RECOLLECTIONS
50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 4 No. 24 Thursday, June 12, 1969
A U.S. Navy man from Pea Ridge has been awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received in a battle between the Army-Navy Mobile Riverine Force and Viet Cong guerrillas in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam. Gunners Mate Third Class John M. Ruddick, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ruddick of Rt. 2, Garfield, was presented the award by Commander Dallas R. Divelbiss, Commander of River Assault Squadron 15, in ceremonies held during a lull in the almost non-stop operation of the MRF Squadron 15 is one of four miniature 50-boat armadas of River Assault Flotilla One, the naval element of the Mobile Riverine Force. River Assault Flotilla One, a unit of the Pacific Fleet Amphibious Force, is homeported in San Diego. Petty Officer Ruddick was graduated from Pea Ridge High School before entering the Navy in February 1967.
Whether or not the annual Pea Ridge Community Fair has a second go-around at staging the very popular fiddlers’ contest this year depends upon whether or not local businesses and individuals cooperate and volunteer to help raise the money for the prizes for the winners. It is a massive undertaking for one person to go out soliciting the funds necessary. Therefore, the chairman, Frank Price, Rt. 4, Bentonville, has decided to let those interested come to him this year. If there has not been enough money donated for prizes by June 20 this year, the fiddlers’ contest will be cancelled and money already contributed will be refunded. In order to attract the topflight fiddlers from several states last year, the prizes were at $80, $40, $20, $10 and $5.
Four northwest Arkansas Amateur Radio Clubs will make a joint entry in the Annual ARRL sponsored Field Day contest. A special certificate will be presented to the operator making the most contacts during any one hour of the contest and a service award will be given the person who stays awake the longest. A joint meeting of all four clubs was held at the Pea Ridge Community Building before the contest.
40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Scene Vol. 14 No. 24 Wednesday, June 13, 1979
Pea Ridge may have a potato processing plant if the City Council approves a recommendation by the Planning Commission to grant a variance on zoning requirements and to change zoning from commercial to industrial and from agricultural to industrial to permit the site being considered to be used for that purpose. Bill Denman, owner of the property in question, reported that he had checked with owners of adjoining properties and none objected to the change. He emphasized to the commissioners that if the changes are approved and the plant is located there it would provide local jobs, clean up the immediate area and contribute to the growth and development of Pea Ridge.
County Judge Bill Norwood received a phone call Friday afternoon from the State Highway and Transportation Department to the effect that a work order for the construction had been issued June 4 calling for the work to be completed within 100 days from June 14. November
2 is 100 work days from June 14, however, Norwood explained that this is the earliest date the state could require that the work be done, but, this date could be set back for various legitimate reasons which would justify the contractor asking the state to extend the completion date.
Pea Ridge may be “home” for a year to a high school-age girl or boy from a foreign country as a result of discussions held last week. Pea Ridge took steps toward participation in American Field Service,
an international high school exchange program, in a meeting at the home of the Rev. and Mrs. Bill Armstrong. Local interest was kindled with a recent report of the visit to Pea Ridge High School of Leonardo Manzino of Uruguay, who spent the past school year as an AFS student at Bentonville High School, and “son” of the William Burton family, Prairie Creek.
30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 24 No. 24 Thursday, June 15, 1989
A September millage referendum in the Pea Ridge School District was the main topic of conversation at Monday night’s school board meeting. The Pea Ridge School Board and school superintendent Marvin Higginbottom have a lot of work ahead of them between now and the Sept. 19 referendum, at which time the voters will be asked to approve a millage increase to help the financially strapped school system. The board must decide by July 10 the amount of millage it will ask for. Higginbottom said, “Taking out financial condition we have here, our debt is so heavy it is choking us from operating the school the way we should.” He said the school is now $17,707.98 in the red until more monies come in. Higginbottom would not speculate on the amount of millage the school board will ask for.
The 40th annual Pea Ridge Fair is shaping up nicely, according to its general chairman, Virgie Hazelton. Highlights of the fair, sponsored by Beta Alpha Sorority, said Mrs. Hazelton, will include the Miss Pea Ridge and Tiny Tots contests, the carnival, nightly entertainment and the parade. The carnival, she said, will be provided by Midwest Amusements. “Advance tickets will be available from local merchants,” Hazelton said, “and from any member of the sorority.” She said that the Extension Homemakers Building will be open for arts and crafts.
Special Services director Susan Buchanan announced her resignation at Monday night’s School Board meeting. Buchanan’s last day with the school will be July 12, at which time she will begin a twoyear term in Salvadore, Bahia, Brazil. Buchanan has been with the Pea Ridge School District for three years. Buchanan will teach fifth grade the first year and be an elementary principal the second year. Buchanan said, “It was the hardest decision I had to make.” Buchanan said in letter of resignation that she decided to take the offer in Brazil to expand her professional growth and additional personal adventure.
20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 34 No. 24 Wednesday, June 16, 1999
Barbara Owen, president of the Bank of Pea Ridge, announced the promotion of Brenda Henson to assistant vice-president and loan officer. She has been with the Arvest Bank Group for 15 years. Henson is a graduate of Pea Ridge High School. She finished several AIB continuing education classes and is in the process of obtaining a banking and finance degree from Northwest Arkansas Community College. She is also a recipient of The Arvest Sales and Service Award. Henson resides in Pea Ridge with her husband David, and two sons, Wesley, 13 and Bradley, 10. She is an active member of Pea Ridge Church of Christ.
In a busy meeting Monday night, the Pea Ridge School board approved $66,000 in changes to the new high school, approved new student handbooks, hired three teachers and agreed to several classified policy changes. Although some members expressed reluctance about one of the changes, the board approved change orders for an expanded weight room costing $26,651, additional site work and paving on Weston Street costing $26,496, addition of a wall in the cafeteria for $7,440 and $3,850 for a grease trap in the concession stand. Board member Ron Mullikin said the grease trap should have been included in the original plan and the cost of adding it should be the architect’s responsibility. Mullikin then moved to accept the whole change order “with reluctance,” since school superintendent Roy Norvell had already signed the order. “I do not want it to look like I am not supporting you,” Mullikin said to Norvell, “because I do support you.”
A group of interested Pea Ridge residents/business people met Monday night at the Bank of Pea Ridge to discuss how to promote community welfare in lieu of the fact that the Chamber of Commerce has dissolved. Fran Alexander, a guest from Fayetteville, was invited to tell about a group they started in 1994 called “Friends for Fayetteville.” She talked about envisioning your town the way you want it to look and setting plans into action before the growth happens and it is too late to do anything about it. She said, “Identify what you have, identify what you want the then go for it!”
10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 44 No. 24 Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Councilman John Cody announced his intention to run for Pea Ridge School Board. “I want to run for School Board,” Cody said, adding that he had asked someone with the county Election Commission who said there was no law prohibiting his seeking the seat even though he was an elected official with the city. “I hear things from them also,” Cody said. “I realize there are more on the board than just me, but maybe if I had an agenda, it would be to bring back the old way of thinking.” Cody, 40, was elected this past fall in a race against City Council incumbent Brian Nave. He is the water and street superintendent, city building inspector and code enforcement office for the city of Garfield.
Despite calls from area television stations and a dispatch from Central Communications, there was no tornado in Pea Ridge Friday. A Pea Ridge Police officer was dispatched by CENCOM to check the local McDonald’s restaurant on North Curtis Avenue, but found no damage. Police Chief Tim Ledbetter said: “We do know there had been a tornado warning issued by the Tulsa Weather Service. The FBI has been asked to look into a false report Friday that a tornado hit Benton County, a claim that was repeated by at least two television stations.” “This whole thing was a complete hoax,” John Robinson, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Little Rock, wrote in an email Monday.