KXO RADIO - Imperial County Loses Another Icon

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Todays is : Thursday, 20 November 2008

Written by George Gale
Saturday, 15 July 2006
(THE COUNTY LOSES ANOTHER ICON)….DON COX LOST HIS BATTLE WITH CANCER THURSDAY. THE NORTHEND FARMER WAS A LEADER IN THE DEFENSE OF IMPERIAL VALLEY WATER RIGHTS. HE BEGAN LEADING THE FIGHT TO PRESERVE THE LOCAL WATER DURING THE FIRST WATER TRANSFER BETWEEN THE IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT AND THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT. HE WAS ELECTED TO THE IID BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN 1988, AND CARRIED ON THE STRUGGLE FROM THERE. COX MENTORED AND SPARRED WITH YOUNGER DIRECTORS AND FUTURE DIRECTORS, INCLUDING BRUCE KUHN AND ANDY HORNE. HE WAS A MAJOR FORCE BEHIND THE DEFENSE OF THE VALLEY'S WATER FROM THE BASS BROTHERS, WHO HAD WANTED TO FALLOW THEIR LAND TO CONSERVE WATER TO SELL OUTSIDE THE COUNTY. COX CAME TO THE COUNTY IN 1952 TO BEGIN FARMING WITH HIS FATHER. THE WORLD WAR TWO NAVY VETERAN BECAME A LEADER IN THE AG COMMUNITY, REPRESENTING THEM ON THE FARM BUREAU AND VEGETABLE GROWERS ASSOCIATION BEFORE JOINING THE WATER WARS. SERVICES WILL BE HELD TUESDAY, WITH A PRIVATE SERVICE IN THE MORNING AND A PUBLIC VIEWING AT THE STOCKMAN’S CLUB IN BRAWLEY.