For the Week in Clark County History, we combed through bound copies of the Daily Siftings Herald housed in the archives at Ouachita Baptist University. Here are some front-page news briefs from editions dating 10, 20 and 30 years ago.

10 years ago (2013)

In order to prevent people from abusing prescription or over-the-counter drug medications, a Prescription Drop-Off (MedReturn) box was built by the Clark County Sheriff’s office located in the Courthouse Square. This also educated teens and adults both about proper disposal of prescription medications.

Members of the community gathered for a protest calling for Pine Street’s name to be changed to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The issue has remained a topic of debate. A proposal before the Arkadelphia Board of Directors was to rename a section of 10th Street.

Over the course of a few years since it first began, the Getaway Gals — 400 ladies from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana — had signed up for a chance to get away from the busy life (and men). This year, at the suggestion of local member Denise Chamberlin, the group would set up their themed tiny campers at the old Okolona School for a week of R&R.

20 years ago (2003)

Representing the spirit of the American worker, Paul Bond was selected and named “Arkansas Worker of the Year.” Both Bond and his wife, Pat, were schoolteachers before ultimately deciding to work together in construction where they built houses and condos. Bond’s wife happened to come across the contest sponsored by Dickies Workwear, where she placed her husband’s name in the poll without him knowing.

A large, pre-lit grill being towed to the Clark County Fairground apparently came open, dropping sparks or ashes along U.S. 67 between Curtis and Arkadelphia. Other fires began to pop up around the Arkadelphia airport and Gum Springs. Other than burned grass, there was no injuries or damage.

Arkadelphia firefighters remove a box of burning debris from a storage room of a house at 1007 S. 23rd St. A resident had just finished cooking fish in a fryer and reportedly placed the fryer back into a storage room. The cooker apparently ignited the fire, which was confined to the storage room.

2003 was the beginning for people to find Clark County on the World Wide Web. Now people with internet access could easily search for Clark County and it would be there for all to see. This allowed people to view its history, the names and emails of elected officials, county employees, directions to the courthouse. It even included links to other counties online, as well as links to other local sites of interest and to local time and weather. 

30 years ago (1993)

David Bost, along with his wife, Becky, fulfilled a dream in constructing Pine Street Village. Its unique, European style made each store very special and individual. Bost and his wife wanted each store to have their own character while keeping them nice and tightly together. Pine Street Village contained five separate “units” for businesses that leased their space from Bost.

John Michael Thomason and Amanda Thomason play a computer game on solving household waste disposal at the Clark County Fair that were part of a travelling exhibit of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.