Looking back 40, 30 and 20 years ago, the following are excerpts from the Artesia Daily Press from Nov. 13-19.
40 years ago
Nov. 13‐19, 1976
An unofficial 6 inches of snow had fallen in Artesia by late Saturday, and the white stuff was still coming down. Although motorists, hunters, football players, and other residents probably considered the big snowfall a nuisance, there were some Artesians who took advantage of the rare opportunity to frolic in an Artesia snow drift.
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Students at Roselawn Elementary School recently selected by ballot the Roadrunner as their new school mascot. They also voted to name their school paper “The Roadrunner.” A large sketch of the mascot, drawn by second-grade teacher Freda Hicks, greets visitors in the front hall of the school. The newspaper is published every several weeks under the direction of third-grade teacher Emma Jimenez.
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All remaining athletic encounters scheduled for the 1976-77 school year between Artesia and Carlsbad high schools have been officially canceled, officials for both schools confirmed. Confirmation of the cancellation of all remaining boys’ and girls’ competition was obtained from Don Brewer, president of the Artesia Board of Education, Artesia Superintendent of Schools Warren Nell, and Joe Willis, Carlsbad athletic director. Cancellation of all basketball, baseball, track and tennis competitions, according to Willis, was agreed to by him and Artesia Athletic Director Bill Rhodes. Willis said he had requested Monday that upcoming Artesia-Carlsbad basketball games be canceled. “Because of the football situation, I felt like there were some things I couldn’t handle as a host in Carlsbad,” he said. Officials for both schools agreed that community emotions have been running high since controversy erupted over the cancellation of Friday’s scheduled non-conference football game between Artesia and Carlsbad in Artesia. The Friday game was originally called because of weather and was reset for Saturday night. The rescheduled contest was subsequently canceled altogether when Carlsbad football coach Dave Perini said he preferred not to bring his team to Artesia because of continuing road hazards. Efforts to reschedule the game for Sunday or Monday were also met with disapproval from the Carlsbad coach, who said he was more concerned with preparing his team for the Class 4A playoff game Friday.
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CAPITAN — Smokey Bear, who died at the National Zoo last week, was being eulogized this afternoon as a symbol of forest fire prevention who won the hearts of children in America and around the world. Smokey’s remains were flown from Washington, D.C., to the Smokey Bear Historical State Park at Capitan. He was buried quietly there, near the scene of the 1950 forest fire that left him orphaned, frightened and injured — a tiny cub clinging to a charred tree.
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Artesia’s Bulldogs haven’t lost a high school football game to a Class 3A club since it joined the division in 1974. Albuquerque Academy coach Tony Matteo says he thinks it’s time they did. Matteo’s fifth-rated Chargers are to tangle with the top-ranked and two-time defending state champion Bulldogs in Artesia Friday night as the Class 3A playoffs roar into full swing with four quarterfinal battles. Hard-hitting defensive downmen Baron Chandler and David Wilson pose serious threats to the Academy running game.
30 years ago
Nov. 13‐19, 1986
Five-hundred helium balloons were launched this morning to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Artesia General Hospital in its present site on North 13th Street. The hospital hosted a reception for the public in honor of the occasion.
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Construction of Brantley Dam, a project of the Bureau of Reclamation, is 57 percent complete in 39 percent of the time, project manager Larry King said during a recent tour of the South Eddy County facility. “We’re shooting for the spring of 1988. The concrete section will be finished in February or March of 1987,” King said. The completed dam will hold 350,000 acre-feet of water during flood situations and 42,000 acre-feet under normal conditions.
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As reported in the Pinon News: There are 69 registered voters in Pinon. Tuesday of last week 63 persons voted in the election. Mrs. Mary Tanner, who is 80-some-years-old was unable to go to the poll, so she voted absentee ballot. It is doubtful that there was any better percentage in any other precinct in Otero County. Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs of the Panama Ranch in the Guadalupe Mountains drove many miles to get to Pinon to vote. They have been to Pinon to vote very election since they moved to the ranch.
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Richard Butz says he is one of the only two helicopter barnstormers in the United States. The Salt Lake City pilot moves from city to city throughout the year offering $10 rides to anyone who wants one. He parked his helicopter across from the Artesia Pizza Hut Friday, and after putting up a portable sign, was open for business.
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Maybe an overtime period was what it took to make both teams get serious. After battling hard but racking up no points in regulation play, the Artesia Bulldogs and West Las Vegas Dons went at it in overtime Saturday in the pre-playoff game played in Las Vegas. Artesia scored a touchdown on the third play of its four-snap for a 6-0 lead, then snuffed four straight West Las Vegas passes when the home team took its shot.
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“The Boy Who Could Fly” and “Deadly Friend” were the featured movies of the week at Cinema Twin. Chicken strips, French fries, onion rings, gravy and toast were $3.35 at Huckabee’s.
20 years ago
Nov. 13‐19, 1996
Longtime Artesia poet Carol Meeks has been elected to the International Poetry Hall of Fame, and now her poems will be seen by millions of people in more than 120 countries via the internet. As part of her election to the International Poetry Hall of Fame, a permanent display will be set up of her works on the Internet’s World Wide Web.
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Lake Arthur earned a berth in the six-man state championship football game this Saturday by wasting Ramah 61-16 in the semifinals. Panther quarterback Tootie McNeil led the attack as LA scored on eight of its 10 offensive possessions. McNeil ran for three touchdowns from scrimmage, returned a punt for another, and threw three TD passes, as well. He even got a safety by tackling a Ramah player in the latter’s own end zone.
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The Artesia Fire Department may soon acquire a specialized infrared camera fire helmet that allows firefighters to see through blinding smoke and total darkness. Due to a partnership in public safety between Farmers Insurance, KBIM-TV and Westinghouse, a regional effort to raise funds for the helmets is underway in Artesia, Portales, Hobbs, Lovington, Clovis, Roswell and Carlsbad. In Artesia, Farmers Insurance agent Ronnie Jackson is spearheading the effort.
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Bulldog runners who qualified for Saturday’s Class 3A State Cross Country Meet in Gallup are David Borges, Eric Ebarb, Aundrea Bullock, Anthony Barrera, Clay Brown, Jessica Sanchez, Shaun Fear, Mateo Alaniz and Grant Taylor.
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As reported in the Pinon News: Things got rather scary in Pinon Wednesday late afternoon when a hunter shot at a deer in Pinon and shot a hole in a propane gas tank. It was called in, and he was picked up near the Dockray farms near Mayhill. The Pinon people called the fire department, and they came with their truck. Also a propane truck was called. Queen Gas and Oil Co. in Artesia, to pump the propane out of the tank, but they could not get it out. Everyone was so scared the tank might explode and burn every house in Pinon. Someone called the sheriff and three came, also some policemen, as well as a lot of local people — all ready to work if needed. The place was in the northeast part of Pinon, and there was a light breeze blowing from the west to the northeast away from Pinon which helped very much. By Thursday night, the people were not so worried as the pressure had dropped to 10 degrees.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking Back is compiled each week by Daily Press Community Living Editor Teresa Lemon.)
