Authored By Chloé Morrison
Beer board members were not pleased with the number of violations they dealt with Thursday morning. “It appalls me that we have 11 violations on our itinerary today...That’s a disgrace, a slap in the face to Hamilton County and the city to Chattanooga,” board member Christopher Keene said before the meeting started. Another board member Andre Harriman said they were dealing with “an epidemic of selling to minors,” which is what all the violations involved. Chattanooga Police officers and Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies conducted compliance checks over the two-day period in July. An underage buyer went into the stores and purchased alcohol despite having a license that showed he was underage. In that two-day window, authorities checked 43 stores, Officer John Collins said. Beer board members informed all those with violations about the importance of proper training. All violators, except four, received a penalty of a three-day suspension or a $500 fine. Two Mapco locations got only a $500 fine because the business is a member of a responsible vendor program and on the first violation, a suspension isn’t allowed, City Attorney Keith Reisman said. Board members passed another violation involving Mystik Gas Station to a future date because there was a change of ownership that caused some confusion about which business entity sold the beer. One business, USA Fuel’s Gas Station, received a five-day suspension and no fine. It was that business’ second offense. Owner Jim Winters was upset with the decision and said he wants to appeal it. “I think it’s on the verge of entrapment what they are doing,” he said. The other businesses fined were:
- Korner Market, 2328 Rossville Blvd.
- AJ Food Mart, 2720 Rossville Blvd.
- Randy and Dee’s Market, 2201 E. 37th St.
- 4th Corner Store, 2800 E. 4th Ave.
- Paradise Petroleum, 4858 Highway 58
- Tiger Market, 5050 Hunter Road
- Ms. K’s Express Mart, 1207 Dodd’s Ave.
