For the Week in Clark County History, we combed through bound copies of the Daily Siftings Herald to choose some front-page news from editions dating 10, 20 and 30 years ago.

This week in 2013

A fire broke out in the laundry room of a residence at 232 N. 24th St. A mother and her two children smelled the smoke shortly after 2 a.m. and escaped without injury, and the house sustained extensive damage to the laundry room.

The Clark County Historical Association proceeded with plans to hold a Civil War re-enactment but would drop the inclusion of two “slaves” originally casted for the program. The decision was made at the behest of NAACP president Henry Wilson, who feared casting the slaves would “open old wounds.”

The Arkadelphia Arts Center touted 21 receptions and 18 exhibits since opening its doors 18 months prior in downtown.

The 15th annual Men United recognition banquet drew nearly 100 attendees to the event at Henderson State University’s Day Gym. Frances Nelson was the guest speaker.

This week in 2003

Henderson State’s Board of Trustees rejected an administration proposal that would have given a half dozen business professors substantial pay raises.

Following extensive renovations the previous year at Dexter Florence Memorial Field, a lack of city funds slowed further improvements — namely construction of a new hangar — at the municipal airport.

Construction wrapped up at the city’s new River Park Amphitheater. Future plans for the park included the addition of picnic tables, pavilions, kids’ play areas, a boat dock and an extensive trail system connecting with Ouachita Baptist University on the north end and the new train depot on the south end.

The Clark County Office of Emergency Management used a grant to purchase 16,800 doses of a larvacide to battle the West Nile Virus. The Vectolex larvacide was dispensed in small cellophane packets that dissolve when tossed in standing water where mosquitos prefer to breed.

Arkadelphia’s annual Festival of Two Rivers got under way with a parade, carnival and community barbecue that attracted an estimated 600 residents.

The Clark County landfill in Joan in had recently installed a set of computerized scales that could weigh down to a fraction of a ton.

This week in 1993

Past Chamber of Commerce president Jane Lucas “passed the gavel” to Judy Sligh at the chamber’s annual gala, as it was called then.

A group of college-aged men were pictured in a tug-of-war competition near the old train depot, an event that was part of the 18th annual Festival of Two Rivers.

Gurdon logger Johnny Called helped coordinate the first-ever Log a Load for Kids event to raise money for the Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Authorities in Clark County were investigating two separate shootings: one in Amity, and another in Griffithtown. The Amity shooting was over an argument about the use of a vehicle. In Griffithtown, two men separately hunting the same turkey shot each other in the face.