Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
I collect tidbits that interest me from area newspapers.
Here are a few from the first half of Mays past published in Roosevelt County papers:
• May 1, 1955: Portales Valley Mills workers discovered the company safe had been cracked the night before while three employees worked in an adjoining warehouse. Employees noticed a strange car in the parking lot, but hadn’t noticed anything out of place. The thieves took $70.
• May 2, 1910: The Roosevelt County Herald reported Portales was installing “a very comprehensive system of water works, sewers and electric lights,” and also working to build cement walks. Another city need was for more trees, which would “doubtless be fixed as soon as the city is able to supply water.”
• May 3, 1945: Area residents learned of the death of Capt. Laverne Nicklas of Dora. He was serving with Gen. George Patton’s Third Army when he was killed in action in Germany on April 16, The Portales Daily News reported.
• May 4, 1955: The Elida Tigers won the regional Class B baseball championship with a 13-3 decision over Forrest. Ronald Berry had a first-inning grand slam to set the pace for Elida, which qualified for the state tournament with the win.
• May 5, 1945: White Auto Store held its grand opening at 115 SW State St. in Portales. J.B. Morrow was owner/manager of the auto parts and home appliance store.
• May 6, 1955: Eastern New Mexico University was ready to host the 20th annual Ag Club Rodeo. The two-day run included a parade, rodeo performances and an all-university dance.
• May 7, 1910: Roosevelt County commissioners had introduced an ordinance aimed at prohibiting cattle, horses, mules, asses, swine, sheep and goats from running at large in the more populated precincts.
• May 8, 1960: The Tower Theatre was showing “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies,” starring Doris Day and David Niven. “It’s all about love and marriage and how to mix the two,” according to the promotional ad.
• May 10, 1955: Nineteen seniors graduated from Floyd High School. Joy Griffith was valedictorian and Annette Boyd was salutatorian.
• May 11, 1910: A 12-year-old Portales boy was struck by falling brick at a construction site. Officials said high winds likely were responsible for the accident. The boy was expected to recover “without complications,” the Roosevelt County Herald reported.
• May 12, 1910: The Roosevelt County Herald told its readers that Halley’s Comet was plainly visible between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. The paper reported it would be closest to Earth on May 18 and not so close again for 76 years.
• May 13, 1950: The Tower Theatre showed the controversial “Not Wanted,” an independent film about unwed motherhood. A promotional ad claimed it was “life itself” and reported the message would “lift you into the clouds.”
• May 14, 1960: City officials were pushing a proposed paving project. Promotional ads proclaimed, “The mayor and council members want to make as many progressive moves as possible, but we want your reaction because you are going to pay for the paving. If you do not protest, the city governing body will assume that you are in favor of the proposed paving.”
• May 15, 1950: Portales police had arrested a man who claimed he molested a 7-year-old girl in a city park. But officials had been unable to locate a victim. Sheriff J.N. McCall said the transient likely fabricated the story.
David Stevens writes about regional history for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:
