RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 3 No. 11 Thursday, March 14, 1968

Pea Ridge residents using city water are charged 50 cents a month in connection with their water and sewer bills. Other residents living in the city limits or immediately outside are charged the same amount, but are assessed once a year for the $6 charge. At this time, only 93 of the 203 homes to which the rural fire dues statements were mailed have met their obligation. Within the city, “only five or six” homes do not pay their fire dues. In either event, whether the resident is on city water or not, he will be charged $50 for calling the fire truck if his dues are in arrears. Residents paying the $6 a year, on the other hand, are not charged for summoning the Fire Department. The 50 cents and the $6 checks received by the City of Pea Ridge from fire dues-paying residents both inside and immediately outside the city have been combined to provide much better fire protection here in recent months. With the local firemen disdaining any claim to payment for their services, the city has been able to use all the fire dues for the purchase of additional fire fighting equipment. The dues are the city’s only source of revenue for the Fire Department.

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Putman went fishing in their own spring-fed lake last week and on one particular day, caught two fish. The channel cat weight seven and one-half pounds and the bass was a two-pounder. The catfish was brought in on a cane pole with a minnow for bait. It measured 26 inches at Bill’s Citgo Service, where the Puttman’s claimed the 10 gallons of regular gasoline last week for checking in the longest game fish.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene Vol. 13 No. 11 Wednesday, March 15, 1978

A new city judge was sworn in Thursday night to replace Donald R. Bennett who was relieved of his duties as judge by Mayor Carl J. “Cotton” Carter. Carter announced at the regular monthly council meeting Thursday night at City Hall that he had relieved Bennett as city judge because of friction between Bennett and City Marshal Loyd Pifer. The new judge, who appointment by Carter was unanimously approved by the council, is Daniel F. McConnell. Bennett and McConnell are both Rogers attorneys.

The Pea Ridge City Council offered to pay $2,000 for 1/10th of an acre needed for expansion of the sewage system. The property, owned by the Raymond Blackburns, is located just north of Little Sugar Creek and west of Arkansas Hwy. 94, just outside the city limits. One-tenth of an acre is needed for construction of an underground lift station to pump sewage uphill to the treatment plant north of town.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 23 No. 11 Thursday, March 16, 1988

Two men were in custody at the Benton County Jail following the attempted robbery Friday morning at the Bank of Pea Ridge, authorities said. Bank President Greg Reed said that a robbery was prevented by a quick-thinking teller, who refused a demand for money through the drive-up-teller window. Pea Ridge Marshal Kelly Wallace said that he responded to a telephone call from Reed who told him to come to the bank immediately. “The teller gave a really good description,” Wallace said. Wallace said that about an hour or hour and a half later, a sheriff’s deputy spotted the vehicle on Gann Ridge Road.

Jason Hunsley, who turned 9 years old in December, and his Shetland Sheep dog “Heather” travelled 925 miles round trip to the St. Louis Shetland Sheep dog specialty show to win top honors in the Novice A competition with a score of 194.5 out of a possible 200. Jason went on to win highest scoring Junior handler. Jason is one of the youngest handler/trainers in competition.

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 33 No. 11 Thursday, March 19, 1998

Pea Ridge’s building inspector, Darrell VanRoekel, said that his department issued 40 building permits in 1997 for the construction of new houses. VanRoekel said the houses have a costbased value of $3,053,000. In addition, he said, there were four new four-plex apartment constructed with a cost-based value of about $600,000. “These do not reflect land value or profit,” he said. The only two commercial project permits issued last year, VanRoekel said, were for Jack Wright’s new car wash and the remodeling of Pea Ridge Car Wash. The total value of these projects, he said, totaled $85,000.

A committee of the whole meeting was held by Pea Ridge City Council on March 12 to discuss maintaining the Summit Water Association project. According to Mayor Jackie Crabtree, City Ordinance 243 seems to be the biggest hurdle in the progress of the associations agreement with the city. The ordinance seems to be the hang-up because it states that anyone outside the city limits that has property hooked up to the city’s water system must annex into the city if the property becomes contiguous with the city limits.

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 43 No. 11 Wednesday, March 19, 2008

For more than three decades four generations of Frances have worked the Pea Ridge Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Gary France opened the clinic 31 years years ago with his wife Donna. Today, his son, Chris, is a veterinarian in the clinic. Along with Dr. Amy Goodnow, the three vets care for both small and large animals for residents of the area. The clinic celebrates the continued success of their business in a building that has been enlarged and improved, said Donna France, owner and office manager.

A Pea Ridge couple had their first baby in the new Mercy Medical Center. Brandy and Joshua Knight welcomed daughter, Madison Knight. Brandy said she went into labor and was among the first patients transported to the new medical center. The Knights said they took the move in stride and, despite the fact they knew their baby girl was on the way, never panicked between facilities.

Persons interested in the city’s park system are invited to a Park Commission meeting at City Hall.

Brightwater and Pea Ridge United Methodist churches

Passion/Palm Sunday worship service is slated for 9:30 a.m. at Brightwater and 11 a.m. at Pea Ridge celebrating Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem; palms will be distributed.

Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 29 at Brightwater. The word “tenebrae” comes from the Latin meaning “darkness.” The Tenebrae is an ancient Christian service that makes use of gradually diminishing light through the extinguishing of candles to symbolize the events of that week from the triumphant Palm Sunday entry through Jesus’ burial. A light soup will be served.

Combined Children’s Easter egg hunt and activities are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 31, at Brightwater UMC, U.S. Highway 62. Each church is seeking donations of plastic eggs and bags of individually wrapped candies for the hunt. Please remember the “No peanut” rule for those who may have allergies to peanuts.

Combined Sunrise service with breakfast to follow will begin at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, April 1, at Pea Ridge United Methodist Church, North Davis Street. There will be regular worship services at Brightwater at 9:30 a.m. and at Pea Ridge at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 1, Easter Sunday.

First Baptist Church Pea Ridge

Wednesday night services include 5 p.m. dinner, 6 p.m. BLAST (Bible Learners and Sharers Together), 6 p.m. youth and 6:30 p.m. adult Bible study.

Faith Riders meet the second Saturday of every month and have weekly Thursday night dinners.

Sunday services begin at