From the files of the Polk County News ...

In 1938, delegates from all over the U.S. were in Benton for the annual session of the Church of Jesus Christ ... Polk County native Mrs. M.E. Nix, 88, caused a stir in Texas when her pension form listed the ages of her three children as 64. The triplets -- Mat Nix and Addie and Allie Nix -- were born on the B.E. Biggs farm in 1873. Attending physician was Dr. John Calhoun Garner, a cousin of Vice President John Garner. The family moved to Texas in 1888.

In 1958, Bill Baxter was named head coach at Polk ... The Quarterly Court set the new tax rate at $5.29, an increase of 95¢. The county was ordered by the state to operate its business on a “pay-as-you-go” basis, with state officials acting in an advisory capacity ... The Court authorized $200,000 in bonds for the construction of a jail at Benton and a Courthouse in the Copper Basin ... Tom Taylor and Virgil Miles were named to the School Board ... A Sweetwater boy survived lockjaw ... Jerry Lowery was a Youth Chairman at the American Institute of Cooperation summer conference dealing with farm issues.

In 1978, an investigation into alleged voting fraud was requested on behalf of Frank Robert Payne, who was defeated in a bid for Sheriff by Whitey Ramsey ... The state withheld school money after the School Board failed to meet a deadline to provide an acceptable architectural plan and approval of sites of two new schools ... Melynda Davis was named Fairest of the Fair ... Joel Brown and Angie Culpepper attended the 4-H Citizenship Shortcourse in Washington, D.C. ... Bryan Culpepper received a Master’s degree.

In 1988, Republicans Alley Bruce and Lawrence Steward were ousted as voters elected Lynn McGee for Road Superintendent and Frank Bishop for Assessor ... Countywide calling went into effect with the completion of a new switching station in Copperhill, so residents of Benton and the Basin could call each other with a seven-digit number ... The schools faced deep cuts in their budget request as the budget committee declined to raise taxes despite the loss in TCC revenue.

In 1998, Benton came to the rescue of the Ocoee sewer project, taking on the responsibility for making it happen … A Marietta man died on the Ocoee when he became entrapped in rocks after a raft overturned … The county commission grilled School Superintendent David Green about an out-of-court settlement of a grievance by Perry Hull … The commission approved giving a 3.6 acre tract in the Benton industrial park for Wet Polk Fire & Rescue to build a new fire hall and community building … The county commission voted to conduct audits of whitewater rafting businesses.