Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date …
1952: Two airmen from Clovis Air Force Base reported seeing a “flying saucer” west of the city limits. They described it as a “full, bright orange, twice as big as a full moon.”
The airmen were on their way home about 1:30 a.m. when they spotted the object that varied in shape from a “frying pan to that of a big cigar,” the Clovis News-Journal reported.
1962: A number of local dignitaries were part of a capacity crowd at the dedication of the new chapel at Cannon Air Force Base.
Portales Mayor Heck Harris and Clovis Mayor Ted Waldhauser were in attendance, along with Travis Stovall, superintendent of Clovis Schools, members of the Clovis Ministerial Alliance, and local Roman Catholic clergy.
Lt. Col. J.T. Archer presided over the event in the absence of base commander Col. Peter J. Markham, receiving the key to the building from the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
That key was then passed to base chaplain Lt. Col. Drue C. Ford.
1968: Capt. James D. Bono was the newest chaplain at Cannon Air Force Base. He was a lifelong athlete and had played professional baseball for a New York Yankees farm team in the New England League.
1970: Shaw’s Jewelers, at 320 Main in Clovis, suggested a “Diamond Christmas.” Oriental motif dangle earrings were $87.50.
1975: The Cannon Air Force Base Roadrunners were off to a 2-0 start in their basketball season.
They had defeated Reese Air Force Base on back-to-back nights before standing-room only crowds in the Cannon gym.
Cannon was led by former Clovis High School star Al Taylor.
1975: The Clovis High School girls’ basketball team opened its season in impressive fashion, trouncing Hobbs, 57-13, at Ralph Tasker Arena
Sophomore Sharon Nuckols and freshman Julie Parish scored 11 points each to lead Clovis’ scoring.
1975: Gail Shannon, who served as Eastern New Mexico University’s acting president for 10 months, accepted reassignment as a member of the university’s faculty.
Warren Armstrong was the new ENMU president. Shannon went on leave with salary to prepare for his new position that began in the spring semester of 1976.
1976: Funeral services were being planned for Clovis pioneer Emma Reed who had died at a local nursing home.
She was 102.
Reed, born in Illinois, came to Clovis in 1909.
She was a lifetime member of the Clovis Woman’s Club and the first superintendent of St. James Episcopal Church.
She is buried in Mission Garden of Memories.
1976: Community Christmas lights were turned on for the first time of the season in Clovis.
The lights, from Second to Seventh streets along Main Street, were paid for by private donations and individuals.
“As more money is raised, more decorations will be added,” the Clovis News-Journal reported.
1987: Two young Clovis dancers and their teacher, Jeffie Hamar, cleaned up at a dance exposition held in Dallas under the instruction of Roland Dupree, well-known choreographer and owner of America’s largest professional dance academy in Hollywood, Calif.
Fourth-grader Sunny Moore, daughter of Keith and Cindy Moore, and fifth-grader Shawn Pipkin, son of Scott and Becky Pipkin, took first-place honors in the junior division of the Dupree Dance Expo with a ballet duet performed to “Somewhere Out There” from the movie, “An American Tale.”
Hamar, their instructor and owner of the Dance Academy in Clovis, was awarded a one-month scholarship to Dupree’s academy in honor of her exemplary work with dancers of all ages and all fields.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
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