Beebe Addresses NWA Gas Problem

Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Mike Beebe arrived in Fayetteville Friday night to attend a Young Democrats function, but he took a few minutes to talk with us about the gas price problem in Northwest Arkansas. He says he`s noticed the higher prices and has received numerous complaints from consumers over the past few days. "We`ve launched some inquiries this week from the Attorney General`s Office asking the gasoline distributors in Northwest Arkansas to give us a response as to the reason for why these gas prices are so much higher," Beebe said. We`ve had several viewers call and tell us when they called the Attorney General`s Office they were told there`s nothing they could do...Beebe says that`s not so. "What they may have been told is that the price gouging statute doesn`t apply under Arkansas law unless the governor declares a state of emergency, there`s nothing we can do about that." He says what he can do is investigate, and says he plans to get to the bottom of the issue. "We can make inquiries into all these people and why their prices are out of whack with the surrounding areas and try to put pressure on these folks to get these prices more in line."