Faith in Action

6 Responses to “ Close Park Heights Liquor Stores! ”

1. # 1 Betty Robinson Says:
   December 28th, 2007 at 4:03 am

   More power to this effort! In Baltimore, we have more liquor stores per capita than any other part of the state. If you overlay a map of crime and liquor store density you see they are pretty much one and the same. I was once a part of an effort to change the law so that liquor stores could not open until 10 am (a small step but nevertheless a step). We wanted to at least make sure that young people on their way to school would not have to deal with the fallout from these stores. We had to lobby at the STATE level to change the laws which affect the hours of the Baltimore City liquor stores. Maybe our legislators will listen this year!

2. # 2 Heber Brown, III Says:
   December 28th, 2007 at 2:48 pm

   Thanks for your comment, Betty. I think it would be an eye-opening exercise to map out the locations of various crimes in relation to their proximity to a liquor establishment.

   Also, I notice that you said you had to go to the Maryland General Assembly for liquor laws impacting Baltimore City? That sounds odd. Baltimore’s City Council doesn’t have jurisdiction over liquor establishment opening times? Or did you mean that your effort was a statewide initiative? Did you get a bill drafted? If so, do you recall the bill number? Did the Baltimore City delegation support your efforts?

3. # 3 Common Sense Says:
   December 29th, 2007 at 4:22 pm

   The liquor store hours are to me the number one thing to challenge. 6am till 2am is unreal for a place to be selling wine and spirits. The food market is not open that long. Not many pharmacies keep those long hours. And the reason that they are allowed to remain open is that they are supposed to be “lounges”. 90 percent of these lounges are in the black community where they also sell blunts, Newports, Top papers and other healthy items. 99.9999 percent of the owners are not black and a lot of drug activity goes on inside these places.
   This is not nothing new. Until we start holding these politicians, radio talk show hosts, and other leeches who are not interested in nothing but a photo -op or a free chicken box while paying lip service to this major, major problem in our community accountable for allowing various zoning and permits to be grandfathered in, this problem will not go away. We as a people are being legally embalmed with these liquor stores. Keep em’ drunk and we can do anything we want to them. At least they feel good while we carry out our master plan.

4. # 4 Faith In Action | “Protect Park Heights Liquor Store!”-Community Association Says:
   December 30th, 2007 at 9:59 pm

   [...] Park Heights community in an effort to shut down the liquor stores there. As Betty noted in my previous post on this issue, this community is inundated with liquor establishments. And as Common Sense alluded to in that [...]

5. # 5 Steve Fogleman Says:
   December 31st, 2007 at 9:21 am

   Mr. Brown–

   I enjoy your website and blog and I am grateful to see your community vigilance on the internet. As Chairman of the Liquor Board, I share your concerns about “lounges” that aren’t. Liquor Stores are supposed to be 6-day operations, and we will be addressing this issue over the next year to insure that BD-7 licenses are properly issued. In the meantime, protest of renewal season is underway. Please call the Liquor Board if you have any questions on how to participate in this process at 410-396-4377. I participated in a community walk-along with the Park Heights community in November and I do believe that we can help. I wish you a Happy New Year and look forward to working with you over the next year.

6. # 6 Heber Brown, III Says:
   December 31st, 2007 at 7:27 pm

   Mr. Fogleman-

   I appreciate the information about “renewal season”. Individuals within our organization are preparing to participate in this process. Your efforts with the community walk-alongs are appreciated as well. We look forward to being quite active in Park Heights in ‘08 and may call on you for technical assistance when/if the need arises.

   Thank you for visiting my blog.

   Happy New Year to you and yours as well.

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