Compiled by  Denise Ortega

JANUARY 9, 1973

NEW POLICEMAN Rueben Montoya began duty last week and will be working with patrolman Gilbert Patterson during part of his training period. Montoya, 28, lives in Socorro and was formerly with Higdon Construction Company. Montoya has served eight years with the National Guard and is a graduate of Socorro High School. Police Chief Estevan Saavedra said Montoya was hired to fill the vacancy on the force that was created by the dismissal of another individual in November.

JANUARY 11, 1973

SOCORRO WARRIORS, scoring 75 points, still fell into the loser’s column as Truth or Consequences defeated them, 83-75 on the Tiger’s home court. Larry Olguin paced the Warriors with 30 points in the losing efforts by Coach Ron Becker’s cagers. Second high scorer was Nick Smallridge with 21 points. Dale Gonzales dumped in 18 points and Ronnie Lopez Scored 4 points. Scoring two points each were Billy Cuellar, Jerry Partridge and Gilly Gonzales. The Warriors season record is now 1-9.

JANUARY 7, 1998

THE NEW MEXICO State Police are investigating the discovery Sunday of a male body found in an arroyo 1,000 yards east of I-25. The unidentified body, badly decomposed, was found by some locals riding four-wheel, off-road vehicles. Foul play has not been ruled out. It is unknown how long the body had been lying there due to decomposition. The body was transferred to the Office of the Medical Investigator. The man, middle-aged or older, had long black hair and was 5 feet and 3 inches tall. He was found wearing black trousers, black hiking boots and a range shirt.

JANUARY 10, 1998

FOR AN OLD, RETIRED LAW enforcement vehicle, the Socorro County Sheriff’s Department’s DARE car sure gets around. The vehicle, retired from active service duty and destined for the auction block, was rescued by the department and refitted with a snappy paint job emblazoned with the DARE logo. “It’s just a retired sheriff’s patrol vehicle that otherwise would have been taken to state auction,” said Sheriff Les Torres, of the 1993 Chevrolet Capric Classic now outfitted with mag wheels, Impala SS detailing and gilded in dark green metallic gray paint. The DARE unit will be on display with a host of other custom cars Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 in the Manuel Lujan Building at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque.

JANUARY 5, 2013

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER along a dirt road in Roosevelt County in 1937 set the wheels in motion for a lifetime of love. Carl and Rubye Scott were 18 years old when they met that day. Scott and his friend were heading to a nearby lake to swim when they noticed a man and his daughter trying to free a cow that had become stuck in the mud. The two boys stopped to offer their assistance. They got married in Tatum six months or so later. Their chance encounter, three quarters of a century ago, turned into many years of happiness, and although they have seen many changes over the years, they never thought they’d see, they wouldn’t change a thing. They attribute their long marriage to hard work and being true to one another.

SOCORRO WILL SOON have a new fine arts gallery in the Old Town Plaza for many people to enjoy and buy artwork, sculptures and cards from various artists. Prescott Grey and Georgette Evans-Grey are the new owners for Vertu Fine Art Gallery. The gallery will have a display of many local artists’ work, such as Skeeter Leard and Sharon Fullingim. Leard works in pastels and acrylics, and Fullingim is a sculptor. The gallery will also display the artwork of non-locals from all around the United States. Vertu means love or knowledge of or a taste for fine art. The gallery will also offer classes for students and adults.

Chieftain Staff Report