100 years ago
May 16, 1918
RUSSELLVILLE -- The earth embankment supplementing the large concrete dam of the Arkansas Water and Power Company, six miles north of this city, gave way yesterday because of the high water, leaving Russellville temporarily without water supply. It is thought that the damage can be quickly repaired when the water returns to the river bed. The Illinois river at the dam site was higher than it had been in years and flooded the power room of the water and power company.
50 years ago
May 16, 1968
• Dr. W. Paul Reagan Wednesday abandoned his plan to continue working without pay at the state Health Department job from which he was fired April 29. Dr. Reagan, former director of the Communicable Disease Control Division and head of the state's new tuberculosis control program, said that two developments had caused him to change his mind. One was that Dr. J.T. Herron, the state health officer who dismissed Dr. Reagan, had named a physician later identified by Dr. Herron as Dr. Bryant Swindoll, director of the Chronic Disease Control Division as acting director of the TB control program. Dr. Reagan said he did not want to leave until a qualified doctor took over because he had several TB patients under dangerous drug medication.
25 years ago
May 16, 1993
PINE BLUFF -- Several "small altercations" occurred among residents of the Pine Bluff Youth Services Center on Friday and Saturday mornings, but they were minor and the center school will reopen Monday, according to Superintendent Elbert Grimes. The school was closed Thursday morning after a series of fights developed Wednesday and Thursday at the facility, which houses 124 delinquent boys. No major damage was reported and there were no serious injuries, though several students and staff members suffered cuts and bruises.
10 years ago
May 16, 2008
• A man whose computer contained more than 600 images of child pornography and who admitted sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl numerous times was sentenced Thursday to nearly 25 years in federal prison. "This is about the most egregious conduct I've dealt with since I've been on the bench," U.S. District Judge James Moody said in refusing to sentence James Rickey Linthicum Jr., 33, at the low end of federal sentencing guidelines, as defense attorney Bruce Eddy of the federal public defender's office requested.
Metro on 05/16/2018