Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1937: A man accused of shooting a federal agent near Gallup was arrested "because his stirrups were shorter than cowboys use," the Clovis Evening News-Journal reported.
Guy Osborne was attempting to "disguise himself as a cowboy and ride past members of a posse searching for him," the paper reported.
The Evening News-Journal reported Osborne was known to Clovis police because of a recent investigation related to a car theft.
1937: Officials with Hotel Clovis announced Bob Sandusky and his orchestra would be returning for a Saturday night dance.
"There have been many requests for the return of this orchestra and the hotel management feels happy to present this orchestra to their many friends," the Clovis Evening News-Journal reported.
1951: Clovis law officers raided two locations in the city, arresting residents for selling “illegal intoxicants.”
Performers and fans of the Pioneer Days Rodeo were also brought into police headquarters for questioning about their alleged purchases of whiskey, wine, gin and cold beer.
1951: John Wilkins, 63, operator of Wilkins Grocery in Clovis, died of a heart attack at his home, 612 W. 10th.
Wilkins had been to the Pioneer Days Rodeo the night before, the Clovis News-Journal reported.
He was survived by his wife and three sons.
1951: Mrs. E. E. Hull, 90, the mother of one of Clovis’ more prominent citizens and a pioneer herself, died in a Clovis hospital after a lengthy illness.
Her son, Jack Hull, was longtime editor of the Clovis Journal and Clovis News and a state lawmaker.
Hull Street is named in the family’s honor.
1965: Heavy rains pounded the region and a tornado ripped the roof off of a farm barracks near Lazbuddie where eight workers were living.
No injuries were reported in the storm.
Parts of Curry County measured 2.24 inches of rain.
1966: Local Future Farmers of America members returned from the state FFA convention in Albuquerque, where Pat Woods of Grady received the Sunshine State Farmer Award. It was “the highest annual honor bestowed by the state group,” according to the Clovis News-Journal.
Woods, a third-year member of the Grady FFA, was farming 100 acres of wheat and 73 acres of grain sorghum, and owned 90 feeder steers.
Jerry Wood of Dora received a Foundation Award at the convention, and Edward Ford of Clovis was named Sunshine Green Hand. Larry Graf of Clovis received third place in chapter reporting, and Billy Rush of Dora was named a candidate for the American Farmer Award.
1968: Radio station KICA was home to "the all-American sound" and promoted itself as the No. 1 radio station in Clovis.
General Manager Bill Torbert said the No. 1 designation was determined by a "National Rating Service."
Torbert thanked the station's trade area in a newspaper ad.
"KICA will continue to bring to the citizens of our coverage area the best in entertainment, the most complete and up to date news coverage, be it local or national," he wrote.
The newspaper ad spotlighted a dozen station employees, including News Director Richard W. Morgan, Sports Director Leon Williams, Women's News Reporter Dorothy Gameral, Traffic Reporter Gloria McKenzie, Sales Manager Hugh McEvoy, Operations Manager Jerry Welch and Chief Engineer Stewart Bean.
Janice Stout was Miss KICA for 1968.
KICA had been around since 1934.
The property on Sycamore Street near Hillcrest Park Zoo is no longer operating as a radio station.
1969: An estimated 15,000 to 25,000 people had attended an open house at Cannon Air Force Base.
While many were there for the static displays of F-111 fighter jets and other aircraft used by the 832nd Air Division, the Thunderbirds and Golden Knights were the main attractions.
The Clovis News-Journal reported hundreds of people also lined the highway between Clovis and Cannon to watch the aerial displays.
1971: The Holiday Inn, “just three minutes from downtown Clovis,” advertised a $1.19 buffet featuring salads and entrees including molded Jello salad, beef stroganoff, chicken with dumplings, and braised smoked pork ribs.
Over at Reiser’s Dairy Queen, there was a special on soft-serve sundaes in all flavors. Regular prices were 20 cents and 35 cents, but during the week-long sale, locals could satisfy their sweet teeth for 16 and 26 cents, respectively.
1975: A stretch of wheat fields between Clovis and Grady were wiped out by a 20-minute hail storm.
Growers had been predicting a banner crop, but said the marble-sized hail reduced crops to stubble.
“You hate to settle for insurance money,” said Vincent deMaio, who farmed 10 miles northwest of Clovis. “You work 12 months and you like to see it come up.”
DeMaio said he’d been expecting 55 to 60 bushels of wheat per acre.
“As soon as the claims adjuster gets here, we’re going to plow it up and plant late-season milo,” he said.
1986: The Clovis News-Journal had a half-page list of “101Things You Can Do With Today’s Newspaper.”
Besides the obvious like “1. Obtain information” and “2. Advertise something you want to sell,” the list included:
7. Temporary rain hat
43. Mark size of foot when ordering shoes
49. Use between two layers of diaper to waterproof baby
63. Add several sheets to rolled up money to impress girl
101. Carry around so Mom and Dad will at least think you are looking for a job.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
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