Other days

100 YEARS AGO

Aug. 11, 1922

ROGERS — Edward Kinney, former railroad engineer now living on a farm three miles southeast of Rogers, had opened all but the last one of a large pile of mussels, the result of yesterday’s “catch” on the White river, in a fruitless search for the pearls. Discouraged, he offered the last bivalve to a companion for 10 cents. The bargain was laughingly declined, and Edward opened the “clam” and discovered a rare pearl, slightly oval in shape and about the diameter of an ordinary lead pencil, the stone being valued at $500. Pearl fishing in the White river has for many years been a lucrative occupation, and many beautiful and valuable specimens have been taken from the waters of that picturesque stream.

50 YEARS AGO

Aug. 11, 1972

■ The Maumelle Land Development Company will pay part of the cost of a $4.5 million seven-mile, four-lane highway that would connect Maumelle New Town, a project of the Company, to highway 365 and Interstate 430. Dowell Naylor, executive vice president of the firm, said at a public hearing Thursday that the firm had committed itself to pay Pulaski County’s share of the first two-mile segment and had offered to do the same on the remaining two miles of the highway that would be located within Maumelle New Town.

25 YEARS AGO

Aug. 11, 1997

■ Frequently pretend to be a lawyer? Stockpile ephedrine? Sell blue lights to motorists who aren’t law enforcement officers? If so, be ready to go to jail. … The Arkansas Sentencing Commission has spoken on seven new felony crimes established by the 81st General Assembly. The commission puts rankings, or recommendations, on a sentencing grid that judges may consult when putting an offender away. Most of the new felonies are in Class D, with punishments of no time to six years in prison. The rankings start at 1, the mildest penalties, and go to 10. The system begins with first-time offenses and gradually increases, taking into account other factors such as past convictions and aggravating circumstances. … The Legislature also reclassified or redefined nine crimes. … Leslie Powell, Sentencing Commission executive director, said Arkansas has 237 crimes on the books, but many are not regularly cited. In fact, she said, 32 account for 95 percent of all charges.

10 YEARS AGO

Aug. 11, 2012

■ The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will give Arkansas $1 million during the next three years to enhance the state’s stroke care and prevention, the state Department of Health announced Friday. Arkansas has led the nation in its death rate from strokes at least five times since 2000. … The federal money will go toward improving emergency transport systems and monitoring the quickness of stroke response procedures at hospitals. A portion of the grant will also go toward health awareness to prevent strokes and responding to a person who is having one. … Dr. Namvar Zohoori, the state Department of Health’s chronic disease branch director, also said that 73 of Arkansas’ 75 counties lack enough access to care for the population. This contributes to poor emergency response times and care, he said, especially in areas without 911 responders. Some of the funds will help train emergency responders to recognize and test for strokes in the ambulance, Zohoori said.