Eleven vie for two liquor store permits

Eleven people have applied for two available permits allowing the construction of liquor stores in Little River County, Ark.

Applications were accepted April 1 to May 30. Under Arkansas law, only one permit may be issued for every 5,000 people living in the county as of the last census (2010), said Mary Robin Casteel, director of Alcoholic Beverage Control for Arkansas.

“The individuals on the list will be eligible to participate in a drawing to be held in Little Rock sometime in late July. The drawing will determine the order by which the eligible applicants may present their applications to the ABC Board at the August 2017 meeting. Nos. 1 and 2 will go first. If either of those applicants is denied for any reason, the No. 3 applicant will have an opportunity to appear before the board after the appeal process of the denied applicant is exhausted,” Casteel said.

ABC investigative agents will conduct background checks as part of the application process.

The people who applied for the two permits and the businesses’ names and addresses are as follows:

1. Ralph C. Brainerd, Jr.— Bogey’s, 125 Webster Drive, Ashdown

2. Deana L. Dawson—Hooked Up Bait & More, 1393 state Highway 32 E., Ashdown

3. Richard B. Fawcett—Little River Liquor, Highway 32 Business, Ashdown

4. Geraldine Haskins—Jerry’s Drive-In, 1210 S. Constitution Ave., Ashdown

5. Natasha L. Henderson— Haystack, 714 U.S. Highway 71 S., Ashdown

6. Lifford S. Luthringer— Little River Liquor, South Constitution Avenue, Ashdown

7. Tammie F. Luthringer— Tammielu’s, 816 First Ave., Foreman

8. Tonja E. Parker—Ashdown Liquor, Elsoton Drive, Ashdown

9. James A. Pickett—Highline Liquor, 774 U.S. 71 S., Ashdown

10. Jerry D. Pickett—Pickett Up Liquor, 614 U.S. 71 S., Ashdown

11. Rachelle L. Pickett—Tipsy Turtle Liquor, 806 U.S. 71 S., Ashdown

The measure to apply for the sale of alcohol was placed on the ballot after supporters turned in more than 4,100 petition signatures.

Voters approved the proposal to sell beer and wine in retail stores in a 3,068-to-2,088 vote on Nov. 8, 2016.

Little River County has 7,192 registered voters, and 73 percent of the voters turned out to vote, County Clerk Deanna Sivley said.

The last time a local-option initiative was on the ballot in Little River County was about 70 years ago, County Judge Mike Cranford said. It failed.

With voter approval, retail stores such as E-Z Mart, Walmart, Brookshire’s and others wanting to sell beer and wine can apply to get permits from the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.