Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1952: A U.S. Air Force photo printed in the Clovis News-Journal showed some of the 40 Explorer Scouts from Portales and Clovis who had been outfitted with parachutes before boarding an Air Force C-47 plane at Cannon Air Force Base for a flight over eastern New Mexico a few days earlier.
Oscar P. Cantwell, Plains District field executive for the Boy Scouts of America, supervised the outing. Troop leaders were Jack Eichenberger, Bud Cagle, and Art Hutchins of Clovis, and J.E. McKillip of Portales.
The Boy Scouts were visiting their sponsor squadrons in the 140th Bomber Group at the base.
1956: A Clovis elementary school principal had been named Woman of the Year by the Clovis Business and Professional Women’s Club.
Mildred Kimbrough, principal at Eugene Field Elementary School, was active in the New Mexico Education Association and other educational organizations.
She also was involved in multiple civic organizations, including Salvation Army, Red Cross, March of Dimes, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
1957: Mountain States Telephone Co. had a large advertisement in the Clovis News-Journal introducing the concept of “7 turns of the dial on every Clovis call.”
All Clovis telephone numbers started with the letters “P” and “O,” followed by a five-digit phone number.
“There’s an easy way to say and remember the new numbers,” the ad said. “For example, POrter 3-7665. If you were to give this number to the operator or repeat it to a friend, try breaking it up like this: POrter three — seven-six — six-five. This is the best way to say it — to understand it — to remember it.”
1960: The Clovis High School band performed in tribute to the National University of Mexico team at the dedication of the University of New Mexico’s new football stadium. Both countries’ national anthems were played before a flag-raising ceremony minutes before kickoff. The Clovis band was asked to perform because the UNM band had not yet organized for the year.
1961: Catherine Stern, of 141 E. Yucca in Clovis, challenged downtown merchants to step it up with their Christmas decorations in a few months. “How about an old-fashioned Christmas tree, towering high and centered on Main Street where it can be seen for blocks either way?” she asked. “And let there be lights — lights on the tree, lights in the windows. ... Store fronts could be judged, with prize money used for permanent beautification of our city.”
1966: A Clovis jury found a Tucumcari woman guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of her husband, Quay County Commissioner T. G. Rose.
Rose was killed on Feb. 11, 1966.
Billie James Rose testified that her husband had threatened her after telling her he did not want to live with her anymore.
She shot him with a rifle he had left on the kitchen stove.
Judge C. R. McIntosh of Raton sentenced her to 2 to 10 years in prison.
1968: Carola Moore of Clovis was Miss Curry County, appearing at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque. That’s how she came to receive a hug from popular recording artist Eddy Arnold, who posed for photos before performing at the fair’s rodeo.
1975: Clovis High School band members were preparing for the annual band barbecue at Hillcrest Park.
Organizers said more than 3,000 people were expected to attend the fundraiser to help send the band to Los Angeles for a halftime performance at the LA Rams-Pittsburgh Steelers game.
Tickets were $2 for adults and $1 for children 6 and under.
Band members included Penny Johnston, Theresa Loftus, Bobby Bryant, Rick Munukka and Steve Denson.
1980: Absentee ownership of commercial buildings, inadequate parking and lack of “creative financing incentives” were issues area residents were discussing about downtown Clovis.
The Clovis News Journal reported a panel had been formed to discuss those issues and more, including a lack of traffic control downtown, insufficient restaurant facilities and “poor community attitude.”
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
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