| The quiet farming community of Stephenville, | | | | the Stephenville Empire-Tribune. |
| Texas, became the subject of national news | | | | Based on reports called into the local newspaper, |
| broadcasts this week after UFO sightings were | | | | UFOs have been seen in the Stephenville area for |
| reported there by several dozen witnesses | | | | about two weeks in various forms. Very little |
| including a pilot and police officer. Stephenville, | | | | information about the sightings has been published |
| located about seventy miles southwest of Fort | | | | and regional UFO research organizations have |
| Worth, is where an object measuring | | | | been slow to respond. Peter Davenport, head of |
| approximately a mile long and about a half mile | | | | the National UFO reporting Center, made these |
| wide was spotted by locals last week. Witnesses | | | | statements about the Texas sightings on the |
| say that the craft made no noise and was | | | | syndicated Coast to Coast AM broadcast with |
| moving low and fast. | | | | George Noory: |
| A few reports claim that the object with brightly | | | | "I have received but two reports, George...but |
| lit lights on it was being pursued by military jets, | | | | that's part of the reason that I didn't devote |
| but federal officials deny that claim. | | | | more interest in this case at this time because |
| Spokespersons for nearby Dyess and Sheppard | | | | when you get only two reports, even if they're |
| Air Force Bases say none of their jets were | | | | good reports, ah, you sought of wait for follow |
| involved and claim that the Air Force no longer | | | | on reports." |
| investigates UFOs. Major Karl Lewis, a | | | | Davenport has come under criticism for being |
| spokesperson for the 301st Fighter Wing at the | | | | slow to report these and other major UFO |
| Joint Reserve Base (Naval Air Station) in Fort | | | | sightings including the incident involving a |
| Worth, says there were no F-16s or other | | | | disc-shaped object over Chicago's O'Hare |
| military aircraft from his base involved. Lewis also | | | | International Airport. In that case a Chicago |
| said that what the Stephenville witnesses say | | | | Reporter claimed that Davenport tried to |
| was probably an optical illusion caused by lights | | | | negotiate some sort of deal with him. In another |
| from one or more commercial airliners. However, | | | | case, Art Bell claimed that Davenport asked for |
| UFO witness Steve Allen disagrees. | | | | financial remuneration in exchange for being |
| Allen is the owner of a local freight hauling | | | | associated with Bell's broadcast. |
| company, a private pilot and witness to the event. | | | | As a UFO researcher with many years of |
| He claims that what appeared in the Stephenville | | | | experience, I have to wonder why Peter |
| skies was anything but a conventional aircraft. | | | | Davenport would not list a raw report as quickly |
| Allen and others say the lights changed as they | | | | as possible when it involves such an important |
| watched the mile long object move across the | | | | sighting. That's not to say that I wouldn't make a |
| sky. The huge craft seen last week may not | | | | few calls to town authorities and speak directly to |
| have been the only strange thing seen over and | | | | the witness before publishing anything on the web, |
| near Stephenville. Ricky Sorrells lives in Dublin and | | | | but just to sit back and wait for more reports |
| says that a flat, metallic object hovered about | | | | seems ludicrous and assumes that witnesses |
| three hundred feet above a pasture behind his | | | | even know there is a National Reporting Center |
| house. Ricky decided to come forward with his | | | | to contact. |
| own story after reading about other sightings in | | | | |