Recollections

40 Years Ago

Wednesday, March 6, 1974

Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene

The ballot for the March 12, 1974, School board election was released and included a vote for or against a 57-mill school tax which would help with maintenance at the schools and help pay off debt. Tony E. Fletcher, Jr., was running for a 5-year term against Franklin D. Miller.

The first Pea Ridge Planning Commission meeting was held. Everyone said they were proud of the commission members for how hard they had worked to prepare for this meeting. The commission presented three maps: one for the master street plan, a guide for zoning areas and water and sewer lines.

30 Years Ago

Wednesday, March 7, 1984

Pea Ridge Country Times

The Pea Ridge School Board openly discussed changing their policy for grade-point average. The board had recently decided a student can retake a course and have the better grade count toward their GPA. The board was debating several months later that this wasn't legal and there would be more issues than people it would help.

Pea Ridge School Board members hoped to pass a millage rate of 62 mills, which was the same rate as 1983. School Board members however wanted a $400,000 bond issue to provide repairs and update classrooms.

20 Years Ago

Thursday, March 10, 1994

The TIMES of Northeast Benton County

Charlie Cole Chaffin, Arkansas State senator who was running for lieutenant governor, visited Benton County. She said that her approach to the office would be to make it "every citizen's personal helper in the state capitol."

The special tax election was set for March 15. The ballot included a 1-percent sales tax increase for Benton County, with plans to use $15,425,000 for construction of a courts house in downtown Bentonville and $18,650,000 for construction of the Benton County Jail facility and Sheriff's Office.

Dr. Karen Sherman, veterinarian, was set to move into her new clinic by St. Patrick's Day.

The Brightwater United Methodist Church members were hopeful that their ham and bean dinner would have 250 attendees. The dinner was provided by various donors including the Pea Ridge Ministerial Alliance, the school district, Hi-D-Ho, and Montgomery's IGA.

Leukemia Society officials announced that Joyce Wagner, Battlefield 4-H Club leader, would be chairman of the spring Pea Ridge Bike-a-thon.

10 Years Ago

Wednesday, March 10, 2004

The TIMES of Northeast Benton County

The Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department broke ground for the fire station on south Wimpy Jones Road. The building was to include five truck bays, a department training area and a large community room. The people present for the event included Rondy Lee, Fire Chief Rob Taylor, J. Travis Harp, Jerry Sheridan, Gary Black and Rick Weidner.

Pea Ridge School Board members asked voters to approve a 5-mill increase in school taxes to build a new junior high behind the high school.

The 142th anniversary of the Battle of Pea Ridge brought people from across the country, including Orion Bell of Madison, Wis., who came to see where his great-great-grandfather had once fought.

Brianna Wright from Pea Ridge was selected to serve on the Governor's youth board as one of 25 students from across the state who were chosen. Wright received the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C., for the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.