>> 50 Years Ago — A Niland man’s arm was nearly severed last night when the car he was a passenger in sideswiped a concrete irrigation ditch on a county road a mile north of Niland.
Doctors at Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley were able to save the man’s arm during surgery. The victim, Harold Morris, 47, was reported in fair condition today in the hospital.
The California Highway Patrol said Morris was a passenger in a car driven by Arbia Pope, 42, of Niland.
>> 40 Years Ago — Voting for Imperial Valley College is “campus sweetheart” continued today after the polls were shut down Friday due to a male contestant.
David Baker, student body elections chairman, said this morning the polls would be open today for one hour — the time lost in Friday’s election freeze.
“We will start counting the ballots immediately after the polls close,” he added.
However he did not make clear if male write-in candidate John Cota’s votes would be counted.
>> 30 Years Ago — While underlining a “cautious criticism” approach, Chief U.S. Border Patrol Agent William S. King said Thursday he cannot remain silent and allow his men to be battered by “irresponsible statements” of inefficiency leveled by Calexico city officials.
“I have no intention of becoming involved in a political confrontation. Some officials are saying we have given up apprehending illegal aliens in the Calexico area.
“To set the record straight, our apprehensions are up 82 percent over 1982. We will continue to do our job but I cannot allow my men to be put down without responding in the most energetic manner,” King said.
>> 20 Years Ago — PHOENIX — The president of Yuma Greyhound Park said Thursday the track will close permanently at the end of its current season because it is unable to compete with gambling on the nearby Cocopah Indian Reservation.
Bill Gresser Jr. said the dog track’s attendance and revenues are off dramatically and he blames competition from the Cocopah, who were allowed by a gambling compact with the state to install 100 electronic gambling machines, or slot machines, in the rural gaming hall less than five miles from the track.
