RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 4 No. 29 Thursday, July 17, 1969

Sixteen men have signed a roster prepared by Pea Ridge Fire Chief C.W. Chadwick in upgrading the local volunteer fire department. The roster hangs in Pea Ridge City Hall awaiting signatures of all local men who will volunteer to sign on and serve as active members of the department. It explains that the department must have at least 14 men signed up and actively serving if the city is to further its drive to lessen local fire insurance rates and comply with requirements of the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Those who had signed up by this week were Russell Walker, Jack Musteen, Charles Hardy, Fred McKinney, Doug McKinney, Jerry Wilkerson, Rodger Hickman, Gary Raymer, John Easley, Stanley Buttry, Gene Henson, Dean Messer, Eldon Jump, Billy Gene Hickman, Larry Hanner and Jim Hickman. A training school is planned for the volunteer firemen.

The Pea Ridge City Council finished paving the way right up to the threshold of passing an ordinance that will set a special election in Pea Ridge to bring an important industry to town. In other actions, the council adopted the Arkansas State Plumbing Code for the city, approved the paying of city bills, and heard a delegation from a local utility explain their reasons for a proposed raise in rates. In adopting the state plumbing code, the Council heard Water superintendent Charles Hardy explain that he had been advised by the County Sanitarian that the code is necessary for the enforcement of sanitary regulations here.

A fight that reportedly took place near the Dari Park Friday night resulted in three arrests, according to Constable Al Koenke. Three men were charged with assault and batter, Koenke said. He reported that all three had left the scene of the brawl when he arrived, but that all were picked up early Saturday. The incident is reported to have taken place over a prize won at the carnival in session up the street from the fight. The three are scheduled to appear in the local court Thursday afternoon. Koenke said he also made one arrest for public drunkenness downtown during the fair and two for charges of drunken driving.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Scene Vol. 14 No. 29 Wednesday, July 18, 1979

Enforcement of Pea Ridge’s “Junk” ordinance is beginning now, Mayor Lester Hall said in response to a question from an observer at the City Council meeting Thursday evening. Citizen Bob Mullen had asked if anything is being done about the enforcement of Ordinance 82. Mayor Hall responded that nothing had been done by the city formally, however a considerable amount of cleaning up has been done voluntarily by Pea Ridge citizens. Mullen agreed with the comment, but stated that “some areas are getting worse.” He specifically mentioned some residential areas on Barris Street. Councilman Daryle Greene moved that the mayor write a letter to the offenders. Mayor Hall responded that he would drive to the area suggested, see the conditions, then write the letter to the offending property owners.

Use of prisoners on work crews has had beneficial effects for the county, reports County Judge Al Norwood. The program, which has been in use for some two months, utilizes from four to 10 prisoners at a time, he said, and, during the time of the program, over 15 prisoners have been involved. In return for their work, the prisoners get time off their sentences for each day they work. The crews have been used for yard work, for cleaning the courthouse and new public service building, and for other duties requiring attention but for which the county does not like to use regular employees.

“One very big concern of mine for Benton County’s future,” County Judge Al Norwood told the Graphic Scene last week, “is the matter of the disposal of the county’s solid waste. Landfills are on the way out. What then?” With this comment, Judge Norwood explained that he is anxious for the Quorum Court and its study committee to approve joining with Washington County in a regional solid waste disposal program. The QC first voted against providing some $920 to start the program. When Judge Norwood brought it up again last week at the QC meeting, a committee was named to study it.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 24 No. 29 Thursday, July 20, 1989

Jackie Crabtree, 35, of Pea Ridge is the second person to file for a position on the Pea Ridge School Board. The position is being vacated by Tony Fletcher who, after 15 years on the board, decided not to seek reelection. Registered voters in the district will go to the polls Sept. 19. Crabtree said he filed for the position because the school system has been in bad shape the last couple years and he would like to see the system come to its full potential. Crabtree has lived in Pea Ridge 16 years and has been involved in school functions with his son Eric and was vice president of the Little League and is a member of the Band Boosters. He said, “It’s hard to put a price tag on our children’s education. If we don’t give them the incentive while in school, college bills will be spent for nothing.”

It would be difficult to find even a little bit of fault with this year’s Pea Ridge Fair. General Chairman Virgie Hazelton said that the owner of the carnival, which was testing the Pea Ridge market, was ecstatic about the crowd and has already committed to return next year with an expanded variety of rides for all ages. The carnival, the music, the contests, the booths, generally, combined to create one of the better, if not the best of the 40 Pea Ridge fairs, according to some of those who have attended most of them.

The residents still believe that the Pea Ridge City Council should consider installing a sidewalk — even a graveled path — along the right-of-way of Curtis from the vicinity of Harp’s Pharmacy south to the intersection of Lee Town Road, and possibly beyond. There’s hardly a daylight hours when there are no people walking along the roadway within arm’s distance of traffic. A lapse of attention on the part of a motorist or pedestrian could be fatal. Even disregarding the safety factor, a sidewalk is needed simply because of the number of businesses along the highway and because of the residential areas on either side.

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 34 No. 29 Wednesday, July 21, 1999

The annual Mule Jump — “It may still be alive and breathing, but it may take some resuscitation.” says Joyce Hale. A group of Pea Ridge residents who are interested in forming a community interest group met Monday night at the Bank of Pea Ridge. The main topic of discussion was whether there is enough interest in keeping the Mule Jump event alive even through the Pea Ridge Lion’s Club, which has sponsored the Mule Jump in the past years, is no longer in existence. The group decided to set an Aug. 1 deadline on the Mule Jump event; if there are a minimum of 10 people who will definitely commit to being directly involved with the helping of the Mule Jump, then the group will proceed with it.

Thieves climbed the fence at Dewitt’s Auto Sales at 803 N. Curtis Ave. on July 1 and stole two tires, rally wheels, center caps and beauty rings off a Chevrolet Silverado pickup. Tracy Dewitt, owner, said they used his jack and jack stand to raise the truck and steal the tires. He thinks the culprits must have been familiar with his place and would have taken the other two tires if the trucks had not been against a fence. He estimated the value of the tires and wheels at $300. Pea Ridge Police Chief Tim Ledbetter said he had no new information in the case.

Cadet Brian R. Easley, son of Ray and Sandy Easley of Pea Ridge, was named to the spring semester dean’s list at the U.S. Military Academy. To qualify for the dean’s list, a cadet must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. Easley graduated from Pea Ridge High School in 1995. He graduated from the Military Academy on May 29 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. The mission of the U. S. Military Academy is to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of duty, honor and country; professional growth throughout a career as a officer in the U.S. Arm; and a lifetime of selfless service to the nation.

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 44 No. 29 Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Lack of community interest may determine the name of the new Pea Ridge primary school. At the Tuesday night meeting of the Pea Ridge School Board, the board discussed the policy of forming the committee to name the new building. So far, three applications have been turned in for the committee, but only one of those applicants also submitted the required paragraph stating interest in helping choose the new name. “I’m all for the idea of the community naming the building, but the policy says you need five people (on the committee). We have three. I don’t see how we can formalize a committee without five people,” said Clark Tyndal, board member. The board agreed to table the issue until the August meeting, hoping to generate more interest when school starts again.

For the first time in its more than 20-year history, the Mule Jump will begin with a street dance. Nathan See, committee chairman, said the entertainment would be a welcome event for the vendors and competitors who arrive in town Friday. Donna Hamilton, of Image Builders, presented her proposals for promoting the event and shared organizational ideas for the event. “The advertising has just begun and will run up to the day of the event,” Crabtree said.

The drug testing policy was merely touched on at the regular Pea Ridge School Board meeting. Superintendent Mike Van Dyke said he has had no feed back from anyone involved. The board suggested he contact them again, and also to look into possible grants for costs.