Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Times
Saturday, September 4, 1976, page 1 (of 35)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
Stars for safety
Coral Gables police, in conjunction with the city's Chamber of Commerce, are launching a campaign to prevent your car from looking like the one pictured here. Police will give stars to safe drivers but will continue to issue tickets to those who aren't so safe. See story, Page 28.
Times | Guide
Serving The City Beautiful Since 1926 Florida's Best Suburban Newspaper 4627 Ponce de Leon Boulevard Coral Gables, Florida 33146 Phone 665-7981 36 Pages Vol. 50 No. 72 September 4/5, 1976 ** 10 Cents Weekend Edition
W. Dade cattleman seeks revenge against young rustling suspect
By ELIZABETH OWEN Staff Writer Leonard Valido finally got his revenge. The 45-year-old cattleman, who owns a ranch in West Dade, was looking for the culprit he has long suspected of rustling his herd. Sunday, Aug. 29, at 1:15 p.m., he found him. It was a sunny, gusty day, and big billowy clouds loomed overhead. Edward Machin, 24, and his friend Orlando Montano, 17, were riding double on Machin's horse Camaguey on the Bird Road extension — at SW 137th Avenue and Bird Road. It was a perfect day for a ride. But as they galloped down the dirt road the boys heard the roar of a motor and the crackling sound of wheels in the grit behind them. They turned and saw a two-and-a-half-ton International Harvester barreling down on them. It was too late to turn, to run, to hide. The young men looked at each other and at the oncoming truck, and resigned themselves to their fate. Valido — appearing crazed at the controls of the machine — flattened the accelerator to the floor and rammed the horse. Machin and the animal were thrown into a canal, and Montano was pinned beneath the truck. Valido stopped and reportedly jumped out with a machete, screaming at Machin: "I'll kill you for stealing my cattle." But he only brandished the machete, then got back in his truck and sped off. Camaguey struggled in the canal for half an hour, trying to swim with a broken leg. In the end, the chestnut-colored quarterhorse — valued at $5,000 — had to be pulled from the canal by a tow truck and put to death by the Humane Society. Machin suffered internal injuries, and Montano suffered the same plus a broken ankle. Both were See CHARGED, Page 13
Two lads tip cops to robber
By EDWIN KNIGHT Staff Writer Thanks to two boys 10 and 14 years of age, the South Miami Police Department nabbed a suspect in the break-in of the home of Chester Mills, 6355 SW 69th Ave., owner of University Men's Store in Coral Gables, last week. According to Officers T. Simmerer and M. Brandes, the youngsters, on the roof of their nearby home, heard the breaking of glass at the Mill's home, heard an alarm go off and saw the suspect ride off on a bicycle. They hurried off the See TWO, Page 21
Plant, shrub sale no happy occasion
Photo by ANA MARIA ALVAREZ South Miamian Virginia Roehner ... fears zoning law will destroy livelihood By ANA MARIA ALVAREZ Staff Writer This is the last weekend Virginia Roehner will be selling plants, shrubs, ferns and bromelaids at the Aritist Gardens, 6290 Bird Rd. At least it will be the last sale for the time being — until the elderly widow can raise enough money to construct an office building and restroom facilities required by the City of South Miami. Several weeks ago, Judge Francis O'Donnell ruled that Mrs. Roehner was guilty of operating without an occupational license and in violation of several city ordinances. He fined her $200 and gave her two weeks in which to sell her merchandise before closing down her nursery. This weekend she will have an "Invitational Sale" and the proceeds will go to the garden's building fund. "When I first started the business, city officials told me I couldn't build on this property that I've had for 25 years," said Mrs. Roehner. "Now they say I can't keep my business unless I build an office and two toilets. "But I'm tired of fighting them. I don't want to keep arguing. I buried my hatchet yesterday. Now I just want to raise enough money to do what the See PLANTS, Page 16