El Cerrito Looks at Conversion to Charter City — 65 Years Ago

Readers of El Cerrito Patch may recall that exactly one week ago, the City Council met to study greater home-rule by . Exactly 65 years ago today, on Oct. 10, 1946, the front page of the weekly El Cerrito Journal reported that the city was studying conversion to a charter city. Here are some of the actual headlines from that day's front page, followed by our brief summaries of the articles:

City Attorney Makes Further Charter Study

City Attorney Clifford C. Anglim reported to the City Council that he has embarked on an "extensive study" of El Cerrito becoming a charter city following the council's request that such a study be undertaken.

Bids Asked for Completion of Athletic Field

The Richmond Union high school board of trustees is seeking bids for completion of the athletic field at El Cerrito High School. The contract is to install a quarter-mile running track, bleachers and grading for the football field. (Patch readers may want to note that plans for completing the athletic field at the current El Cerrito High school will be discussed at the school library tomorrow night, Oct. 11, 2011 at 6:30 p.m.)

Safety Island for Avenue Approved

The City Council gave the green light to working with the State Highway Department to create a three-foot-wide wide strip down the middle of San Pablo Avenue to serve as a "safety zone." The plan also calls for marking two lanes of traffic on either side of the zone.

Faulty Ordinance Brings Dismissal

Mrs. Myrtle McCain of Oakland, who was driving in El Cerrito and struck 5-year-old Don Lane at the intersection of San Pablo and Potrero avenues, was exonerated of all blame by the judge after her attorney, John R. Strickland of El Cerrito, argued the city law on motorists yielding to pedestrians states clearly that motorists at operating traffic lights are not responsible for pedestrians who try to cross.

Bus Driver Cited in Crossing Crash

Amos Doane of the Richmond annext was sent to the Richmond Field Hospital with back injuries after a Key System bus driven by William R. Hayes ran into the back of Amos's car, which had halted at a school crossing at San Pablo and Stockton avenues. The bus driver was cited for not exercising due caution.

Motor Fire Defrosts Refrigerators

The fire department rushed to answer an alarm at the home of Jack Hollingshead at 416 Village Dr. When they arrived, they found a refrigerator motor smoking, which caused the ice cubes to melt. The report filed by Capt. Don Bonini stated, "Refrigerator overheats."