By JOEL PHELPS | 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.

10 years ago in Clark County

Oct. 9, 2012
Several justices of the peace reported that citizens had voiced opposition to a millage increase they had brought up in a previous meeting.

Oct. 10, 2012
Gum Springs Mayor Mike Lester was recovering in a Hot Springs hospital after a four-vehicle accident on US Highway 67 left him and several others injured, including state representative candidate Fred Harris.

Henderson State University enrolled fewer freshmen but had more incoming transfers, the board of trustees learned in an enrollment report.

Oct. 12, 2012
Arkadelphia resident Kristin Goza filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster for excessive charges on tickets to several concerts she’d attended at Verizon Arena.

15 years ago in Clark County

Oct. 9, 2007
Justices of the peace approved spending $200,000 for then-Circuit Clerk Penny Ross to scan and preserve county land records dating back to the 1800s. The old records, she reported, were beginning to disintegrate and were being eaten by insects.

Oct. 12, 2007
Then-County Judge Ron Daniell signed an order allowing the annexation of the Somersett subdivision in Arkadelphia, a month after a public hearing at which some voiced fears of “lowered property values and other concerns.”

The Arkadelphia School Board appointed Herman Thomas as principal of Arkadelphia High School for the remainder of the school year. He would continue his role as the district’s assistant superintendent.

20 years ago in Clark County

Oct. 11, 2002
The Arkadelphia Planning Commission gave approval to the Clark County Industrial County to open a 41-acre business park on W.P. Malone Dr. While the CCIC didn’t have the funds to complete the project, it had enough cash on hand to pave a driveway and develop two lots.

A trial date was set for Tina Rowe for charges that she stole funds from the local revenue office, where she had been a manager. Rowe took cash payments for licenses and tags, including sales tax paid on vehicles, then issued the licenses or registrations before deleting the registrations from the state’s computer.

Oct. 14, 2002
Work began on a 16-unit apartment complex in Gurdon to house senior citizens. The federally funded apartments were built on Deer Creek Street in a relatively undeveloped part of town.