GARIBAY CONTINUES PUSH TO PHASE OUT CARDROOMS — City Councilmember Robert Garibay is advocating phasing out cardrooms in Madera, saying the 11 businesses in the city are not desirable. “I believe the people of Madera are looking at revitalization of downtown, and revitalization does not include cardrooms,” Garibay said. Under Garibay’s plan, as existing cardrooms close their doors over the years, the zoning would be changed to prevent a new cardroom from entering the facility. The proposed moratorium has triggered outcries from card players and enthusiasm from leaders of local churches.
DIVERS FIND GIRL’S BODY — The body of 11 year-old April Marie Quental, who drowned in Ash Sough, was found Wednesday afternoon by a dive team. She was found 15 feet from where the body of her brother, 14 year-old Donald Anthony Quental, Jr., was found earlier that day. The boy had run down the riverbank to try to save his sister when she fell in. Neither child knew how to swim. The girl had been wading when she was taken by the currents. The children’s father has charged that there were no signs warning people of the recent dredging and sudden dropoffs. Barry Beal, manager of the Chowchilla Water District, said, “I’m sure we’ll try to tell people it’s not safe to swim there.”
HAMMONDS WIN JUDGEMENT FROM COUNTY — An American Indian family that closed a rural road near Oakhurst, claiming they were never paid for the land, won a $113,747 judgement from Madera County. A U.S. District Court jury in Fresno granted the Hammond family almost the entire amount they requested for what became Echo Valley Road. Madera County had offered to pay $70,493 for the right of way, which the county took in 1961. A separate aspect of the dispute between the Hammonds and Madera County is being handled by federal Judge Edward Dean Price without a jury. He is trying to determine how much the Hammonds should be paid in damages from public use of their road.
MADERA MAN KILLED AFTER BEING RUN OVER BY A TRAIN — A former outstanding defensive tackle for Madera High School was killed early this morning by a northbound train near the Fresno River. Glen Dale Layton, 25, was declared dead at the scene following the 12:10 a.m. accident just north of the river. For reasons unknown, Layton was lying on the tracks this morning and was spotted by train personnel who were unable to stop. Layton apparently raised up as the train approached at 40 to 45 mph. “We don’t know why he was there,” said Police Chief Gordon Skeels. “At this point, it appears to be accidental,” Skeels added...