Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1946: Clovis’ city jail was faced with “overflow” after a busy weekend resulted in 17 arrests.
Charges included fighting, public drunkenness, carrying a concealed weapon, operating a gambling house, vagrancy and indecent exposure.
All 17 were expected to have their cases heard over the next two days.
1951: Clovis police were called back into action after two consecutive days with zero calls for service.
Weekend activity included a domestic disturbance and a minor traffic accident.
1966: Eight Roosevelt County girls were packing their suitcases for New Mexico Girls State, set to open later in the week on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
Dora School’s representative was Nicky Gresham, while Causey School was represented by Ramona Casey. Elida School’s candidate was Beverly Radcliff, and Mary Ella Dobbs was selected by Floyd School.
Portales High School had four representatives: Sheryl Brasell, Sue Kremenak, Coreta Prude, and Sissy Whitworth.
The eight were among 280 New Mexico students expected to participate in the 19th annual Girls State gathering.
1969: A former Eastern New Mexico University student had been featured in “Personalities on Parade,” a chatty section on Army personnel in the June issue of “Army Digest.”
1st Lt. Gloria Maestas graduated from ENMU in 1968. She was serving in the Women’s Army Corps at Fort McClellan, Ala.
The Clovis News-Journal reported Maestas was the first person to participate in a guest lecture program at the Fort McClellan elementary school.
Maestas said she used rocks and minerals to teach a science class to more than 200 students in grades one through five. Some of those rocks were “from her own collection, which she put together as a zoology and geology major at Eastern,” CN-J reported.
1975: A Clovis cattle buyer reported he’d been robbed of $13,000 cash.
Clarence Erdwurm, 61, said a man attacked him when he got out of his car in front of his home at 1932 Gidding St. He believed three men were involved in the robbery.
All of the money was in $100 bills, Erdwurm said.
He told police he’d been to two local lounges prior to returning home about 11:20 p.m.
A 2-year-old Clovis boy found $4,300 in cash a day later and police said they believed it was part of the money taken from Erdwurm.
1976: Larry Fulgham of Clovis and Mike Leatherwood of Melrose placed fifth in team roping at the New Mexico High School Rodeo Finals in Albuquerque, earning a slot to compete at the National High School Rodeo Finals slated for August in Sulphur, La.
Craig Pettigrew of Clovis was also a state finalist in calf roping, team roping, and steer wrestling. Fulgham also competed in calf roping, and Leatherwood was a finalist in both steer wrestling and calf roping.
At the concurrent New Mexico High School Rodeo Queen competition, Vicki Snodgrass, a 1976 graduate of Texico High School, took home the title of Miss Congeniality.
1981: Actor Clayton Moore, who portrayed “The Lone Ranger” for 30 years on television, delivered a rousing keynote address to a crowd of 300 during the annual meeting of the New Mexico Cattle Growers at the Holiday Inn in Clovis.
Described as looking “lean and vigorous at 67,” Moore told the cattle growers he attributed his good health to “clean living,” adding, “I don’t drink or smoke and I ride or swim nearly every day.”
He held an autograph session ahead of his speech, taking time to admonish children he met to “respect God, your country, and your mom and dad … always obey them and show respect for policemen — they’re your best friends.”
Harold Dean of Clovis introduced Moore and called the convention a “splendid success.”
1993: A Las Vegas, Nev., man pleaded guilty to racketeering and fraud charges, allegedly resulting in $30 million taken from about 30,000 residents deceived across the country.
A Clovis grand jury indicted James Alpert after 15 victims were identified in Curry County.
Alpert ultimately received a seven-year prison sentence. Two of his business partners also were sent to prison in connection with the scheme.
Alpert, according to the Clovis News-Journal, said his company sold vitamins, cosmetics and other items by intentionally deceiving customers into believing they would receive trips and other valuable prizes with their purchase.
Clovis prosecutor Randall Harris and investigator James Skinner were widely credited with uncovering the scheme, which resulted in 22 employees of K&M Marketing being indicted on state and federal charges.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
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