Looking back 40, 30 and 20 years ago, the following are excerpts from the Artesia Daily Press from Oct. 2-8.
40 years ago
Oct 2‐8, 1976
The halftime scoreboard beamed out at the Roswell Coyotes like something out of a recurring nightmare, reminding them that they were on the losing side of a 35-0 football game for the second week in a row. Friday night, it was the Artesia Bulldogs doing the damage, mad because of last week’s 15-14 loss to Alamogordo. Last week, it was Odessa Permian, often called the best prep team in the nation, using the Coyotes as target practice. Friday’s romp boosted the Artesia season record to 4-1, while the Coyotes dropped to a miserable 1-4.
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Central Park is the place to be Saturday afternoon for art, music and puppet shows. The park will be the scene of the Artesia Arts Council’s second annual “Art and Music in the Park” program. Art and Music in the Park is being sponsored by the local council in observance of October as Arts Month in New Mexico.
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Eight members of the Artesia Altrusa Club left Artesia by airplane Thursday for the Altrusa District 10 conference being held in Denver, Colo. In Denver, they joined other District 10 clubs from New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming for the conference. Attending the conference were Virginia Davis, Billie Vann, June Williams, Mary Garner, Irma Hansen, Dorothy Crouch, Johnnie Wickersham and Dorothy Butts.
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It works out the same every week. The lucky person who wins the Daily Press Football Contest is the guy who goes with the favorites but also picks the right combination of upsets. Jim Jorren must have had a lucky coin last week when filling out his form. He out-picked 75 other contest entries by missing only one game, Washington at Chicago. His first entry to the contest won him $10.
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As reported in the Pinon News: Recently, about 125 friends, neighbors and relatives gathered at the Frank Coupland ranch, east of Pinon, for a picnic and a barbequed beef luncheon with ranch men of the are cooking. The luncheon was to honor Frank Coupland’s 72nd birthday.
30 years ago
Oct. 2‐8, 1986
Leonard Ferguson says his honeybees are just misunderstood, but a municipal judge gave the insects 90 days to leave town just the same. The judge ordered the bees to swarm out of Hagerman after some citizens filed a formal complaint contending the insects were invading their homes, frightening their children, and forcing them to cancel barbecues. Judy Lascano of Hagerman said she and her husband found 27 bees that apparently entered the couple’s home through air-conditioner vents. The bees also turned a small wading pool for their children into a poolside resort when they clustered in the water about three inches thick, she said. Their problems with the bees prompted the Lascanos and a neighbor to file a complaint in municipal court. A judge responded by ordering all honeybees out of town within 90 days. Ferguson said Wednesday he plans to appeal the forced migration in district court.
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The difference between Artesia’s performance in the first half and the second half was like night and day. The same could be applied to the Alamogordo Tigers, as well. Artesia looked great the first half and Alamogordo didn’t, so the Bulldogs forged a 10-0 lead. But the situations were reversed the last two quarters, and the Tigers came through with three touchdowns to overhaul Artesia 20-10 before a Homecoming crowd in Alamogordo. The win upped the Tigers to 3-2 on the season while the Bulldogs, losers of three in a row, now stand 1-5.
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Saturday’s 41st Annual Cake Walk, sponsored by the Artesia Band Boosters, was termed a success by high school band director Bill Surface. Surface said about $3,500 were raised to support the Artesia Public Schools band program.
20 years ago
Oct. 2‐8, 1996
Making up Artesia High School’s 1996 Homecoming Court were queen Amy Reyes, maid of honor Ashlie Woods, senior princess KayAnne Rogers, senior princess Kendra Lewellen, junior attendant Amy White, and sophomore attendant Amy Fiebig. Crownbearer was Greg Davis, and flower girl was Tara Ebarb. The court was announced at an afternoon assembly and was presented to the public prior to the Artesia-Onate football game at Bulldog Bowl.
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In what might be viewed as something close to blasphemy, the Artesia Bulldogs actually scored more touchdowns on the ground than they did through the air Friday while walloping the Onate Knights 35-14. Doing the honors was running back Chris Olivas, who stepped off TD runs of 18, 47 and three yards as his team halted a two-game losing streak and delighted a Homecoming crowd at Bulldog Bowl. The win raised Artesia’s season record to 4-2 while the Knights fell to 2-4.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking Back is compiled each week by Daily Press Community Living Editor Teresa Lemon.)
