Stories from the past
50 years ago
The vice consul of Italy paid a short visit to the Imperial Valley from San Diego yesterday.
The vice-consul, Dr.
Gino L. Jannone, was in the county stopped in to see El Centro Mayor Alex Gay for a capsule treatment of Valley history and economy. Jannone, a native of rural Italy near Naples, “fell in love” with the Valley climate.
In spite of the oppressive temperatures, Jannone stated, “This is my first visit to the Imperial Valley and I love it. I like a place that is warm. It is just like Southern Italy.”
He also compared the agricultural tempos of both areas and areas and was interested in the yearround growing season of the Valley. The vice-consul was accompanied by Rev. Paul Marconi of Our Lady of Rosa Church in San Diego and by Vincent Zizzo, president of the United Italian American Foundation in San Diego. All expressed the desire to return to Imperial Valley in December to see “the lovely region” at a more attractive time. Mayor Gay informed the trio of the immense amount of study done by foreign countries on the agricultural methods and irrigation process currently being used.
All wanted to conduct a multi-week survey for their own personal curiosity. Said Jannone, “It is a pity the people of San Diego do not become better informed about this region to the east of them. It is something that should certainly be studied.”
40 years ago
An unidentified man was fatally stabbed here early today during a confrontation at Border Park, and police say they have a suspect in custody on suspicion of murder.
The victim who has only been tentatively identified with the nickname “Chano,” suffered at least two knife wounds “to the upper torso area,” according to Deputy Coroner
Avis Crowder. The victim was taken by ambulance to Calexico Hospital and admitted at 5:05 a.m. after he was found in the park bleeding from what appeared to be several knife wounds.
Crowder said emergency personnel at the hospital pronounced the man dead at 5:15 a.m. And although there were indications the victim had been stabbed more than twice, “an official determination will be made during the autopsy later today,” Crowder said.
Sgt. Andres DeLira said a man with blood stains on his clothing and carrying a lettuce knife in his hip pocket, was arrested shortly after the knifing at a telephone station on Imperial Avenue. Later, police booked the man on suspicion of murder. He was identified by investigators as Santiago Inzunza Sandoval, 25.
DeLira said the lettuce knife allegedly found in the suspect’s possession was confiscated. “There were traces of blood on the knife blade and at this point we feel it could be the murder weapon,” DeLira said.
The man called “Chano,” was found by a field laborer at about 4:45 a.m. He was lying on the grass in the city park where the victim was known to police as a “frequent visitor.”
30 years ago
El Centro police officers are investigating an ongoing, possibly gang-related series of disputes between large groups of people that sent one man to the hospital on Sunday, according to Lt. Lawrence Hamp.
As of this morning investigators still do not have any leads as to what the disputes concerned. The altercations involved 10 to 20 men, according to police reports.
Armando Hernandez Cervantes, 22, of El Centro was transported by police officers to El Centro Regional Medical Center Sunday with a stab wound in his back, said Hamp.
But at the hospital, Cervantes refused treatment.
Hamp said a group name signifies a specific gang is involved. “It is gang activity in nature,” said Hamp. “But I am not familiar with a group name.”
Most of the people involved in the dispute are not cooperating fully with investigators. He added that most of the men involved in the dispute are from Imperial Valley.
“We do not know what the cause (of the dispute) is,” said Hamp. “No one will tell us.”El Centro has not had such problems in several years, Hamp said, and the police department wants to stop such activities before they get a foothold in the community.
“We don’t want any gang problems in El Centro,” said Hamp. “We are not going to tolerate it.”
The series of disturbances began about 7:20 p.m. Sunday on the 400 block of Vine Street in El Centro, said Hamp. According to witnesses, several men were breaking windows in a vehicle and in a home on the block.
When police arrived, the suspects already had fled the scene, and officers were unable to locate them. A butcher’s knife with an 8-inch blade, a folding pocket knife and a military pilot’s survival knife were found in the area, said Hamp. About 8:40 p.m. Sunday, officers were called back to the same street after receiving a report of gunshots being fired. But when police arrived, there was no evidence of bullets or discharge bullet casings in the area. There also were no injuries reported or damage to property found in the area, said Hamp. While police detained and questioned three men in the area, another man, Roberto-Barboza Ochoa, 26, of Mexicali was arrested for interfering with a police officer.
20 years ago
Francisco Cabrera doesn’t possess the average 12-year-old’s music taste – ears glued to the latest ’NSYNC or Britney Spears release. During his free time, Francisco immerses himself in sounds of classical music and opera, dreaming of the day he will be as famous as Beethoven.
Although he is early in his musical studies, it wouldn’t be misleading to say this El Centro youth has musical talent. Francisco fell in love with the sound of a recorder, a flute-like accordion, guitar, piano, penny whistle, saxophone and harmonica, although not necessarily in that order. He’s not going to stop there. “I want to learn the violin next,” he said, “then maybe the bagpipes.”
Francisco says he learned to play many of the instruments by reading books, or had had help from his musically-inclined mother and sister on others or has taught himself just by tinkering. “I just enjoy it,” Francisco said. His attraction to the accordion comes from his aunt, who played it for several years. The guitar was something he wanted to take on as a challenge.