RECOLLECTIONS
50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 4 No. 39 Thursday, Sept. 25, 1969
A Pea Ridge businessman, Jack Lasater, was named to the Pea Ridge School Board in the regular monthly board meeting. He was appointed by the board to fill the unexpired term of Lee Otis Hall, who resigned in August. Lasater’s term will expire in March at the time Hall would have completed his term in office. School superintendent Andrew Widener said that Lasater’s appointment was certified by the Benton County Clerk Tuesday.
For the third straight week, the Pea Ridge Blackhawks came out victorious at Friday night’s game, this time soaring high over the Farmington Cardinals with a final count of 30-8. It was a hard rough game from the beginning to the end with Kenny Greene received a cut above the eye. Friday’s game left the ’Hawks with three wins and no losses this season.
A Pea Ridge winner at the fair was Randy Beaver, 11-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Beaver of Pea Ridge, winning with his two-year old Jr. Champion, Bernadale C.M. Missie, at the Benton County Fair last week. She was one of four entries made in the Junior Dairy Show Division (Holstein) by young Beaver, who won on all four entries. He brought home ribbons for the Jr. Champion Female, Jr. yearling heifer, Sr. yearling heifer (all first places) and a second place on senior heifer calf, both in the open and junior shows.
40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Scene Vol. 14 No. 39 Wednesday, Sept. 26, 1979
Following the arrest of three persons involved in forgeries and no account check passing charges, Pea Ridge Police Chief Loyd Pifer issued a warning and request to all merchants and others involved in cashing checks to be careful, to be sure that they check the driver’s license of the person for whom the check is being cashed, know the person if possible, and note the license number on the check.
EPA inspectors from Dallas and Little Rock were in Pea Ridge Sept. 18, 19, and 20 making tests of the waters in Otter Creek into which the effluent of the Pea Ridge sewer lagoons is discharged. Water and Sewer superintendent Charles Hardy reports that tests were made both above and below the lagoons and that test results will not be know until sometime late this week and will likely be given to Pea Ridge when the state and federal EPA have completed their checking.
Most notable news to come out of the Pea Ridge District Board of Education meeting Monday evening was that no one showed up for the first time in months except the board members, two administrators, custodian and the Graphic Scene representatives. The board did transact some business, however, the absence of any visitors was impossible to overlook.
30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 24 No. 39 Thursday, Sept. 28, 1989
Pea Ridge School District superintendent Marvin Higginbottom applauded the turnout of voters who approved the 9.7% increase in property taxes for the district. “I think the turnout was great,” Higginbottom said, referring to the 709 people who voted in the referendum. The issue was approved 365 to 344. Also contested was incumbent Tony Fletcher’s set on the school board. Fletcher placed third behind Donna Beaver and Jackie Crabtree.
It was a special day when Carmen Buttry moved into Oak Ridge Retirement Lodge on Sept. 16. Mrs. Buttry was the first resident of the lodge, which offers a special lifestyle to the retired of northeast Benton County. Mrs. Buttry, a native of Pea Ridge, said, “I chose to spend the rest of my days here.” She said that she was impressed with the cleanliness, the friendliness, the newness of it.
Eleven students from Pea Ridge Junior High School qualified and applied for participation in this year’s Talent Search for mathematically and verbally brilliant students sponsored by Duke University’s Talent Identification Program. The program identifies bright seventh graders from a 16-state region in the South, Southwest and Midwest. To be eligible, students much have scored at the 97th percentile or better on an in-school achievement or ability measure. They will sit for the Scholastic Aptitude
Test or ACT Assessment, normally taken only by college-bound juniors and seniors.
20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 34 No. 39 Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1999
Residents of Brush Creek Hills subdivision raised opposition to Pea Ridge’s proposed water and sewer rate hike at last week’s city council meeting. In explaining the higher rates for outside users, Mayor Jackie Crabtree said maintenance of water lines in Brush Creek was about 80% of all water maintenance costs for Pea Ridge because of frequent breaks in the area.
Pulling out a novel to read during Math class is okay at Pea Ridge Middle School. Parents say their kids are even reading at home instead of turning on the TV. Research has shown that reading practice improves reading ability.
10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 44 No. 39 Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Approximately 70 students gathered around the flag pole in front of the Pea Ridge High School shortly after dawn Wednesday, Sept. 16, for the “See ya’ at the pole” event to pray for the school, their teachers and fellow students.
A midnight drive resulted in a Pea Ridge man arrested for three felonies — kidnapping, first degree terroristic threatening and first degree domestic battery — and a misdemeanor charge of interference with emergency communications, first degree. He was booked into the county jail Sunday, according to the Pea Ridge police. The female involved told police she agreed to get into his car about midnight, but later, when he became aggressive, she asked him to return her to her car and to stop and let her get out. She said she feared for her life and attempted to get out of the moving vehicle and the car door shut on her ankle. At one point, she told police she was able to get out of the car, but was drug back and forced into the car with a threat of being killed. The woman was treated at a local hospital and released.