Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Owners of Hoggles, Troy W. Reith and Laura Kats, finally got approval for their beer, wine and liquor retailer permit transfer of ownership request Thursday.
In March, when Reith and Kats initially presented their petition to the Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the ABC postponed it because Reith did not provide information to the board regarding a driving-under-the-influence charge from approximately two years ago. The DUI charge is a misdemeanor. Not providing the proper information can be considered a falsification of documents, a Class D felony.
At the March meeting, Reith said he was unaware the information needed to be on the application for the transfer.
Last month, Indiana Excise Officer Patty Fleck postponed the petition again because she did not have the information on the matter from the investigating officer.
Thursday, Fleck had all the proper documents. However, she said, as far as any charges against Reith for falsification of documents, she did not know what would happen because she is not the investigating officer in that matter. Charges still could come at a later date.
On the positive side, Fleck said, the owners are working with the county board of health and the fire marshal to get their building up to code. That is something Fleck said the past owners did not do. She also said Reith and Kats have been working to "weed out" the undesirables who frequented the bar under the previous owners.
Fleck said she personally believes Reith and Kats have put a lot of money into the bar and she knows what they have gone through to make the bar work and the owners know what they have to lose if it doesn't work.
With no remonstrators against the petition, the ABC approved the transfer of ownership by a vote of two to zero. Members Darwin Call and Gordon Vanator were absent from the meeting. The board has not had a full panel yet this year as at least one member has been absent from each of the meetings.
Other petitions approved by the ABC members who were present, Kenneth Johnson and Fleck, included:
• Retailer, beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales renewal, Ruby Tuesday, Warsaw.
• Retailer, beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales renewal, Bud's Bar, Milford.
• Retailer, beer and wine and Sunday sales renewal, Pizza Hut, Warsaw.
• Retailer, beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales renewal, Lil's Anchor Bar, Syracuse.
• Retailer, beer, wine and liquor renewal, The Downtown, Warsaw.
• Retailer, beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales renewal, Hammer's Pub & Grub, Syracuse.
• Dealer, beer, wine and liquor renewal, Pierceton Discount Package Store.
• Retailer, beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales renewal, Tippecanoe Lake Country Club, Leesburg.
• Retailer, beer, wine and liquor renewal, Ducky's R&R Saloon, Claypool.
• Retailer, beer and wine and Sunday sales renewal, Pizza King, Syracuse.
• Dealer, beer, wine and liquor renewal, Park Pharmacy, Syracuse.
• Dealer, beer and wine renewal, Kmart, Warsaw.
• Retailer, beer, wine and liquor transfer of ownership, Claypool Inn.
• Retailer, beer and wine and Sunday sales renewal, Raceway Steakhouse, Pierceton.
• Retailer, beer and wine renewal, Shamrock Pizza, Silver Lake.
