George E. Wimberly
George E. Wimberly (February 3, 1920- ) is manager and druggist at Buice Drug Store in the Hillcrest-Stifft Station area of Little Rock. Wimberly is a former Democratic state representative and past Little Rock mayor.
Wimberly began running Buice Drug Store when the original proprietor J. W. Buice died in the 1960s. The store, which opened in 1929, is located at 3013 West Markham Street. The store is notable as a past and present gathering place for police officers, firefighters, and the political elite of the city. The store is located a half mile west of the Arkansas State Capitol.
The store generated much notoriety in 1988 when Little Rock police chief Jess F. "Doc" Hale was arrested for stealing money, perhaps upwards of $12,000, from the store. Police officer Keith Rounsavall accused Wimberly of setting Hale up when hidden cameras caught the police chief taking money from the till on three separate occasions. Hale was also suspected of removing the billing slips for medications he received at the store so as not to have to pay them. Hale committed suicide on March 10, 1988, before standing trial on the misdemeanor theft charge. The allegations against Wimberly were never substantiated.
Wimberly served eight years on the Little Rock Board of Directors and three years on the State Crime Commission during the 1960s, and then served as mayor twice (from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1975 to 1976). He also served ten years in the Arkansas State House of Representatives. Wimberly often ran on "law and order" and anti-tax campaign platforms. In 1987 he authored successful House Bill 1984 which restored the Pulaski County use tax levied on certain purchases made outside of the state. Also in that year he authored the successful House Bill 1083 which abolished the Pulaski County Civil Service Commission, and the successful HB 1433 which prevents employers who provide pharmaceutical benefis from requiring that their employees receive their drugs only from out-of-state mail-order companies. Wimberly also co-authored HB 1802, which strengthened Sunday blue laws by increasing the proportion of necessary foods sales to liquor sales permitted by licensed hotels and restaurants. He also helped make the House chamber a non-smoking room.
His parents James T. "J. T." Wimberly and Eleanor Fish Wimberly farmed in Cane Creek Township near Star City, Arkansas. He was married to Coy Wimberly. George Wimberly has three sisters and two brothers: Jessie Lee Wimberly Christensen, James Wimberly, Mildred Wimberly nee Hoover, Marjorie Wimberly nee Curasco, and Charles Wimberly. George Wimberly has two sons, Wes Wimberly and John Wimberly.
Wimberly was named "Pharmacist of the Year" by the Arkansas Pharmacists Association in 1986.
References
- Cary Bradburn, "Questions Still Remain; The 'Doc' Hale Case," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 20, 1988.
- John Brummet, "He'll Answer Someday, Wimberly Says," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, June 15, 1988.
- John Brummet, "Perhaps All is as its Seems in Hale Case," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 20, 1988.
- John Brummet, "Pressured Prosecutor Has Played it Straight in Hale Case," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, May 1, 1988.
- "Buice May Name New Druggist," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 16, 1988.
- "Business as Usual After Hale charged," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 13, 1988.
- "Investigate Wimberly, Former LR Officer Asks," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 23, 1988.
- Lamar James, "Active Wimberly Remains a Paradox," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 3, 1988.
- Rob Moritz, "Gravett says Wimberly Got Specific Guard," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 15, 1988.
- Rob Moritz, "Hale Tapes Not Altered, Goodwin Says," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 2, 1989.
- Steve Keesee, "Tapes Show Chief Hale Taking Cash," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 19, 1988.
