UFO Newsclipping Service - 2008 05 - no 466

Magazine Overview

This issue of the UFO Newsclipping Service & Media Report, dated May 2008, focuses on recent and historical UFO sightings, with the cover headline "Reports put UFO near airport." The single issue price was $7.50.

Chetek, Wisconsin UFO Sighting

The main article details a sighting by the Hauser family in Chetek, Wisconsin, on April 16, 2008. While driving on Hwy. 53, they reported seeing a large, teardrop-shaped object with blue, green, and white lights, and a purple flashing light, hovering near the Rice Lake airport. The object appeared to come directly towards their pickup truck, hovering about 15-20 feet away. The family described it as "the scariest thing" and "nothing from this planet." They also noted it made no noise and moved with incredible speed and agility.

Rice Lake airport manager Jerry Stites reviewed surveillance tapes but found nothing unusual, though he did note aircraft performing touch-and-go landings. However, he stated no planes landed at the air center that night, and the helicopter at the airport was grounded until about 3 a.m. Barron County Sheriff's dispatch logs did record reports from Chetek and Cameron around the same time. Three officers, including Cameron police officer Ryan Hulback and county deputy Vince Craf, reported seeing something in the air, which Hulback described as possibly a helicopter. Chetek's police log noted an object with four evenly spaced lights changing color from purple to orange to blue, which was visible for about 30 minutes before disappearing.

Other Sightings and Investigations

Chetek Alert (April 24, 2008): A follow-up report indicates that the investigation into the reported UFO near the Rice Lake Air Center has ended without a determination. Barron County Sheriff Tom Richie stated, "Our officers saw some strange lights," but no further action was taken.

The Chronotype (April 16 & 17, 2008): This newspaper from Rice Lake, Wisconsin, also covered the Chetek sightings, with articles titled "Reports put UFO near airport" and "Area UFO sighting under investigation." It reiterates the Hauser family's account, including Kristina Hauser's description of a triangular or teardrop-shaped object with purple and blue lights. Rice Lake Air Center Manager Jerry Stites confirmed that while employees observed aircraft landing between 9-9:30 p.m., security tapes showed no planes landing that night. Calls to local hospitals and the FAA confirmed no unusual air traffic. The article includes an editorial expressing skepticism but not ruling anything out, quoting Shakespeare: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Mount Shasta Herald (April 30, 2008): This article reports on "Reports of fiery flying objects in McCloud," detailing sightings by Dick Cary and Jerome Walker on April 12. Cary described a brightly lit object hovering silently, looking like a "giant jellyfish with a fire inside it." Walker corroborated seeing a burning object in the sky. Owen "Shorty" Long also reported a bright, triangular configuration of lights. The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge manager, Steven F. Kahl, noted that while they see many birds, there are "no mysterious studies going on." Physics professor Kevin T. Dehne suggested the phenomenon could be an anomaly caused by light overloading the camera sensor.

The Oregonian (April 18, 2008): This article is an obituary for Philip N. Bladine, a publisher known for his role in publicizing the "McMinnville UFO photographs" in 1950, which he famously headlined as "At Long Last -- Authentic Photographs of Flying Saucer?"

The Tribune (May 1, 2008): "Strange lights reported in the sky" covers sightings in Larimer and Weld counties, Colorado. Clifford Clift of the Mutual UFO Network reported four lights in a boomerang formation over Loveland and strange lights near Weld County Road 17. Margie Martinez of the Weld County Sheriff's Office confirmed a call but the caller refused to provide details. Clift noted a pattern of increased activity over Fort Collins.

Channel 12 News (Phoenix, AZ, April 21, 2008): This report details "Strange lights reported in north Valley sky," with residents seeing four or five red lights in a straight line that moved east and dimmed. An Arizona Republic reporter also saw four lights in a square shape that became triangular. Luke Air Force Base stated they had no aircraft in the sky.

houstonist (Online, April 28, 2008): "Women claim UFO sighting over Baytown" recounts Lisa Fojt and Kathy Boyd's experience seeing a "bright light, it was a blue-green light" over the Fred Hartman Bridge. They described the object making a sharp turn at "warp speed." The report humorously questions if they had been drinking.

First Coast News (Jacksonville, FL, April 21, 2008): "Two UFO Sightings in St. Augustine in Two Weeks" details sightings of orange glowing lights and a "very large white light." A 12-year-old boy, Brandon Puckett, filmed what he believes are UFOs, described as two fiery balls flying in formation. Skeptics suggest sky lanterns, but others are not convinced. St. Augustine Airport radar did not detect the objects, as it only responds to aircraft with transponder codes.

Review Journal (Las Vegas, NV, April 22, 2008): "Clinton urged to reveal what she knows of UFOs" reports on UFO researchers, including Stephen Bassett of the Paradigm Research Group, urging then-candidate Hillary Clinton to disclose any knowledge she might have about extraterrestrial contact. Bassett claimed Clinton was aware of the "extraterrestrial presence issue" since 1993. The article also mentions Joseph Buchman, a Libertarian candidate, supporting open hearings on government extraterrestrial activities.

The Saginaw News (April 16, 2008): "Saginaw, Michigan, man discovers UFOs do exist; and he has a picture" features Matthew B. Mook, who photographed a disc-shaped object hovering in the sky over the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge. Mook initially thought it was a smudge but later noticed video footage showing the object maintaining its position. Experts like refuge manager Steven F. Kahl and physics professor Kevin T. Dehne offered explanations such as ultralight aircraft, air balloons, or camera sensor anomalies, but Mook remains skeptical.

Stephenville Empire-Tribune (April 8, 2008): "Stephenville on center stage again" announces the History Channel's "UFO Hunters: Invasion of Texas 2008" episode, which investigates local UFO reports from January 2008. The show aims to uncover facts through scientific means, including experiments and reconstructions.

The Express-Times (Easton, PA, April 5, 2008): "Valley contributed to '73 UFO reports" looks back at a remarkable year for UFO sightings in 1973, with numerous reports in Pennsylvania, including 42 objects with flashing lights seen over Saylors Lake and sightings in Bushkill Township and Milton. The article also mentions Project Blue Book's conclusion that most UFO sightings could be explained by natural phenomena.

WESH.COM (Orlando, FL, April 22, 2008): "Residents Report UFO Sightings" notes unknown sightings spanning from Florida to Germany, including the St. Augustine sighting of two fiery objects. A German man posted video of similar lights on YouTube. Skeptics suggest sky lanterns.

Abilene Reporter-News (April 5, 2008): "Area woman garners fame since seeing UFO" profiles Angelia Joiner, who gained international attention after reporting on UFO sightings in Erath County, Texas. She is scheduled to speak at two UFO conferences and receives numerous emails daily. She is collaborating with journalist Linda Moulton Howe and has a website, www.stephenville-lights.com.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (March 16, 2008): "Mysterious light formations spotted racing across Lubbock skies" details reports from Friday night, May 1951, of "flying whats-its" zooming through the sky at high speeds. Numerous residents reported seeing objects in V-shaped or U-shaped formations. Texas Tech professors examined photographs taken by Carl Hart, Jr., but offered no explanation. Farmer T.E. Snider, Jr., suggested ducks illuminated by a drive-in theater, but others disagreed due to the speed. Roger Dods reported hearing a slight "russling or whooshing" sound.

The Tribune (Bay City, TX, March 16, 2008): "UFO sighting in North Texas was front page news in 1878" investigates an early report from Denison, Texas, where a farmer named John Martin described an object "about the size of a large saucer." The article suggests this may be the origin of the word "saucer" in UFO lore, but notes the original report may have been misunderstood or referred to a balloon, and the sighting might have occurred near Dallas, not Denison.

San Diego Union-Tribune (February 29, 2008): "Those weren't UFOs, just Navy parachutists" clarifies that strange lights seen over San Diego were actually pyrotechnic lights used by the Leap Frogs parachute team during practice.

Hendersonville Times-News (January 11, 2008): "Include me with UFO believers" is a column by Sparky Hall, who shares his own and others' experiences. He recounts a story from a friend who worked on "retro-engineering" a "saucer" at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in the late 1940s/early 1950s. Hall's father, a former Marine and Army captain, also became a UFO believer after witnessing a disc at White Sands in the 1950s. Hall himself recalls seeing a large object blanking out the stars near the Mississippi River in Louisiana in the 1950s.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the prevalence of UFO sightings across different regions and time periods, the challenges of investigation and official confirmation, the role of media in reporting these events, and the persistent public fascination with the unexplained. The editorial stance, particularly in "The Chronotype," leans towards skepticism but acknowledges the possibility of genuine mysteries, quoting Shakespeare to emphasize that not everything is easily explained.

This issue of Foreign News, dated April 2008, presents a collection of articles and reports on unexplained phenomena, UFO sightings, and mysterious creatures from around the world. The cover headline, "Mars Attacks! Are aliens about to land?", sets a tone of intrigue and speculation.

UFO Sighting: Mars Attacks! Are aliens about to land?

This article, reported by Richard Spillett, details an incident involving pilot Bob Cox in Birchington, UK. On March 27, Cox reported hearing strange, roaring noises and feeling his windows shake. He described the experience as "surreal and weird," noting that the object gave off no light and circled his home for about 20 minutes. His neighbor also heard strange noises. Cox, a flying instructor, stated the sound was unlike any aircraft he had ever heard, and the shaking windows suggested pulses of energy. He expressed openness to the existence of UFOs but questioned why an alien craft would travel to a quiet village like Birchington. He invited readers to call or email if they had also witnessed the event.

A related "DID YOU KNOW..." box mentions that Britain had a Ministry of Defence UFO Desk, which investigated sightings in the hope that alien technology might be used by the military. It also reveals a 1980s fear among the armed forces that the Russians might have captured extraterrestrial equipment.

International Press-Cutting Bureau Extracts

Several international news clippings are featured:

Wrexham Evening Leader (April 4, 2008) - "Answers expected over UFO mystery"

This article discusses the impending public release of hundreds of confidential Ministry of Defence (MoD) files on UFO sightings. Among these is expected evidence of a suspected UFO crash on the Berwyn Mountains near Bala, Wales, 34 years prior (January 23, 1974). Witnesses reported seeing strange green lights, followed by an impact that caused a tremor measuring 4.5 on the Richter Scale. Police and army convoys converged on the area. A nurse who lived nearby described a "flying saucer 'the size of the Albert Hall'" that smashed into the mountain, throwing debris and bodies. She claimed MoD officials silenced her, citing national security. The article notes that theories range from experimental military aircraft to alien craft. The MoD stated that declassified files would date back more than 10 years and contain information from public sightings.

La Estrella de Iquique (Online, April 15, 2008) - "Se trata de otro ovni fantasma"

This Spanish-language article, translated by Jane Thomas Guma, describes a "ghost UFO" photographed by young lovers in Iquique, Chile. Ufologist Mario Pizarro identified the object, which was only noticed when reviewing the photos. He believes it's part of a "wave" of sightings and could be a drone from an advanced civilization studying the area, possibly due to increased air traffic from grain exports to the US. Pizarro estimated the object's diameter at one kilometer, seen at a distance of 4-5 kilometers from a plane 800 meters away.

Wrexham Evening Leader (April 14, 2008) - "UFO: what the nurse saw"

This article revisits the 1974 Berwyn Mountains UFO crash, featuring an exclusive interview with the nurse who witnessed the event. She refutes earlier reports of seeing bodies, calling them "rubbish." She describes hearing a tremor, the house shaking, and thinking an aircraft had crashed. She and her teenage daughters were in a car when they saw a "huge pulsating orange ball" with fairy lights near the mountain top. They drove closer but then turned back, regretting not staying to see what happened. She states that no military or MoD personnel were present at the time.

Northants Evening Telegraph (March 24, 2008) - "UFO spotted over Corby"

This short piece features a photograph taken by a friend of a UFO spotter, showing an object over Corby, UK. The photographer was unsure what it was.

Denbighshire Free Press (April 10, 2008) - "[Comment]"

This commentary piece references the upcoming release of MoD UFO files and the Berwyn Mountains crash. It quotes Timothy Good, a leading authority on UFOs, who states that the subject is highly classified. It also includes quotes from Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding, former CIA Director Admiral Roscoe Hillenkoetter, and an US Air Force Security Service report, all suggesting a serious, classified interest in UFOs by governments and military.

Blackmorevale.co.uk (April 2008) - "Strange happenings in Dorset and Somerset"

This article recounts two separate sightings. The first, from around 1973-1974, involves Margaret Lewis and her boyfriend witnessing a stationary, vertical, silver metallic "blade" object, 2-3 feet wide and 6 feet tall, appearing out of fog near Portland Bill lighthouse. The object remained visible for about 30 seconds before rising and disappearing silently. The second sighting, from October 26, 1967, by Angus Brooks on Moigne Downs, describes a "mystery object" that decelerated rapidly, hovered, and then leveled out at 200-300 feet. Brooks, a former RAF intelligence officer, sketched the translucent object with a drum-like chamber and four trailing "fuselages." His dog became distraught. Brooks was interviewed by an MoD team, who concluded it was a "vitreous floater" (dead matter in the eyeball) and that the event was dramatized due to dreaming. Brooks found this conclusion unconvincing. The article notes that both sightings occurred near military sites. A third experience is recounted by Barry Thomas, who, with Margaret, saw a large triangular object with pure white lights over a factory car park in Chard, Somerset, on November 2, 1990. They described it as gliding slowly and silently, about twice the height of a two-story house, with an estimated length of 200-250 feet. They found it unlike any conventional aircraft, airship, or balloon. The article also mentions similar triangular objects seen over Belgium in 1989-90.

Edinburgh Evening News (April 23, 2008) - "Shedding light on UFO riddle"

This article reports on mysterious orange orbs spotted in the night sky above Edinburgh, Scotland. Initially sparking conspiracy theories, the lights were identified as Chinese sky lanterns released during a teenager's birthday party. Several people reported seeing the lights on April 12. Russell Eberst, a former information officer at the Royal Observatory, noted that Chinese lanterns are increasingly being mistaken for UFOs. He stated that the observatory receives two to three UFO sighting reports daily, but it's a significant leap to assume they relate to alien civilizations. The article also mentions past unsolved UFO sightings in the Edinburgh area, including flashing lights over Corstorphine Hill in 1998 and "fuzzy white lights" over Leith in 2001.

Grantham Journal (March 21, 2008) - "That UFO is a top secret spyplane"

This article presents a theory that strange lights seen over Great Gonerby, UK, could be a top-secret American spyplane called the Aurora, which officially does not exist. The Aurora aircraft is rumored to be built by the US Air Force as a successor to the Blackbird, capable of speeds exceeding the sound barrier. The article notes that many UFO sightings occur near key military sites.

Bigfoot and Cryptid Reports

Wales (icWales, April 30, 2008) - "Does a Welsh Loch Ness monster lurk in city lake?"

This report details claims by fisherman Steve Jenkins of spotting a crocodile in Pluck Lake, a city business park in Swansea, Wales. Experts suggest it's possible for a crocodile to survive in a cold climate by slowing down in winter. The article draws parallels with the Loch Ness Monster, highlighting its economic impact on Scottish tourism. Visit Scotland acknowledges the Nessy legend's strength. The article also mentions that Beastwatch UK has recorded over 10,000 sightings of non-indigenous animals in Britain, including crocodiles, attributed to climate change, zoo thefts, and exotic pet escapes. It notes that in the 1990s, over 100 terrapins were found in Cardiff's Roath Park Lake.

Wales (icWales, April 3, 2008) - "Mystery creature caught on camera"

Gwyn Weeks, 63, captured footage on his mobile phone of a mysterious "ape-like" animal in a Tredegar woodland. He described it as more like a bear or a yeti. The 10-second clip shows an animal resembling a gorilla foraging and briefly standing on two legs. Tredegar police stated they take yeti reports seriously and would increase patrols.

Vacaville Reporter (May 4, 2008) - "Exploring the lifestyles of the tall and large-footed ... Hamlin"

This article focuses on the Bigfoot Discovery Project in Felton, California, founded by Michael Rugg. The center houses a collection of Bigfoot artifacts, memorabilia, and eyewitness accounts. Rugg has interviewed over 180 people claiming to have seen Bigfoot. The article mentions that Native American tribes have names for Bigfoot, such as "Kooseekoosnow." It highlights the project's eclectic collection, including Bigfoot statues, comics, and a Bigfoot board game. The article also notes that Canada has honored Bigfoot with a postage stamp.

KFSN abc30.com (Online, April 25, 2008) - "Bigfoot in Fresno County?"

This report discusses the belief in Bigfoot (Sasquatch) in Central California. Bill Compton, a Bigfoot hunter, claims to have seen numerous footprints and beasts walking on two legs. He and his partners search the Sequoia National Forest. The article mentions 17 alleged Bigfoot encounters listed in Fresno County on the Bigfoot Field Research Organization website. Ron Goode of the North Fork band of Mono Indians shares Native American beliefs about Bigfoot. Susan Larson recounts hearing a Bigfoot-like scream outside her window. The article also features Michael Rugg, owner of the Bigfoot Discovery Museum, and Jeff Meldrum, a biology professor who has collected potential DNA evidence. However, it also presents skepticism from Stephen Lewis, a geology professor, who categorizes Bigfoot as "pseudo science."

USA TODAY (April 15, 2008) - "Bigfoot tracks spotted in W.Va."

This brief report states that 20 people participating in a four-day search for Bigfoot in West Virginia found tracks believed to be made by the creature. Members of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization also claim to have heard sounds made by Sasquatch. The organization estimates up to 6,000 sasquatches in the USA and Canada, but skeptics cite a lack of physical evidence.

Tri-County Journal (April 24, 2008) - "In search of Bigfoot"

This article profiles the Tri-County Bigfoot Group, a local organization dedicated to finding evidence of Bigfoot. Members use cameras in the wilderness, look for footprints, and listen for a distinctive guttural scream. Lorain Fender, a co-founder, describes the sound as creepy and unlike any animal. The group meets monthly to share stories and plan explorations. Annie Burnette, another member, emphasizes the need for more people to share their experiences. Fender states they aim to gather information and obtain concrete evidence, not to harm the creature. The article mentions a reported sighting of a creature at least 6 feet tall shaking a tree. It also discusses the group's use of "critter cams" and the possibility of Bigfoot disliking barking dogs. The article references the BFRO website, which lists reported encounters in Missouri. It also includes comments from Anthony "Tony" Gerard, a biology instructor and former BFRO researcher, who expresses skepticism about Bigfoot's existence, suggesting the guttural scream might be from a barred owl and questioning why Bigfoot hasn't been caught if it exists.

Wales (icWales, April 30, 2008) - "Mystery creature caught on camera"

This article, a continuation from page 10, describes Gwyn Weeks's encounter with a mysterious "ape-like" animal in a Tredegar woodland. He captured a 10-second video clip showing an animal resembling a gorilla foraging and briefly standing on two legs. Tredegar Crime and Disorder Reduction Officer Tony Davies stated that police take yeti reports seriously and would increase patrols.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, alien encounters, and the search for cryptids like Bigfoot and lake monsters. There is a clear editorial stance of presenting various accounts and theories, from eyewitness testimonies and photographic evidence to scientific skepticism and official investigations. The inclusion of international reports and diverse perspectives suggests an open-minded approach to unexplained phenomena, while also acknowledging the need for credible evidence. The articles often highlight the public's fascination with these mysteries and the ongoing efforts to find definitive proof.