Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1945: Ted Thomas, who spent a lot of time working in the Rogers area before joining the military, was back in the United States at a West Coast hospital, The Portales Daily News reported.
Thomas was “being treated for his nerves,” the newspaper reported after surviving the Bataan Death March and subsequent imprisonment.
1951: Pioneer Air Lines at the Clovis airport reported sustained winds at 35 mph and gusts to 45 mph.
High temperatures were in the 40s.
“Anybody out today with a coat on most certainly has to hang onto it to keep it from blowing away,” the Clovis News-Journal reported. “And a hat — it had best be tied on.”
1966: Snell’s Bible Book Store at 104 W. Fifth St. in Clovis offered a “complete line” of books, Bibles, cards, children’s books and Bible stories, according to a newspaper ad.
The store was among multiple sponsors for the newspaper’s weekly Merchants Business and Industrial Review published in the Clovis News-Journal.
1969: Newspaper tidbits from small towns:
… Jean Hasly, who lived at 765 Comer in Clovis, reported to police that someone had stolen a tricycle from her yard.
… Charlene Sours of Forrest celebrated her 14th birthday with a slumber party. Those present played volleyball and enjoyed birthday cake and ice cream.
… The Elida FFA boys, with their sponsors, went on a road trip to Las Cruces. John Anthony took them in his school bus.
… Elida High School hosted a local talent show. Songs, square dancing, readings and dialogues were presented. Mrs. Cozy Faubian sang the song “Elida PTA.”
… The Bill Williams family of Portair visited relatives in House.
1971: Dry weather was causing problems for area farmers and ranchers.
“Climate observers are calling the drought one of the worst since the early 1920s,” the Clovis News-Journal reported.
Curry County farmer Truman Woody said the ground on his property southeast of Clovis was so hard, “You can’t plow it.”
“There’ll come a day and a time when you won’t be able to pump well water,” Woody said. “I’m sure of that.”
1972: In local sports news …
… Clovis High School gymnastics coach Larry Allen had been elected president of the National High School Gymnastics Coaches Association. The announcement came during the NCAA gymnastics championships held in Ames, Iowa.
… Joe Randolph, owner of Randolph Peanut Mills in Portales, had recorded a net-68 score to win the district Rotary golf tournament in Hobbs. Randolph qualified to travel to Houston to compete in the International Rotary golf tournament.
1972: Charles Earnest Cooper, postmaster in Melrose for 18 years, had retired to spend time traveling and rock hunting, the Portales News-Tribune reported.
Charles and his wife Thelma planned to continue living on their farm a mile west of Melrose, enjoying their fruit and shade trees.
The new postmistress was Ruby Phillips, who had been a postal clerk for 13 years.
1972: First National Bank of Portales was celebrating 70 years of service. R. L. Borden was chairman of the board of directors. The bank opened on May 1, 1902.
1973: More than 3,500 Portales citizens turned out in a highly publicized election, voting by the narrowest of margins to keep Portales dry by continuing the ban on alcohol sales that had been in effect since 1918.
It took multiple recounts and days for the results to be verified, after the margin in the first count was only seven votes.
The voter turnout was the “largest ever for a prohibition repeal election in Portales,” according to the Clovis News-Journal.
The city officially lifted prohibition in another election two years later.
1983: Members of the Clovis High School drama department were putting finishing touches on “The Final Dress Rehearsal,” a dinner theater fundraiser to benefit the Lyceum Theater restoration project.
Carolyn Toliver was the director for the group, and Les Hubby was lined up to cook the dinner for the event being held at Central Christian Church in Clovis.
The Clovis Junior Women’s Club was sponsoring the event; tickets were $10.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
