RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 3 No. 28 Thursday, July 11, 1968

The 18th annual Pea Ridge Community Fair will get under way today, Thursday, and continue through Saturday, July 13. In keeping with tradition, the fair will bring with it the crowning of a new Miss Pea Ridge, Tiny Tot and Little Miss Tiny Tot. For the first time in the 18-year history of the fair, a State Fiddlers Contest will be held. The contest, under sponsorship of local businesses, will attract some of the outstanding fiddling talent from several states. Already on hand earlier this week to set the tempo for the festivities was the same carnival that provided entertainment for last year’s fair. The Community Fair was begun in 1950 in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of a post office in the town of Pea Ridge.

By reading the Pea Ridge Graphic, 1,200 families living in 1,200 home have learned they can still hear about the good things people do! And subscriptions are coming in daily from other homes. The Pea Ridge Graphic is one of the few newspapers left that presents the day by day local and area news and features conscientiously, recognizing the need for unvarnished truth and the inspiration of hearing about the deeds and the days of our neighbors and friends, past and present. We invite you to join this “party-line newspaper” by subscribing today.

Those anxious to see a school band established in Pea Ridge continued to add to the fund being built for use in buying schoolowned instruments. School superintendent Andrew Widener announced that a total $70 had been added to the amount turned in at the school within the past few days. The total fund now stands at $986.81 with a portion of that amount in pledges but most of it in cash.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene Vol. 13 No. 28 Wednesday, July 12, 1978

Consistently hot days and warm nights and the rise in air conditioning usage resulted in total output by Southwestern Electric Power Company of more than one million kilowatts during the 30-day period ending July 5, according to a company spokesman. Electricity usage throughout SWEPCO’s service area hit an all time high July 6 as

customers sought air conditioned relief from the hot weather. In relation to degree highs, this May was the hottest in the 20 years that SWEPCO has kept records of above 85 degree temperatures. June was the hottest since 1969 and the trend is continuing in July.

A street improvement bond issue, insurance, telephone company franchise and a city sponsored boxing team occupied the Pea Ridge City Council at its July meeting Thursday night at City Hall. The council voted unanimously to put a street improvement bond issue to be financed by a five mill tax on the November general election ballot. The aldermen voted unanimously to change the city’s group insurance policy for employees from Travelers to Prudential for a savings of some $70 per month plus the addition of two more employees. Council also discussed changing the city’s liability and comprehensive insurance, but postponed a decision until a special meeting.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 23 No. 28 Thursday, July 14, 1988

The Pea Ridge School Board was expected to interview Wednesday night the last of four candidates for superintendent. Acting superintendent Bill Alvarez, who resigned as superintendent last month, said that it is possible that the board would make a decision at the Wednesday night meeting. The school board interviewed three of the four candidates on Monday night. The fourth candidate could not attend the Monday meeting and was asked to interview Wednesday night, Alvarez said. All of the interviews were behind closed doors.

A spokesman for the Arkansas Highway Department said Friday that the completion of improvements to Arkansas Highway 265 may be slightly delayed because a utility company has not completed moving telephone lines. The $1 million contract to straighten and pave State Hwy. 265 from Pea Ridge to the Missouri state line was let on April 7. The contractor has been unable to begin work because of the need to move utility lines, gas, water, electricity and telephone, from certain rights-of-way along the roadway. Pea Ridge Water Department manager Ronnie David said that all water lines have been relocated “since a month ago.” He said that gas lines were moved even before that. David said the he understands that Carroll Electric still must move some lines as well as Contel. The start delay, he said, could delay the completion date.

The general chairman of last week’s Pea Ridge Fair praised participants and spectators for making the festival an enjoyable event. There was no praise, however, for Ozark Amusements, the company that was scheduled to provide the carnival. The carnival never arrived. Mrs. Hazelton said, “I can’t express how much I appreciate the attitude of all of the people; we had no control over the carnival. “Everybody’s been really nice to us about it.”

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 33 No. 28 Thursday, July 16, 1998

The Pea Ridge High and Middle School bands recently performed at The College of the Ozarks and earned high ratings for their performances, ending the year on a high note. About 7,000 students plus their parents and sponsors attended this festival. The Ozark Mountain Festival emphasizes the students’ musical abilities in a noncompetitive, quality educational program. Sixty-five Pea Ridge Bank students attended the festival, accompanied by band director David Dickey and several chaperones. The Pea Ridge High School Concert Band received a first division or superior rating from the judging panel for their performance. The Pea Ridge Middle School Band received a second division or excellent rating for its concert performance. Dicky said, “I was very pleased with the performances turned in by the groups, especially considering how young our Middle School band is.”

Pea Ridge Community Fair organizers met late Saturday night with carnival suppliers Midwest Amusements of Joplin, Mo., and made arrangements for the 49th annual fair next July, said Ruth Talburt, fair chairman and president of Beta Alpha Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International Sororities, fair sponsor. Talburt said, “As soon as one fair ends, work begins on the next one.” Talburt said, “We really had a great fair this year. We had a wonderful group of volunteers. They pitched in to help wherever they were needed, helping to man the food booth and bingo games and to run errands and set up heavy equipment.” She said, “As always, the community of Pea Ridge was supportive all the way.” Talburt said, “About 75 percent of the money earned from the fair will find its way back into the community through the sorority’s philanthropic projects.”

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 43 No. 28 Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Whether Pea Ridge will have local medical care remains to be seen. City officials have been seeking a firm to provide medical care in the community, following the announcement recently by Mercy Medical that the local office will be closed. City councilmen will also consider a proposal to provide mass transit alternative for residents to access medical care in neighboring cities. Mayor Jackie Crabtree said he talked to Mark Bethel and Paul Storey Monday from Northwest Medical and was collecting various demographic information to show the growth potential of the city. “They want to help if they possibly can,” Crabtree said.

The Times of Northeast Benton County won first place in general excellence for smaller weeklies Saturday during the Arkansas Press Association’s annual awards banquet. The newspaper also won 16 other awards. “We’re pleased and grateful for the honor bestowed upon us,” said Annette Beard, managing editor. ” Our community is involved with the newspaper and provides us with excellent contributions to inform our readers. We could not cover our community without the involvement and contributions of our faithful readers.”

Touted as the same as a check or cash, debit cards were initially designed to make purchases easier on merchants. Now, at one local store, the use of a debit card is costing the customer more money than writing a check or paying with cash. At White Oak Station on the northwest corner of Curtis Avenue and Slack Street, using a debit costs the same as using a credit card — six cents more per gallon. A check can be written for the cash price.