La Cañada History: Locals back Clinton and McCain in ’08 Super Tuesday presidential primary

Ten Years Ago

In the Super Tuesday U.S. presidential primary elections, held Feb. 5, 2008, La Cañada voters supported Hillary Clinton in the Democratic race and John McCain in the Republican primary. Clinton received 54% of the La Cañada Democratic vote to 40% for Barack Obama. Among Republicans, McCain received 44% of the local vote while 36.5% went to Mitt Romney.

Twenty Years Ago

Renowned Lockheed test pilot Anthony “Tony” LeVier, who helped develop some of the world’s most advanced jet fighters, died from complications of cancer and kidney failure. During a lengthy career, Le Vier survived eight crashes and one mid-air collision. In 1950, the La Cañada man was at the controls of an XF-90 penetration fighter when it became the first Lockheed aircraft to break the sound barrier during a 60-degree dive at 900 mph.

Thirty Years Ago

Father Joseph A. Quatropane, O.F.M. Cap, was named the new principal of St. Francis High School beginning with the 1988-89 school year. He was coming to La Cañada from Roseburg, Ore., where he was pastor of St. Joseph Church. He would be replacing Father David Lapierre, O.F.M. Cap.

Forty Years Ago

Members of the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy Drama Club chose Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” to perform on stage in the school’s auditorium in February 1978.

Fifty Years Ago

A sell-out crowd of 300 was expected for the stag “Baseball Night” dinner planned in February 1968 by the La Cañada Junior Baseball Assn. Local resident Buzzie Bavasi, then the Los Angeles Dodgers’ vice president and general manager, was scheduled to be a special guest, as were Dodger players Al Ferrara and Bill Singer.

Sixty Years Ago

A 16-year-old La Cañada resident was recuperating in the prison ward of Los Angeles County General Hospital after his alleged attempt at armed robbery ended badly: A bullet was shot into his neck by his intended victim. The local teen was shot by the owner of a liquor store on South Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles, which the youth had entered with an accomplice. Police examined the .32-caliber revolver carried by the unsuccessful robber and found it was loaded, but with toy bullets.

Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.