UFO Newsclipping Service - 1990 12 - no 257

Magazine Overview

This issue of the UFO NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE, dated December 1990, Number 257, is a compilation of articles and reports on unidentified flying objects (UFOs), alien encounters, and related phenomena from various newspapers across the United States. The publication focuses on witness testimonies, investigations by organizations like MUFON, and discussions about the potential implications of these events.

Man Sights Halloween UFO in Sky

This article by Ed Wilcox reports on Chris Vann of Dublin, North Carolina, who claims to have seen a large, bright orange object in the sky west of Elizabethtown. Vann described the object as huge, bright orange, and shaped like a ball with the top third cut off. He noted its silent movement and the unusual absence of natural sounds like frogs and crickets during the sighting, suggesting the object departed rapidly towards Lumberton.

Alien Encounters Described at UFO Conference

This piece details accounts from an October 6 UFO Conference held at The Evergreen State College. Dolores Galvin, a retired military officer, shared her experience of an alien encounter that she believes cured her arthritis. She described a tall, dark figure with a silver pencil-shaped object. Bruce Smith, a refugee from Long Island, shared his experiences, including an 'alien cross-breeding program' and an encounter where an alien appeared as a woman. Smith also discussed his abductions, often occurring during the night, and his experiences under hypnosis.

Hoosier Crop Circles Spark Extraterrestrial Talk

Karen Murphy reports on crop circles found in Warsaw, Indiana, on Bruce Weaver's property. While some experts declared them authentic crop circles, a local youth, Jake Huffer, claimed responsibility for creating them by shuffling his feet. Weaver and other townsfolk expressed skepticism about the youth's claims, noting the complexity of the circles. MUFON officials examined the site and declared six of the circles legitimate, attributing them to UFOs. The article also mentions strange light patterns reported in nearby towns, which MUFON is investigating for a possible connection.

Unidentified Flying Objects: More Than 100 Seen Around Bay Since '87

John Witt reports on the numerous UFO sightings around the Chesapeake Bay area since 1987. Mark Blashak, Virginia state director of MUFON, notes that reports come from various locations and witnesses, often describing similar phenomena like lights in kite or diamond shapes that zigzag and disappear at high speed. The article mentions close encounters of the first, second, and third kinds. Bob Oeschler, assistant state director for MUFON in Maryland, recounts his own close encounter of the first kind in 1988, seeing iridescent spheres. The piece also touches upon the possibility of experimental military aircraft and the historical context of UFO investigations, including the Roswell crash and Project Blue Book.

Weird Lights at Night Draw Much Attention But No Explanation

This article by Tanuja Kanwar and Dixie G. Martin covers reports of strange lights seen across Arkansas. Witnesses described bright lights, some with loud booms, and objects with pulsating colors. While some speculated it could be the aurora borealis, meteorologists doubted this explanation due to the location and time of year. Officials at Little Rock Air Force Base and the sheriff's office received multiple calls but found no substantiation for the reports.

Strange Occurrences in the Skies

This brief section notes that many strange things are happening globally, including UFO sightings. It mentions a farmer in Kingsley, Iowa, who may have found a UFO landing site and a report from Mrs. Stokesberry about seeing a bright object in the sky that left glowing green lines.

UFO Witnessed and Photographed

This report from Gulf Breeze, Florida, details sightings of a soundless, brilliant red object hovering over the area on November 23 and 25, 1990. The object was seen by multiple witnesses and photographed. MUFON is investigating these sightings.

Folks in Culver Report Strange Lights

This article from Culver, Indiana, discusses ongoing reports of unidentified bright lights in the sky. Residents like Melanie Wagner have seen these lights multiple times a week, describing them as suspended, moving in various directions, and sometimes changing colors. Officials at Grissom Air Force Base deny any involvement, stating their aircraft do not match the descriptions.

What Were Those Lights Over BG?

Dave Jewett reports on Mert Oakes' sighting of strange, silent objects over Clark County, Washington. Oakes described them as similar to jumbo jets but capable of stopping and changing direction instantly. He noted the lack of sound. After the initial report, Oakes received calls from ten other residents who had seen similar objects, reinforcing the mystery.

Mystery Has Farmer Going in Circles

This article describes Charlie Kirkendall's discovery of inexplicable circular patterns in his alfalfa field near Barada, Nebraska. The circles appeared burned into the field, with dried outer edges. Initial studies by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln suggested a fungus, violet root rot, as a possible cause, though Kirkendall remained unconvinced, citing unusual sightings in the area around the time the circles appeared.

Observers Say Shuttle Is Acting Mysteriously

This report from Cape Canaveral, Florida, discusses amateur astronomers' observations of the space shuttle Atlantis exhibiting strange behavior. They speculated that the astronauts might have been rescuing a secret satellite. NASA remained silent on the mission details.

UFO Investigator Looking for Reports of Sitings and Mutilations in Rural Areas

Diane Young, a UFO investigator, believes South Thurston County is a prime area for UFO sightings and cattle mutilations. She is investigating for UFO author Linda Howe and notes that rural areas are more common for these phenomena. Young also discusses the characteristics of cattle mutilations, distinguishing them from satanic rituals.

Lights Hover Over Olive, Vanish

Darin Estep and John Agar report on sightings of a bright light and a dark-gray triangle with white lights around its edges over Olive Township, Michigan. Witnesses described the object as silent and capable of unusual maneuvers. Authorities dismissed the reports, but independent organizations expressed interest, noting the descriptions matched numerous other reports.

UFO course to Beam to 3 Campuses

Steve Schmidt reports that the University of North Dakota (UND) will offer a UFO course titled "UFOs, ETs and Close Encounters" via interactive video to three other campuses. Instructor John Salter, who claims to have had a positive encounter with 'friendly UFO humanoids,' will teach the course.

Connersville Woman Recalls Experience with UFO

Bill Engle recounts the story of a Connersville, Indiana, woman named Rhonda who claims to have seen an unidentified flying object in 1973 and was later taken aboard the vessel. She described a small, four-fingered creature and a calming effect from its eyes. She also recalled a 'mother ship' and aliens operating control panels. The experience reportedly involved a 'lapse of time.'

Hickson Addresses UFO Crowd

Wendy Walker reports on Charles Hickson's account of being taken aboard an alien spacecraft in 1973 with his friend Calvin Parker near Biloxi, Mississippi. Hickson described the beings and the craft, and claims the aliens maintain telepathic contact with him. The article also mentions other speakers at the UFO gathering, including those discussing government cover-ups and alien abductions.

Folks Recall UFO Sightings In Anson

Sandy Bruney reports on UFO sightings in Anson County, North Carolina, with Henry (Punky) Morton, a regional director for MUFON, noting the frequency of these events. The article includes accounts of a silent, round object with dazzling lights that ascended straight up, and another incident involving a craft that caused suction, breaking windows and scrambling electronics.

Mysterious Sightings Still Reported in Area

This article from Culver, Indiana, continues the reports of strange lights in the sky. Melanie Wagner and Jan Johnson describe sightings of triangular light formations and colored lights. Law enforcement and government agencies have offered no official explanation.

UFOs: Devils, UFOs? Residentsponder mystery circles

This piece discusses the ongoing mystery of crop circles, referencing the case of Charlie Kirkendall and the investigation into a possible fungus as a cause. It also touches upon the idea that ancient monuments might have served as guides for celestial travelers and the government's stance on UFO investigations.

Local Encounters

This section compiles several brief reports of UFO sightings from different locations, including a silent object over Vancouver, Washington, and a UFO course being offered at UND. It also includes an account from a Connersville woman about her UFO experience and Charles Hickson's story of an alien abduction.

Tujunga is Hot Spot for UFOs

Cynthia Takano writes about the Tujunga Canyons in California being a long-standing area for UFO activity. Ann Druffel, author of "The Tujunga Canyon Contacts," discusses reports ranging from strange lights to entity encounters and alleged abductions, noting the area's unique connection to these phenomena.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the prevalence of UFO sightings and alien encounters across diverse locations in the United States, the persistent mystery surrounding these phenomena, and the role of organizations like MUFON in investigating them. There's a consistent undercurrent of skepticism from official sources (military, FAA) contrasted with the conviction of witnesses and independent investigators. The issue also highlights the potential for government secrecy or cover-ups regarding UFO information. The editorial stance appears to be one of presenting these accounts and investigations without definitive conclusions, allowing readers to draw their own inferences, while also acknowledging the growing body of evidence and witness testimony that challenges conventional explanations.

This issue of Foreign News, dated September 24, 1990, with the headline 'UFO Flap In Belgium Among Best Documented Ever,' focuses on a significant wave of UFO sightings in Belgium. The magazine delves into the details of these encounters, including military involvement and scientific investigation.

UFO Flap In Belgium Among Best Documented Ever

The lead article by J. Antonio Huneeus details the extraordinary UFO wave experienced in the French-speaking region of Wallonia, Belgium, over the past year. Thousands of witnesses, including gendarmes and Belgian Air Force officers, reported triangular-shaped vehicles performing incredible maneuvers, captured on video and tracked by ground and airborne radar. The Belgian Minister of Defense, Guy Coeme, authorized full cooperation between the Air Force and civilian scientists from the Belgian Society for the Study of Space Phenomena (SOBEPS). Physicist Jean Pierre Petit noted this as a period of openness regarding UFOs. SOBEPS includes respected scientists like Leon Brenig and August Meesen. The flap climaxed on March 30-31, 1990, when radar installations at Glons and Semmerzake tracked unknown targets, leading to the scramble of two F-16 interceptors. These aircraft had brief radar contacts, but the UFOs exhibited drastic changes in behavior, including rapid acceleration and altitude changes, described as equivalent to 40 Gs, excluding human pilots. The report excluded hypotheses like optical illusions or weather balloons, noting the puzzling absence of sonic booms despite supersonic speeds. The article suggests similarities to sightings in the Hudson Valley, Virginia, and Puerto Rico.

Local Reports and Mysteries

From Circles to Aliens the Mysteries Grow (Swindon Star, Aug. 30, 1990)

Residents in West Swindon reported being woken by a rhythmic, high-pitched noise described as sounding like a spaceship. Ann Farthing and her family heard the sound for a prolonged period.

Moving in the Top Circles (Daily Mail, Aug. 24, 1990)

The Earl of Haddington reported seeing hundreds of black, rod-like things jumping above crops, accompanied by flashing lights and a bell-like sound near Wansdyke.

P.E.I Residents Claim Something More Than Meteor Crashed Near Rural Village (Daily Gleaner, Sept. 4, 1990)

Residents in Ebenezer, P.E.I., Canada, claimed an object they saw on Aug. 22 was more than a meteor shower. Shirley Yeo and her family described a bright, ice-cream cone-shaped object landing in a field and glowing for two hours, followed by helicopters and airplanes. Astronomers suggested it might be space junk or a satellite, not a meteorite, due to its prolonged glow.

Aliens Secret Held by - Bob's Trousers! (Courier, Nov. 2, 1990)

Psychics are being considered to examine the trousers of Bob Taylor, who claimed a close encounter in 1979. Rips on his trousers from the alleged encounter are to be examined for clues.

Alert on Reports of UFOs (Evening Chronicle, Oct. 12, 1990)

Police in Saddleworth and West Yorkshire were alerted by three separate reports of a flying saucer hovering above the moors. One witness described a large, saucer-shaped object with flashing white lights that shone a spotlight on his car.

Couple See UFO Over Bay (Grange & District Memorandum, Nov. 1, 1990)

A Grange couple observed a delta-wing craft with eight or ten lights hovering over Morecambe Bay for 15 minutes. They ruled out it being a Harrier jet or a helicopter.

Those Baffling Close Encounters (Northern Echo, Oct. 1, 1990)

A couple in Redcar reported a close encounter involving bright lights, a spaceship, and three-foot tall aliens coming up their stairs. BUFORA (British Unidentified Flying Object Research Association) is investigating, with director Philip Mantle considering regressive hypnosis.

Circles Mystery (Newbury Weekly News, Aug. 30, 1990)

BBC film crews spent three weeks filming cornfields in Wiltshire to investigate the cause of crop circles, hoping their project 'Operation Blackbird' will shed light on the mystery.

Farmer Peer Going Round in Circles (Western Daily Press, Aug. 21, 1990)

The Earl of Haddington is heading a new national bid to solve the crop circles mystery, favoring an 'out-of-this-world' explanation. He is patron of the Centre For Crop Circles Studies and has studied the phenomenon for three years.

The Mystery Uncoils (Sussex Express, Aug. 24, 1990)

David Tilt suggests that crop circles are related to energy lines in the ground, not whirlwinds or UFOs. He examined configurations in Lewes and Wilmington, linking them to energy lines and prehistoric sites.

Circular Evidence (Province, Nov. 18, 1990)

Marian Marcotte reported a perfect circle in her gravel backyard in Williams Lake, B.C., Canada. Graham Conway, Lorne Goldfader, and Mike Strainic of MUFON are investigating, noting that the rings in B.C. differ from the whole-circle flattening seen in England. Theories about whirlwinds are questioned due to more complex patterns appearing in England.

Farmer Peer Going Round in Circles (Western Daily Press, Aug. 21, 1990)

The Earl of Haddington is lending his support to the Centre For Crop Circles Studies, believing crop circles might have an 'out-of-this-world' explanation. He has studied the phenomenon for three years and heard strange noises suggesting an electrical charge at a Wiltshire location.

Mysterious Symbol in Oregon Desert (Columbian, Sept. 14, 1990)

A large geometric design, identified as a Hindu sriyantra symbol, was plowed into the Alvord Desert in Oregon. Capt. Michael Gollaher of the Idaho Air National Guard stated it was a major engineering effort, likely a manmade object from a cult. James W. Deardorff questioned the explanation, citing the complexity and lack of spiritual significance mentioned by the alleged creators.

Artist Says Aliens Not Involved (Times-Herald, Nov. 14, 1990)

Iowa artist Bill Witherspoon explained the Oregon sriyantra symbol was created by him and five others as a challenge to produce something big and beautiful, quoting John Keats. He stated it was not the work of a religious cult and that nature 'sealed' the desert drawing. Deardorff remained skeptical, questioning the methods and the claim of rain washing away tracks.

UFO Investigator Pursues County's Animal Mutilations (Columbian, Dec. 2, 1990)

Carlo Sposito, a UFO investigator, is looking into seven cattle mutilations in Clark County, Washington, suspecting alien involvement due to features like laser-like cuts and cauterized skin. Pathologist John Altshauler confirmed high temperatures were used. Local authorities, like Deputy Garry Lucas, lean towards cults or trespassers as the cause.

Legends Illuminate Eerie Spook Lights (Sunday Oklahoman, Oct. 28, 1990)

Reports of ghostly lights, known as 'spook lights,' in Peoria, Oklahoma, are discussed. Legends attribute the lights to various sources, including spirits of Indian couples, a headless Indian man, a decapitated miner, or a Civil War soldier. Locals are accustomed to the phenomenon, which attracts sightseers.

Fortean Followers Are Keeping Spirit of the Weird Alive (Times, Nov. 15, 1990)

This article covers the Fortfest '90 conference, focusing on discussions about UFOs, crop circles, and fallen angels. Sophy Burnham shared an experience of being saved by an angel. Andrew Rothovius discussed the increasing number of crop circle sightings and speculated they might be a form of communication. The conference embraced 'weird data' ignored by the scientific community, inspired by Charles Fort.

Ogopogo Makes Surprise Appearance (Sun, Aug. 14, 1990)

An Alberta couple, Tina and Mike Pascal, believe they photographed the legendary Ogopogo monster in Lake Okanagan, Canada. They described a large, smooth, shiny, snake-like creature surfacing beside their boat.

Bigfoot? Or Just Big Feet? (Daily News, Sept. 23, 1990)

Sasquatch hunter Cliff Crook claims footprints found near Mount Rainier National Park are the best Bigfoot prints he's seen in 33 years. He displayed plaster casts of prints he believes belong to the legendary ape-like creature.

Weird Circles in Corn Is Mystery For Farmers (Western Gazette, Aug. 23, 1990)

Two sets of mysterious corn circles appeared at a Berwick St John farm, accompanied by reports of strange lights and winds. The farmer's wife, Mary Pocock, rejected hoax theories, noting the absence of tracks.

It was Just Out of This World... (Littleport Gazette, Oct. 11, 1990)

Stephen Fawcett of Coveney claims to have seen a large, pulsating blue flashing light in the sky, estimating its size to be half a mile to a mile wide. He contacted RAF Wyton, who assured him no aircraft maneuvers were taking place.

Family's Close Encounter Near Laurieston (News, Aug. 16, 1990)

Mrs Morag Agnew reported seeing a round, shiny silver object pass silently in front of her car near Laurieston, Scotland. Her children also witnessed the event. The article mentions other UFO sightings in the area over the years.

Nothing to Do With the Moon (Gloucestershire Echo, Sept. 20, 1990)

A letter to the editor disputes the explanation that a bright light seen was due to the moon, arguing it was at a different altitude and location. The writer seeks a credible terrestrial explanation.

Llowarch Leaving It Up in the Air (Cambrian News, Aug. 31, 1990)

This opinion piece discusses crop circles and UFO sightings, suggesting that official explanations like 'weather balloons' are inadequate. It proposes a theory of a hidden civilization on Earth observing humanity.

Spotted Monster, Oklahoman Says (Arkansas Democrat, Dec. 12, 1990)

Jim Walls of Clinton, Oklahoma, claims to have sighted the 'Fouke Monster,' described as an 8-foot tall, hairy creature emitting a stench and a piercing scream. Sheriff H.L. Phillips notes an increase in sightings but speculates it could be a bear or panther.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores unexplained phenomena, with a strong focus on UFO sightings, crop circles, and animal mutilations. There's an underlying theme of skepticism towards official explanations and a leaning towards investigating possibilities beyond conventional science, including extraterrestrial and Fortean explanations. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry into these mysteries, presenting witness accounts and expert opinions while acknowledging the lack of definitive proof in many cases.