1960: Charges Against Waitress Dropped After Shooting

According to the Spring Valley Bulletin, here's what was happening in your neighborhood, this week in 1960:

– Firemen burned down several buildings on Campo Road in order to clear the site for a development project. The burning also served as a training exercise for local firefighters. The development in question is proposed to include a 16-lane bowling alley, which will be owned by Sidney Kent. The development will also include a cocktail lounge, coffee shop, billiard hall, and a sporting goods store, and will cost roughly $500,000.

– A waitress at Linda's Cafe on Calavo Drive was recently freed on a deadly weapon's charge, after being accused in the near-fatal shooting of Henry Edsel Davenport, the cafe's owner. Geraldine McCourry, 38, was accused of shooting Davenport twice in the chest with a .45 calibur automatic, after she claims he "was pushing me around and calling me a tramp." The two shared an apartment. Doctors said that Davenport, who refused to sign a compaint against McCoury, had "a miraculous recovery" from his gunshot wounds.

– It was ruled by CHP commander Captain R. Gautsche that midget cars were illegal on local roadways. Gautsche warned residents to keep the small, gas-powered vehicles off the road or face prosecution. The law was made following the death of a 15-year-old Southern California boy, who died after crashing his midget car into a parked car.

– Harry Johnston, the assistant head football coach at Mt. Miguel HS, was promoted to head coach, after former head coach Tom Welbaum had a dispute with the district, and left the position. Johnston was the head coach at Vista High School in the Avocado League, and also coached in Dayton, Oregon. He is a graduate of the Univerity of Nebraska.