Other Days: May 17, 2023

10 YEARS AGO MAY 15, 2013 Dudley Hume, superintendent at Webbers Falls School in Oklahoma, was chosen as the new superintendent at Woodlawn School to succeed Billy Williams, who is leaving to take the head job at Drew Central School. There will be 28 fewer slots in the Cleveland County Head Start program next year as a result of the federal spending cuts imposed by the sequestration enacted earlier this year. The Cleveland County School District oversees the Head Start program throughout the county. A construction crew dug the final opening Monday afternoon for a third rail tank car culvert to be installed along Brushy Creek on Hill Harper Road north of Rison. County Judge Gary Spears said this is the first of three road projects where tank cars will replace bridges or culverts in the county. While each tank car costs in excess of $7,000, Spears said the 9-foot opening the tank cars provide is a cost-effective alternative to building a new bridge. The tank cars along Hill Harper Road are replacing a 30foot bridge that was no longer considered safe. The Woodlawn Lady Bears were ousted by Magnet Cove, 31, in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A State Softball Tournament and finished their season with a record of 23-9. Meanwhile, in the opening round of the Class 2A State Baseball Tournament, Woodlawn fell to Conway St. Joseph, 4-2, and closed the season with a 15-11 mark. The Bears were defending state champs. 20 YEARS AGO MAY 21, 2003 In an effort to put the district in a better position to survive the possible school reorganization plan for Arkansas, the Woodlawn School Board decided Monday to ask voters for a 5.5 mill increase to finance building projects and to also refinance the district's existing debt bonds to help it meet the 25-mill state minimum for maintenance and operation. A special election will be held, possibly in July, to decide the millage issue. The Cleveland County Rural Water Associat...