Looking back 40, 30 and 20 years ago, the following are excerpts from the Artesia Daily Press from Oct. 11-17.
40 years ago
Oct. 11‐17, 1975
The Artesia Bulldogs found out Friday night that being No. 1 in prep football can sometimes be mighty tough, as they were nearly upset by the El Paso Irvin Rockets. What coach Mike Phipps described as “the toughest game I’ve ever seen” found the Bulldogs down by 14 points going into the second half, but a Bulldog explosion in the third and fourth quarters turned things around, and the Big Orange left Irvin field with a 21-14 victory.
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The Artesia Public Library recently installed a TWX teletype machine. Artesia city officials were invited to attend a library board meeting and view the machine, which will be available to all city officials to conduct city business when necessary. Pam Castle, inter-library loan librarian and chief operator of the machine, demonstrated it for Edward Pearson, Artesia Library Board president; Mayor Ernest Thompson; Tommy Howell, Artesia Water Department head; and Chief of Police Bobby Bishop.
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Pamela Cotton, a conservation officer trainee for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, displayed one of the two- to four-inch white bass planted in Lake McMillan. She is one of two women game wardens now working for the department. Cotton and other game department officials hope the white bass, which were seined out of irrigation ditches below Caballo Lake on the Rio Grande, will grow to catchable size by next year. The bass should add considerably to the fish population of the lake, which already contains large numbers of walleye, pike, channel catfish, and a few crappie and large-mouth bass.
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As reported in the Pinon News: It is lamb sales time for the ranchers. Many of the ranchers of this area have been delivering lambs to the Merritt scales and sales ring here in Pinon, to the buyer, Hub Corn, from Roswell. Among those to deliver lambs were: Don Merritt, Larry Williams, Horace Grigg and the W. A. Gage family. John L. Parker, the stock inspector for this area, has spent nearly every day the past week at the sales pen inspecting sheep. Farrell Van Cleve plans to sell his lambs to Rosco Fletcher in Dexter, on about Oct. 17th. Mrs. Willie Stevenson plans to transport her lambs to the buyer Monday of this week. Billy Joe Brooks, Bennie Fleming, and Mrs. Ethel Smith plan to deliver their lambs to Hub Corn at the Merritt pens next week. The price of some of the lambs selling this year are 40 cents a pound, the highest price ever paid. The ranchers will all be busy until after calf sales and hunting season is over. It keeps the ranchers busy during hunting season, riding the ranges, checking fences, rebuilding fences, checking stock watering, riding pipe lines, and closing gates.
30 years ago
Oct. 11‐17, 1985
As reported in the Pinon News: People wonder why the ranchers dislike hunters. The past week one rancher reported why he was so disgusted with hunters. Sunday evening after dark there was knock on the door. When he went to the door there were two hunters with a “hard luck story” about being out of gasoline and needing to get to Artesia. The rancher found three gallon water containers and filled them with gasoline, put them in his pickup and took it and the men up the road to their car and helped them get it into their gas tank. They got into the car and said, “Thanks so much.” The rancher asked if they were not going to at least pay for the gasoline. They reported they had no money but they would give him two pair of pliers. The rancher reported the next time a hunter needed gasoline or anything else, he could keep needing it.
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Three varsity football players picked up awards following last week’s victory over Lovington. They are Jay Worden (Offense), Trent Boneau (Defense, Golden Helmet) and Clay Faulkenberry (Mad Dog).
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Artesia attorney Joel Carson explained a zonechange request from developers of Cannon West Apartments to the Artesia school board Monday night. School board members approved the request of the proposed six-building complex, with member Carolyn Shearman abstaining.
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Candidates for Homecoming queen at Artesia High School have been selected. They are Lisa Hartfelder, daughter of Larry and Shirley Hartfelder; Vana Klontz, daughter of Paul and Diana Klontz; Michelle Ochoa, daughter of Elisa and Julian Ochoa; and Lex Ann Wilburn, daughter of Jim and Sherry Wilburn. The queen will be named during a pep rally prior to the Homecoming game.
20 years ago
Oct. 11‐17, 1995
Nickolas Kelley displayed a set of pumpkins grown from one seed he and his grandfather, A.W. Nicholson, planted on Nicholson’s farm outside of Odessa, Texas. Kelley’s grandmother, Wanda Nicholson, said he would be lucky to get one small pumpkin from the single seed. The Nicholsons watched as the pumpkins grew to 48 and 37 pounds. Parents Sue and Tom Kelley said Nickolas had faith when no one else did. Nickolas, a student at Zia Intermediate School, said he would get his mom to use the pumpkins as Halloween decorations around the house.
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Artesia High School band members marched to a first-division “superior” rating Saturday afternoon at the Southeast New Mexico Music Educators Association District Marching Festival at Bulldog Bowl. This was the band’s 21st consecutive first-division rating. Bands from across the southeastern part of the state competed at the annual event.
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As reported in the Pinon News: On the return trip from Roswell to Pinon Monday, Oza Holcomb went by Artesia and Mrs. Alma Means. She reported her grandson, Preston Miller, was thrown from a bull and broke his arm in the elbow. Mrs. Means also reported her mother, Mrs. Eunice Tidwell, needed some help these days so she tries to help her and stays busy these days. When Mrs. Holcomb got home, Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Stringfield had lunch about ready, and Mrs. Holcomb really enjoyed eating with them as she was tired and hungry after driving from Roswell. She stopped at her garden and worked a while en-route. There has been no frost at Avis yet this fall, and there have been two frosts in Pinon. That is very unusual, as Pinon is lower and warmer. It has killed most of her plants except a few squash vines. There was a frost a few days ago and again while she was gone. She gathered her tomatoes before this last frost and saved them.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking Back is compiled each week by Daily Press Community Living Editor Teresa Lemon.)
