Liquor License

Washington County liquor officials on Wednesday granted a liquor license to the owners of a new tavern in Leitersburg despite hearing opposition from several people. The Board of License Commissioners for Washington County, known as the liquor board, voted 3-0 to grant the license to Charles and Tammy Beachley. The Beachleys said they intend to open Dewey's Pub in about a month at the site of the former Leitersburg Hotel at 21400 Leiter St. “We're definitely there to help the community and not hurt it,” Charles Beachley said.

A new restaurant is coming to downtown Hagerstown. On Wednesday, the Board of License Commissioners for Washington County granted a liquor license to Greg and Marjorie Kane to serve alcohol at the Flying Pie Co. at 43-45 S. Potomac St. The Kanes told the liquor board that they intend to open the restaurant by mid-May. Marjorie Kane said after the liquor board hearing that she didn't want to discuss a lot of details, but the restaurant would feature woodfire pizza. “We'll have a wonderful restaurant filled with a variety (of dishes)

The Eagles Club Inc., which began this year closed due to gaming violations, faces another suspension of its liquor license following a Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement investigation. An administrative law judge issued a suspension of the club's liquor license from Dec. 10, 2012, to May 9, 2013. The judge's decision also calls for a $4,000 fine, according to Officer John Mathias, a supervisor with the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.

Washington County liquor officials voted 3-0 during a Wednesday hearing to revoke the liquor license of a tavern in downtown Hagerstown. For more than four years, the Board of License Commissioners for Washington County had been holding the license of the Short Stop Tavern near the corner of South Potomac and West Antietam streets while owner Mike Deming said he was renovating the building. “I make a motion that we void the license at this time,” liquor board Secretary William Dunham said.

A new liquor license has been granted to a Franklin County, Pa., business. Because of increases in Franklin County's population, another liquor license was allocated to the county. Seven businesses applied for that license. On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board determined the license should go to Montezuma Mexican Restaurant on Pa. 316, said Stacy Kriedeman, spokeswoman for the board. According to the Liquor Control Board's website, a restaurant liquor license authorizes a licensee to sell liquor, including wine, and malt or brewed beverages, such as beer, to customers for them to drink on the premises.

Right now, Greencastle Greens Golf Club has a “bring your own” policy for golf tournaments and golf leagues. But Greencastle Greens wants to reduce its liability by securing a liquor license. The hitch is the golf course is in Antrim Township - which is a dry township. During Tuesday's Antrim Township meeting, Susan Stepnick, sales and marketing manager for the Greencastle-area facility off Williamson Road, told the five supervisors that permitting golfers to bring liquor opens up the course to liability.

The county liquor board Wednesday granted permission for the owner of Wolfe's on the Square, a former liquor, hardware and fishing supply store in downtown Williamsport, to transfer his liquor license. The Board of License Commissioners for Washington County voted 3-0 during a hearing at the liquor board office at 148 W. Washington St. in Hagerstown to give Jack Slick authorization to transfer the off-sale license to L&J Liquors. L&J Liquors of Williamsport LLC is owned by the Bowman Development Group of Williamsport, liquor board Administrator Vaun Miles said.

The owner of the Taj India restaurant in downtown Hagerstown has paid a $2,500 fine levied by Washington County liquor officials for staying open past operating hours May 23, when a fight involving several people occurred behind the business. The Board of License Commissioners for Washington County, known as the liquor board, imposed the fine in a letter that was sent June 7 to Asth Vinayak LLC at 28 S. Potomac St. The business, which paid the fine Tuesday, also was handed a 30-day liquor license suspension and was placed on probation until Jan. 6, 2011.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Greene Township voters narrowly approved allowing the sale of liquor by the local country club in Tuesday's election. With all six precincts reporting, 2,274 residents voted on the referendum with 1,154 voting to grant the request of the owners of the Chambersburg Country Club for a liquor license. The referendum asked voters if they favored the granting of liquor licenses for privately owned private golf courses in the Township of Greene by the Chambersburg Country Club.

HAGERSTOWN - Two Hagerstown city councilwomen attended a Wednesday hearing of the Washington County Board of License Commissioners to oppose a downtown developer's pursuit of a liquor license. Councilwoman Penny M. Nigh said that if the liquor board grants developer Don Bowman a liquor license for a carry-out store that he plans to open in the first block of South Potomac Street, objectionable people would have more of a reason to frequent that area. City officials went to great lengths to clear South Potomac Street of the Double T Lounge, McBare's Pub and the troublemakers who used to frequent those establishments, she said.

The owner of a popular Hagerstown restaurant and lounge who failed to renew his liquor license on time said he had to close for dinner Wednesday before the issue was resolved. Alexander Tiches, owner and general manager of LJ's and the Kat Lounge at 1130 Conrad Court, said he was told by Washington County liquor officials that he would have to reapply for the liquor license because he paid the renewal fee on May 1 - a day after the April 30 deadline. As a result, he said he made the decision to cancel dinner service Wednesday evening.

Few contested races are anticipated in Franklin County, Pa., for the May 21 municipal primary election. Voters will be choosing nominees for judge positions, school boards, boards of township supervisors and borough councils. However, they do not have too many choices for those spots. In some school board races that have featured as many as 14 candidates in the past, there are four candidates for four open positions. The Waynesboro Area School Board, which often has featured aggressive campaigns, only has three candidates for four spots now that borough resident Erin Darrough has withdrawn.

Restaurant fined for serving alcohol to underage agent A popular restaurant in downtown Hagerstown has been fined $500 for serving alcohol to an underage police agent. The Board of License Commissioners for Washington County, known as the liquor board, imposed the fine against Schmankerl Stube Bavarian Restaurant during a Wednesday hearing. Hagerstown Police Officer T. Niebauer said the incident occurred Feb. 22, when a bartender served a beer to an underage police agent.

A new restaurant is coming to downtown Hagerstown. On Wednesday, the Board of License Commissioners for Washington County granted a liquor license to Greg and Marjorie Kane to serve alcohol at the Flying Pie Co. at 43-45 S. Potomac St. The Kanes told the liquor board that they intend to open the restaurant by mid-May. Marjorie Kane said after the liquor board hearing that she didn't want to discuss a lot of details, but the restaurant would feature woodfire pizza. “We'll have a wonderful restaurant filled with a variety (of dishes)

Washington County liquor officials on Wednesday granted a liquor license to a Clear Spring man who said he wants to reopen the former Gateway seafood restaurant at 15124 National Pike. Jason Provard said during a Wednesday hearing before the Board of License Commissioners for Washington County that the restaurant will be called Thunder Road Bar and Grille. He said he plans to have a grand opening May 4. After the hearing, Provard said he intends to buy meats and produce from local farmers.

Washington County liquor officials have given the owner of the Woodpoint Bar & Grill in Hagerstown a three-month extension to find a buyer or partner to reopen the business or risk losing his liquor license. On Wednesday, the Board of License Commissioners for Washington County told Jeff South at the liquor board's office on West Washington Street in Hagerstown that they would extend the license until the end of June. The license was scheduled to expire Thursday. “At the end of three months, if you're no further ahead than you are today, that license is going to go dead,” liquor board Treasurer Charles Mades said.

A new liquor license has been granted to a Franklin County, Pa., business. Because of increases in Franklin County's population, another liquor license was allocated to the county. Seven businesses applied for that license. On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board determined the license should go to Montezuma Mexican Restaurant on Pa. 316, said Stacy Kriedeman, spokeswoman for the board. According to the Liquor Control Board's website, a restaurant liquor license authorizes a licensee to sell liquor, including wine, and malt or brewed beverages, such as beer, to customers for them to drink on the premises.

Whitetail Resort wants to get a referendum question on the May 21 Pennsylvania primary to change Montgomery Township from a “dry” township to a “wet” township. Don MacAskill, president and general manager of Whitetail, said resort officials concluded after a great deal of thought and consideration to try to move the township from dry status to wet. In other words, the resort currently can't sell alcohol. “We would like to grow and improve Whitetail Resort. We would like to be able to open a restaurant that is open year-round and have the ability to serve alcoholic beverages,” he said.

For the past quarter of a century, Dolly Gray lived in a second-floor apartment in a historic building on Williamsport's Town Square. That changed Monday morning when a five-alarm fire ripped through the Civil War-era building. Gray, 89, said she was sleeping when she was roused by the smell of smoke at about 7:30 a.m. She grabbed her coat, purse and medication and fled. Later, she watched through the window of a neighbor's home as the rest of her belongings were consumed by flames.

Two Washington County restaurateurs told Washington County liquor officials they want to open a restaurant in downtown Hagerstown. Greg and Marjorie Kane, who own Toppings Pizza Co. off Robinwood Drive, told the Board of License Commissioners for Washington County during a Wednesday hearing that they were considering the space at 43-45 S. Potomac St. The building was most recently home to the Spin restaurant and nightclub. Marjorie Kane said she and her husband, Greg, were granted a liquor license last year to serve alcohol at a restaurant they wanted to open on Maugans Avenue.