LOOKING BACK: Governor declares May Senior Citizens Month

50 Years Ago

From the Herald and Democrat in 1970

Governor Winthrop Rockefeller issued his proclamation of May as Senior Citizens Month. "The skills and knowledge that our older citizens possess must continue to be utilized in civic activities and community endeavors if we are to realize the full productive capacities of all our human resources...Our older Arkansans have proved that they wish to remain in the mainstream of life by actively participating in projects which benefit all Arkansas."

Arkansas ranked 28th with 222 thousand citizens age 65 or older. This means that 11 of every 100 residents of Arkansas were senior citizens. Nationally over 20 million people were 65 or older; this amount exceeded the population of 20 of our smallest states.

The Arkansas Office on Aging provides leadership and expertise to local communities in developing programs for the older citizens. Fifteen projects were being actively funded under Title III of the Older Americans Act, bringing many services to senior Arkansans.

25 Years Ago

From the Herald-Leader in 1995

Rebounding, ball handling and good jumping ability were just three of the things Siloam Springs high school basketball coach Dale Akins believed Eric Stafford would contribute to the John Brown University men's basketball program.

Stafford officially signed with the Golden Eagles the previous week.

"I'm tickled he chose JBU because now I can go watch him play," said Panthers coach Dale Akins.

Stafford, a 1994-95 AAA-West all-conference honorable mention, averaged 10.1 points and 3.1 rebounds the previous season to earn a spot as the Panthers' leading rebounder and second leading scorer.

Defensively for the Panthers the previous season, Stafford made 49 steals and 18 blocked shots, as he took the Panthers to a 13-14 season.

From the free throw line, Stafford made 39-of-61 for a 64 percent average. He also tallied 45 assists.

With his ball handling, rebounding ability and scoring ability, Akins said Stafford has been one of the best athletes he has coached.

Stafford joined two other former Panthers, Scott Vachon and Clark Sheehy, on the Golden Eagles' squad.

10 Years Ago

From the Herald-Leader in 2010

A Siloam springs vegetable producer looked to buy a 200,000-square-foot building near U.S. Highway 287 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Allens Inc. was under contract to buy the almost 100-year-old Ranch Style Beans plant off East Lancaster Avenue, according to a May 4 article in the Star-Telegram.

ConAgra Foods, which owned Ranch Style Beans, ceased operations at the plant nearly two months earlier and laid off 120 employees.

The deal to purchase the building on 20 acres was expected to close in about two weeks.

What Allens would produce there was unknown, but plans were for the company to hire 110 employees and begin production by mid-June, the article showed.

Allens planned to invest $4.7 million into the plant by the end of the year, the article showed.

Editorial on 05/06/2020