Looking back 40, 30 and 20 years ago, the following are excerpts from the Artesia Daily Press from May 29 – June 4.
40 years ago
May 29 – June 4, 1976
Perhaps the Six Million Dollar Man paid a visit to the Cecil Vick residence northeast of Artesia Friday afternoon. Cecil Vick returned home to find that his welding shed, which is anchored by chain to a large block of concrete, had been moved approximately five feet on the east end to the north of its previous site. Vick is still trying to figure out the cause and estimates the cement block weighs 800 pounds. He says if it had been high winds, it would have moved something else besides just the building.
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As reported in the Pinon News: Mr. and Mrs. Doyel Anderson from Pecos, Texas were in the area last week visiting friends and relatives. Doyle said a number of farmers in that area have pulled the pumping equipment out of their wells, sold their farming equipment, and quit farming, as gas is too expensive to run the pumps to pump water for irrigation of the crops.
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Fifth Judicial District Court voters in Eddy, Lea and Chaves counties, following a statewide trend toward unseating incumbent district attorneys, cast aside J. Lee Cathey in Tuesday’s voting and elected Carlsbad attorney Michael McCormick as their chief law enforcement officer.
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Firemen from Artesia and Atoka responded Thursday afternoon to the scene of an oil tank fire, which was apparently caused when lightning struck one of three tanks located on the Bobby Morgan farm southeast of Artesia late Wednesday night. Authorities said the fire burned for nearly 12 hours before a line ruptured, causing an explosion which engulfed the area in flames before firemen could extinguish the blaze.
30 years ago
May 29 – June 4, 1986
As reported in the Pinon News: Charley Bullock of Artesia reported he went to Lake Buchanan near Sweetwater, Texas and asked Farrell Van Cleve to accompany him for a few days fishing. Farrell reported that the area was where his ancestors lived and some of them helped to build the lake. However he declined to go.
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While most women her age may embroider or crochet, Glenna Lively, 88, considers those tasks “boresome.” She prefers constructing memorial crosses of crepe-paper poppies for the graves of veterans. Her poppy crosses have adorned the graves of at least 267 veterans over the past 10 years in a year-round project she quietly performs. When a local veteran dies, she delivers a poppy cross to the funeral home.
20 years ago
May 29 – June 4, 1996
Sixty-two of Artesia High School’s 218 1996 graduates were offered 130 scholarships with a value of almost $300,000.
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Carrie Jackson spent a little more than two decades assisting police officers’ daily efforts to protect citizens. A telecommunications officer for 23 years, Jackson decided earlier this year to put the work behind her and leave the shift work to the younger folks.
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As reported in the Pinon News: The three Walker sisters, Mrs. Shannon Mateer, Mrs. Daina Ham and Mrs. Dawndee Prather, planned to spend the day together in the home of Mrs. Prather on the Prather ranch Saturday. It has been quite some time since they spent the day together. Their mother, Mrs. Fay Walker, is working for the forest service in the office in Cloudcroft and worked Saturday as there are so many people wanting permits to have picnics and the forest service has closed a lot of the forest because of the fire danger.
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Spending time with family is the life retiring Hermosa Elementary School librarian Frances Stubblefield wants to make her priority. Her career began with the Artesia Public Schools in 1971. “I wanted to go before I got burned out,” she said. “I think it’s so sad if people stay too long.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking Back is compiled each week by Daily Press Community Living Editor Teresa Lemon.)