LITTLE ROCK — 100 YEARS AGO Feb. 11, 1913

Senate Bill No. 118, the practical effect of which is believed will be statewide prohibition, yesterday passed the House of Representatives by a large majority, and with the governor’s signature will become a law. A large number of people gathered in the galleries early during the session yesterday and applauded the result of the ballot, which was 73 for the bill and 21 against.

50 YEARS AGO Feb. 11, 1963

Although a legislative hearing on an anti-gambling bill was only a few days away, gambling continued unabated over the weekend in Hot Springs.Throngs jammed the Belvedere casino and supper club. At the public hearing, expected to be attended by hundreds, a bill will be discussed to create a special state police squad to investigate gambling law violations.

25 YEARS AGO Feb. 11, 1988

While taking credit Wednesday for exposing corruption in a federal housing program, North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick called the Arkansas Democrat reporters who revealed the problems last year “dip ———.” “We caught it - with the help of the Democrat. It’s been going on a long time and it’s been stopped. We’ve corrected it,” he said. A report issued Jan. 22 by the regional inspector general of the Department of Housing and Urban Development says the North Little Rock Community Development Agency from Jan. 1 1978 to March 31, 1987, was poorly managed to the extent that “led to the diversion of (federal) program funds through collusion.” The HUD report, mailed to Hartwick on Jan. 28, confirms the findings of Democrat reporters Jim Keary and Tyler Tucker, whom Hartwick referred to as “dip ———.”

10 YEARS AGO Feb. 11, 2003

The military buildup in the Middle East hit home over the weekend with the activation of more than 600 Arkansas National Guard and reserve troops and a heightened level of security at Little Rock Air Force Base. Mobilization of Arkansas troops began last week, and more mobilization likely will take place, since reports surfaced of Iraqi forces moving missiles into restricted areas.

Arkansas, Pages 8 on 02/11/2013