Liquor Laws

HARRISBURG - Score one for beer lovers. The Pennsylvania legislature on Wednesday voted to extend the hours beer distributors can stay open on Sundays. Until now, consumers have had to make Sunday beer runs between noon and 5 p.m. The measure passed by both the House and Senate - with little debate - would extend the hours on both ends, allowing distributors to stay open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The bill now goes to Gov. Corbett, and a spokesman said last night the governor was expected to sign it. This loosening of Pennsylvania's stringent liquor laws comes as some top Republicans are pushing to privatize almost all of the state Liquor Control Board's operations.

The calls for overhauling Pennsylvania's byzantine liquor laws have grown ever louder. But Philadelphia tavern owner Earl Martin fears what he is hearing is a last call for a big swig of his business. Like tavern owners across the state, Martin counts on take-out beer sales for a significant share of his revenue at Fibber McGee's Pub in Bridesburg. The booze business in Pennsylvania is peculiar. Beer isn't available at state liquor stores. Under current law, distributors can sell only by the case or keg; other take-out outlets are restricted to 192 ounces.

HARRISBURG - Liquor privatization is bad. That seemed to be the sum total of testimony Tuesday at the first of three hearings in the state Senate on Gov. Corbett's push to get Pennsylvania out of the liquor business. The hearing in the Law and Justice Committee focused on the impact privatization would have on public health and law enforcement. Witnesses from the union for state troopers, who enforce liquor laws, and from drug and alcohol prevention and treatment groups said privatizing would lead to more liquor outlets, more drinking, and more alcohol-related crime and violence.

I am writing in response to the April 29 editorial "The LCB in striped pants?" I did not find it entertaining at all. I would like to know your reason for saying the Liquor Control Board "leaves a lot to be desired in operating the State Store system or effectively enforcing liquor laws. " I ask you if the state went private would these outlets return profits to the state? I doubt it. Also, for the fiscal year ending 1984 the LCB made about $41 million. Carl M. Jolly Holland.

Friday's "Home Economics" column incorrectly described content in AgentMatch's entry on real estate agent Christopher J. Artur. The website says Artur has listed 33 condos. A story in Tuesday's Inquirer about plans for a Labor Day weekend music festival made an unclear reference to the agents who enforce the state's liquor laws. They are known as liquor code enforcement agents and they are a unit of the State Police, not the Liquor Control Board. The Inquirer wants its news report to be fair and correct in every respect, and regrets when it is not. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, contact assistant managing editor David Sullivan (215-854-2357)

The sordid little story of the J & G Tavern in South Philadelphia carries with it a larger lesson concerning the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. It is this: The argument that the LCB is needed to control bars that become outrageously disruptive influences in their neighborhoods is a false one. The J & G case shows that the LCB can't control them - even when it does everything it can. We'll spare readers a reiteration of the tawdry details, recounted by neighbors, of the conduct connected with this bar, and merely give a partial list of the actions that have been taken by the LCB. The board has cited the bar at least 14 times since 1983 for violations of state laws.

Our prayers ought to be private matters The May 20 guest column by Tom Krattenmaker ("Don't mix prayers, patriotism") misses several important points. I agree that far too many people today invoke the names of God or Our Lord before games, at bats, foul shots, and exams, and during any number of conflicts, large or small. It seems to me that we should not presume to enlist God on our side to influence the outcome but rather should ask Him to bless our effort and have His will be done.

Gov. Casey's proposals to reform the state liquor system, which began circulating among legislative leaders last night, would retain the Liquor Control Board for five more years but would make changes in enforcement, marketing and administration, government sources said yesterday. Those sources said that Casey would call for reforms in a few key areas and that perhaps the most significant would be to shift enforcement of liquor laws from the LCB to the state police, a change sought by former Gov. Dick Thornburgh during his attempts in the last six years to change the liquor system.

HARRISBURG - Another year, another bill proposing to let Pennsylvania residents have wine shipped directly to their homes from out-of-state wineries. This time around, though, wine lovers and legislators supporting the cause are cautiously optimistic that 2012 could finally be the year the measure becomes law. The state Senate is poised to vote Wednesday on legislation that would allow direct shipments from out-of-state wineries to a Pennsylvanian's doorstep. By all accounts, the bill is expected to pass, though its fate is murkier in the House, as it is with Gov. Corbett.

HARRISBURG - Liquor privatization is bad. That seemed to be the sum total of testimony Tuesday at the first of three hearings in the state Senate on Gov. Corbett's push to get Pennsylvania out of the liquor business. The hearing in the Law and Justice Committee focused on the impact privatization would have on public health and law enforcement. Witnesses from the union for state troopers, who enforce liquor laws, and from drug and alcohol prevention and treatment groups said privatizing would lead to more liquor outlets, more drinking, and more alcohol-related crime and violence.

HARRISBURG - A legislative panel on Monday endorsed a revamped version of Gov. Corbett's liquor-privatization bill that would give existing beer distributors first crack at liquor and wine licenses and expand beer and wine sales to grocery stores. In a 14-10 party-line vote, the House Liquor Committee backed a bill that would potentially phase out the existing state-controlled stores as the number of private operators grows. Both the GOP governor and Rep. John Taylor, the Philadelphia Republican who chairs the committee, called the amendment a "first step" that would lead to scrutiny of the complicated legislation not only on the House floor but in the Senate.

The calls for overhauling Pennsylvania's byzantine liquor laws have grown ever louder. But Philadelphia tavern owner Earl Martin fears what he is hearing is a last call for a big swig of his business. Like tavern owners across the state, Martin counts on take-out beer sales for a significant share of his revenue at Fibber McGee's Pub in Bridesburg. The booze business in Pennsylvania is peculiar. Beer isn't available at state liquor stores. Under current law, distributors can sell only by the case or keg; other take-out outlets are restricted to 192 ounces.

Friday's "Home Economics" column incorrectly described content in AgentMatch's entry on real estate agent Christopher J. Artur. The website says Artur has listed 33 condos. A story in Tuesday's Inquirer about plans for a Labor Day weekend music festival made an unclear reference to the agents who enforce the state's liquor laws. They are known as liquor code enforcement agents and they are a unit of the State Police, not the Liquor Control Board. The Inquirer wants its news report to be fair and correct in every respect, and regrets when it is not. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, contact assistant managing editor David Sullivan (215-854-2357)

AFTER SCREENWRITER Joe Eszterhas ("Showgirls") sent a letter to the Los Angeles Times claiming that Mel Gibson was still an angry anti-Semite ("You hate Jews" sort of summed it up) and that Mel's proposed feature on Judah Maccabee (for which Joe was writing the script and which was recently dropped by Warner Bros.) was just a charade to improve his reputation, Mel responded with his own letter to the L.A. Times. Short version: Your screenplay sucked. Longer, excerpted version: "Contrary to your assertion that I was only developing Maccabees to burnish my tarnished reputation, I have been working on this project for over 10 years and it was publicly announced 8 years ago. I absolutely want to make this movie; it's just that neither Warner Brothers nor I want to make this movie based on your script.

HARRISBURG - Another year, another bill proposing to let Pennsylvania residents have wine shipped directly to their homes from out-of-state wineries. This time around, though, wine lovers and legislators supporting the cause are cautiously optimistic that 2012 could finally be the year the measure becomes law. The state Senate is poised to vote Wednesday on legislation that would allow direct shipments from out-of-state wineries to a Pennsylvanian's doorstep. By all accounts, the bill is expected to pass, though its fate is murkier in the House, as it is with Gov. Corbett.

HARRISBURG - That Skinnygirl Margarita may soon cost you more. Same goes for your favorite Malbec and Chardonnay, not to mention your choice of vodka, scotch and liqueur. The state Liquor Control Board is scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to approve an increase in prices on more than 450 wines and hard liquor brands. The increases, requested by the vendors of the alcoholic beverages, are usually proposed for either $1 and $2, but go as low as 50 cents and as high as $5. If the board votes in favor of the increase, it would mark the first time in a year and a half that wine and liquor prices have gone up. In that time, the board has rejected requests for hikes, given the bad economy.

HARRISBURG - Score one for beer lovers. The Pennsylvania legislature on Wednesday voted to extend the hours beer distributors can stay open on Sundays. Until now, consumers have had to make Sunday beer runs between noon and 5 p.m. The measure passed by both the House and Senate - with little debate - would extend the hours on both ends, allowing distributors to stay open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The bill now goes to Gov. Corbett, and a spokesman said last night the governor was expected to sign it. This loosening of Pennsylvania's stringent liquor laws comes as some top Republicans are pushing to privatize almost all of the state Liquor Control Board's operations.

HARRISBURG - Chalk it up to modernization. Or perhaps to the fact that the forces of privatization are hard on the heels of the state liquor board. Either way, the Liquor Control Board has quietly opened the door, so to speak, to a new way to get your wine and spirits: home delivery. With no fanfare, the LCB last week rolled out the pilot program to the public. Now customers can select from a limited number of products and, for a fee, order alcohol online and have it shipped directly to them in three to five days.