UFO Newsclipping Service - 1980 01 - no 126

Magazine Overview

This issue of Suburban Trends, dated December 23, 1979, focuses heavily on reports of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and other strange aerial phenomena, primarily in the New Jersey area, but also touching upon international sightings.

Area UFO Sightings Increase

The lead article, "Area UFO sightings increase" by Marilyn F. Cowherd, details three additional reports of strange lights seen on the night of December 9th. Ringwood resident Gayle Schaeufele described seeing five red lights in a 'V' shaped pattern, noting the absence of noise, which she found unusual for low-flying aircraft. Cindy Kopilak of West Milford reported seeing four red lights that scattered and were later joined by a fifth, while driving on Route 23. Wanaque resident Rick Devore spotted six red lights at 8:30 p.m. that were not moving and were shaped like the Big Dipper, dismissing the possibility of aircraft due to the pattern. He estimated the lights were at an altitude of 3,500 to 4,500 feet.

UFO's Sighted in Area

Jeff Hoyak's article, "UFO's Sighted in Area," published in Wayne Today on December 16, 1979, reports on sightings from Lindy's Lake residents and a West Milford resident. Four married couples described seeing four circular red lights flying equidistant in a diamond-shaped pattern, with a fifth light behind and higher. They emphasized the objects were flying too slowly to be airplanes. West Milford police also received a report of a UFO over Clinton Reservoir. A spokesman for Stewart Airport confirmed a report from Bloomingrove, N.Y., of a UFO sighting. Ringwood police received no reports, but Mahwah police logged a sighting of an orange disc-like object. Newark International Airport controllers reported nothing unusual. The article also mentions the possibility of these being old World War I biplanes, but this is dismissed due to the time of year and location. Astronomer Larry Brown from the Haydn Planetarium suggested planets like Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn could be mistaken for UFOs, but noted that Venus sets before the sightings occurred, and the other planets had not yet risen.

Close Encounters in Riverdale

Rosemarie Bailey's article, "Close Encounters in Riverdale," details sightings by three Riverdale residents, including a police officer. Tom Fox reported seeing four bright red glows over Pompton Lakes, which he described as having an orange-reddish glow. He contacted Officer John Schaub, who, along with Steve Gosses (manager of Forest Dairy), had also witnessed four objects, later joined by a fifth. Schaub described the objects as moving close together, zigzagging, and moving apart, unlike stationary lights. Gosses suggested the lights could have been from 'some kids with lights up on the mountain,' but his personal feeling leaned towards helicopters, though he admitted it might not be a UFO. Schaub, while initially thinking they might be from an airplane, noted the lack of noise and the unusual movement. A spokesman for East Midlands Airport suggested high-flying aircraft as a possibility, while the FAA and the National UFO Reporting Center had no records of reports for the area.

Strange Lights Baffle Area Sky Watchers

Marilyn F. Cowherd's article, "Strange Lights Baffle Area Sky Watchers," published in Suburban Trends on December 19, 1979, summarizes multiple sightings from December 9th. It notes the agreement among witnesses about four or five blinking red lights hovering overhead in a diamond-shaped or circular pattern, moving too slowly to be airplanes or helicopters. Local airport officials reported nothing unusual. The article includes a quote from a Trentonian piece from 1973 about preferring to see a UFO than be in one. It reiterates the Riverdale sightings involving Officer John Schaub and Steve Gosses, and mentions four Lindy Lake residents who saw lights at an altitude of 2,000-3,000 feet. Reports from a Ringwood woman and a Bloomingrove, N.Y. woman are also mentioned as unconfirmed.

No Explanation for UFO Sightings Over Illinois

An Associated Press report from Hannibal, MO, dated January 18, 1980, titled "No Explanation for UFO Sightings Over Illinois," details sightings in Texico, Illinois. Don Wall reported seeing two bright, green lights in the middle of an object possibly 100 feet wide, with dimmer lights at the ends. Don Taylor described a 50-foot-wide object with a light like a helicopter's, which seemed to explode. Police and airport spokesmen had no explanations, and Scott Air Force Base radar scans showed nothing unusual.

UFO Sightings Continue in Upper Passaic County

Jeff Hoyak's article in Wayne Today on December 19, 1979, "UFO Sightings Continue in Upper Passaic County," adds a West Milford woman and three Riverdale residents to the list of those who sighted inexplicable unidentified flying objects on December 9th. The Apshawa woman reported seeing five 'extremely large' red lights traveling over farmland in Denville. She described them as not blinking or flashing and moving very slowly. The description matches other area residents. However, Newark International Airport, Stewart Airport, Teterboro Airport, and the National UFO Reporting Center reported no records of UFO sightings in the area at that time.

Foreign News - UFOs Return 'No Aircraft in Area'

This section compiles several international UFO reports. From Whitby, England (November 2, 1979), farmer Clifford Dowson and others reported flashing lights. Whitby police received a report of two saucer-shaped objects with red and white flashing lights. RAF Fylingdales stated there were no aircraft in the area. A Scarborough couple reported seeing two flashing lights approach Whitby. From Nottingham, England (November 5, 1979), two women reported seeing a flashing object hover above Sneintondale. From West Briton, England (November 8, 1979), Mrs. Magdalene Oates fled her home with her children after seeing a UFO that seemed about to land, describing an orange light that was pulsating.

More Strange Objects in the Sky

From Whitby, England (November 23, 1979), Peter Jackson reported seeing a bright flashing white light tinged with red over Danby Moor. Whitby coastguards and police received reports of flashing green and red lights over Mickleby, believed to be from an aircraft. RAF Fylingdales received no reports of unusual aerial activity.

UFO Spotter Housewife 'Saw Its Red Dome'

An Evening Post report from Luton, England (November 30, 1979), details Mrs. Brenda Cummings' claim of spotting strange lights for the second time, this time seeing a red dome perched between the lights. She reported this to BUFORA.

Glitter in Night Sky Made Boy Scream for Mother

A Sunday Express report (December 16, 1979) from Exmouth, England, describes Coral Dixon and her 12-year-old son Grant witnessing a brilliantly lit, glittering object hovering over a gas holder. They described it as 'egg-shaped' with thousands of flashing lights.

Did UFOs Buzz Plane?

An Essex Newsman-Herald report (December 4, 1979) from Chelmsford, England, details two women claiming to have seen an aeroplane being 'buzzed' by mysterious UFOs. They described a luminous white object with four smaller ones, and a plane in hot pursuit.

Uninvited Guest

A Daily Mail report (October 22, 1979) from Swadlincote, England, mentions a sighting of a 'brilliant white, round ball' over Bretby Park.

Translations

This section provides brief summaries of UFO incidents from Argentina, Chile, Egypt, and Spain, detailing various sightings of luminous objects, formations, and alleged encounters.

Golfer's Dad Gets Visit From The Sky

A Daily Express report (December 1, 1979) from London, England, recounts Barney and Millie Gallagher (parents of golfer Bernard Gallagher) seeing a 'strange craft' that was round, colored red with white blinking lights.

UFOs - Fact or Fiction?

An Evening Times article (November 26, 1979) from Glasgow, Scotland, discusses Stuart Campbell's theory that UFOs are 'ball lightning,' a natural plasma phenomenon. He believes that little green men are a product of imagination and science fiction, and that sightings are often misinterpreted natural events. He suggests that plasma, when large enough, can form rings and cylindrical shapes, explaining common UFO descriptions. He also posits that sightings at specific times, like 2 a.m., might be related to atmospheric conditions.

Little Green Men... or are UFOs Just Pie in the Sky?

By Marian Pallister, this article explores the debate surrounding UFOs. It contrasts the extraterrestrial hypothesis with Stuart Campbell's 'ball lightning' theory. Campbell argues that plasma phenomena can explain the luminosity, speed, and maneuverability of reported UFOs, and that the 'tracks' left behind could be due to electric force. He dismisses the idea of alien visitors as a 'substitute religion' fueled by science fiction. Professor Archie Roy is also mentioned, suggesting that UFOs might represent a communication problem from other civilizations, but acknowledges the lack of radar detection.

I Saw UFO

A Gazette article (November 23, 1979) from Islington, England, titled "I Saw UFO: Police Scoff as Librarian Claims 'Close Encounter'," features Marian O'Shea's account of seeing a glowing silver disc, about the size of a dustbin lid, hover near her home. She reported it to the police, who were skeptical. She described it as saucer-shaped and made of bright glowing metal.

British Mountain Climbing Expedition Reveals Close Encounter With Abominable Snowman

An Associated Press report (December 25, 1979) from Little Rock, AR, details a British mountain climbing expedition in Nepal that claims to have encountered evidence of the Abominable Snowman. They found distinct, large footprints and heard a piercing scream. Lead climber John Edwards is convinced of the creature's existence, despite skepticism from Soviet scientist Nikolai Vereshchagin.

It's Tall, It Has Wavy Red Hair And Chinese Keep Hunting for It

A New York Times article (January 5, 1980) reports on Chinese efforts to find evidence of a creature, possibly a descendant of 'meganthropus,' in the Shennongjia region. Zhou Guoxing, an anthropologist, described sightings of a tall, hairy creature with wavy red hair, and noted the discovery of large footprints and feces. The article mentions a previous expedition organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Velikovsky, a Star-Crossed Theoretician of the Cosmos

Robert Jastrow's article in The New York Times (December 2, 1979) discusses Immanuel Velikovsky's controversial theories about planetary collisions, particularly Venus colliding with Earth and Mars. While acknowledging Velikovsky's unconventional ideas and the scientific community's strong opposition, Jastrow notes that some of Velikovsky's predictions, such as Venus being hot, have been supported by later findings. However, he also points out significant discrepancies between Velikovsky's claims and scientific evidence regarding geological events and planetary composition.

Cause of Noise Falls on Military

A New York AP report (January 8, 1980) mentions low rumbles heard in the New York metropolitan area, with a scientist theorizing they were caused by supersonic military planes off the coast of New Jersey, though military and aviation officials were unaware of such flights.

Astronomy Flourished In Indian Civilizations, New Science Reveals

A San Francisco AP report (January 7, 1980) highlights the advanced astronomical knowledge of ancient civilizations in Mexico and Central America, such as the Maya, who could predict eclipses and plot planetary motions with accuracy. The field of archeoastronomy is revealing the sophistication of these ancient astronomers.

Organizes Search Party For Sasquatch Remains

A Noblesville, IN, Daily Ledger report (December 14, 1979) details Wayne King's plan to organize a search party for alleged Sasquatch remains in Northern California, based on a witness's account of finding a large carcass.

Iowan Hopes Beast Keeps on Truckin'

A Tribune report (November 16, 1979) from Des Moines, IA, describes Larry Wilson's sighting of a Bigfoot-like creature in his yard. Dallas County officials called off their search, but the director of the Iowa Bigfoot Information Center considered the sighting legitimate.

Dallas County Calls Off Its Search for 'Bigfoot'

Another report from Register, Des Moines, IA (November 17, 1979), confirms that Dallas County officials ended their investigation into the Bigfoot sighting, citing staff limitations, though the Iowa Bigfoot Information Center deemed it legitimate.

Woman Claims' Sighting Creature on Area Road

A Post-Bulletin report (December 17, 1979) from Rochester, MN, features an anonymous woman's claim of seeing a 7-foot-tall, 250-300 pound creature covered in hair on a local road.

Little Big Foot Spotted Near Bailey Lake

A Clark County Courier report (November 1, 1979) from Clark, SD, details Fay Florey and his sons' sighting of a small, ape-like animal with black fur near Bailey Lake. The creature was described as moving rapidly on four feet.

Huge Footprints Seen In Forest

A Star report (January 7, 1980) from Indianapolis, IN, mentions the discovery of 17-inch long and six-inch wide footprints in a forest near Towanda, Pennsylvania.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, mysterious lights, and encounters with unexplained creatures like Bigfoot and the Abominable Snowman. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting these phenomena with a degree of open-mindedness, presenting witness accounts and some expert opinions, while also acknowledging skepticism and the lack of definitive explanations. The articles often highlight the similarities in witness descriptions, suggesting a genuine phenomenon, even if its nature remains unknown. There's a clear interest in collecting and disseminating these reports, inviting readers with information to come forward. The inclusion of foreign reports broadens the scope of the UFO phenomenon beyond the local area.