RECOLLECTIONS
50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 5 No. 3 Thursday, Jan. 15, 1970
Continuing sub-zero temperatures last week caused the standpipe to the Pea Ridge water tower to freeze and burst in the pre-dawn of Thursday morning. Water Department superintendent Charles Hardy said that the city water supply was cut off sometime between 5 and 6 a.m. Thursday.
A Pea Ridge man, Ralph Bolain, announced that he will seek the office of Benton County judge on the Republican ticket. Bolain, 40, is presently serving his second term as county assessor. He and his wife, the former Flarence Buttry, have one daughter, Sheryl Dinise, 16.
Cash and merchandise were reported stolen in a break-in that occurred sometime Saturday night at Jim’s Deep Rock Station in Gateway. Another Gateway station, the Southwest Station, also was broken into Saturday. The burglaries are being investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Country TIMES Vol. 15 No. 3 Wednesday, Jan. 16, 1980
An ordinance establishing the Pea Ridge Library was approved by the Pea Ridge City Council Thursday evening. The ordinance, prepared by Merlene Dryden, was passed unanimously upon motion by councilman Charles Colton, seconded by councilman Jack Patterson. Mrs. Dryden is chairman of the Library Board.
Kenneth L. Patterson became the second candidate to file papers with the county superintendent of schools for the post now held by Jack Lasater on the Mt. Vernon School District 109 Board of Education.
Pea Ridge will get a fulltime dentist early in February when Robert Whitehead, D.D.S., Texarkana, moves hi practice to Pea Ridge’s Battlefield Center.
30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 25 No. 3 Thursday, Jan. 18, 1990
A Louisiana company is celebrating five years of successful use of an aerial saw invented by a Pea Ridge man. The company, Aerial Solutions Inc., of New Roads, La., has proved by practicality and cost effectiveness of an aerial saw invented by the late Randall Rogers in the early 1980s. Rogers was killed in July 1983 when his helicopter crashed in Crawford County while using a prototype of the saw.
A mystery that endured for more than 60 years about an area man named Earl E. Clark has been solved. Its solving has brought with it an inheritance for two other area men, Billy Clark of Garfield and his brother, Bobby Gene Clark of Bentonville. Neither men knew their uncle. the story dates back to about 1928.
A majority of Pea Ridge Chamber of Commerce members said in a survey that economic development should be the chamber’s priority, according to chamber president Joyce Hale.
Imogene Lasater, who has a Depression Glass collection, was featured in the Good Cooks column by Mike Freeman. Her recipes shared included meat loaf, cole slaw and cinnamon rolls.
20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 35 No. 3 Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2000
The 60-year-old South Carolina man accused of hiring two people to murder his estranged wife and another man in Pea Ridge pleaded not guilty Friday during an arraignment and probable cause hearing. Etheridge Kneece made his first appearance in an Arkansas Court after being extradited this week from South Carolina.
Standing grandly on the crest of a hill overlooking Pea Ridge’s downtown from the east is the home of Rick and Fonda Laughlin with porches, dormer windows and a gazebo. The home they bought five years ago looked very little like it does today, but still retains its stature as an important part of Pea Ridge’s history since the late 19th century.
Athletes featured in the Athletic Spotlight were Wes Anderson, No. 22, a junior on the Blackhawk basketball team, and Priscilla Putzier, No. 10, a junior reserve player for the Lady Blackhawks. The Blackhawks were in the 1AA Conference.
10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 45 No. 3 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010
Upgrading to an advanced life support ambulance is the goal for VAS (Volunteer Ambulance Service). Richard Wynne, director of operations, said he hopes to move VAS from basic life support to ALS by June 2011.
School Board members heard a report from superintendent Mike Van Dyke on the 10-year master plan for the school at the regular board meeting Monday. The plans include demolishing buildings currently on the old school campus downtown, remodeling some of the existing buildings and constructing new facilities in order to meet the continued growth anticipated in the school district.
Freedom Free Will Baptist Church celebrated 60 years as an organized Free Will Baptist church with an all-day service Jan. 24.
Customers and employees were quickly evacuated from Marvin’s IGA Friday after the manager on duty received a telephone call from someone claiming there was a bomb and a gunman in the store. The caller demanded money. Neither a bomb nor a gunman were found by police.