Other days

100 YEARS AGO

Dec. 11, 1921

RUSSELLVILLE — Herschel Bramlett died at 5 o’clock, John J. Hoye and Guy Petray are not expected to live through the night, and Philip Van Horn, William Dial, and Harry Dunn are suffering from serious burns received in a gas explosion at the Southern Anthracite Mining Company’s mine No. 2 at 1 o’clock this afternoon. The mine had been idle six weeks, and the explosion occurred soon after eight workmen had gone down to load out some “jack.” The accident is the most serious in the history of these mines.

50 YEARS AGO

Dec. 11, 1971

■ Two North Little Rock police officers were arrested Friday in connection with an investigation of alleged gambling in the city. They were Capt. Billy E. Carroll and Lt. Tommy Glover, both charged with presenting false testimony to the federal Grand Jury for the Eastern District of Arkansas. … Glover is charged with giving false testimony September 16 when he told the Grand Jury he never collected money from bookies in exchange for his not enforcing gambling laws. Carroll allegedly gave false testimony September 16 when he told the Grand Jury that he had not instructed subordinate officers to stay away from the 609 and 611 1/2 Clubs at 609 and 611 1/2 Washington Avenue.

25 YEARS AGO

Dec. 11, 1996

■ State Sen. Lu Hardin, D-Russellville, on Tuesday accepted an appointment as interim director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education through June. Last week, Diane Gilleland announced she was stepping down effective Feb. 1 from the post she has held for six years. Hardin, a seven-term senator who leaves the Legislature in January as chairman of the Senate Education Committee, will take over at the department on Jan. 2. Officials said Gilleland will be a consultant for the month. At the end of June, the Board of Higher Education will either offer Hardin the job permanently or begin searching for a new director.

10 YEARS AGO

Dec. 11, 2011

WASHINGTON — David Heard II, a Pine Bluff native, tickled the ivories in the White House for the President and first lady Michelle Obama at a holiday party Friday afternoon. Heard, a 20-year-old junior at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, traveled to Washington with the school’s A Cappella Choir. “It was phenomenal,” a clearly excited Heard said shortly after the performance. “It was totally awesome.” Heard, a graduate of Dollarway High School, said that after the group sang pieces by Handel and Bach, it had a chance to shake hands and meet the president. “He told me, ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Keep up the good work,’” Heard said.