100 years ago
March 22, 1924
The Pulaski County Republican convention, meeting at the Board of Commerce rooms last night, remained "lily white" despite efforts of more than 100 negro Republicans, who believed their presence necessary for complete party representation, to assemble with them. The negroes were dispersed from the front of the building by police. A score slipped through the police lines, but were stopped at the door of the assembly room. Following the order to leave, the negroes hurriedly drew up a combination affidavit and protest, signing it "on the run." It is proposed to present the affidavit to the state and national Republican conventions, the negro leaders declared.
50 years ago
March 22, 1974
Four local architectural and planning firms will begin by mid-April a preliminary study and design of the proposed "New Town In Town," a project to get people to live downtown. James A. Moses Jr., executive director of Little Rock Unlimited Progress (UP), said the tentative boundaries for the project are the Arkansas River on the north, the Wilbur Mills Freeway on the south, Main Street on the west and Interstate 30 on the east. ... Moses said Little Rock UP has a $30,000 grant from the federal Economic Development Administration to do a study and design of the area. That will be matched with $6,000 in cash and $4,000 in in-kind services from Little Rock UP.
25 years ago
March 22, 1999
Tornadoes destroyed the Harvest Foods at 17th and Main streets in Little Rock, but the store's old customers found Sunday that they could still get a week's worth of food there. Local philanthropist Jennings Osborne said he wanted to make sure Little Rock residents who were affected by the tornadoes knew that people were still thinking about them, so he pitched a tent at the epicenter of tornado damage -- the Harvest Foods parking lot -- and threw one of his trademark, mammoth barbecues. Neighbors lined up around the block to get their trays filled by Osborne and his family, Gov. Mike Huckabee, Mayor Jim Dailey and a staff of about 20 volunteers. Those that made it through the line didn't go home hungry.
10 years ago
March 22, 2014
Lieutenant governor candidate Andy Mayberry said he's drafted a proposed constitutional amendment to abolish the office in 2019 and that the 2015 Legislature will be asked to refer it to voters in the 2016 general election. ... "'I'm pursuing this whether I'm the person in office or not," Mayberry said Thursday at a news conference in the state Capitol in Little Rock. "I believe it is the right thing to do. ... We can make government smaller and more efficient, and we can save taxpayers about $400,000 a year," referring to office's annual budget. Mayberry is vying with U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin of Little Rock and state Rep. Debra Hobbs of Rogers for the Republican nomination.