RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 3 No. 14 Thursday, April 4, 1968

A lot of folks saw a horse out Sunday, but it took some teenagers, Ray Easley, Sherry Hutchinson and Laurie Vansandt to to something about it. They recognized the horse as being Brownie, the Jine’s horse, caught him and got him back home, where they fastened him in his stall and tried to remedy the fence where they thought he had broken out. His owners found him safe in his stall, and a possible accident on the roads was averted through the thoughtfulness of these junior high students.

Graphic weather outlook for this week is Wednesday, March 27: springlike day with clouds and sun chasing each other for control of the skies; Thursday, Mar. 28: strictly a housecleaning-type of day; Friday, Marcy 29: a day to get out and enjoy spring and be glad you made it through the winter; Saturday, March 30: ditto but windier; Sunday, March 31: spring rains of the day brought cooler temperatures; Monday, April 1: cooler and partly-cloudy with a sprinkling of rain starting after dark; and Tuesday, April 2: a gentle spring rain and temperatures hovering around 50 degrees.

The weather 10 years ago according to the diary of the late Mrs. H.L. Byler shows daily high temperatures for April 2 — 54 degrees; April 3 — 58 degrees; April 4 — 46 degrees; April 5 — 56 degrees; April 6 — 48 degrees; April 7 — 36 degrees; and April 8 — 40 degrees.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene Vol. 13 No. 14 Wednesday, April 5, 1978

The Pea Ridge Volunteer Fire Department stayed busy chasing grass fires last week as windy weather and several days of low humidity resulted in hazardous fire conditions. As the windy weather continues, residents should refrain from outside burning or use extreme caution.

Two juveniles allegedly involved in the Pea Ridge School break-in March 4 may face burglary charges in adult court, according to David Clinger, assistant county prosecutor. Clinger said Monday he was filing charges this week against the two in adult court. He added that Circuit Judge William Enfield will have to rule on whether or not they may be tried as adults. Four others who were believed to have been involved in the school break-in face charges

ranging from burglary, to theft of gun, to malicious mischief in juvenile court, Clinger said. The investigation conducted by Pea Ridge Marshal Loyd Pifer and the prosecutor’s office determined that six juveniles participated in one or more of at least three different break-ins at the high school principal’s office March 4, Clinger said. Clinger said a great deal of thought went into the decision to charge two of the youths in adult court. He said that decision was made because one of the juveniles has an extensive record and the other is believed to have been a ringleader in a substantial amount of malicious and criminal activity in the Pea Ridge area.

If all goes well during the next four year, a “You-PickEm” blueberry farm will be flourishing on 10 acres just east of Pea Ridge City Park. Mark Moeller of Rogers recently began breaking ground in a field where broom straw is now growing for his first planting of blueberry bushes. The plants will not bear fruit for four years, he said. When the planting is completed, Moeller hopes to have set out 11,000 blueberry bushes on the 10 acres.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 23 No. 14 Thursday, April 6, 1988

Pea Ridge Marshal Kelly Wallace said that a program offering amnesty to several dozen people who had failed to appear as scheduled in court has not been a rousing success. Wallace said that only one person responded voluntarily to the offer and she was simply angry that her name had appeared in the newspaper. The offer of amnesty was made the suggestion of City Judge Thurston Thompson. Those cited for failure to appear in court were given 30 days until March 17, to come forward and dispose of the cases that originally caused them to be in conflict with the law. By doing so, Wallace said, the judge would not fine them for failing to appear in court. Most of those sought on failure to appear warrants were those who had ignored court dates for routine traffic violations.

The outgoing president of the Pea Ridge Parent Teacher Association said last week that there is too much emphasis on sports in the school district rather than on academics. PTA President Bob Harmon, who is completing his second year as head of the organization, expressed frustration with the interest he said most parents have shown in the PTA and the education of their children here. Harmon said that only nine people showed up Monday a week ago when the PTA held its first meeting of the calendar year.

Pea Ridge Mayor Mary Rogers is in the process of appointing a committee to study the city’s Water and Sewer departments, including recommendations on rate increases. Rogers said that Ronnie David, superintendent of the Water Department, will be chairman of the committee. The formation of the committee coincides with an announcement by the Beaver Water District that it intends to double the price of water it sells to its primary customers by 1991. Pea Ridge residents drink and otherwise use water filtered at the Beaver treatment plant.

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 33 No. 14 Thursday, April 9, 1998

Alina Khartchenko, an exchange student from St. Petersburg, Russia, is living with host parents Bill and Cathy Wallace of Pea Ridge. St. Petersburg is a city with a population of 5 million. She said that in Russia snow five or six months of the year is normal. Alina said, the only month of the year with a 70 degree climate is July, so she is truly enjoying our springtime weather. Alina said that teenage pregnancy is unheard of among high school students in Russia. She said that she was surprised at the number of teenage pregnancies among high school students in America. In Russia, academics are the number one priority.

A large stuffed bear named Buddy will be visiting various locations in Pea Ridge as part of the career education program at Pea Ridge Elementary School. It is designed to acquaint students with different jobs, the responsibilities involved and the necessary preparation required for work. The information gathered from people working in our town will be shared with the students during the classroom guidance/career awareness program conducted by the school’s counselor, Denise Waters. This is another fun way to educate the children and bring the community into the classroom.

Pea Ridge Police Officer Cerilla Doyle will once again put on a spring bicycle rodeo for the children of the area. The rodeo will be held at the Pea Ridge Elementary School. Children ages 5-12 will be eligible to participate, win prizes, enjoy hot dogs and soft drinks. There will be a separate drawing for the kids who don’t have helmets. “I am planning for 200 kids,” Doyle said. That’s up from 48 last year.

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 43 No. 14 Wednesday, April 9, 2008

The postage stamp machine has been removed from the Pea Ridge Post Office as part of a move nationwide, said Jerry Robinson, postmaster. The U.S. Postal Service is scrapping thousands of stamp vending machines this year. Postage stamp machines are being removed due to their obsolescence. “Books of 10 stamps are available at White Oak Station,” said Robinson, who said the station is open 24 hours a day. First-class postage stamp prices will increase a penny May 12 from 41 to 42 cents.

School Board members meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the Media Center of Pea Ridge High School for their monthly meeting. Personnel issues, including resignations and hiring, as well as salary proposals for certified, classified and administrative staff are to be considered. Contract renewals for certified staff are on the agenda. also on the agenda are consideration of an outof-state trip for the choir to Kansas City, the 2008-2009 school calendar, drainage easement for the baseball property, negotiations with Head Start for the use of the building on Black Street and the first reading of the board policy on transfers. There will also be the first reading of the student handbooks.

Members of the Pea Ridge Quilting Club are honing their skills, sharing their lives and enriching the lives of others through their craft. Like an old-fashioned quilting bee, the ladies share their lives while keeping their hands busy. Last year, the ladies joined their talents to quilt camouflage Christmas stockings for the company of soldiers under Button’s son’s command in Iraq. This year, they’ve chose to present ab0out 20 quilts to the Children’s Advocacy Center.