Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1988: United States Rep. Manual Lujan Jr. had announced plans to retire after the end of his 10th term serving the people of New Mexico's first congressional district.
Lujan, 59, was first elected in 1968, which was the first election after apportionment gave New Mexico a second seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Lujan said the heart attack he suffered in 1986 was not the reason for his retirement.
Rather, "so many of my colleagues have stayed too long," Lujan said. "It was always my fear I would stay too long and not have my health."
1978: More than 150 local farm strikers showed up at the welfare office at the Bruce King State Office Complex in Clovis to apply for food stamps as part of their ongoing protest against low agriculture prices.
One of the organizers said the action was a publicity stunt designed to draw attention to the farmers' plight.
"But most of these young farmers probably will qualify for food stamps," Gorman Byrd added.
The farmers arrived in a caravan with 62 tractors and 36 farm vehicles. After applying for food stamps, the caravan traveled across Clovis to the Employment Security Commission of New Mexico and the State Employment Service Office to continue their protest.
Pages Past is compiled by Betty Williamson. Contact her at: [email protected]
