Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1937: Two-hour parking limits on Clovis' Main Street were a day away from being implemented.
"Enforcement of the law was expected to be light until proper warning signs have been created," the Clovis Evening News-Journal reported.
Signs were being prepared to warn motorists about the time limits, which would be enforced on Main Street between First and Fifth streets and a block east and west of Main.
1937: Jimmy Gamewell, the pro at Clovis' municipal golf course, "declared war on motorists in the vicinity of Hillcrest Park" after a car drove over two newly painted grass greens, causing major damage, the Clovis Evening News-Journal reported.
Gamewell said he suspected teenage vandals were responsible for the damage.
He said he was "declaring war on kids" driving cars around the golf course property, the newspaper reported.
1951: A 40-year-old Clovis man was among 50 people killed when a United Air Lines DC-6 crashed into a ridge of Crystal Mountain northwest of Denver.
Thomas “Les” Evans, an electrical field engineer with the Rural Electrification Administration, had been attending an REA conference in Salt Lake City. He was on his way to another REA meeting in Lubbock.
Investigators ruled pilot error caused the crash. Officials said the pilot, in a dark cockpit, may have selected an incorrect audio frequency switch.
1961: “Flying Saucers” were scheduled to be in Clovis on Aug. 3-5. That was the name the city's Retail Merchants committee decided on for its annual back-to-school and summer clearance sales promotions.
Paper plates were slated to be thrown from the tops of downtown buildings during the promotion, which could be turned in for prizes.
On Aug. 5, all the paper plates were to be dropped into a box with the name of the person who retrieved the paper plate written on it. The winner of that drawing was to receive a used car.
1966: A Portales native had died from injuries suffered in Vietnam.
Machine Gunner Harry Gordon Dyer had been in Vietnam since Jan. 1.
The Portales High School graduate was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Dyer.
He worked at the Portales News-Tribune before entering the Army.
1971: Larry Powell of the Booth Pharmacy Bombers had pitched his team past C&S Oil, 4-0, in Portales fast-pitch softball action.
The Bombers, C&S and White's Shamrock were making plans for the annual Portales Invitational scheduled for July 4.
1971: D&L Cleaners in Portales announced it was “going on vacation” and would be closed July 1-5. A newspaper ad promised customers, “See you on the 6th with lots of dirty clothes.”
1974: Clovis-Portales District Attorney Fred Hensley had announced he would eliminate plea bargains when seeking punishment for “drug pushers.” Hensley said his office would seek penitentiary time for anyone convicted of selling drugs, eliminating the option of probation.
Hensley said the number of trials would increase, at greater expense to taxpayers, but it is “the only alternative to combat the tremendous increase in drug pushing.”
Portales News-Tribune Editor Gordon Greaves was critical of the decision in a published editorial.
“Our system of justice is predicated upon every criminal charge being judged on its own merits,” he wrote in opposing the blanket approach.
1976: Rumors that Clovis might be closing its zoo were denied by city officials. The city was only considering moving the zoo's hoofed animals, especially its buffalo, to Ned Houk Park.
Parks and Recreation Director Ash Grandy said rumors of the zoo's closing started when a sloth bear was moved from Clovis to Texico, which had discussed starting a zoo.
The bear was on loan to the Clovis zoo from Texico Mayor Manfred Turnbough and had been returned after an attempt at breeding with a bear at the zoo.
Turnbough had offered to build cages for zoo animals in Texico, but city officials there rejected the costs.
“I'm afraid if we got a zoo that we would have the same problems Clovis is having with vandalism,” Texico Council Member Marie Christian said.
1976: Upcoming bicentennial celebrations were planned in Clovis, Portales and Texico-Farwell.
Clovis was scheduled to dedicate a fountain at Greene Acres Park Lake prior to a fireworks display at Leon Williams Stadium.
Portales was slated to dedicate a Servicemen’s Memorial on the Roosevelt County Courthouse lawn.
Farwell City Park was planning to host an old-fiddlers contest in addition to a cow-chip throwing contest before a fireworks display at Lions Club ballpark in Texico.
1978: The Clovis News-Journal entertainment page featured the following:
• "Grease," starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John was being held over for a third week at the Hilltop theater. There were two showings nightly.
• The State theater offered "Convoy," starring Kris Kristofferson and Ali MacGraw. Most of the movie was filmed in New Mexico, including Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Estancia, Las Vegas and Belen.
• Other movies around the region included "Mother Jugs and Speed," "The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox," "Capricorn One," and "Harper Valley PTA."
• Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Store in Clovis' Hilltop Plaza encouraged customers to "Have a Happy 4th of July" and suggested an ice-cream flag cake might go well with the holiday.
• Woolworth suggested a "Gift of Love:" a "professional" 8x10 color portrait for just 88 cents.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
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