Gov. Mike Beebe made several dozen appointments today. Most notable was Jeff Mitchell, a Fayetteville lawyer, to the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. He succeeds Ron Fuller, who led the board in its expansive use of some seemingly small changes in state law that proved the mechanism to break open legally dry areas with "private clubs" that functionas conventional restaurants with mixed drink permits. See: Conway and Jonesboro, particularly.

When Fuller retired from the Board he indicated he might expand his lobbying business into the alcohol industry.