By The Arkadelphian

For the Week in Clark County History, we combed through bound copies of the Daily Siftings Herald, housed in the archives of Riley-Hickingbotham Library at Ouachita Baptist University. We choose some front-page news from editions dating back 10, 15 and 20 years ago.

Here’s what happened this week 10 years ago

July 2, 2012: Newspaper reporter Joe Phelps put himself behind bars at the county jail and before the district judge in a mock DWI arrest to give readers a first-person perspective of the pricey consequences of driving while intoxicated. The verdict: It’s not worth the risk!

July 5, 2012
The Arkadelphia City Board of Directors OK’d a resolution to the Arkansas Department of Transportation requesting it move the planned Ouachita River Bridge farther south, to join Highway 67 near Siplast.

July 6, 2012
It was reported that the Independence Day fireworks show at DeGray Lake sizzled out prematurely due to a “system malfunction.” Hundreds of event-goers left the event disappointed in the show, which lasted roughly 10 minutes.

Here’s what happened this week 15 years ago

July 3, 2007
Forty-seven citizens applied for a spot on what would become the five-member Economic Development Corp. of Clark County.

July 6, 2007
Police Chief Al Harris reported to the City Board that a newly formed wellness program promoting healthy diet and exercise among city employees was, well, working out. Employees at Town Hall had reported losing pounds, and some employees pledged to quit smoking as a result.

July 9, 2007
Inmates from the Ouachita Regional Correctional Unit in Malvern were used to clean up areas in Caddo Valley, including the future site of the city’s walking trail behind City Hall.

Here’s what happened this week 20 years ago

July 3, 2002
The Confederate soldier statue was returned to the Clark County Courthouse lawn, more than five years after being severely damaged in the March 1997 tornado.

Budget problems forced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to cut back on non-essential services at DeGray Lake, namely mowing and equipment repairs.

The Arkadelphia Board of Directors considered a $994,028 bid for site work and construction of the 78-acre Youth Sports Complex.

July 5, 2002
Henderson State University would begin its fiscal year with $700,000 in budget cuts. No employees that year were given a cost-of-living-adjustment raise, and students were hit with a 7-percent tuition hike as a result.

Operations had recently begun at the City of Gurdon’s dog pound and animal incinerator, a $39,000 project that was built as a response to an influx of stray dogs in town.

July 8, 2002
Local brokers reported a slight sales slump in the real estate market, but had no explanation as to why sales were low. Two of the three brokers who talked to reporters blamed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.

July 9, 2002
Clark County Sheriff Troy Tucker reported there was no more room to house prisoners at the Clark County Jail, which on that day reported housing 53 inmates in a facility rated for a capacity of 45 inmates.