Looking back 40, 30 and 20 years ago, the following are excerpts from the Artesia Daily Press from Feb. 26 – March 4.
40 years ago
Feb. 26 – March 4, 1978
Following Friday’s exciting 54-41 win over Silver City, an enemy fan came up to Artesia girls coach Ronnie Null and said, “You’ve got the best passing girls basketball team I’ve ever seen.” To this Null could only smile and agree with him. After battling the scrappy Silver City team for most of the game and after leading by only one point at halftime, Null’s Bulldogs aptly proved that statement to be true as they opened up their fast break and rolled off seven straight unanswered points to increase their lead to nine, effectively notching the contest right there. Nulls Big Three-Kelle Standard, Cheryl Heathington and Jacklyn Cole- were joined by a fourth, Kim Smith, and this Bulldog quartet accounted for 42 of Artesia’ 54 points and 41 of 51 rebounds, which speaks for itself.
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Lowe Wickersham, purchasing agent for the City of Artesia has been employed by the city for the past 14 years. He has been named Employee of the Week. He started with the city as a warehouse superintendent. He, as the purchasing agent, is responsible for all purchases by the city. Purchase orders, bills, shipping orders and the such are all funneled through his office. Wickersham and his wife, Johnnie, live in Artesia. They have two children both are married and have families in Artesia.
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As reported in the Pinon News: Basil Holcomb’s well nearly quit pumping last week, so he called H.A. Stingfield in Alamogordo, wanting he and his sons to help pull the sucker rods Saturday to put in new leathers. Herschel Stringfield now lives in El Paso, so he was unable to come Saturday. Since it was snowing in Alamogordo they decided to wait and come Sunday. Sunday it was snowing at the ranch so they did not get to pull the sucker rods from the well.
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The Artesia Chamber of Commerce made Carlette Lewis a Goodwill Ambassador Monday to represent Artesia on her swim team tours. Carlette, 13, is a member of the Waterdogs swim team and has been nominated as Swimmer of the Year in New Mexico. On hand for the presentation of the award were her parents Don and Marion Lewis, Warren Nell, Chamber president, and Marcielle Payne, vice president.
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As reported in Big Orange Country by Rhonda Mooney: Juniors have begun work on the Junior-Senior Prom, even though it is still two months away. This year, for the first time ever, juniors as well as seniors will receive invitations to prom and must show those invitations at the door. If you plan on bringing a date who is out of school, you must get a guest pass from the office. A little reminder to the girls — twirp week is only one week away so start scouting around for that guy you’ve had your eye on for the past year, and grab him before someone else does! Don’t be shy!!
30 years ago
Feb. 26 – March 4, 1988
Three youngsters, Lanci Craft, Cord Wilburn and Lesa Mallett, will represent Artesia and the Southeast District in the New Mexico Elks State Hoop Shoot free-throw shooting contest in Tucumcari. These three won their respective divisions last month in the District Hoop Shoot.
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Zia Intermediate School seventh-graders will be among students to compete in the March 5 city-wide spelling bee. They are Michael Eickhoff, John Roberson, Derek Trapp, Karen Polly, Angela Cox, Michelle Aranda, Melissa Salinas, John Schneider, Amanda Fallis, Kristin Hord and Andrew Cano.
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By some remote bit of fate, 30-year-old Dale Bohannon is the first Artesia High School baseball coach since Jerry Brown’s one-year stint in 1983 who is not also a varsity football assistant. Bohannon escaped that fate by paying his dues through two years coaching Bulldog junior varsity baseball and another two years as a varsity baseball assistant. He’s stepping into some big shoes as his 1988 Bulldogs prepare for their season open in the Goddard Invitational Tournament.
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As reported in the Pinon News: Mrs. Oza Holcomb was in a hardware store in Alamogordo Tuesday of last week and met “Chet” Kramer. She was quite happy to see him as she had not seen him in many years. They have known each other since “Chet” was a small boy riding to church in a wagon with his parents and brother and sisters, in a little one-room schoolhouse on McDonald Flat, used as a church house on Sundays and during the weeks at night when a minister would come into the area and preach.
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Voters in Hope turned out in high numbers to cast their ballots in Tuesday’s municipal election. Sixty-three percent of the city’s registered voters selected two village councilors and a municipal judge. Candidates Joseph T. Bolen and Mary Evelyn Teague, who were running for the two council posts, received 31 votes and 29 votes, respectively. In the city’s only contested race, Cathy Fletcher defeated incumbent Municipal Judge Wavis I. Jackson. Fletcher received 24 votes; Jackson received 13 votes.
20 years ago
Feb. 26 – March 4, 1998
The wind outside blows cold and strong, as does the intensity of the Bulldogs at practice. Determination, confidence, and self-improvement are the key words in the boys’ preparation for post season play “We remember how being state Champions feels. We want that feeling again,” is how senior Giovy Catano describes the situation. Senior Jimmy Hamilton says the team is working real hard at practice. He works at home as well. “I go home and picture myself doing things right and knowing all the plays.”
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The winner of the geography bee at Penasco School is Stetson Elkins. Sara Newton was the runner-up. The spelling bee winner is Sherida Elkins. The runner-up was Lainy Schade.
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Artesia High School girls’ varsity basketball players celebrated their victory on Feb. 26. The Lady Dogs beat the Lovington Lady Cats, 44-36, in a District 4-AAA semifinal.
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As reported in the Pinon News: Mrs. Oza Holcomb is slowly getting able to work but stays tired much of the time. It seems bones are slow to heal.
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Imagine being surrounded by 3,800 pigs and not a soul who is a native English-speaker. Jole Bell not only imagined it, she lived it. Bell, a native of Artesia, recently returned from Europe where she spent two months traveling and nine months in Dyngby, Denmark, working on a pig farm through a program organized by International Agriculture Exchanged Association. On the pig farm, Bell was one of four workers; the other three were Danish men. She stayed with the family wo owns and operates the facility.
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Artesia High School boys varsity basketball team traveled to Portales Friday night to meet to Rams in the last regular season district match-up. In a big upset, the Rams defeated the Bulldogs, 51-48. Artesia was hurt when its three leading scorers got into fould trouble early in the game. Chris Owens, Giovy Catano, and Jimmy Hamilton all played less than half of the game due to their foul problems. “It really hurt us,” said coach Bubba Jennings.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking Back was compiled by Daily Press Community Living Editor Teresa Lemon.)
