The Hanford Sentinel from Hanford, California • 1

CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY Spring Rains, Hot Weather Cut Valley 9531 Output FRESNO (UPI) California's San Joaquin Valley- one of the richest agricultural regions in the world--is reeling backward this year in the face of several sledgehammer blows from mother nature. Everything seems to be going wrong this year. Late spring rains and cold weather setback some crops and prevented farmers from planting others on time; excessive run off from the Sierra Nevada flooded thousands of acres in the valley and now extreme hot weather is taking its toll. Fresno County last year topped the nation in dollar production with an all time high of $452 million. "We won't see that figure this year," predicted Ray Couch, director of the County Agricultural Extension Service of the University of California.

A SCHOOL BUS By JERRY HENRY New School Bus in of Orton Equipment (center) District Transportation Supervisor district will put into use this year two Patrol today. "All the crops have been hurt by the combination of late rains said County Extension Service Director John Hoyt. "But the heat is Merced County extension director. and cold and too much heat later in the season," he said. ruining them." "Cotton seems to be doing pretty well.

It likes the heat but the Grapes, one of the county's main crops, did poorly in most Excessive hot weather causes what is called pit burn or a crop was late starting so it's not as good as it could be." places this year. Couch said most vines were late in bearing be- darkening of the fruit near the stone. Tomato farmers are the big losers in Merced County. cause of the cold weather. The steady diet of 100 degree plus "It doesn't hurt you to eat a plum with pit burn," Joyt said.

"Some of the early tomatoes are almost two months temperatures in later months apparently has caused the grapes burned plums are rejected by the state inspectors and the he said. "They're picking some tomatoes now which usually are to be small. farmer has to throw them away." picked in June." George Borello, orchard superintendent for the vast Kern The late start was due to the cold weather in the spring, and Tomatoes also had difficulty getting started and the heat is County Land said the company lost nearly 100 per cent of now the ripening tomatoes are burning up. its plum orchard representing the loss of a potential $50,000 "They didn't set on well in the first place and now there causing sunburn which spoils the tomato. "First they (tomatoes) had too much water," Couch said.

"Now crop. is a lot of sunburn reported," Petersen said. with the heat, the farmers are getting behind in irrigation. They Although very few crops appear to be doing well this year, With most crops late and faltering, farmers can only hope for can't get enough water." cotton, corn and rice seem the least hampered by weather ex- a late fall. But banking on favorable weather conditions has been Further south in Kern County the hot weather has completely tremes.

a losing proposition this year. wiped out most plum orchards. "Grain corn won't be as good this year as last year but silage As one pessimistic grower put it: "Everything else has gone "We had some beautiful Queen Anne table plums this year," corn and rice are doing very well," reported Don Petersen, wrong this year. I imagine we'll get an early frost." The Hanford Sentinel ESTABLISHED 1886 HANFORD. KINGS COUNTY.

CALIFORNIA TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 5. 1967 10 CENTS Marines Blast Viet Cong From Key Hill; 54 Dead NEW BUSES Rice Tarvin ger bus to Hanford Elementary Supt. Maynard Liljeblad. The ed out by the California Highway Mideast Cease Fire Violated In Jordan River Tank Battle By WALTER LOGAN United Press International Israeli and Jordanian artillery, tanks, mortars and machineguns dueled across the Jordan River over a seven-hour period today.

There were some casualties on each side. It was the second Middle East cease-fire violation in less than 24 hours. Israeli and Egyptian guns dueled across the Suez Canal Monday in what an Israeli spokesman called a reminder that peace had not been stabilized. Each side blamed the other for starting today's series of firing near the Allenby Bridge. Amman Radio said "two of our soldiers were slightly wounded while it was confirmed that there were some casualties among enemy troops" and equipment.

Israel said two Israeli soldiers were wounded. Amman Radio, quoting a military spokesman, said Israeli troops first opened fire with light and medium machineguns, but as the day wore on brought up 106 millimeter field artillery, tanks and mortars. It said Jordan used similar equipment, In Cairo, the authoritative newspaper Al Ahram hinted at new political unrest in Egypt. It said Egypt's intelligence chief had "retired" in the wake of an alleged abortive plot to take over the army and perhaps depose President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Political unrest also was reported in Jordan, possibly sparked by Communist China.

Reports reaching Jerusalem said leaflets were circulated in Only In Kings County FRED LOCKWOOD bragging about 9-lb. 3-oz. boy who turned out to weigh only 8-lbs. 3-oz. GAMBLE explaining where her nationally famous brother, TOMMY SMITH is- in Tokyo.

BERGTHOLD and BARBARA FEAVER running down the mountainside. CASSIDY attending a 50th reunion of his World War I outfit in Los Angeles. BOOGAARD receiving a birthday card from his grandparents in Holland. Johnson Delays Comments on Viet Election Service presents keys for Bill Dial. new buses.

a new 76-passenAt 1 left is District One will be check- eight-hour artillery duel Tuesday across the Suez Canal. It said eight Arabs were killed and 25 wounded, implying all were civilians. Israel denied the Egyptian charge the shooting erupted whe, three Israeli ships tried to navigate the canal in violation of a U.N.-backed agreement that forbids either side to use the waterway. An Israeli military communique said one Egyptian torpedo boat was sunk, one Israeli soldier killed and another wounded in the fighting eventually halted by U.N. cease-fire observation teams.

In Algiers, diplomatic sources said it was virtually certain Algerian President Houari Boumedienne, openly intransigent in his attitude toward Israel, would reject a suggestion from Yugoslav President Tito for a compromise Arab-Israeli peace agreement. Kings County Borrows $750,000 from Bank Security First National Bank today was named successful bidder at the Kings County Board of Supervisors meeting to loan $750,000 to Kings County government to tide the county over its revenue-free period. Amman urging Iraqi troops stationed in Transjordan to overthrow Hussein and crush a "Nasser-Hussein plot" against the Palestinian people. The leaflets said King Faisal of Saudi Arabia- at Khartoumagreed to subsidize a plot by Nasser and Hussein, incited by the West, to deprive the Palestinians of their rights. It was believed the Palestine Liberation Committee of Ahmed Shukeiry was behind the agitation and with Peking's support.

King Hussein, on a visit to Ankara to try to enlist Turkish support against Israel, called for passive resistance in the occupied areas rather than acts of terrorism by the Fedayeen, the Arab terrorists who formerly carried out attacks against Israel. He said Fedayeen attacks could lead to strong Israeli retaliation. Egypt accused Israel of shelling foreign ships, a hospital and civilian homes during an The note will expire on or before June 30, 1968, and Security First National's bid of 3.35 per cent interest was the lowest of four submitted. The county borrowed the funds to finance its operations before property tax payments begin. Other bidders were United California Bank, 3.37 per cent; Bank of America, 3.43 per cent; and First Western Bank, 3.90 per cent.

In other business before the board: The board indicated it favors leasing more than 3,000 square feet of space in the Civic Center building across Douty Street to house the probation department. It is expected that the space, the former KSJV-TV studios would cost $200 per month plus an additional $10,000 for re- WASHINGTON (UPI) The White House and State Department, pleased with the large turnout in the South Vietnamese elections, are cautiously withholding comment on the victory of the military ticket headed by Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu, The Johnson administration has thus far limited itself to a statement congratulating the people of South Vietnam for their "large turnout in the face of a massive Viet Cong effort to the results. State Department officials and White House $ssistants declined Monday to comment on either the margin of victory for the ticket of Thieu and Premier Nguyen Cao Ky, or on the unexpected strong showing of "peace" candidate Truong Dinh Dzu, Nearly complete returns gave Thieu 1,601,077 votes, less than California Again Tops Death Toll The traffic death toll for the long Labor Day weekend fell short of the expected maximum number of deaths and ran behind last year's 636, late figures showed today.

The National Safety Council was cheered bythe news, but said it "certainly doesn't indicate that our nation can walk away from this problem." A United Press International count at 11 a.m., EDT showed that 583 persons were killed in traffic between the start of the holiday at 6 p.m. Friday and its end at midnight Monday local time. The breakdown: Traffic 583 Drownings 37 Planes 28 Miscellaneous 61 Total 709 California led the nation with 54 traffic deaths. Texas and Michigan had 44 each. New York had 42, Pennsylvania 25 and North Carolina 23.

CC Welcomes New Teachers The third annual Hanford Chamber of Commerce recognition luncheon for new Kings County teachers was held today in the cafeteria of Hanford's East Campus High School. Chamber officials Eugene Alldredge and Fred Wright welcomed the new teachers. Wright said about 75 of 97 new teachers were expected to attend. Dave Clardy, Education Committee chairman, was master of ceremonies. 40 per cent of the total, to Dzu's 726,649.

President Withholds Comment President Johnson devoted part of Labor Day to closely studying detailed election reports from Saigon, but Press Secretary George Christian gave no indication when the White House would comment on the results. State Department spokesman Carl Bartch would say that "The people of South Vietnam have expressed their choice and deserve our support." The President may decide to withhold comment on the election until the team of election observers he sent to Vietnam returns home Wednesday. The observers, impressed with Sunday's turnout and generally convinced the South Vietnamese elections were on the up-and-up, were stopping over today in Hawaii to discuss their findings. There is no fixed plan for Johnson to see the observers, but some members of the 22- man team are expected to give their personal impressions to him later this week. The President is also expected to receive a first hand report on the elections from Eugene Locke, deputy ambassador to South Vietnam, who is returning to Washington sometime this week.

Praise Election Procedure The State Department said Monday "The consensus of the American and other foreign observers (was) that the election was conducted remarkably, smoothly and fairly in the light of wartime conditions and Viet Cong harassment. Beauty Contestants BATHING BEAUTIES in all sizes make up the contestants for the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, The girls are (L-R) Kathleen Rowley of Vermont, who stands 5 feet 2 inch and Sharon Evans, Miss Arkansas, who stands 6 feet. At Least 35 Survive Czech Airliner Plummets Into Marsh GANDER, Nild. (UPI)- A. Czechoslavakian airliner carrying 69 persons and a full load of fuel for a flight to Havana crashed and burst into flames moments after takeoff today.

At least 35 persons survived. Some of the survivors were burned so critically they were not expected to live. One passenger who escaped the flaming wreckage alive died within hours at Gander's only hospital. Most of the 61 passengers and 8 crewmen were Czechs and Cubans, an airport spokesman said. The flight originated in Prague.

The four-engine turboprop plane rose to an altitude of 1,000 feet and then plummeted into a desolate marsh, skidding about welcomed 100 feet into a mainline track of the Canadian National Railway where it burst into flames. The flaming blast scattered people and wreckage over an area of of one mile. A witness to the crash said Navy Planes Chalk Up 127 Sorties SAIGON (UPI)- U.S. Marines striking into a valley of rice paddies near Da Nang killed 160 Viet Cong in a bloody battle for strategic Hill 63 Monday and drove forward with tanks today against the fleeing enemy, some of whom hid beneath water buffaloes to escape detection. The battle, which cost the Marines 54 dead and 84 wounded, was one of a series that flared from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to the Mekong Delta with end of the presidential elections.

The series of battles cost the Communists more than 300 dead. A total of 61 Americans died. The air war also stepped up Monday and carrier based planes streaked in from the Gulf of Tonkin and blasted two spans of one of Haiphong's two southern bridges only three miles from the center of the city. The 127 missions over the North cost one F105 and pilotthe 672nd U.S. plane shot down over North Vietnam.

Blunted Offense In Saigon, Lt. Gen, William B. Rosson, commander of the Army's I Field Force, said the 4th Infantry Division had shattered a Communist attempt to launch a major offensive into the Central Highlands. He said the offense was planned for June but the Americans killed 470 North Vietnamese regulars in battles since they blunted the offensive. He said the Reds had lost 36,000 men dead there in the past 18 months.

The big Marine battle was fought for 20 hours in the Que Son Valley 30 miles south of Da Nang. the area from which Communist troops carried out daring forays in Quang Ngai last week and freed more than 1,000 prisoners. It was also the (Continued on Page 2, Col. 2) modeling, spread over the five year life of the lease. A final decision will be made next week following detailed studies of the proposal, The supervisors discussed the advisability of using gasoline tax funds for the installation of street lights in areas of public gatherings, but also postponed a decision on this matter for two weeks until a full board was present.

Supervisor Leonard Close was absent today. A resolution opposing cuts in state financing of the Medi-Cal program which throw added burden on local taxpayers was presented, but action was postponed, Supervisors gave their permission for condemnation proceedings to begin on a parcel of property on the west side of Twelfth Avenue, north between Grangeville and Fargo Avenue owned by Anderson, after it was reported that negotiations to purchase the property had broken down. The property is needed by the county for improvement of Twelth Ave. the huge Soviet-built airliner appeared to lose power after it was airborne and plowed into the bog at a steep angle about a mile from the airport. The crash tore up several hundred feet of CNR tracks only minutes before an express train carrying 100 persons was to have passed.

The train had been unexplainably detained in the Gander station a mile away. Firemen sent to the scene first found two men, nearly naked, walking away from the crash. The copilot later was found walking in the marsh, apparently not seriously hurt, firemen said. The navigator also was among the survivors. Rescuers searched the 50- square mile bog for other possible survivors.

Thirty six persons were brought to James Paton Memorial Hospital, two miles from the airport. One later died of burns. Nearly all of the survivors were burned. About half of them were in critical condition. "Some of them won't survive because they are burned too badly," said George, Lister, assistant administrator of the hospital.

Hospital authorities were attempting to arrange a swift airlift of 10 of the most seriously burned to Halifax, 800 miles away, for treatment with artificial kidney machines. Sometimes vital kidney functions in severely burned persons fail, doctors said. At least four of the survivors were children. The hospital said four persons underwent immediate surgery for severe fractures. About 10 were not seriously hurt, a spokesman said.

At the crash site, firemen found a man, his wife and three small children, all of whom miraculously escaped the crash. All were burned so badly they could not walk. The man told firemen in English he couldn't remember the crash but was thankful his family was safe. The plane, a Soviet-manufactured IL18 belonging to Ceskoslovenske Keroline, the Czech national airline, had landed at Gander for refueling during a scheduled flight from Prague to Havana. It took off at 2:40 a.m.

The IL18, when fully loaded with fuel, is a virtual flying bomb. Fuel is stored in both wings and in its fuselage. After the fiery blast at the railroad track, the plane was reduced to debris. Only a tail section sticking out of the bog was recognizable. Even seats were ripped apart in the blast.

New Bushes ALBION, Mich. (UPI)- Sherif Joseph Liebherr is trying to find the person who planted 60 marijuana bushes in a patch of land here. The land is owned by Municipal Judge Theodore Van Dellen.