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50 years ago in the week of Oct. 30, 1966

HORIZON GIRLS STUFF ‘DITTY’ BAGS FOR VIETNAM — Madera High School’s Horizon Girls stuffed ‘ditty’ bags Monday after school with items ranging from tooth brushes to lighter flints for shipment to U.S. fighting men in South Vietnam. The gift-filled bags will be sent overseas as Christmas gifts through the American Red Cross. The “ditty” items were donated by local merchants, and local service clubs donated funds for the project. Items put into each bag included pens, pencils, stationery, playing cards, cigarette lighters, envelopes, Candy, and Christmas cards reading “Christmas greetings from the American Red Cross, Girls’ League, and Horizon Girls at Madera High, Madera, California.”

PLAN WILL HALT BONADELLE RANCHOS SALES — A plan to stop sales of lots in Bonadelle Ranchos subdivisions was devised in Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Supervisors said they want to stop sales of lots until John Bonadelle completes the construction of roads. The board proposes to refuse to issue building permits in the subdivisions to put pressure on the builder. Board chairman Jack Schmitz declared that Bonadelle has “broken faith with the board year after year by failing to complete the road system during time extensions.” Several other board members agreed with Schmitz that uncompleted roads are “unfair” to persons who try to establish homes in such subdivisions.

HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC COUNTY ELECTS GOP CANDIDATES — Heavily Democratic Madera County voted for a Republican governor and lieutenant governor and wielded unexpected power in the State Assembly and Senate races Tuesday. Madera duplicated the rest of the San Joaquin Valley and the state in giving Ronald Reagan a passport from Hollywood to the state capitol in Sacramento. Local Republicans and Democrats here teamed up to give Reagan a victory over Gov. Edmund G. Brown, 7,490 to 6,337. They also voted for Robert Finch over Democratic incumbent lieutenant governor Glenn Anderson, 6,934 to 6,601.

POLICE NET GAMECOCKS DURING RAID — City patrolmen confiscated 25 gamecocks Thursday in raids on five houses in Madera. The illegal birds were being raised for eventual sale or breeding purposes, according to Police Chief W. Horace Dowell. The California law which defines possession of the birds as illegal states, “The fact that the cock’s comb has been clipped shall be prima facie evidence of intention to use or engage such cock in an exhibition of fighting.” Chief Dowell states that the confiscated cocks have clipped combs. The birds are now penned up in the city dog pound “where they will probably be destroyed,” said Dowell.

TEACHERS SEEK PAY HIKE TO EQUAL BUDGET INCREASE — A teachers committee told the Madera Unified School District Thursday night that the district’s budget has gone up, and they would like their salaries increased in proportion. They presented a proposed salary schedule which would bring the teachers’ share of the final $3.8 million budget to 64.6 percent. The committee said it would also like to establish a schedule by which the top level is exactly double the starting salary. The present schedule offers $5,400 yearly for a first-year credentialed teacher and top pay of $9,400 in the 15th year.

SUPERVISORS OVERRULE PLANNING COMMISSION — the County Board of Supervisors turned a new turkey ranch in the Dixieland district down unanimously Tuesday. All five supervisors voted to uphold an appeal by neighbors who complained of dust, odor, and feathers thereby overruling the County Planning Commission’s approval of a permit to Hoyt Fleeting. Fleeting promised to sprinkle the dust and carry out other modern practices, but Supervisor Harold Balmat said they don’t work. Balmat, who represents the area agreed with the protesting neighbors and made the motion to overrule the planning commission.

CORNWELL BESTS HOLDEN IN RACE FOR BOARD POST — North Fork realtor and minister B.A. (Lonnie) Cornwell won the fifth district seat on the Board of Supervisors Tuesday by 383 votes. Cornwell topped Ted Holden of Oakhurst 1483 to 1100 in a victory handed him primarily by North Fork, Bass Lake, and Madera voters. After Cornwell won the mountain vote, he cinched the victory more tightly with the four Madera precincts on the southeast side of town, which were added about three years ago when District 5 was enlarged. In the only other county office race, Allen Conway Jr. won the $1 per year fees job of constable in the Sierra Judicial District.

HISTORICAL ITEMS ON DISPLAY — The first of a series of displays of historical items is on view in show windows in the foyer of the Madera County Government Center. The exhibit, prepared by the Madera County Historical Society, features Chinese artifacts gathered from Madera’s old Chinatown. The novelties include a Chinese ledger, an old barber’s brush, an early-day Chinese straw hat, tapestry, and the business card printer of Borden merchant, Man Wah Chan. Another special item is the ledger, accompanied by a Bible, of the ranger who shot famed bandit Joaquin Murrietta. An old waffle iron, pot hooks, a churn, and pickling crocks are also displayed.

MOVEMENT BEGINS TO PROMOTE BERGON FOR AG COMMISSIONER — A grass roots movement has been started in Madera County to promote the candidacy of Frank Bergon for appointment by Governor-elect Ronald Reagan as his commissioner of agriculture. The movement, which has been under way for more than a week, was brought into the open Wednesday at a meeting of a steering committee at Lucca’s. Support for the campaign gathered momentum with the unanimous endorsement of Bergon this morning by the Reagan-for-Governor Committee of Fresno County. Bergon, 53, when contacted by The Tribune said he is “overwhelmed and flattered even to be considered.

COMMISSIONER’S BID FOR NEW CAR DENIED — The County Road Commissioner’s request for a new, big model car was denied Wednesday by the County Board of Supervisors. Road Commissioner Joe Hughes asked the county for a large car, similar in size to the Chrysler he now drives but with more extras thrown in—such as air conditioning, automatic pilot, power steering and power brakes. Hughes argued that “the top of the line car is cheapest in the long run, and a person is better able to do the job if he has all the conveniences while getting there. The supervisors did not approve the request, but Hughes may get a new car anyway. He was in a collision at the corner of Sixth and F Streets Thursday, which resulted in damaging his car.

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