KUAR | By Sonny Albarado / Arkansas Advocate

Austin attorney Lona McCastlain was named Wednesday evening as chair of the state parole board, which also makes the former prosecutor a member of the Arkansas Board of Corrections.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the dual appointment about 6:42 p.m. in a press release along with appointees to other state boards and some county governments.

McCastlain replaces Jamol Jones, who resigned as chair of the Post-Prison Transfer Board on Feb. 2, after reports about his past relationship with a minor came to light. Jones’ resignation came about a week after Sanders had named him chair of the parole board.

Governor names new chair of Arkansas parole board

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

The Democratic Party of Arkansas is opting to wait to choose its next chairman. Committee members had originally planned to be select one during a meeting over the weekend.

At its quarterly meeting at the dimly lit Teamsters Union building in southwest Little Rock, Senate Minority Leader Tippi McCullough of Little Rock successfully moved to adjourn the meeting until January. She told KUAR News after the meeting the delay would give interested candidates “time for thoughtful, unhurried consideration.”

“It's hard to consider something that is a four-year term when you only have two or three days,” McCollough said, hoping this will give prospective candidates time to talk to the state committee members.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-12-12/democratic-party-of-arkansas-delays-choosing-a-new-chair-during-emotional-meeting