100 years ago
July 9, 1918
HOPE -- Marion Barber, a farmer living about 12 miles south of here, near Patmos, was shot twice and instantly killed near his farm yesterday by Sam Hodgett, another farmer. Hodgett surrendered and is in charge of a constable. It is said that the two men engaged in a duel, but details are lacking, as they were alone when the shooting occurred. It is said that a Little Rock traveling man and his wife were passing along the road and heard the shots. When they stopped Hodgett is said to have called to them to witness what he had done and to have told them why he killed Barber.
50 years ago
July 9, 1968
• PARAGOULD -- Paragould Mayor J.T. Brown signed the final government contract Monday for construction of a community center for Greene County. The Department of Housing and Urban Development authorized a grant of nearly $300,000 in April for the project, to be located in Paragould. Paragould Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Dick Herget said that bids for the project would be advertised within two weeks.
25 years ago
July 9, 1993
• A Bryant School District minibus carrying five students hit a car and overturned on a narrow Saline County road Wednesday afternoon. No serious injuries were reported. The driver of the car -- Davis Elementary teacher Kimberly Akers, 24, of Bauxite (Saline County), who is seven months pregnant -- was flown by Med-flight helicopter to Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock, Saline County Sheriff Judy Pridgen said. Akers was treated at the emergency room and released, a hospital spokesman said.
10 years ago
July 9, 2008
• A Bryant teenager accused of participating in a fatal Little Rock armed robbery tried to abandon his co-defendant -- a teenage friend police believe is the killer -- once he realized the friend had fired shots during the holdup attempt, a defense attorney said Tuesday. Attorney Fernando Padilla contended that 18-year-old Brandon Dior "B.A." Aldridge drove away and left his codefendant, 17-year-old Carlos Cortez "Lil Los" Hall, at the scene of March 28 slaying of 60-year-old Billy Eugene Betts. But Aldridge, who has a juvenile firearm conviction, accidentally turned into a dead end at the Eagle Nest Apartment Community on Falcon Court, Padilla said.
Metro on 07/09/2018