Other days

100 YEARS AGO

March 27, 1921

■ Among the bills signed yesterday by Governor McRae was the Johnson cigarette bill, legalizing the sale of cigarettes in Arkansas, and fixing an annual license fee of $20 for retailers and $50 for wholesalers. Except that the license fees are doubled, the bill is identical with the original measure, which was passed in the Senate over the governor’s veto, but defeated in the House. After the failure of the House to pass the bill, which the governor had vetoed because he considered the $10 and $25 license fees as proposed too low, Senator Johnson revised the measure and obtained its passage.

50 YEARS AGO

March 27, 1971

■ Governor Bumpers has agreed to a $500,000 appropriation in the second year of the 1971-73 biennium for the operation of a proposed Hot Springs branch of Arkansas Polytechnic College, Representative Ray Smith Jr. of Hot Springs, the House speaker, said Friday. Smith said this was worked out in conferences between himself, the governor, administration fiscal officials and Dr. George L. B. Pratt, president of the College. He said the governor would have to give his approval before the branch would be permitted to open.

25 YEARS AGO

March 27, 1996

■ While attorney Bobby McDaniel revealed Tuesday that President Clinton will videotape his testimony in the Whitewater trial on April 27, other details remained under seal Tuesday pending approval by the court. Attorneys for the defense and prosecution submitted a joint memo to U.S. District Judge George Howard Jr. Tuesday afternoon outlining their preferences for the details of the recording session. A copy of that memo was apparently also forwarded to officials within the Justice Department in Washington D.C. for their approval.

10 YEARS AGO

March 27, 2011

■ Property owners on Main Street think a tax increment financing district could help jump-start reinvestment on the once-busy corridor. The district idea is the latest to come out of the Downtown Partnership’s Main Street Revitalization Committee, which includes area property owners, business leaders and city officials. In the past year, their discussions have led to a security camera at Third and Main streets and new sidewalks outside the Arkansas Repertory Theatre at Sixth and Main streets. More recently, Mayor Mark Stodola started a discussion among the group about creating a tax increment financing district for Main Street between Markham Street and Interstate 630.