Years ago in the week of Feb. 12
Courtesy of The Madera County Historical Society
Finger Lickin’ Good — It took just the right touch to get peanut butter on an apple slice 25 years ago without getting some on your fingers. Sunny Gallegos, 3, licked the peanut butter off her fingers in preparation for the morning snack at Tot World.
25 Years Ago Week of Feb. 12, 1992 MAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY HITTING CHILD — A Madera man was jailed Monday after allegedly striking a 12-year-old child. According to Madera Police Captain Charles Dickinson, police received a call from a youth at a payphone at the Bridge Store Market about 6:00 p.m. When officers arrived, they were told Arredondo Gamboa, 48, had been arguing with the victim then struck her with his fist. He then allegedly pointed a gun and threatened the juvenile with it. When officers confronted Gamboa, they found a .38 caliber pistol, which the victim identified as the one used to threaten her. Gamboa was booked into the County Department of Corrections.
NOT MUCH GROUP HOME OPPONENTS CAN DO — As homeowners in the Yosemite Lakes Park subdivision hiss and fume over the introduction of group homes to their neighborhood, area and state legislators say for now, they can do little but sympathize. The problem comes from state laws, which nullify county ordinances regarding land zoning and usage where group homes are concerned. In effect, a group home can locate anywhere its administrators choose as long as it has a license. Scott Welch, a legislative assistant said the laws were established to circumvent the “not-in-my-back yard” attitude. Legislation has been tried every year to give control back to the counties, but they all have died.
POLICE WARN BUSINESSES AGAINST PHONY $20 BILLS — Madera police are warning local businesses to be on the lookout for counterfeit $20 bills. According to Capt. Charles Dickinson, various businesses have received the fake bills recently. He said the phonies feel more coarse than usual, the green color is a little off the normal shade, and the margins are not consistent. Some have had the same serial number. Dickinson said the suspects try to pass the bills when the store is at is busiest. He advised clerks and others who handle money to carefully check the $20 bills they see. Dickinson suggests anyone finding a suspicious bill call 911.
THOMAS TO STAND TRIAL FOR MURDER — Finding sufficient evidence for a trial, District Court Judge Victor Dahman set Feb. 19 as the day Glenn Thomas, the Madera man accused of murdering his girlfriend, will face charges in Superior Court. Thomas allegedly shot Xionara “Sue” Navarro in her home on Greenway on Nov. 2, 1991. The body, wrapped in a comforter, was found floating in a canal east of Highway 33 in Dos Palos three days later by two women who were fishing. Thomas allegedly said he had accidentally shot Navarro when she showed up in the bathroom with a gun and they scuffled. Thomas will be held without bail until the trial begins at the Madera County Courthouse.
LONGTIME MADERAN IDA TOSCHI DIES — Ida Toschi, 101, of Madera died Thursday, Feb. 13, in her home. She was a native of Lucca, Italy, born in San Ginese. She arrived in the United States in 1909 and was a resident of Madera for 80 years. She was married at St. Johns Church to Attilio Toschi on June 26, 1909. He died on July 9, 1955. Mrs. Toschi and her husband started the first garbage pick-up service in Madera in 1911. They moved to the present family ranch in 1916 and lived there to the day of her death. She was a member of St. Joachim Catholic Church. She is survived by five sons, Fortunato, Roy, Joe, Lou, and Armondo Toschi.
50 Years Ago Week of Feb. 12, 1967 GAS STATION HOLDUP NETS DUO $75 — Police officers on routine patrol this morning found Bob Fletcher tied up and lying on the island of Paul’s Mobil Station at Cleveland and Gateway Drive. The 24-year-old Fletcher, an attendant at the gas station, said he had been robbed and then tied up by two men a short time before he was found. Fletcher told police the two men came in and asked for a can of gasoline. He gave them the gas and took a $5 deposit. The men returned a short time later and returned the can. Fletcher was giving them their deposit when one of the men informed him, “This is a stickup.” The men took around $60 from the station’s cash box and another $15 from Fletcher.
YOUTH INJURED WHILE HUNTING MICE WILL RECOVER — Jack Irby, 13, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Irby, is in Valley Children’s Hospital today after being injured in a hunting accident Saturday. Sheriff Marlin Young said the Irby boy and his brother, Earl, were hunting mice with a .22 caliber rifle around a haystack on Avenue 9. He said one mouse ran out of the haystack, and Jack stepped on it. Another one ran out, and he hit at it with the rifle butt. When the rifle struck the ground, it discharged and the boy was struck in the nose and left eye by the bullet. Hospital authorities reported the boy’s condition as satisfactory.
NICK PAVLOVICH RESIGNS CITY POST — After spending seven years on the City of Madera’s administrative staff, Assistant City Administrator Nick Pavlovich has decided to move on. Pavlovich has announced that he will assume the duties of public works director and purchasing agent for the city of Reedly. The position is, in essence, the city administrator since Reedly does not have the title as such. Pavlovich will be replaced by a college senior majoring in business. Madera will conduct a test in the near future of college seniors majoring in business. One will be chosen as an administrative assistant and if successful will be promoted to assistant city administrator.
COOLING OFF PERIOD ON HATCH DISMISSAL — A 60-day cooling off period in the furor over War on Poverty director Allen Hatch was voted Tuesday night, but one organization said it won’t wait. The Madera County Action Committee for the poverty war voted 17-5 to take the recommendations of its executive board to lay letters demanding Hatch’s dismissal on the table for two months. However, the Community Service Organization, one of the three groups out to “hatchet” Hatch, announced that it will picket his office. CSO spokesman Benny Garibay said the organization represents 200 persons and is “fed up” with Hatch. “If we have to picket in front of his office, we’ll do it,” Garibay said.
GABBY LOSES HIS BIG DAY IN COURT — Colorful early-day entertainer Edward (Gabby) Bradburn failed to win over an important audience Monday. A Sierra Justice Court Jury convicted Bradburn of maintaining an illegal junkyard at his place north of Coarsegold on Hwy. 41, a landmark for more than 20 years. The jury brought in the verdict after 25 minutes of deliberation. District Attorney James Hanhart prosecuted the case. The prosecution admitted that Gabby hasn’t been bothering anybody. The offense of which he has been convicted is a misdemeanor, carrying a possible jail sentence and fine.
