100 years ago
July 3, 1919
• Although every sheriff in the state was notified yesterday to be on the lookout for the three convicts who escaped from the Arkansas penitentiary late Tuesday night, officials at the institution late last night had received no trace of the men. It is believed that they will attempt to get out of the state. ... John T. Burkett, secretary of the Penitentiary Commission, and in charge of the "walls," yesterday forwarded to all Arkansas sheriffs descriptions and photographs of the men. A reward of $50 is offered by the state for the arrest of each. Mr. Burkett believes they intend to steal an automobile to assist them in escaping. ... The failure of one of the prison guards to obey instructions made possible the escapes, according to Mr. Burkett. He said the guard inside the stockade had been instructed to examine the bars over every window immediately after going on duty. The guard failed to make the examination Tuesday night. The bars had been sawed sometime during the day, it is believed.
50 years ago
July 3, 1969
• The Little Rock police and agents of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs arrested two persons at Adams Field about 3 p.m. on suspicion of drug violations. Federal agents said they learned from their San Antonio office that the two were aboard a 2:15 p.m. flight bound for Little Rock and were suspected of carrying amphetamines, barbiturates, and marijuana. As they got off the plane, the suspects were arrested on a warrant issued by the office of the prosecuting attorney. The police said that 174 capsules, suspected of containing seconal, nembutal, and dexamyl, and five grams of a plant suspected of being marijuana were found in the suspects' baggage. The police said the confiscated drugs were being analyzed and charges were expected to be filed today. The suspects were not identified.
25 years ago
July 3, 1994
• Police evacuated residences and blocked off streets after an ammonia leak Saturday night near the Mapelli Food Distribution Co. at 1800 E. Ninth Street in east Little Rock. Police began blocking off streets west of Bond Street about 10:15 p.m. and evacuating nearby residents to an area west of Hangar Street about five blocks away. Hazardous material workers and firefighters were called out at 9:20 p.m. Police reported some motorists in the area were affected by the fumes but apparently escaped serious injury. Police weren't sure if the fumes were coming from the Mapelli warehouse or from a train chemical car.
10 years ago
July 3, 2009
ROGERS -- Blythe McCauley plans to spend the next five days doing vocal exercises and singing her favorite songs to decide which ones best display the sweet, soulful tones in her voice. McCauley, a student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, will leave for Denver on Tuesday, bound for a guaranteed audience before American Idol producers at one of a series of large auditions throughout the country for the reality television singing competition. ... She was selected Wednesday from a group of 112 hopefuls at Arkansas Idol, a local audition hosted by KFTA-TV, Northwest Arkansas' Fox network affiliate, at Rogers' Little Theater. Wearing a red dress and mouthing sassy sarcasm to the judges, McCauley quieted the room with jazzy renditions of Judy Garland's "Smile" and Billie Holiday's "Summertime."
Metro on 07/03/2019