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

Little Mo’s Liquor owner Rodney Hurst addressed members of the Clark County Quorum Court regarding an ordinance that required a $425 local permit for those who sell alcohol in the county. That fee was in addition to state-required permits. Hurst argued that no other nearby wet county required fees from retail business owners.

A traffic stop on Interstate 30 led to the arrest of a Texas man, Gary Duane Bell, of Houston, who was paid $5,000 to transport 100 pounds of marijuana from Little Rock to Houston. Bell would go on to plead guilty to distributing a controlled substance and received a life sentence in prison, as he would not relinquish the name of his employer.

The Royal Knights of Croquet of Arkadelphia hosted a three-day tournament involving players from four states.

The Clark County Republican Party-hosted Lincoln Day Dinner, held at Ouachita Baptist University with Rex Nelson as keynote speaker, drew a historic crowd of some 300 people. Chairman Eddie Arnold said the party usually sold only 60-70 tickets for their annual banquet.

Students at Perritt Primary School walked from school to the newspaper office for their annual “Just Say No” anti-drug walk.

This week in 2003

Weathering a sagging economy, Arkadelphia saw the demise of Danson’s Italian Restaurant and the change in hands of several other businesses. On the flip side, new eateries preparing to open their doors were Donut Palace, Java Spot and Thrio’s.

The Ouachita Baptist University Tri Beta Biology Club was in the process of building a nature trail, which included a staircase of railroad ties, that connected the north end of Feaster Trail to DeSoto Bluff.

The manager of West Coast Video voiced anger over residential garbage being placed in  Dumpsters placed at businesses.

Clark County NAACP president Henry Wilson joined others at a rally in Washington, D.C., to persuade U.S. Supreme Court justices to keep affirmative action alive.

An article focused on four Arkadelphia elementary students who were part of the state’s newest education program, Arkansas Virtual School. The students all did school work at their home with a state-provided computer, while participating in some activities at Peake Elementary School.

Clark County justices of the peace gave county Judge Ron Daniell more spending power, raising the cap from $2,500 to $10,000 without asking permission from the quorum court or taking bids.

This week in 1993

Group Living Inc. celebrated its 20th anniversary with a birthday party at its downtown headquarters. A time capsule was buried on the lawn of the group home on Hickory Street.

Grammy award-winning Sandi Patti performed in front of a packed Jones Performing Arts Center on OBU’s campus.

A Bismarck man and his Hot Springs partner were charged with killing a black bear on Needle’s Eye Mountain, between highways 7 and 182 south of Hot Springs. The bear was survived by three cubs.