Wednesday, May. 21, 2008

May 21 in local history

SUN-STARDATE

5-21-08

TODAY IN LOCAL HISTORY

May 21, 1958

MERCY HOSPITAL SEEKS TO SOLVE BUILDING COSTS:

Mercy Hospital representatives are still hopeful of awarding the contract for construction of a new hospital building, but the problem of financing the project in the face of unexpectedly high costs has not yet been surmounted.

The low bid turned in last Thursday was $1,412,000, or $200,000 above the estimate. At present the hospital has about one million dollars available in state and federal funds and local pledges.

Sister M. Stanislaus, the hospital administrator, reported this morning that a series of conferences involving the low bidder, Harris Construction Co. of Fresno, various subcontractors, the architect, Paul Shattuck, and the hospital building committee is being held in an effort to solve the financing.

The contract must be awarded by June 30 if Mercy Hospital is not to lose approximately $640,000 allocated by the state and federal governments. By June 16 the hospital must present information to the State Bureau of Hospitals showing it can finance the work.

May 21, 1983

MC BEATS MJC TO FORCE PLAYOFF FOR CVC CROWN:

It took a 13-inning, 3-2 victory to get the job done, but Merced College finally captured the Central Valley Conference's second half baseball championship Friday with a playoff win over Modesto Junior College.

Jordan Stevens singled to drive in pinchrunner Don Mallonee with the winning run in the top of the 13th inning. Stevens, who is on a torrid hitting streak, drove in all three of his team's runs.

The big hit helped put the finishing touches on a brilliant joint pitching effort by Blue Devil hurlers Brad Arnsberg and Charlie Cash. Cash, who got the victory, limited the losers to one hit over the final 5 1/3 frames.

May 21, 1998

GROUNDBREAKING SET FOR COUNTY HEALTH BUILDING:

It'll be surprising if Michael Ford can get his hat on today.

Wednesday's ground breaking for the new county health building was largely an admiration fest for the public health director and his efforts to see the project to fruition.

"When I first started on the Board of Supervisors, I was told to watch out for Michael Ford," said board chair Kathleen Crookham. "He's going to get a new building built, don't get in his way."

Supervisor Joe Rivero praised Ford's tenacity and efficiency.

"It makes elected officials' job so easy to say, OK, let's do it," Rivero said. "(Ford and his staff) put all the pieces together."

County Administrator said the health department's struggle for more room began nearly two decades ago, and recounted his experiences in 1979, when he temporarily took over the department.

"In one week, we had a young woman in Atwater pass away from meningitis, a student at John Muir bitten by a rabid bat and at the same time we were inoculating youngsters because we had a tuberculosis epidemic," Wellman said. "I remember charging out of the office and tripping over a box that was being used as a filing cabinet.

His next remark, "Does that still happen?" was met with laughter from the department employees who were among the 100 or so people who turned out for the event.