Arkansas Blog

Remember when you couldn't buy beer on Sunday at Oaklawn?

Do your homework...the Arkansas Retail Beverage Association will most certainly be opposed to this. Approval of the application will depend directly on who the Lawyer for the applicant is...that is if he wasn't already retained for this matter by them...

Nothing to see here folks...unless you want a peek into the backroom politics of the ABC.

ARK. BLOG: Yes, the liquor store lobby has kept F'ville groceries dry for years. The interesting question is, as you say, whether some interesting political moves are afoot. Or if this is just more windmill-tilting.

Fayetteville officials ought to look closely at this one. Do they really want to create 24 hour crime magnets in their city as has been the case in Pulaski County? This past Monday night stings were conducted around NLR, once again proving that convenience stores have little regard about obeying the laws concerning selling alcohol to minors. (not a word about this latest sting operation in the newspapers or on TV yet).

I think we should skip this step and insist upon home delivery. Which is what any sincere anti drunk driving advocate should be demanding.... along with neighborhood bars /pubs.

But the closer the beer/spirits are to home.. the less driving involved. For that alone I'm all for it.

And while we are at it... either make liquor stores allow special ordering of any wine a customer wants (not just the distributors very short list) or open up mail ordering of wines to AR citizens.

One cannot buy a decent port or sherry in this state at any price!

How many U of A students under 21 might be working their way through school with a part time job clerking at these stores? Those jobs will no longer be open to them once the alcohol permits are issued.

Slightly off course but germane to the discussion, will Gov. Beebe reappoint Ron Fuller to the ABC board? The spot comes open Jan. 15. Fuller has done everything in his power to buy the another term. The former Republican legislator raised thousands of dollars for Beebe's campaign and has given enough to the Democratic Party to be placed on the Finance Committee. We'll know shortly if money talks.

"QUOTE=MysteryShopper - Fayetteville officials ought to look closely at this one. Do they really want to create 24 hour crime magnets in their city as has been the case in Pulaski County? This past Monday night stings were conducted around NLR, once again proving that convenience stores have little regard about obeying the laws concerning selling alcohol to minors. (not a word about this latest sting operation in the newspapers or on TV yet)."

Please, you sound like the typical Religious Fundamentalist sounding the alarm against the Demon-Rum in an effort to minimize the availability of said spirits.

Facts are facts. People will be people. Continueing with the hand-wringing and gnashing of fingernails over the potential for harm is getting old.

The archaic Intoxicating Beverage Laws in this fine State are a direct holdover from those glorious (?) days of Prohibition. What this State really needs is a complete overhaul of said Laws.

I challenge anyone to get outside this 'comfort zone' and find the time to go to Branson, for example. Any form of Intoxicating Beverage can be found inthe local Supermarket there. Beer & WIne are readily available in the Convienence Stores - and all without ill upoin the residents or the tourists that are there. No drunks in the alleys, no drunks puking at the door to these stores, and most of all - an open honesty that people will behave and can lead productive lives despite the fact that others want them to be sober at all times.

There should be a state-wide petition that rights this wrong and makes Arkansas proud to allow it's citizens a fair vote and an open environment when it comes to Intoxicationg Beverages instead of this Prohibitionist image that we currently have.

"ARK. BLOG: Yes, the liquor store lobby has kept F'ville groceries dry for years. The interesting question is, as you say, whether some interesting political moves are afoot. Or if this is just more windmill-tilting."

You correct on this with the exception of the Sam's in Fayetteville. They dug their heels in hard on that one and the only reason Sam's won was because of WMT's clout in Little Rock. Sam's sells liqour siginificantly cheaper, BTW.

Arkansas' entire system of liqour laws is only designed to profit the current owners of liqour stores and wineries. It's not about dry vs. wet.

QUOTE=NWASooner "Arkansas' entire system of liqour laws is only designed to profit the current owners of liqour stores and wineries. It's not about dry vs. wet."

By continuing to maintain the Wet/Dry debate - and Counties in thier collective 'dry' state, County Line liquor store owners serve to profit more - thus the two issues are deeply intertwined.