Other days

100 YEARS AGO

Aug. 27, 1920

■ Although Fort Smith and Sebastian County claim the honor of having the first woman commissioned as a public official in the state, a recent opinion by Attorney General Arbuckle leaves some doubt as to whether Mrs. Lotta Pettigrew, who received her commission at Fort Smith yesterday, is as yet entitled to be listed as a deputy county clerk. Mr. Arbuckle said that while the ratification of the suffrage amendment by the thirty-sixth state would entitle women to hold any state office for which the requirements were that of a qualified elector, he had advised the secretary of state that commissions to hold such offices should not, in his opinion, be issued until after the formal announcement of ratification had been made to the country by the secretary of state of the United States.

50 YEARS AGO

Aug. 27, 1970

■ Jim Guy Tucker, 27, making his first race for public office, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday for prosecuting attorney for Pulaski and Perry Counties, by polling 61 per cent of the votes cast in his race with state Representative H. Allan Dishongh of Little Rock.

25 YEARS AGO

Aug. 27, 1995

■ Proponents of increasing the state tax on tobacco products are at work again. And in some ways, their efforts are reminiscent of the grassroots campaign for the any-willing-provider law that passed the Legislature this year. Supporters of the tobacco initiative quietly are organizing, bringing in experts and lining up legislative support. Like the any-willing-provider initiative, which was designed to open up health maintenance organizations and other managed-care entities to any health-care professional agreeing to a system’s fees and conditions, supporters of the tobacco tax increase are facing a politically powerful interest. Supporters of the any-willing-provider law squared off against the insurance industry. Proponents of the current effort are up against the tobacco industry. Proceeds from the tax increase would be used to pay for expanded breast cancer research and education. “It will be a battle royal,” said Sen. Jay Bradford, D-Pine Bluff, a supporter of the tax increase. “But I think we can win it this time.”

10 YEARS AGO

Aug. 27, 2010

■ Rules for machines that will sell lottery tickets for Arkansas cleared a legislative committee Thursday, opening the way for lottery officials to begin negotiating to put them in stores. Machines could be vending lottery tickets as early as September, said lottery spokesman Julie Baldridge. The lottery has 100 of the machines now. It could buy more later.