Suzanne Gilstrap, who was paralyzed for life when a 20-foot-long tree limb fell on her at the Los Angeles County Arboretum on July 25, 1977, has won a $1,625,000 settlement from the County. Miss Gilstrap, now 16, has appeared as a paraplegic in a recent television movie, "Skyward," with Bette Davis.
Governor George Deukmejian signed into law legislation transferring title of Arcadia and Monrovia's arboreta from the state to the county of Los Angeles.
The Arboretum was awarded a $25,000 emergency grant from the Institute of Museum Services. The funds will be used to repair the damage that occurred during a windstorm in February.
Article discusses severe budget and staff cuts at the Arboretum. Since 1975 the staff has been cut by 40 percent. The most recent county budget cut another $250,000 from the department.