From the files of the Polk County News ...

In 1942, Broughton Biggs won a landslide victory in the floterial race ... The Benton garden Club was sponsoring a movement to clean off the town graveyard ... Nearly half the 389 new cars rationed for civilian  use in Tennessee during September went to war workers.

In 1952, the Benton school planning committee recommended a new grade school building, with the high school remaining at the present location. it would cost an estimated $400,000 to renovate the existing grade school ... The Turtletown Community Improvement Club won first place in the county with work centered around the school grounds. In addition, 21 homes in the community were remodeled and 10 added home freezers.

In 1962, A suit was filed to oust the two Democratic election commissioners for alleged irregularities in absentee voting ... Daphne Campbell was Senior Class President at PCHS ... Carolyn Yarnell was the football queen ... Judy Higgins and Johnny Dixon were king and queen of the Fall Festival.

In 1972, the trustee refused to sign the paycheck of newly appointed School Superintendent Robert Wilson because he was not certified. He was to be certified in December, but trustee J.E. Firestone said it cold jeopardize state funds sine Wilson was not yet qualified ... Bill Lawton was promoted to plant manger at Carwood ... S.L. Hickey and Howard Bramlett purchased the hardware in Benton, to be known as H and H Sales company.

In 1982, the commission approved $250,000 in tax anticipation notes to cover costs until property tax money came in ... The School Board accepted a $19,350 bid for a computerized energy system to regulate energy consumption at South Polk ... William Westman was named vice president at Tennessee Chemical Company ... The L&N name was to become a part of history with a name change planned following its consolidation with Seaboard ... Denny Trew as nominated to receive the American Farmer Degree ... A resolution for a one-cent local sales tax increase was n the ballot ... Lamar Alexander faced Randy Tyree for governor.

In 1992, George Bush faced Bill Clinton in the presidential election, with independent Ross Perot also in the race .. Richard Fisher and Chris Newton squared off in the race for state representative, and Zach Wamp challenged Marilyn Lloyd for U.S. Rep ... BIT built several containment ponds to catch runoff before it gets to the river ... The Cherokee National Forest gathered public input on a possible Olympic venue on the Ocoee ... The Cougars captured the district championship with a win over Whitwell.

In 2002, the Old Line Railroad between Wetmore and Copperhill was sold to the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association. ..Tennesseans were preparing to vote whether or not approve the Lottery…Both the Cougars and Wildcats Football teams scored big wins…TWRA charged a man with illegally killing a rare wild Elk that had recently been introduced into the wild…Rocky King continued to dominate the Pigskin Football Contest.;;