La Cañada History: Margaret Thatcher visited the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Ten Years Ago: Stan Kaull, Brian Hull, Tiffany Neumeier Bennett and Lindsay Parker were inducted into the La Cañada High School Athletic Department’s Hall of Fame.

Twenty Years Ago: Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of Great Britain, visited the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge where she was greeted by enthusiastic applause from JPL employees and trailed throughout her tour by media representatives. Joining her on the visit was her husband, Sir Denis Thatcher.

Thirty Years Ago: The Planning Commission unanimously agreed there should be an ordinance in place that would limit commercial hours, after hearing from residents concerned that a 24-hour 7-Eleven store might open in La Cañada Flintridge.

Forty Years Ago: A young man described as having “shaggy blond hair” who gave false identification rented $1,164 in skiing equipment from Sport Chalet but never returned it, prompting a grand-theft report at the local sheriff’s station.

Fifty Years Ago: Ellen Ellis, who received the most votes in the January 1961 school unification/school board election, was seated as the new board’s president. As the local elementary district began its transition to a unified district that would begin operating in July of that year, Ellis invited community members to make it a habit to attend the sessions and to take any school-related concerns to the board.

Sixty Years Ago: New officers were elected for La Ca-Teens, a youth organization for La Cañadans in seventh through 12th grades that boasted approximately 150 members.

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Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci