There’s some great news in a generally routine announcement of gubernatorial appointments today.
Ted Suhl has been replaced on the Child Welfare Review Board. (In answer to a question: He was not reappointed when his term ended.) His position there had been akin to putting the fox in charge of the henhouse on an agency that oversees treatment of kids with needs in Arkansas. He’s the operator of the Lord’s Ranch, the secretive operation up in the North Arkansas hills that had a lot of trouble with state regulators until Suhl and associates became huge and regular supporters of Gov. Mike Huckabee and assorted legislators.
There is still much more to be unearthed about Suhl’s multi-faceted operations. These include the admixture of religion with a federally financed child treatment center, a resistance to state inspectors and lots, lots more. Should Mike Huckabee make the John McCain presidential ticket, I can guarantee you that you’ll read more about Suhl, who provided air travel to Huckabee in his presidential exploratory efforts.
Beebe stood up to jackals in the immensely lucrative business of residential mental health treatment for youth at the 2007 session and there’s every indication that people in his administration like Jay Bradford intend to continue casting a careful eye on them.
Suhl will be replaced by Beverly Foti of Little Rock.