RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 4 No. 18 Thursday, May 1, 1969

A tornado is believed to have passed over Pea Ridge about 10:30 p.m. Saturday. It hit and was gone, almost before those hearing it and feeling the surge of wind against the walls had time to decide what was happening, much less hunt protection. It was about the same time that a small twister is thought to have touched down — at least to the tree tops — near the A.H. Beard home on the Gann Ridge Road. Beard said he heard the tornado before it struck, but almost instantly it had done its damage and was gone. The Beard’s mobile home was not struck, but the car on which much of the old oak tree landed was greatly damaged.

Storm conditions last Saturday that apparently resulted in the passage over Pea Ridge of a small tornado funnel has resulted in the decision to revise the use of the city’s storm warning system. Billy Sisco, Pea Ridge Civil Defense director, announced that he and Mayor Jack Musteen decided it would be of greater protection to local residents if the alert siren is sounded when Sisco receives a warning from police radio headquarters at Huntsville of tornado conditions in the area rather than hopefully try to sound the siren if an actual funnel is sighted in the area.

Complaints reaching the Pea Ridge Graphic office concerning the unfinished road improvement project on the Gann Ridge Road prompted the Graphic last week to check the matter. We took time to drive the approximately 11 miles last week the road that runs between the Gateway city limits and Arkansas Highway 72 east of Pea Ridge at the Twelve Corners community. Then, of course, we understood why complaints were reaching the hometown newspaper office. We asked Benton County Judge Sherman Kinyon about the matter, and were happy to hear him report that, at last, he is about ready to renew the work on the Gann Ridge Road. “I just wish everyone would come in and check the money in the treasurer’s office and see how little we’ve got with which to do so much,” Kinyon said. He explained that the program on the road includes widening and a base coat of gravel, but no hard-surfacing of the road was planned.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Scene Vol. 14 No. 18 Wednesday, May 2, 1979

The Field Kindley film which was recently shown at the schools in Pea Ridge was entered into a Kansas state competition by a Coffeyville teacher, Betty Hedrick. It was competing with high school films from all over Kansas and placed first for a high school documentary film. This film cover the life and career of Pea Ridge native Field Kindley, flying ace of World War I. Kindley was killed at the age of 23 while in the army.

The Army recruiters visiting Pea Ridge High School Friday came in a Huey OH5B helicopter. Local residents got thrills when invited to take rides. Included in the riding list were Debbie Jones and Brenda Treadwell, Graphic Scene photographers. The copter’s visit to Pea Ridge was arranged by High School principal Jerry Marple with Lee Benton, recruiter, Fayetteville. Weather cooperated and the day was sunny and clear.

Pea Ridge’s Volunteer Fire Department responded to two fire calls on April 14, both grass and brush fires. At 11:35 a.m. four firemen, the country pumper and city tanker went to the residence of Chris Mireau, Garfield, and Pea Ridge firefighters spent two hours on the fire. Later four more firemen went to a fire off Arkansas Highway 94 and spent 30 minutes controlling a fire. The county pumper and county tanker were taken.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 24 No. 18 Thursday, May 4, 1989

The Pea Ridge City Council put Marshal Billy Musgrove on a 30-day probation period last week at a special Council meeting following a shooting incident. The probation is the result of an incident that occurred a couple weeks ago in which Musgrove pulled his revolver and it fired while he was in pursuit of two youngsters believed to have a motorcycle. Musgrove had stopped the motorcycle on which the two were riding. Musgrove said, “The kid on the back of the motorcycle kept reaching in his pocket. It made me wonder what he was reaching for. At that time, I pulled out my revolver.” He said that the two then starting running through a field. In pursuit, Musgrove tripped and fell and his revolver fired. It was determined later that the motorcycle was stolen. Besides being put on probation for 30 days, the Council set other rules by which Musgrove must comply.

McDonald County, Mo., commissioners decided to move toward replacing the Jacket, Mo., bridge. The cost to rebuild the bridge is estimated to at $300,000 plus another $450,000 estimated to pave the stretch of dirt road. McDonald County Commissioner Bill Wilson has been in contact with Seventh District Liaison engineer John Campbell. Campbell suggested the county pursue the project under the Federal Bridge Replacement Program.

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 34 No. 18 Wednesday, May 5, 1999

The Pea Ridge Chamber of Commerce is holding a “do or die” me eting Monday night in the Community Room of the Bank of Pea Ridge at 7 p.m. According to Chamber president, Kathleen Everett, the group will be deciding whether to continue as an organization or disband. The chamber is down from 20 members last year to only five members this year. Some of the projects last year included the Spring Fling, banners for the town and a Fall Fest.

Fire Department substation construction in Givens Place has taken another detour. A member of the corporation from which the city is buying the lot for the station has refused to sign a personal indemnity. The council passed an ordinance on Oct. 18, 1998, to purchase land from Black Eagle, Inc. for a Fire Department substation. The city learned the property needed to be rezoned. Because of technicalities in the property covenant, 100 percent of the property holders must agree to the zoning change. Black said that his company’s legal counsel advised they not sign personal indemnification, as that would negate the purpose of the corporation and weaken it. Pea Ridge City Attorney Howard Slinkard told Black requiring personal indemnity was standard legal procedure. Slinkard told Black there is a difference between corporate and municipal law.

The Pea Ridge School Board will open bids on two new 71-passenger school buses at its regular meeting Monday at 6 p.m. in the elementary school media center. Other items on the agenda include reelection of all classified personnel, consideration of personnel policies presented at last month’s meeting and approval for a revolving loan to pay for the new buses.

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 44 No. 18 Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Excitement filled offices at the Pea Ridge National Military Park last week as staff members learned the park will soon receive a $151,000 grant. The $151,000 will pay for replacing a leaking roof on the Visitors Center and for removing ice-storm debris from the park’s train systems, in addition to installing new culverts.

Over the weekend, there was no contract with a business to house stray animals picked up by city police. The city’s contract with Dr. Gary France expired Thursday, April 30. Presented to the City Council at the regular meeting Tuesday, April 21, action on the contract was tabled after councilman Bob Cottingham made the motion to table the contract saying he had promised Dr. Karen Sherman, another veterinarian in town, he would talk to her when the contract came up again. France said he was not contacted by any city official either prior to the council meeting or after the contract was tabled. He met with the mayor, he said, and increased his prices in order to cover the increased costs of housing the dogs.

At an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, several people will have reason to be triply proud. Three young men — all the grandsons of James and Ellen Wright of Pea Ridge — will participate in the Court of Honor during which their hard-earned Eagle Scout badge will be conferred upon them. The young men are all first cousins and all students at Pea Ridge schools.