search today for clues to the cause of a fire late Monday morning at the port of entry.

The fire started in a storage cabinet of the old entry garage at 18 Heffernan Ave., causing clouds of smoke to seep through the border station.

Police Lt. John Hignight and a detail of policemen joined with Fire Chief Al Brooks’ firefighters and federal employees in seeking to find bodies that might be hidden by the smoke in the garage and main building. Oxygen had to be administered to some of the searchers who were slightly overcome by the fumes.

As a precaution against those who might take advantage of the situation, processing activities at the port of entry were halted for a time and extra immigration and border patrolmen were assigned to watch the fence area.

40 years ago

Coach Bob Billings tried something new at Imperial Valley College last week, his Arabs opening the 1978 wrestling season by facing three separate opponents the same day.

One or two or three didn’t seem to matter to the IVC grapplers. IVC has to forfeit in one weight class because of a shortage of athletes, but even that didn’t matter Friday.

Billings is taking over as wrestling coach after serving as track and cross-country coach. The track and harrier programs have all but fallen by the wayside at IVC.

The wrestling program seemed to flourish Friday as an assortment of fans dropped by to watch the action. The Arabs presented their supporters with three victories.

IVC went after San Diego Mesa and won, 3214. Barstow College was drubbed, 42-6, Billings turning his athletes loose against San Diego City College for a 47-12 triumph.

30 years ago

Retail sales in Imperial County jumped 22.6 percent during the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 1987, according to figures released by the state Board of Equalization.

Merchants and city officials across the Valley generally attributed the increasing sales to growing numbers of Mexicali shoppers and snowbirds and to the construction of geothermal and manure-fired power plants.

Countywide retail sales totaled $112.3 million during the first quarter of this year compared to $91.5 million during January, February and March of 1987.

Previous first-quarter retail sales figures for the county were $96.5 million in 1986 and $99.96 million in 1985.

The countywide jump in retail sales was largely due to burgeoning retail sales in Holtville, Brawley, Calexico and El Centro. Only minor retail sales increases were experienced in Imperial and Calipatria. And Westmorland’s retail sales actually dipped slightly.

20 years ago

CALEXICO — In what is being hailed as a key step in the effort to attract new industry and jobs to the county, Calexico Tissue Co. became a reality today.

A subsidiary of the American Tissue Corp. of New York, Calexico Tissue held its grand opening this morning with a ceremony attended by local officials, officials with the company and representatives from the state and federal governments.