100 years ago
Oct. 27, 1920
MENA -- Alvin Hughes, a sawmill worker, admitted to Polk Circuit Court here tonight that he killed Ellis Mankins, a young farmer of Scott county, on October 5, to get possession of the latter's team and wagon. There were no eye-witnesses to the tragedy, the evidence against Hughes being circumstantial. Hughes was indicted by the Polk Grand Jury yesterday, and his case set for today. The state introduced a strong chain of circumstantial evidence. Apparently, seeing there was little hope for him, Hughes voluntarily took the witness stand and admitted that he killed young Mankins.
50 years ago
Oct. 27, 1970
EL DORADO -- Governor Rockefeller derisively likened the radio programs of his Democratic opponent, Dale Bumpers, to the reading of the comic strips on the radio in the 1940s by the late New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, during a couple of his stops on a swing by helicopter through South Arkansas Monday. He derided Bumpers' newspaper advertisements as well, particularly those suggesting the Charleston lawyer's interest in the elderly in light of the 50 cent an hour wage he said Bumpers had paid employes at a nursing home in which he has a half interest. Mr. Rockefeller asked if anyone who did that could have compassion for people.
25 years ago
Oct. 27, 1995
RUSSELLVILLE -- Three years ago, Russellville faced a water shortage so severe that the growth of the city was threatened. On Thursday, Gov. Jim Guy Tucker and Russellville officials dedicated a $20 million reservoir and dam on Huckleberry Creek that should meet the needs of the growing town for years to come. Les Church, the general manager of City Corp., Russellville's water company, said the dam and reservoir on Huckleberry Creek will "provide an adequate source of raw water for 40 to 50 years into the future." The dam is about 16 miles northwest of Russellville, and west of Dover.
10 years ago
Oct. 27, 2010
• Little Rock's police headquarters will need about $20,000 of additional work to rid it of mold and damage caused by its leaky roof and sweaty ductwork, according to a report from the city's architect this week. The architect's recommendation comes as roofers began last week to replace the roof on the nearly 50-year-old police building. The city will pay for the additional repairs by again dipping into loan money originally dedicated for an emergency-backup computer system, City Manager Bruce Moore said Tuesday.