For the Month 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.
In March 1994:
• The Church in a Day builders, a volunteer group of about 40 men, part of the Arkansas Baptist Men’s Group of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, went to work building the new Gennesaret Baptist Church on the corner of 18th and Logan streets. Church in a Day were followed by the Nail Benders and Grannies group, 150 volunteers who came in on a Saturday to work on the new church.
• Dr. Johnnie Roebuck presented children at the HSU Child Service Center with gifts sent to them from the White House by President Clinton, in exchange for artwork they delivered to Washington.
• Dr. Peggy Rae Dorris, former biology professor at Henderson State University, received an inclusion in the 1994 edition of American Men and Women of Science because of her outstanding scientific contributions.
• HSU officials congratulated James Meadows for becoming the university’s first aviation student to finish the program and enter the U.S. Navy as an officer.
• The Arkadelphia Fire Department responded to a house fire on a Tuesday afternoon at 1519 Gresham St. Three trucks were sent to the blaze, which caused major damage to the house. No injuries were reported. Pictured are Lt. Preston Johnston (background), Terry Crutchfield (changing air bottle) and Ricky Arnold (kneeling).
In March 2004:
• Workers installed a sprinkler system along Clay Street for a streetscape project. Harrington Construction did the work on Clay Street before moving to Main Street to begin that segment of the rejuvenation project.
• Crews began spreading cement on the second section of the Interstate 30 overpass in Arkadelphia.
• Skateboarders seemed to appreciate a newly refurbished skateboard ramp at Central Park. A photographer captured friends admiring a stunt by Chase Patton.
In March 2014:
• Dr. Lewis Shepherd, pictured alongside his wife Dr. Joyce, received the President’s Award for Citizen of the Year during an Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce banquet. Shepherd had been a resident of Arkadelphia for more than 30 years and has been part of many local and regional organizations and committees.
• Arkadelphia’s Sonic Drive-In remained closed after a fire erupted in a heating and cooling unit atop the popular eatery.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
