Pages past - April 20

On this date ...

1983: An abundant salamander crop was wreaking havoc with the drainage system at the Clovis wastewater treatment plant.

Dikes around the lagoon had been damaged, and two local farmers who had contracts to use the stored water for irrigation were trying to lower the level as quickly as possible so repairs could be made.

The challenge? The drain pipes kept filling with salamanders.

Clovis farmer Dan Ware said he had cleaned out 20 feet of a 6-foot drain pipe packed full of the remains of salamanders that had gone through the impeller blades on the water pump.

City crews were attempting to get screens on the drain pipes, but it was proving challenging.

1978: Five office occupation students at the Clovis Campus of Eastern New Mexico University had qualified to attend the Office Education Association national conference in Detroit. They thought they might have to cancel their trip after their instructor and sponsor, Mario Trujillo, became one of the victims of the botulism outbreak the previous week at the Colonial Park Country Club restaurant.

Instead the five — Babe McClain, Terry Nichols, Celia Quintana, Shandra Robison, and Jackie Vela — received the good news that they would be able to attend, with some help from a team of sponsors.

Lonnie Crowder of Clovis High School offered to accompany the students to Detroit; Linda Gambel of the State Department of Vocational Education agreed to watch over the students during the time they were competing; and Dora school business teacher Sarah Bilberry volunteered to accompany the group on the return trip to New Mexico.

Pages Past is compiled by Betty Williamson. Contact her at: [email protected]