1960: Go-Carts, Butterflies and Trampolines In Spring Valley

There was a lot to talk about around the water cooler in Spring Valley, this week in 1960. From the fun to the serious, here's what was going on in your 'hood.

– A Spring Valley boy was seriously injured when his go-cart was struck by a pickup truck. Howard E. (Gene) Butler, 10 was sent to Grossmont Hospital with a fractured skull, after the go-cart he was driving in a vacant lot drifted into oncoming traffic. He and friend Billy Fritz, 10, who was riding on the car, were struck by a pickup truck. Fritz sustained only scratches and bruises.

– A Spring Valley youth won the Mount Miguel High School Science Fair Sweepstakes for his collection of more than 300 mounted butterflies. Robert Watkins, 15, told the Spring Valley Bulletin that he took more than two years adding to his collection, and traded with many other butterfly collectors. The project called "Butterfiles and Their Distribution," were classified by genus and species and featured more than 100 different species. Watkins, an honor student (of course he is), said that he was trying to find the causes of seasonal variations of the butterflies.

– A trampoline operation center in Casa de Oro had a special use permit approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, despite opposition from neighboring property owners. Applicant P.J. Fazio was seeking to set up the fun center at the corner of Cordoba and Dolores streets, and planned on the installation of 10 trampolines. Dissenters of the center said installation would cause noise, traffic hazards and property depreciation.

Are we sure we can't have a trampoline center nowadays? How awesome does that sound?