The explanation that beer was sold to a minor because the clerk did not understand the equipment “is the worst explanation that I have ever heard,” said Beer Board Member Trevor Atchley. That was the excuse given by the store’s manager, Crystal Valentin, at the Thursday morning hearing for Kangaroo Express, 2300 Jenkins Road. The illegal sale occurred during an undercover sting operation conducted jointly by the Chattanooga Police Department and the Hamilton County Coalition in Brainerd and East Brainerd on May 30.
Ms.
Valentin was just a part-time employee at the time of the infraction. This location is a Kangaroo franchise which offers new employees only one half day of training before allowing them to sell alcohol. She became the store manager after this incident. The clerk at the register that night was new and so was the cash register. The clerk told Ms.Valentin, for that sale she had entered the information three times and kept getting the message “invalid format.” She believed that she was using the equipment the wrong way. Board member Christopher Keene questioned why someone new and untrained would have been left alone as the only employee that night. And, he added, she could have just looked at the driver’s license to verify age.
Ms. Valentin said since she became the general manager after the incident, she cannot speak for what happened before. She told the board that she does provide training in alcohol sales for employees at that store now, leading Chairman of the Beer Board Ron Smith to say that it appears there is a disconnect between this store and the district manager.
Board member Andre Harriman made a motion that passed, five to one, for a 10-day suspension that will begin on Aug. 10, with the recommendation that employees get certified training in beer sales.
Chattanooga Police Officer John Collins became aware of another violation due to an anonymous tip that was made through an email to Bertha Lawrence, secretary for the beer board. The informant told of issues related to illegal gambling, of serving liquor without a license and about conditions of the building. After receiving a search warrant, police found tip boards that are used in gambling and two bottles of liquor behind the bar. They got the fire and health departments involved. In talking to Virginia Barton who has been running the bar, Officer Collins became concerned that she had taken over ownership without transferring the beer license to her name.
A friend of the owner, she said her dealings with the bar were just to pay bills. She said that neither she nor the bartender are being paid. “I’m just keeping it open for the veterans,” she said. And “when the old men bring liquor and leave it,” she said she keeps it for them.
Three motions to determine a penalty for the violations all failed or ended in a tie. The last motion which passed carries the matter over to the next meeting on Aug. 17 when there should be more board members present to come to a decision. “You’ve got to stop that stuff and take ownership of what’s going on there,” Chairman Smith told Ms. Barton.
Five beer permits were issued for special events that are scheduled to take place in Chattanooga during August. Friends of the Festival representative Karen Shostak was given a special events license for the last three evenings of River Front Nights that will take place at Ross’s Landing on Aug. 5,12 and 19 from 5-11 p.m. each night. This is the 11th year for the series, she told the board.
Melanie Krautstrunk, an owner of Hutton & Smith craft brewery, received a permit to sell beer from a tent that will be set up in front of the TVA building at Market and 12th Streets during the River Gorge Omnium bike race on Friday, Aug. 25, from 6-9 p.m. and on Saturday, Aug. 26, from noon until 9 p.m.
The Creative Discovery Museum will have the second “Drink & Discover” evening on Aug. 24 from 7-10 p.m. It is an event for adults only. This will give people who played there as children a reason to come back, said Denise Karnes. It was a sold out event the first time it was held, with 500 people buying tickets. The party on Aug. 24 is also sold out with 550 tickets having been sold. Approval for a beer license was given unanimously.
Phillip Hunt, an owner of Bend Brewing was given a special events beer license for the brewery’s 10th year party. It will be held in the parking lot around the business at 3210 Broad St. on Aug. 19 from 1 p.m. until midnight. Guest craft breweries from the Chattanooga area have been invited to come, and there will be three bands.
On Aug. 12 and Sept. 9, Stir Restaurant will hold “Second Saturday on Station Street,” where Stir Restaurant will partner with Songbirds to sell beer outside, adjacent to the buildings. Hours will be 3-9 p.m.