The Pea Ridge TIMES celebrates 58 years this year.
Over the nearly six decades of covering this growing community, this local newspaper has had several owners, publishers and editors, but has always been dedicated to covering local events and keeping the residents of the city and community informed about local government.
This Pea Ridge newspaper observed its 58th birthday Monday, Jan. 1.
Its birth and early years were recorded in the Jan. 6, 1988, issue by Billie Jines: "It was born Jan. 1, 1966, ushered into the world by James (Jim) and Marge Edgmon. then known as the "Pea Ridge Graphic," the paper was published that first year by the Edgmons and their teen-age children in the basement of their home in Springdale.
Jines wrote a feature every week for the newspapers run by the Edgmons.
Earle and Billie Jines bought the paper in 1967.
"We did buy the paper -- stripped. That is, for the price we paid, we received a second class mailing permit, membership in the Arkansas Press Association and about 370 subscribers. The purchase date was Jan. 1, 1967, the day the paper was 1 year old."
The first office was shared with City Hall in the building immediately north of the main facilities of Sisco Funeral Home.
On Friday, July 13, 1967, the Jines moved to a house on North Curtis Avenue.
"The unsealed garage was turned into the newspaper shop and the glass-in breezeway sufficed as an office. Here the paper was published until April 1973, when we moved the news operation into the remodeled barn in the back yard," Jines wrote.
There the paper was published by three other owners.
On Feb. 25, 1976, the Jines sold the Graphic Scene to Howell and Donna Spencer Medders of Rogers.
On Sept. 1, 1978, the Medders sold the paper to E.B. (Jack) and Mary Lou Beisner.
In June 1985, Jack suffered a heart attack, was later to resume limited work on the paper, then failed steadily in health until his death Jan. 22, 1986.
Mary Lou carried on the paper with help from a competent staff until after Jack's death. Their son, E. Calvin Beisner, moved to Pea Ridge from Colorado Springs and assumed the position as editor while Mary Lou remained publisher.
On Nov. 25, 1987, Mary Lou sold the paper, which the Beisners had renamed first the "Pea Ridge Country Times" and later "The Times of Northeast Benton County."
The new owners were Mike and Barbara Freeman. The Freemans moved the newspaper from the Jines' barn to an office in Battlefield Center and then to an office on Lee Town Road.
In March of 1999, the Freemans sold "The Times of Northeast Benton County" to Community Publishers Inc. (CPI), a locally owned group of newspapers based in Bentonville. CPI named Becki Tyson as managing editor and Jeff Thacker as general manager. April 7, 1999, was the first issue published by CPI.
In 2009, the northwest Arkansas newspapers were merged with those of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Inc. to form Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC, current publisher of The TIMES.
In January 2006, Annette Beard became managing editor, replacing Tyson who moved to Conway.
In July 2006, the TIMES moved from its office on Lee Town Road to a house on North Curtis Avenue which had been the former home of a former mayor, Finis Woods. On June 4, 2014, the business office of The TIMES on North Curtis Avenue closed, but the newspaper remained in business and is still published weekly.
Since Vol. 1, No. 1, more than 3,028 issues have been published.
And, to quote Mrs. Jines: "And since that time, a generation of people have been born in northeast Benton County and have grown into adulthood not knowing a time in their lives when this newspaper did not exist."
We thank each of you for your continued loyalty and support of the staff and all who contribute to the content of the paper, to those who subscribe and to advertisers.
We realize that in today's culture with instant access to social media, there are many people who are unfamiliar with the newspaper and who rely on social media. But, social media is not a substitute for newspaper coverage.
Often, in reading various social media posts, we see questions posted about building, government decisions and new businesses. Many of the answers can be found in your local newspaper. The staff of the newspaper attends almost every government meeting in Pea Ridge -- City Council, Planning Commission, School Board, as well as many school sporting events and civic events.
It is our goal to keep public news public.
It's been said, "consider the source." With the local newspaper, the source is always a primary source with our dedication to quoting government officials on issues for which they are responsible.
Subscribe to the TIMES and in addition to the weekly printed version, you have access to the online version which has more photographs of local students and athletes and events than are printed.
To subscribe, go to prt.nwaonline.com/subscribe or call 479-684-5502.
Editor's note: Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County, chosen the best small weekly newspaper in Arkansas for several years. The opinions expressed are those of the author. She can be reached at [email protected].