. . . some of whom "forgot" their addresses when asked by the ABRA (sounds fishy--I suspect Maryland tags).
Read the disturbing report of yesterday's liquor license hearing for Queen of Sheba here. It sounds like the ABRA went loosey goosey with the rules and pushed the hearing back until May 2.
7 comments:
ABRA and Mary Sutherland
I decided to come home a little early today and put together a little missive about yet another textbook example of some of the bullshit that happens in our neighborhood when it comes to liquor licenses. On my way up 9th Street today I happened to walk by Queen of Sheeba Restaurant and remembered that their liquor license hearing was this past Thursday.
One of the owners happened to be at the restaurant when I went in to ask about the status and as soon as they saw me I knew that the news was not good (but not bad either...yet). According to the owner the hearing went as follows (and Alex Padro...please add to this because she could not give me all of the details):
When the hearing officer called for Queen of Sheeba our favorite pain in the ass Mary Sutherland announced she was part of the group "against" granting Queen of Sheeba a liquor license. When the hearing officer asked how many people she had with her to oppose (and for those who are unfamiliar with the process...you need 5 people) she responded "two".
What came next is proof positive that we need to become more active in this process...THE HEARING OFFICER DECIDED SHE "HAS CAUSE" AND GAVE HER MORE TIME TO FIND 5 PEOPLE THAT "OPPOSED THE LICENSE". To add to this travesty when the two other people with Ms. Sutherland who "opposed" were asked what their addresses were...their answer is "we don't have it with us!!!
The next hearing is May 2nd and of course I am in Philly for work during the hearing time...but it does not matter anyway BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED AS A RESIDENT OF SHAW WHO SUPPORTS A LIQUOR LICENSE...only opposition. When you get a second pick up a phone and let Jack Evans know how pissed you are at ABRA and Shiloh deciding how our neighborhood develops...remind them that Shiloh's political power moved to 301/703 land years ago.
Finally, my note to Mary...you love to jump up and down. You love to slam your fist and SCREAM about the conspiracy in Shaw...come after me...come and challenge me Mary...I dare you! Just be prepared to answer to each and every treebox and
Can someone tell me where to report? I took off last week to attend the voting rights march -- lots of neighbors there! -- and gave testimony on our dysfunctional ANC to Council Chair Gray on Tuesday. I will take off on May 2 if I can (big meeting that day or the third tenatively scheduled at work). We must support Queen of Sheba.
Mary Sutherland strikes again! She protested Queen of Sheeba’s a liquor license at Thursday’s ABRA meeting. When the hearing officer asked how many people she had with her to oppose she responded "two" (you need 5 people!!!). The Hearing Officer asked the two other people with Ms. Sutherland what their addresses were...they responded "we don't have it with us. With that, the Hearing Officer decided Ms. Sutherland “has cause” and granted her more time to find five people that oppose the license.
I suggest we stage a “park in.” A park in works just like a sit in, only with cars. We recruit as many friends with cars as possible and early Sunday mornings take up every available parking space in the area of Shiloh Baptist church. We do this every Sunday until it becomes clear to Ms. Sutherland and friends there will be a price attached to every harmful action they take against hard working Shaw business owners. Hopefully that price will be an empty church on Sunday.
A well-planed park in will make it very difficult for them to hold Sunday service and may convince their 703/301 parishioners to attend church in VA & MD.
Won't they just double-park? As I understand it, that's what they've always done.
I'm personally against a "park in." WE are the good guys and the victims in the situations imposed on us by them (e.g., vacant properties, misuse/abuse of the ABRA, etc.). When we respond to their obnoxiousness with obnoxiousness (albeit less community-harming and legal), we lose some of our credibility. The church is definitively a bad neighhbor and we are definitively not. I prefer to keep it that way.
May 2nd, I'm there. I want to tell ABRA personally that Sutherland's protest has nothing to do with a liquor license, and everything to do with keeping Shaw the same (eg depressed).
I'm going to take time off of work for this. Others please do the same if you can! Enough is enough.
For those who can not take off work but nonetheless are enraged and want to be engaged. Please consider sending a fax/letter of support for the Queen of Sheba's liquor license (#73644) to:
(fax 202-727-4052)
Charles A. Burger, Chairman
URGENT RE: May 2 hearing
Alcohol Beverage Control Board
941 North Capitol St NE, Ste 7200
Washington, DC 20002-4259
PLEASE SEND ASAP - hearing is Wednesday, May 2.
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