Tougher Stance By Beer Board Having An Effect On Underage Sale Of Beer, Members Told

  • Thursday, January 22, 2015
  • Gail Perry

“We’re doing much more enforcing than we have done in the past,” Assistant City Attorney Keith Reisman told members of the Chattanooga Beer Board on Thursday. This is due to the diligence of the Chattanooga Police Department, he said.

 

A year-end report was compiled by Sergeant Jeff Gaines of the Chattanooga Police Department showing the number of violations for the sale of beer to a person under the age of 21 compared to compliance checks done by the police department in 2014.

 

Starting in May, the board began giving stiffer penalties than had been given previously for violations of the beer code. That was around the time they were given a first-hand look at the importance of their job. At a meeting in May, Tiki Finlayson, founder of 1N3, addressed the board. Her organization is based on the fact that one in every three people is impacted by drunk drivers.  After her son was killed by a person who was allowed to leave a bar while intoxicated, she began the mission to find a solution and started speaking at schools and rehab centers to spread the message.

 

Before then, the penalty in most cases for selling beer to a minor was suspension of the store’s or restaurant’s beer license for three days. In May, a seven-day or greater suspension for the same violation became common. The first compliance checks made in 2014 took place in February, when 20 percent of the businesses checked sold beer to a minor undercover agent. By March the percent of illegal sales during a check of 13 stores was 53 percent, in May, 46 percent and in July two restaurants out of two checked were non-compliant.

 

In September, two separate undercover investigations at restaurants around the city showed 30 and 40 percent non-compliance, but by November the police found no violations. And at the last inspection of the year in December, just two out of 26 businesses that were tested made a sale, making the rate eight percent for the month. Of 123 businesses checked for underage sales during 2014, a total of 28 percent were found guilty.

 

The beer board is optimistic that, as businesses become aware they will face greater penalties, the number of beer sales made to underage buyers will continue to decline. They view the progression of numbers demonstrated in the report as an indication that progress is being made, it was stated.

 

At the beer board meeting Thursday morning, three beer applications were granted. Walgreens at 4810 Rossville Blvd. and 3350 Broad St. was issued a license due to a name change of the parent company to Walgreen’s Boots Alliance. The application of Walgreen’s at 2289 Gunbarrel Road was postponed due to a city code violation. It will, however, be allowed to continue selling beer under the old license until the next beer board meeting, as long as they are making progress to resolve the problem, said Mr. Reisman.

 

Cloud Nine Hookah Lounge at 1101 Hixson Pike was also approved for a new license which was required because of a change in ownership.

 

Breaking News
New Hope Fire Department Disputes TWRA Report On Kayaker Rescues
  • 3/28/2024

New Hope Fire Department Corey Comstock disputed a report by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency about the rescue of 33 kayakers from extremely high winds near Nickajack Cave on Monday. ... more

Woman Dies After Being Seriously Injured In House Fire Thursday Afternoon
Woman Dies After Being Seriously Injured In House Fire Thursday Afternoon
  • 3/28/2024

A woman died after sustaining life-threatening injuries in a house fire on North Moore Road Thursday afternoon and was rescued by Chattanooga firefighters. Hamilton County 911 received a call ... more

Motorcyclist Hit Speeds Of 170 MPH; Posted Video Of Outrunning Police
Motorcyclist Hit Speeds Of 170 MPH; Posted Video Of Outrunning Police
  • 3/28/2024

A motorcyclist fled on Sunday, from a Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempting to make a lawful stop on Highway 27. Since that time, the deputy has been working leads to identify the ... more