Pages past - Aug. 21

On this date ...

1974: District Judge Stanley Frost continued to hear testimony in a lawsuit filed against the City of Tucumcari and commissioners, claiming fraud in connection with signatures obtained in a referendum petition and three recall petitions against Mayor James Saltz, commissioner Otis Waterfield and Finis Cornutt.

Plaintiffs claimed the signatures were irregular, came from those residing outside of the city and those who wished to withdraw their signatures.

Frost the next day ordered a special election within 60 days on whether to recall the three commissioners and elect new ones.

— President Gerald Ford said he had every intention of running for president in 1976. Ford revealed his plans to Nelson Rockefeller when he offered the former New York governor the vice presidency. Ford replaced a scandal-plagued Richard Nixon after he resigned from office earlier in the month.

— Anthony Alex Rodriguez was among the infants entered into the inaugural Diaper Derby at this year’s Piñata Festival in Tucumcari.

— The body of a 14-year-old Las Vegas girl was found at Conchas Lake. The girl drowned the previous day while swimming with her mother.

— The Odeon Theatre brought “back by popular demand” the movie “Born Losers,” which featured the original screen appearance of Billy Jack, portrayed by Tom Laughlin.

— Among the prime-time television shows listed were “Cannon,” “Kojak,” “Sonny and Cher” and “The Partridge Family.”