Other days

100 YEARS AGO April 11, 1924

■ EL DORADO — Fire, starting in the second story of a rooming house at Norphlet, an old town seven miles from this city, spread over the principal business block, between 9 and 10 o’clock tonight, and caused an estimated property damage of $75,000. Twenty business houses, including the post office, the city jail and one of the town’s two motion picture theaters, were in ashes before midnight. The fire raced through the wooden construction while volunteer firemen fought without water or hose. An impromptu bucket line was formed with pails and tubs salvaged from a threatened hardware store, and water dashed against the buildings on adjoining blocks kept the conflagration from spreading.

50 YEARS AGO

April 11, 1974

■ The Little Rock Board of Directors will consider an ordinance next week that would provide for a $5 fine for occupying a space more than an hour after the issuance of a standard $1 ticket for overparking. The city administration had recommended several weeks ago that the fine for overparking be increased from $1 to $5 to provide for a faster turnover of downtown parking spaces. The proposal met opposition from downtown merchants and the ordinance — to be considered at the regular Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday — apparently is a compromise measure.

25 YEARS AGO

April 11, 1999

■ From ancient times, armies throughout the world have conducted ceremonies to commemorate victory over the enemy, honor comrades in arms and celebrate special occasions, such as a change of command. That tradition was renewed Saturday at Little Rock Air Force Base, where the Arkansas Air National Guard honored its retiring commander, Brig. Gen. Donald Dalton. As commander, Dalton was responsible for all Air National Guard units in Jacksonville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs and North Little Rock. His replacement, Brig. Gen. Andrew J. Thompson IV, now the Air National Guard’s chief of staff, delivered brief remarks after assuming command.

10 YEARS AGO

April 11, 2014

■ The Arkansas Board of Education voted Thursday to split the tiny Stephens School District among three neighboring school districts over the objections of the Stephens district’s leaders, who sought a merger with only one district. The involuntary merger combines sections of the Stephens district with the Camden-Fairview, Magnolia and Nevada school districts. The split, which will take place along county lines, was triggered when the Stephens district’s enrollment fell below the legally required minimum of 350 in two consecutive years. … The decision requires approval by a federal judge to become final because of a pre-existing school desegregation order.