PEA RIDGE — 40 Years Ago

Mitchell Webb and one of his favorite cows, Nellie Penn Ginger, were featured in the front page story of the monthly farm edition of the Pea Ridge Graphic which told the ancestral history of dairy farming on Mitchell’s land.

After the death of a 19-year-old youth, the third death within four months at the intersection of Arkansas Highways 94 and 340, the Pea Ridge Graphic addressed that week’s editorial to the need for a warning that drivers are coming to the end of Hwy.

340 as they approach Hwy. 94.

Many Pea Ridge residents watched the Saturday night television show on KODE, Channel 12 out of Joplin, Mo., called Bill and Dub’s Ozark Jamboree, a country western music program that appeared from 9:30 to 10 p.m.

30 Years Ago

The Orange Blossom Cafe, located at the corner of Davis Street and Pickens Road, was sold to Greg Dunn of Bentonville.

He announced the restaurant would be open for business July 1 and would be named the American Drive-In. Gunn was new to Pea Ridge from Abilene, Kan. It was also noted that Gunn was single and his hobbies included flying and golf.

The City of Little Flock was eliminated as a possible site for the Department of Corrections work release center after a letter and petitions from citizens of the area expressing their opposition was sent to Governor Bill Clinton from Mayor J.C. McLeod.

More than 240 formerstudents and guests attended the second Garfield School reunion June 14. Residents of 14 states attended the reunion.

20 Years Ago

Pea Ridge welcomed a new veterinarian to the community from Anderson, Mo. Karen Sherman was pictured with a horse on the front page, with a headline reading “Veterinarian hopes she will someday have her own office.”

The Pea Ridge City Council approved an ordinance establishing an undercover operation fund for the Police Department at its regular meeting. According to Police Chief Sam Holcomb, up to $1,000 confiscated fromdrug trafficking, theft schemes and other crimes would go into the fund.

As of June 20, 1990, the 911 secondary answering point at the Benton County Sheriff’s Office assumed dispatch duties for VAS, whose volunteer staffed ambulance answered 42 calls in 1984 and 140 calls in 1989. The 911-trained dispatchers enabled VAS to continue its high quality service to the community.

July was designated at Give and Grow Month, in order to raise $12,000, the amount of money needed for operating expenses the rest of 1990.

10 Years Ago

A resident on Bancroft Lane in Givens subdivision presented her complaints about drainage to the City Council at its regular meeting. The city agreed to talk to the developers of the subdivision.

Pea Ridge junior cheerleader Brittne Walston earned a place on the UCA All-star Team after competing in the summer UCA cheer camp.

She was eligible to go to Texas over Thanksgiving and perform in a parade with other All-stars in the region.

The 1948-49 Garfield School basketball team was pictured from the sixth Garfield School reunion. The reunion was held in the Garfield School gym. The oldest person there was Russell Ford, 93.

Church, Pages 2 on 06/23/2010