Angels and Wings facing liquor license test again

A Corbin restaurant that fought last year to keep state regulators from revoking its liquor license will have to defend itself again during two public hearings before the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control Board in Frankfort next month.
Investigators claim workers at Angels and Wings, a sports bar and grill located in the Tri-County Square Shopping Center, violated state law when they allegedly provided alcohol to a minor and sold booze to an intoxicated patron in March 2005. The administrative charges stem from the arrest of 25-year-old Stanley Roberts and 31-year-old Frances Zadrozny, both of Gray, at Angels and Wings on March 21 last year. The couple allegedly allowed Zadrozny’s 15-year-old daughter to drink alcohol at the restaurant. In the wake of the incident, Corbin Police Chief Carson Mullins, who also serves as the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Administrator, reported the details of the arrests to the state ABC. Authorities have been trying to determine if staff at the restaurant played any role in knowingly serving alcohol to the girl.
The incident is crucial because Angels and Wings is currently operating under a two-year probationary review period with the ABC Board. The restaurant’s liquor license was technically “revoked” by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board last year. Investigators with the ABC claim the restaurant sold alcohol to underage patrons, over-served alcohol to already intoxicated customers, failed to pay taxes owed to the State Revenue Cabinet, and failed to meet minimum food sales requirements of 70 percent of gross receipts. In February 2005, Corbin police, along with ABC officers, conducted a late-night raid at the restaurant and arrested five people on various drug and alcohol related charges. Three crack pipes and some marijuana were reportedly seized. According to police, the raid was the result of “numerous” complaints of underage drinking, over-serving of alcohol and drug use at the restaurant.
Nikki Ploskonka, a spokesperson for the ABC Board, said the second of two hearing scheduled in November will focus on the restaurant’s alleged violation of an “agreed order” it entered into with the board Oct. 11, 2005 to avoid more serious sanctions.
“They refused to allow ABC agents to get records necessary to complete an audit when they visited the restaurant on June 2,” Ploskonka said. “The person working there said they didn’t have keys to the office and they never did turn over the records that they were required to.”
Pursuant to the agreement, the restaurant’s liquor license was technically revoked, but that revocation was suspended provided it supplied monthly sales reports to ABC attorneys, did not have three consecutive months where it fails to meet the 70 percent food sales requirement, is not charged with and convicted of any further violations, and paid a $1,250 fine.
Mullins said he plans to attend the hearing, but would not say if he planned to make any recommendations regarding the restaurant’s license.
“I am aware of the investigation and will not make a comment for now, pending the outcome of the hearings.”
As local administrator, Mullins has the authority to impose penalties or revoke liquor licenses unilaterally. He said since ABC officials conducted the original investigation into the restaurant, and imposed the probation, he felt it appropriate to “get them involved.”
According to two “show cause” orders issued to restaurant owners, Angels and Wings has until Oct. 24 to try to reach a settlement with the ABC Board in advance of the hearings. Ploskonka said the restaurant has not answered any of the charges and is not currently seeking a settlement.
The hearings are scheduled for Nov. 14, 9:30 a.m. in the Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control in Frankfort. They are open to the public.
Calls seeking comment from Angels and Wings owner Scott Johnson were not returned Tuesday.