Other days
100 years ago
May 16, 1922
FAYETTEVILLE — The paving of Dickson street is being rushed so that it may be completed before the semi-centennial celebration of the University of Arkansas. The rock base has been laid as far as the depot, and soon will be ready for the asphalt surface. The “white way” lights from the square to the University are being put up. … The suit filed against the Willow street paving district will commence about June 1.
50 years ago
May 16, 1972
CONWAY — Conway is planning improvements to its water and sewage disposal facilities to cost about $2,000,000. … James H. Brewer, superintendent of the Conway Corporation, lessee of the city utilities, said the plans called for a new sewage disposal system and an outfall and collection system to serve the eastern section of Conway, some extension of water mains and a water storage tank, a “high-head” tank on Grandview Heights in northern Conway. … Brewer said the work would require about 18 months.
25 years ago
May 16, 1997
SPRINGDALE — People who called the Springdale Police Department’s anonymous tip line knew they didn’t have to say who they were, but they didn’t know police might learn their identities anyway. Calls to the tip line from a person’s home likely weren’t anonymous at all, thanks to Caller ID, a service that registers a caller’s number at the answerer’s end of the line. The dedicated phone line for tips, 872-ATIP, was disconnected Thursday morning after Mayor Charles McKinney learned that officers in the department’s detective division could easily identify phone lines from which incoming calls were made. The tip line was installed in December 1995 and was publicized as a safe and anonymous way to alert police officers of concerns, but the department had Caller ID installed on the line from the beginning. … Sgt. David Clark said he conceived of the tip line as a way to have a Crimestoppers-type program without monetary rewards for the people who tipped off the police. … He said he knows “it won’t look good” when the public learns the line wasn’t quite as anonymous as it was purported to be.
10 years ago
May 16, 2012
■ Officials at the Little Rock Zoo announced plans Tuesday to build a new playground near the zoo’s Cafe Africa with the help of some funding from the Central Arkansas Planning & Development District. Zoo Director Mike Blakely accepted a $20,000 check Tuesday from the development district, which provided the last piece of funding for the project. Other funding was raised by the Arkansas Zoological Foundation, the Junior League of Little Rock and private donors, and construction is slated to begin soon, officials said Tuesday. The playground will include an expansion from the current playground, which was built for children ages 2 to 5. The new playground will include equipment targeted to children ages 5 to 12. The initiative was started by a group of moms who took the idea of a playground for older children to zoo administration.