Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date …
1950: A 54-year-old tenant farmer was found dead in a ditch about 12 miles southwest of Muleshoe. Officials said the man tied a rope around his neck, fastened the other end to the steering wheel of his car, and jumped out of the car while it was in motion.
Investigators estimated the car traveled 200 yards after the man’s body hit the ground; it was found stalled in a field.
1956: Officials at Clovis Air Force Base were asking residents to avoid trespassing on the Melrose Gunnery Range.
Lt. Col. Bernie Bass said aircraft were using live ammunition during training at the range, and wanted to warn area residents, especially hunters, about the danger.
Unauthorized entry to the range could also result in federal prosecution, base officials said.
1959: The Clovis Evening Lions Club had initiated a drive reflective of its name: It was raising money for the city zoo.
City officials had announced that funds for its zoo and parks department had been “running low” and city commissioners said there were no excess funds available that could be transferred.
So the Lions Club had set about to raise money to purchase 750 bales of hay and 12,000 pounds of grain.
In addition, the service club was rounding up 20 pounds of meat per day for the zoo population.
1960: Clovis High football fans wanting to travel to Alamogordo for Friday’s game had the option of taking a bus.
A charter big enough for 41 people was slated to leave at 7 a.m. on game day and return following the afternoon game.
Round-trip fare was $9.10 per person.
1965: Multiple law-enforcement agencies were involved in the arrests of two Clovis men and one Portales man suspected in a series of burglaries from Farwell to Portales to Melrose.
Officials recovered many of the items stolen soon after the arrests. Major break-ins were reported at Worley Grain Co. in Farwell, Melrose Castor Bean Co. and Melrose Grain Elevator.
Items stolen included calculators, typewriters, tools, tool boxes, electric saws, a television set, a radio and multiple pieces of office equipment.
One Farwell business reported losing $1,500 worth of equipment in a single burglary.
1965: Longtime civic and business leader Ralph Johnson died at Clovis Memorial Hospital. He was 68.
Johnson, who came to Clovis in 1916 from Wellington, Kan., to work for the Santa Fe Railway, was credited with starting the outdoor advertising business in Curry County.
He also worked as a real estate manager, a farmer and a rancher.
He was a member of the City Planning Board when he died as well as a director of the Chamber of Commerce and member of the Elks Lodge, the Masons and Kiwanis Club.
1966: Nelson Worley was running for Curry County sheriff as a Democrat.
“When hiring a man to work for you, you look for the most capable and honest. The job Worley did before as your sheriff shows that he is this man. Let’s get him to do the job for us again,” read a campaign ad.
His career included five terms as sheriff and he was police chief twice. Clovis police offices today are located in the Nelson Worley Law Enforcement Center.
1966: The Copper Penny, a lounge, restaurant and package liquor store at 1305 Mabry Drive in Clovis, announced the return of the Bill Case Combo each evening from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
1970: Tana Montoya, a junior physical education major from Albuquerque, was named the 1970 homecoming queen at Eastern New Mexico University.
1971: The China Inn on Mabry Drive in Clovis offered Chinese, American and Mexican food.
Beef chow mein was $1.55, jumbo frog legs were $2.65 and fried chicken was $1.35.
1987: The staff at Ellison’s Too Hair Salon was preparing for its grand opening.
Discounts of 20% were offered on cuts and styles.
Staff included Ellison Green, Barbara Marshall, Rudy Garcia, Day Beevers, Clint McIntosh, Karen Prichard, Debi Elmore and mascot Harry Hair.
Ellison’s Too was located at 128 W. 21st in Clovis.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
