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Fight this corner store
01/18/2006 9:07 AM by John M
Union Hill and Fairmount residents feeling the adverse impact of alcohol-related crimes will have the opportunity to make a difference. The hearing referenced in the November’s 1,000,000 bottle bags has been scheduled for 1pm on Thursday, January 26, 2006, at the ABC Headquarters on Hermitage Rd.
Word is that the applicant will be represented by a lawyer. The last time there was such a hearing for a store in the Union Hill/Church Hill area, 1 citizen showed up. We have been given reason to believe that our council person won’t be there. With the mayoral dissolution of the district teams, there may not be any ‘official’ city representation. At the initial hearing, there was not even a city attorney present.
Man 1 pm is a bad time, but I will be there if I can. Do citizens have a voice in these meetings? Lets take back our neighborhood, one crappy convience store at a time.
James, I agree: 1 pm on a workday is the pits. I will testify since I have filed the complaint that makes this store’s application to sell alcohol subject to a hearing. I don’t know if others can speak. However, you could ask to speak…call ABC Special Agent Anthony Jiminez at 213.4636. You’ll probably get his voice mail but he’s good about returning calls. Let him know you would like to speak, if that’s what you decide. Keep me posted – and THANKS.
Ann, I am planning on being there too—maybe bringing a couple more folks.
Wonderful. Sam, when I got your email I called (and was lucky enough to reach right away) SA Jiminez. He suggests arriving a bit before the 1:00 pm hearing schedule-time in order to sign in, get a badge/pass, be directed to the hearing site, etc. I have been asked to meet SA Jiminez at 12:30 and he said he has no problem with others showing up at that time. I asked him about comments from other concerned neighbors and he said that decision will be at the discretion of the hearing officer but that he, Jiminez, will ask that others be allowed to comment if that’s what community representatives want. So, yes…please show up, and please ask to speak. Whether or not this ‘convenience store’ is granted a license to sell alcohol has a DIRECT impact on the lives of those of us who live nearby and what an opportunity to act!
Maybe John could send out an e-mail asking for people to attend this meeting?
I’m planning to highlight this in the Tuesday email.
I unfortunately won’t be able to attend. As a teacher, I really can’t miss any days. 1pm is just not a good time for most workin’ folks…
Attended today’s meeting with Ann and 3 other folks; one of which, I believe, will have notes to share.
I think Ann did a wonderful job on fact-finding and gave an impeccable presentation during the testimony.
I only hope that the admin officer who oversaw the hearing sees through the owner’s statements and understands that Union Hill is not in need of another place to purchase beer/wine.
Two folks testified on behalf of the owner, and neither,IMHO, offered any convincing evidence in support of the off-license. Additionally, the owner of 2300 Veneable offered a signed petition from over 200 people in support of retaining the license. The good news is that the hearing officer recognized the limited power of a petition, and stated he would not consider it in his decision, effectively negating it all together. What he did say, that was promising, is that the testimony from the witnesses would be considered.
Although it seems as though the hearing was favorable for some sort of limitation of the off-license, the fact remains that unless the owner of 2300 Veneable has committed crimes in relation to the sale of alcohol (i.e. to minors, to drunk people, etc), the license will be approved. This furthers my belief that the State of Virginia has a prominent role in promoting delinquency in our small neighborhood–my 2 cents
I heard that Ann was awesome. I look forward to seeing what will happen.
The Administrative Officer (hearing officer) will mail his decision to the proprietor of the convenience store and send me a copy. Although the AO didn’t say just when this would happen, I don’t think he’ll delay. Two oft-repeated statements from the proprietor yesterday were that he was a ‘victim’ and that he had lost $500 a day each day he had been without his ABC license. However, the proprietor also repeatedly said that he was not responsible for what his customers did outside his store after they bought their alcohol but that we, the objecting neighbors, should ‘trust’ him to do the right thing.