Page 4 - HonorRoll.1.22.17

4 – Sunday, January 22, 2017 – El Dorado NEWS-TIMES
February: Southside finally demolished
ry from the residence they shared. Strickland was hospitalized in early January after Alexander’s relatives, who had come to town to visit her, saw that Strickland was unresponsive and appeared to be in poor health. Police said the relatives called for an ambu- lance, and Strickland was transported to Medical Center of South Arkansas for treatment. He was later transferred to St. Vincent Hospital in Little Rock and then to Arkansas Hospice, where he died on Sunday.
Former Union County K9 officer recently restored
Feb. 7 — Former Union County police canine, Weid, has a renewed look after recently undergoing a much-needed restoration. Weid was killed in the line of duty in 1966, while serving as a part of the nation’s largest manhunt at that time. He was known by law enforce- ment agencies around the country for his near-perfect sense of smell which earned him a reputation as one of the nation’s best tracking dogs.
O.E. Bishop, former Union County sheriff, loaned Weid to the FBI to aid in the massive manhunt for William Hollenbaugh in the Pennsylvania wil- derness. Hollenbaugh kidnapped 17-year-old Peggy Ann Bradnick on the way home from school with the intent to make her his “woman.”
FBI agent Terry Anderson and Weid were both fatally shot by Hollenbaugh after tracking him through the forest. Hollenbaugh was able to retreat into the wilderness only to be fatally shot by a state trooper the following day at a nearby farm. Weid’s body was returned home to El Dorado after his death and was memorialized in a glass dis- play case in the Union County Sheriff’s Office lobby.
No major injuries in highway collision
Feb. 9 — A collision involving an
Arkansas Highway Department dump truck and an tractor-trailer on U.S. 167 South near Faircrest caused mul- tiple lane closures on Monday after- noon. Chief Bill Hickman of the Union County Sheriff’s Office said the incident occurred at about 2:30 p.m. The flow of traffic was still obstruct- ed at least an hour after the incident occurred. Arkansas State Police, with the help of UCSO deputies, directed traffic through the scene while work- ers removed the spilled lumber and debris from the highway. Officials at the scene said there were no major injuries reported at that time.
vent the Wendy’s restaurant environ- ment – from food innovation to building design to new packaging.
The restaurant features a contempo- rary design with large windows and natural materials and the interior show- cases open, bright dining areas, with multiple seating options and a fireplace, Voskamp said.
News-Times File Photo
K-9 Restoration: The mounted body of the late Union County police canine Weid sits encased in glass at the Union County Sheriff’s Office. Union County reserve officer and taxidermist, Gary Major, restored Weid’s body recently.
Southside finally demolished
Feb. 21 — For nearly a century, the Southside Elementary School building not only anchored the northeast corner of the four-way intersection at South Jackson and Pecan, but it also loomed as a majestic presence for the surround- ing community.
Much of the building sat vacant and fell into a state of disrepair in the near- ly 13 years since the elementary school was shuttered and Mayor Frank Hash said city crews took advantage of mild weather that has descended upon the area in recent days to knock down the three-story, red-brick building, citing safety issues.
Robert Edmonds, director of public works, said the roof had been leaking for quite awhile and had begun caving in, causing pieces to fall.
Additionally, break-ins and acts of vandalism had become an ongoing problem, so the city, to whom the El Dorado School District had deeded the property, demolished the building as a safety measure, Hash and Edmonds said.
The Southside building went up in the mid 1920s, becoming the second public elementary school to open in the city — following Retta Brown — the only elementary school within the El Dorado School District to have a dedicated auditorium.
Murmil Heights area
Feb. 13 — After four years of dis- cussions, residents of Murmil Heights have received approval for one of their requests to address an access issue into the neighborhood. Mayor Frank Hash announced that officials from the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department approved this week the installation of an emergency access gate at Lakeland and U.S. 167. The gate will be locked and opened only in the event of an emergency. Lorene has served as the only access road
into Murmil since the AHTD closed the Marilynn Street/U.S. 167 access in 2011 while widening the highway through El Dorado.
State highway officials previous-
ly explained that the Marilynn Street route • was closed because
U.S. 167 was expanded • from two lanes with a speed limit of 55 miles
per hour to four lanes • at 65 mph. The AHTD
had to comply with
federal guidelines to restrict access onto U.S. 167 from a residential area because of the increased speed limit.
Wendy’s unveils innovative restaurant design in El Dorado
Feb. 21 — With a revitalized décor, comfortable seating and other ame- nities, the new Wendy’s in El Dorado opened. The restaurant was remodeled using an innovative interior and exte- rior design, which is part of a compre- hensive brand transformation to rein-
Abandoned
thirteen
years,
City approves access gate in
Tires Brakes
Oil Changes Lift Kits
2880 N. West Ave., El Dorado 870-863-8156
70 YEARS!
5598