Other days

100 YEARS AGO Feb. 24, 1921

EL DORADO — Love Bros., engaged in drilling Paynes Rogers No. 1, have struck the same second cap rock that gave Chad Daniels so much trouble in Armstrong No. 2, and tonight their third bit is grinding four feet deep into this solid substance. Clevo Love thinks he will get through into the lower sand, set his liner and begin bailing tomorrow, but this will require considerable rapidity of action. It is more likely that Rogers No. 1 will make its debut Thursday.

50 YEARS AGO Feb. 24, 1971

ARKADELPHIA — About 200 students gathered at the edges of the drill field at Henderson State College Tuesday chanting “voluntary ROTC now.” The action followed a vote last week by the HSC Board of Trustees to keep the school’s Reserve Officers Training Corps program as a required course for all male freshman and sophomore students. The Board will reconsider its decision at its next meeting March 24. Students said that 50 per cent of the basic ROTC students had missed drill to demonstrate. Col. James H. Spears said that there were 140 persons absent, but that this was only slightly above the normal absentee rate.

25 YEARS AGO Feb. 24, 1996

WEST HELENA — Mayor Riley Porter has extended an “olive branch” to four aldermen to persuade them to come back to West Helena City Council meetings. Porter said Friday that he has spoken privately with three of the four aldermen involved in the boycott over the past several days. “I think I have good rapport with six of the eight councilmen,” Porter said. “I am pursuing all avenues. I welcome input from all individuals.” The West Helena City Council includes four white members, four black members and Porter, who is white. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote while the aldermen are elected by wards. Blacks make up about 50 percent of this Phillips County town of 10,137 residents. The four boycotting aldermen are black.

10 YEARS AGO Feb. 24, 2011

GREENBRIER — At least eight more earthquakes shook Faulkner County on Wednesday, including an early evening quake registering 3.4 in magnitude that rattled residents near Greenbrier. The U.S. Geological Survey also recorded other temblors earlier in the day ranging from 2.0 to 2.8 that residents didn’t report feeling, said Scott Ausbrooks, geohazards supervisor for the Arkansas Geological Survey. Amy Priddy, a Greenbrier Police Department dispatcher, said she felt the 3.4-magnitude earthquake when it rumbled at 6:24 p.m. but had not received any calls from residents about it by early evening.