100 years ago
Oct. 19, 1919
FORT SMITH -- The five months jail sentence of Neal Fentress for introducing whisky was commuted to four months, to expire yesterday, by Judge Frank A. Youmans in the United States District Court. Fentress was convicted at the June term of court and was sentenced to five months and to pay a fine of $100. J. Seab Holt, assistant district attorney, recommended that in view of Fentress' good behavior the sentence be commuted.
50 years ago
Oct. 19, 1969
• The State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission approved a proposal Saturday to make Arkansas the featured state at the Smithsonian Institution Folk Life Festival on the National Mall at Washington July 1 through 5. Louis Oberste Jr., the Commission's acting director, said the Institution proposed a $38,000 budget for the state to spend in developing material for the display. Commissioner Ovid T. Switzer of Crossett made the motion which passed unanimously. Oberste said Arkansas would be the third state to be featured at the Festival.
25 years ago
Oct. 19, 1994
• The Little Rock Planning Commission has recommended another new hotel for west Little Rock. The commission voted 9-1 in favor of allowing John Q. Hammons to build a nine-story Embassy Suites hotel and convention center overlooking Financial Center Parkway. The project will go before the Little Rock Board of Directors at a later date. If approved, the Embassy Suites would be the second new hotel in the area. Birchwood neighborhood residents had fought it. Ruth Bell, a representative for the Pulaski County League of Women Voters, also spoke in opposition to the project. Jeff Sharp, a director on the city board who said he was speaking as a citizen, asked the commission to support the project. He said if Little Rock turns down such projects, the developers would build in other Arkansas cities. He also said he thought west Little Rock needed hotels to relieve the overflow from downtown hotels, which he said would not suffer.
10 years ago
Oct. 19, 2009
• Fire investigators will return to the University Park Adult Leisure Center this morning to try to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed the center early Sunday, authorities said. Firefighters were dispatched to the building at 6401 W. 12th St. about 1:30 a.m., after a passer-by spotted black smoke coming from the building, Little Rock Fire Capt. Jason Weaver said. By the time firefighters arrived, about half of the roof was in flames. The building was one of five community and recreation centers operated by Little Rock's Parks and Recreation Department and the only one dedicated solely to programs for senior citizens and other adults. At the Adult Leisure Center, senior citizens and others met for book clubs, crafts, yoga and other activities, Assistant City Manager Bryan Day said. Private groups also frequently rented the center, which had a full-service kitchen, a large banquet room, a game room and a room for arts and crafts, he said.
Metro on 10/19/2019