Since September 2017, DUI officers, sometimes joined by Hamilton County Sheriff officers, have analyzed and compared traffic stops and determined patterns that indicate where the problems originate. Since October 2017, seven DUI stops in the vicinity of Brainerd Road have all led back to Skyzoo, 5709 Lee Highway. Five out of seven of those violations were heard at a Beer Board meeting on Jan. 5 and penalties were issued resulting in the suspension of the beer permit from Jan.
13-Jan. 31.
A sixth incident that took place on Nov. 26 was of a swerving driver who told the officer she did not know why her car smelled like marijuana, but said she had two drinks at Skyzoo. Because she refused a breathalyzer test, a search warrant was obtained for a blood sample and the hearing before the board was delayed until the result of the test was back.
The blood alcohol test came in at .220, nearly three times the legal limit. The violation of over-serving was heard at the Beer Board meeting Thursday morning, and Skyzoo received a five-day suspension of its beer license beginning March 29 for the offense.
The beer code requires that any fight that takes place at a bar be reported immediately to the police from a land line telephone which is tied to the address. On Dec. 23, a fight broke out at Skyzoo that spilled out into the parking lot. Leonard Dacoregio, owner of the bar, called to report the disorder, but told the dispatcher that the incident was nothing more than two girls pushing each other. He said his security removed them from the bar and added, “Don’t worry about it.”
Chattanooga Police Officer John Collins, who works with the beer board, reviewed a video of the incident and told the board that the phone call did not match up with the severity of the fight. The call also had come from a cell phone. After the beer board viewed the video and heard the call, the members agreed with Officer Collins and the bar was given the choice of either a two-day suspension of the beer license or a $250 fine for this violation of the city code.
A server at Forbidden City, 2273 Gunbarrel Road, was caught by the TABC selling beer to a minor for a second time. On a second violation, TABC sends it to the local beer board for review. On Feb. 8, a server asked to see a license for the underage customer but sold a beer to him anyway. A two-day loss of the restaurant’s beer license was issued by the TABC. When the restaurant stopped selling liquor and wine during that time, it also ceased selling beer. The Beer Board sustained the violation of two days with no added time because of the self-imposed penalty already served.
The beer board now has the added responsibility of penalizing businesses that have failed to pay the “privilege tax” which is required if they sell liquor by the drink. Assistant City Attorney Keith Reisman said the list of business that had failed to pay the tax was long until they were notified that they could lose their beer license, after which most did pay.
On Thursday, Sekisui Japanese Restaurant, 1120 Houston St., was cited for failure to pay this tax, which has been delinquent since Sept. 26. The business now owes $755 to the city of Chattanooga. The beer license was suspended for 10 days, starting on March 22.
New beer licenses were approved for five businesses. The AMC Majestic 12 Theater, 311 Broad St. has a new owner which required it to get a new beer license. The Eastwynn Theatres' research has shown that teens are migrating away from movie theaters and that 75 percent of customers are over 21. They have found that a way to attract adults is to improve food and drinks available at the theaters. Pizza and hot dogs will be sold along with beer at the concession stands.
Joseph Food Mart 2, 3440 Wilcox Blvd., a convenience store, was approved for selling carryout beer. The owner, Irfan Joseph, has a beer license at two other locations.
Six special events beer permits were approved by the beer board. Believe Bash 2018 will be put on by the Erlanger Health System Foundation on April 14 from 9 p.m.–2 a.m. It will be held at the Wilson Air hangar, 1001 Airport Road, with a large tent set up to expand the space. The event will include a dinner, an auction and live music, and will benefit the building of a new Children’s Hospital. Organizers are planning on up to 1,200 guests.
The fundraiser for the Kidney Foundation, Taste, will take place on April 5 from 5-8 p.m. at Stratton Hall, 3146 Broad St. This is the seventh year for the event that is being organized by Chattanooga Presents.
The fifth Chattanooga Film Festival will take place at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St., on April 5-8. Hours each day will be from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m. There will be a showing of 40 feature films as well as shorts. Organizers expect about 500 people each of the four days of the festival.
Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary will hold a benefit party, Chattanooga Taco & Tequila, on March 31 at First Tennessee Pavilion. This organization, based in Middle Tennessee, is dedicated to rescuing abused, abandoned and neglected dogs and cats. Volunteers across the state keep animals before finding permanent homes for them. This is the first fundraiser held in Chattanooga. There will be 20 different kinds of tacos along with the beer and other adult beverages.
The Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary Club will be holding the second Brew Skies Beer & Food Festival at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St., on April 14 from 5-8:30 p.m. The party that will promote local breweries supports the Rotary Club. There were 500 guests last year and up to 1,000 are expected this year.
Ride Your Steel XII will be put on by Head Hunters Motorcycle Club at Utopia, 2110 Dodson Ave. The event was described as “a place to have fun for brothers who ride bikes.” It will take place on April 14 from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. Bikes can be locked up and picked up later in case owners have over consumed alcohol.
Members of the Beer Board also serve as the Chattanooga Wrecker Board and heard a case Thursday morning. Matthew Westbrook, an adjuster for Progressive Insurance, was processing a claim from Airport Wrecker to tow a VW Jetta and told the board that it struck him as inflated, so he called the Chattanooga Police Department. Officer Collins said the tow resulted from a simple wreck involving three cars without much damage. All cars remained on the roadway after the wreck. The city has set maximum charges for towing, depending on each circumstance. In this case the allowed charges were $125 to tow the car and $15 for a storage fee per day.
The insurer was billed $150 for the tow, a $50 labor charge, $50 winching charge, $50 for a clean-up fee and a $25 storage fee. A representative from the towing company told the board that the discrepancy was because the owner of the business, who did the billing, was looking at the wrong vehicle and it was merely a billing mistake and that a refund had been made.
Airport Wrecker was removed from the city’s rotation list for a period of 10 days for overcharging. It was suggested that Officer Collins review the company’s past transactions to determine if this happens on a regular basis.