CROWDS BID GOODBYE TO VUKOVICH — Billy Vukovich III was remembered as a likeable, friendly, young man who was also a very talented race car driver, during funeral services at Northwest Church in Fresno. An estimated 1,500 packed the church and filled the outside area where the service was broadcast over loudspeakers. Pastor Cody Gunderson of Yosemite Lakes Community Church and Ken Conventry, promoter at Madera Speedway, eulogized the 27-year-old driver who was killed in a racing accident in Bakersfield. Among those attending the services were fellow Indianapolis 500 drivers Johnny Rutherford, Pancho Carter, and Gary and Tony Bettenhausen.
BOARD CONTINUES TO TACKLE PUMSEY ISSUE — In an attempt to quell the unrest over the Pumsey self-esteem program, Madera Unified trustees named a new committee to examine the issue. Each board member made an appointment to the committee. Board President Benny Barsotti chose Pastor Sam Bruce; Bill Driggs chose Lona Prosperi; Joe Flores picked Betty Finley; Gus Gustaveson decided on Ellie Row; Carolyn Nolan selected Don Nielsen; B.J. Robinson chose Regina Hansen; and Ray Seibert picked Jerol Holiday. Barsotti said Pumsey is not the critical issue but rather the significant amount of unrest the program created. “It would be nice to see parents getting as excited about their children’s learning reading, writing, and arithmetic as they are about Pumsey,” Barsotti said.
BOARD OPPOSED RENAMING HIGHWAY 41 — Congressman Richard Lehman’s proposal to rename Highway 41 after the late Billy Vukovich III has drawn opposition from the Madera County Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Rick Jensen was the first to express opposition to the idea in Tuesday’s board meeting. Supervisor Gail Hanhart McIntyre echoed Jensen and added if anything should be named after Vukovich, it should be the Madera Speedway. “We know he raced at the Speedway, but we don’t know he raced on Highway 41,” she said. Board Chairman Harry Baker agreed, calling naming the highway after Vukovich, “completely inappropriate.” Jensen’s proposal did, however, find support with Assemblyman Jim Costa.
GARIBAY REFLECTS: ENJOYED COUNCIL TERM — “We didn’t always agree ... but we moved on as a team for the betterment of the community. No one had any dreams of bettering themselves. We were just watchdogs over the city employees.” So said Robert Garibay after leaving the Madera City Council, having served a single term. Garibay cited pressing business pressures as the reason for his not seeking a second term. Garibay said the only negative aspect was working with the county on the property tax sharing agreement. Garibay praised his former colleagues on the council, citing the expertise in each of them. The former mayor said a run for the school board in two years might be possible...