Other Days: June 28, 2023

10 YEARS AGO JUNE 26, 2013 Cleveland County Judge Gary Spears discussed the county budget, the White River Blueway and other subjects during the very first Cleveland County Conservative Breakfast held Saturday morning at the Rison One Stop. The breakfast is a non-partisan event, and that elected officials from both parties will be invited to speak. Spears said the county is about $125,000 better off now than it was at this time last year. C&L Electric Cooperative members elected John Ed Ashcraft of the Pansy community to the system's board of directors. Ashcraft was one of six candidates running for the position left vacant by the passing of long-time board member Joe Ralph Thompson, also of Pansy. Other candidates were Ray Gavin, David Stover, Wendol Swinney, Terry Thompson and Bob Young. A new picket fence is going up at the new 'pocket park' on Main Street in Rison. The park is being developed by Rison Shine Downtown Development as part of its efforts to help revitalize the downtown area. A farmers market is set to open in the park next month. The Woodlawn School Board accepted a bid of $108,500 to repair the foundation of the administration building/cafeteria. Supt. Billy Williams said the foundation repair needed to be addressed before construction on the new music room addition could begin in earnest. 20 YEARS AGO JULY 2, 2003 Crews began tearing down and removing what was left of the Kingsland High School building, destroyed by fire recently, as the district makes room for the eventual construction of a new building. The Workforce Center of Cleveland County, in its first year of sponsoring a Summer Youth Employment Program, is currently providing 17 employees throughout the county. Dr. Matthew Pelkki, a professor at the University of Arkansas at Monticello's School of Forestry, told a group of private forest landowners not to expect timber prices to increase significantly anytime...