UFO Newsclipping Service - 1988 12 - no 233

Magazine Overview

This issue of the UFO Newsclipping Service, dated December 1988, is identified as Number 233. It is published by U.F.O. NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE and co-edited by Lucius Farish and Rod B. Dyke. The cover headline highlights "Belleville braces for return of UFO believers Oct. 29."

Obituaries

Donald E. Keyhoe, 91, Dies: The issue features an obituary for Donald Edward Keyhoe, a retired Marine Corps major and former director of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. Keyhoe, who died of pneumonia and cardiac arrest on November 29th, was a prominent UFO investigator and author of "Flying Saucers Are Real" and "Flying Saucers from Outer Space." He dedicated much of his work to persuading the Air Force to end its secrecy on UFO sightings and stop ridiculing witnesses. His organization went bankrupt in 1969, the same year the Air Force abandoned UFO research. Keyhoe graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1919 and served in the Marines.

UFO Sightings and Reports

New UFO Photos Received at Sentinel: The Sentinel newspaper in Gulf Breeze, Florida, received anonymous photos of a UFO taken on October 12, 1988, around 6 p.m. near Soundside Drive. The anonymous photographer, identifying themselves as "A Believer," described the object as moving from west to east, retracing its path with a slow bobbing motion, remaining motionless for about thirty seconds, and then moving east at a very high rate of speed without making noise. The photos were sent to MUFON for examination. The Sentinel also received a report of a sighting on Sunday afternoon from the I-10 Bridge over the Bay.

UFO Attracts Local Viewers: In Brigham City, Utah, police were alerted to an unidentified flying object similar to one sighted near the mountains southeast of Brigham City in July. Hospital staff observed the lights hovering over the mountains. The object was described as a geo-synchronous satellite, appearing brighter on some nights with red, white, and blue markings.

Belleville Braces for Return of UFO Believers Oct. 29: This article from The Capital Times details the upcoming UFO Days festival in Belleville, Wisconsin, celebrating the town's notoriety as a "UFO capital." It recounts the experience of Belleville police officer Glen Kazmar, who reported seeing a "clump of bright lights" in January 1987. His sighting thrust him into the media spotlight. The article also mentions Lavonne Freidig's sighting of a "rocket-type object" and the town's preparations for the festival, including a parade and costume contest.

U.F.O.'s Sighted in Anza: The Anza Valley Outlook reports on a recent possible UFO sighting in Anza, California, prompting others to share similar experiences. Multiple residents have described similar unexplained phenomena, with some observing UFOs hovering around the area for up to 30 years. Sightings are reportedly more frequent in the fall, between 10:00 PM and midnight, though one was seen at dusk. The newspaper is withholding names to encourage more people to come forward.

Navy Scientist Says Gulf Breeze UFO Photographs Are Genuine: Dr. Bruce Maccabbee, an optical physicist, stated after extensive research that photographs of a Gulf Breeze UFO are genuine and not trick photos. He considered various methods for creating fake images, including reflections, double exposures, and photographic montages, and found no evidence of such techniques in the photos. He also analyzed stereo photos to calculate distance and size, and analyzed the UFO's photographic evidence. D. Robert Nathan, however, had suggested some images might be double exposures.

'Jim': UFO Pictures Not Fake: This article discusses the photographer, identified as "Jim," whose Gulf Breeze UFO photos were suggested to be faked by scientist Dr. Robert Nathan. However, computer analysis by Maccabbee indicated the photos were genuine. Jim underwent psychological evaluation and regressive hypnosis, which reportedly exposed details of at least four past abduction incidents.

UFO Sightings Listed Near Portland: Four people reported seeing an unidentified flying object west of Portland, Oregon, on a Sunday night. The object was described as bright, moving swiftly, and leaving a white smoke trail. A state police dispatcher stated they had no information about a deputy reporting a UFO.

Unusual Marks, Lights Reported in Elmwood Field: Circular marks and a report of a strange light were observed in a Dunn County, Wisconsin, farm field. Elmwood has a history of UFO sightings. Tom Weber, president of the UFO Site Center Corp., which plans to build a landing station for alien aircraft near Elmwood, examined the marks. The marks were purplish-gray with a white residue. Soil samples were sent for laboratory analysis. A teenage girl reported seeing flashing lights and something drop to the ground near the field.

Rural UFO Sighted: In George County, Mississippi, eight rural residents reported seeing two large flying objects decorated in red, green, and blue lights near Lucedale. The objects were described as house-sized and moved quickly without sound. They lowered toward the ground before heading towards nearby woods.

UFO Activity in Olmos Basin: This piece focuses on San Antonio, Texas, as a potential hub for UFO activity, influenced by Whitley Strieber's books. Ron McAtee claims to have seen a UFO near Cambridge Elementary School about 30 years ago and has been investigating potential alien activity in the Alamo Heights/Olmos Basin area. He described a "pinwheel-like" craft with a rotating outer portion and rockets. McAtee also recounted an experience of seeing a "naked man" running in the woods years prior. The article notes the connection to Strieber's writings about a "children's circle" in the area and the historical UFO sighting over San Antonio on November 7, 1957.

Washington County Callers Report 'Fireball' in Sky: Numerous calls reported a "red fireball with a red tail, trailing smoke" over Washington County, Oregon. Descriptions varied, but many reported a low-flying object. Fireballs are described as rare but unusual meteors. The article notes a high number of fireball sightings in Oregon that month.

UFOs Are 'Out Of This World': George Green spoke to an audience in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, about UFOs, outer space aliens, and coming natural disasters. He referenced a mysterious hole found on a local farmer's property and discussed a TV program called "UFO Coverup." Green claimed the U.S. government has an extraterrestrial in New Mexico and has signed a treaty with aliens, fearing mass hysteria if the truth were revealed. He also mentioned incidents of alleged alien abduction and radiation burns from a UFO encounter.

Laramie Site of UFO Conference: The University of Wyoming hosted the Ninth Rocky Mountain Conference on UFO Investigation, featuring Whitley Strieber, author of "Communion." Strieber shared his experiences of contact with aliens, including being taken aboard their ships and undergoing near-death experiences. He discussed his methods for dealing with fear and the possibility of alien manipulation of human genetics and the environment.

Lizard Man Meets Bigfoot: This article discusses George Fawcett, a collector of information on UFOs, Bigfoot, and Lizard Man. Fawcett believes there is a connection between UFOs and Bigfoot creatures, citing an incident in Virginia where a Bigfoot creature was followed by a UFO. He also notes that sightings seem to increase during election years.

Cooper Twp. Man Reports UFO Sighting Over I-80: Tom Hynd of Lanse, Pennsylvania, reported seeing a large circular airship with green flashing lights and windows over Interstate 80. The object was described as very large and circular, with a flat top and vapor around the bottom. The Pennsylvania Association for the Study of the Unexplained is interested in the sighting, as it matches other unexplained UFO reports in the state.

UFO Sightings Reported: Two UFO sightings were reported in the Rifle, Colorado, area. One witness described a white, long, lighted tubular object with a red fireball trailing it, traveling at high speed. Another witness reported a similar object. The Garfield County Airport confirmed no air traffic in the area at the time.

UFO Club Leader Rips Skeptics as Prejudiced: Chris Hempowicz, leader of the American UFO Club at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, suggests that UFO skeptics may be prejudiced. He believes in other civilizations and beings and finds it difficult to understand why people are scared of the idea. The club aims to encourage discussion about UFO experiences.

Books

In Touch With Other Beings: This is a review of Whitley Strieber's book "Transformation," a sequel to "Communion." The review discusses Strieber's accounts of encounters with strange beings, his attempts to deal with psychic discombobulation, and his theories about aliens managing human evolution or representing a higher level of being. The review notes Strieber's belief that aliens are here to save humanity and his personal journey of overcoming addiction and facing his own death.

Editorials and Viewpoints

Viewpoint (Sentinel, Gulf Breeze, FL): Charlie Somerby discusses the participation of Gulf Breeze residents in the TV show "Unsolved Mysteries" related to UFOs. He mentions the show highlighted a recent trial and a UFO sighting that occurred shortly before pictures were taken. Somerby notes that the town has received national and international attention for its UFO-related events.

Dear Editor (Sentinel, Gulf Breeze, FL): Michael Wales writes about the significance of Gulf Breeze as a location for potential extraterrestrial communication and UFO sightings. He suggests that factors like its civilian-military environment and its delicate Bay habitat, affected by toxic waste dumping, might make it an ideal location for receiving extraterrestrial warnings about environmental issues.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO sightings, alleged alien encounters, and the investigation of these phenomena. There is a strong emphasis on personal testimonies and the belief that UFOs and extraterrestrial life are real, despite skepticism from some scientific quarters. The publication appears to lean towards presenting these accounts with a degree of seriousness, often highlighting the experiences of individuals and the efforts of organizations like MUFON. The issue also touches upon the potential for government cover-ups and the psychological aspects of believing in UFOs. The editorial stance seems to be one of open inquiry into these unexplained events, giving voice to witnesses and researchers in the field.

This issue of The Sentinel, dated November 24, 1988, features a prominent cover story titled "Unidentified object steals across valley sky," detailing sightings of unusual aerial phenomena. The main focus is on UFO sightings in Lemont, Illinois, but it also includes reports from other areas and discussions about potential explanations.

UFO Sightings in Lemont

The lead article details multiple sightings of an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) in Lemont, Illinois, primarily on Friday, September 23, 1988. Police Sergeant Tom Hess and Patrolman Mark Janusz, among others, reported seeing a bright, oval-shaped object with bluish-green and white lights. Hess described it as entering clouds and lighting them up like a lamp, moving erratically and impossibly fast before disappearing behind trees. Janusz corroborated the sighting, describing the object as hovering and then shooting straight up. The officers initially agreed to not report it, but were relieved to find they had both seen the same thing.

Another officer had reported seeing a similar object a week prior, on Friday, September 16. Lemont Police Chief Don Wiegand confirmed that four of his officers reported seeing a UFO and expressed confidence in their credibility.

Mark Remaley, an investigator with the Center for UFO Studies in Chicago, stated that nine people from the Lemont and Lockport area reported seeing a UFO, all describing it similarly. He characterized this cluster of sightings as a "mini-flap," noting that the flap began in July, with a sighting on September 16, followed by six on September 23, and one on September 25.

Remaley discussed two potential explanations for the UFOs' attraction to the Lemont-Lockport area: their preference for open areas and the proximity of Argonne National Laboratory, which might interest extraterrestrial visitors. Officials at Argonne declined to comment.

Remaley emphasized that the Center for UFO Studies aims to extract basic information and put it into a coherent form, without proving or disproving theories. He stated that whether UFOs are alien spacecraft or an uncategorized atmospheric phenomenon, either explanation would be a surprise.

Valley Sky Sightings and Investigations

The issue also reports on sightings in the wider valley sky. Residents in the Dinuba and Fresno areas reported seeing a low-flying, slow-moving object on Wednesday night, with speculation that it could be the U.S. Air Force's new Stealth bomber. Northrop Corp. and the Air Force declined to comment on the Stealth bomber's capabilities or operations. Military bases in the area reported no unusual activity.

Kent Holcomb, a Dinuba police officer and private pilot, described seeing "several sets" of strange lights in the sky, moving in perfect formation, estimated to be flying at an altitude of 5,000 to 10,000 feet and moving at no more than 100 mph. He expressed skepticism about a UFO but leaned towards a military operation, questioning why it would fly over Dinuba for an extended period.

Laura Hardwick and her husband reported seeing a triangular object with trailing objects after hearing a report on a police scanner.

Separately, Calumet County authorities in Wisconsin were investigating reports of an unidentified object in the sky. Lieutenant Jeff Williams described it as a high, white object moving without blinking, which he could not get a good view of through binoculars.

UFO Photos and Research

A note mentions that The Sentinel received four more Polaroid photos from a "Believer" after a previous publication. Dr. Bruce Maccabee had reviewed these photos but could not begin a formal investigation without knowing the precise time and location they were taken.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the prevalence of UFO sightings and the difficulty in definitively explaining them. The articles highlight credible witnesses, including police officers, and the efforts of UFO research organizations to gather and analyze data. While some reports lean towards conventional explanations like military aircraft (e.g., the Stealth bomber), others, particularly those involving police officers' accounts of erratic movements and unusual lights, suggest phenomena beyond current understanding. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting these events and investigations objectively, acknowledging the credibility of witnesses while also presenting various perspectives and potential explanations, from natural phenomena to extraterrestrial origins.