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New restaurant, bar could open at former Lincoln’s site in April

Posted at 10:19 am March 8, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Lincoln's Sports Grille

Swifty’s Atomic Bar and Grill could open in April 2016 at the former Lincoln’s Sports Grille, pictured above on South Illinois Avenue in October 2014. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A new restaurant and bar could open in April at the former Lincoln’s Sports Grille on South Illinois Avenue.

Swifty’s Atomic Bar and Grill could open April 1, general manager Matthew Swift said Monday. The hours and menu haven’t been set yet, but Swift said the restaurant will have fresh food and a full kitchen. Menu items will include wings and bar food, he said.

The goal is to create a place where a family can come and have a good time, Swift said. After about 9-10 p.m., Swifty’s will become a bar, Swift said. The family-owned and family-operated restaurant hopes to offer bands, music, comedy, and karaoke, as well as antique car shows.

The family is still hiring servers and kitchen staff. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Business, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Slider Tagged With: bar, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Matthew Swift, Nellie Lee Swift, Nicki Cantrell, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Police Department, restaurant, show cause hearing, Swifty's Atomic Bar and Grill

After four years, Lincoln’s closes, cites economic conditions

Posted at 4:03 pm October 21, 2014
By John Huotari 8 Comments

Lincoln's Sports Grille

After more than four years, Lincoln’s Sports Grille on South Illinois Avenue has shut down, citing economic conditions.

 

Note: This story was updated at 1:30 a.m. Oct. 22.

Lincoln’s Sports Grille has shut down, citing economic conditions. The closure was announced in a sign posted on a front door of the four-year-old restaurant and bar on Monday and in a press release on Tuesday.

The popular restaurant and bar on South Illinois Avenue had had a series of five sometimes-contentious show cause hearings before the Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board. In the last show cause hearing on August 28, members revoked Lincoln’s permit.

Lincoln’s regained the permit after a temporary agreement imposing new conditions was worked out with the city and Beer Board and approved by Anderson County Chancellor Nicki Cantrell, pending an appeal of the Beer Board’s revocation.

But in an interview earlier this month, Scott Green, one of Lincoln’s owners, said the inability to sell beer between late August and early October had a substantial impact on the business. The restaurant and its staff had also been hurt by the bad publicity, Green said.

“It’s been a significant hit on us,” he said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Business, Entertainment, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: alcohol, Allen E. Schwartz, Anderson County Chancery Court, bar, beer permit, economic conditions, Joe Gaddis, Lincoln’s, Nicki Cantrell, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Police Department, permit, restaurant, revocation, Roy McKinnon, Scott Green, show cause hearing, state stings, suspension, Theresa Scott, underage customers

Lincoln’s able to sell beer again while appeal pending

Posted at 10:12 pm October 8, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Lincoln's Sports Grille

Lincoln’s Sports Grille on South Illinois Avenue is pictured above on Monday evening.

 

They weren’t able to sell beer for more than a month, but an agreement reached with a city board in September, modified on Thursday, and approved by a judge on Friday allows Lincoln’s Sports Grille to resume selling the alcoholic beverage for now.

The Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board revoked Lincoln’s beer permit on August 28. The revocation went into effect immediately.

But Lincoln’s has appealed that decision and had asked that the revocation be put on hold while the legal case is pending. On September 16, the Beer Board agreed in a 5-2 vote.

The board’s agreement was initially conditioned upon a list of 13 items. One of the conditions, which would have required an owner to be present at all times, has since been removed. (The board approved the removal in a 4-0 vote on Thursday after a pair of split 2-2 votes.) [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: alcohol sales, Aubrey's Inc., Back to Brewski's, beer, beer board, beer permit, family-friendly, food service, Ian's Market #32, Kevin Angel, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Police Department, revocation, sales, Scott Green, show cause hearing

Lincoln’s Sports Grille requests court hearing after beer permit revoked

Posted at 5:56 pm September 11, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Lincoln's Sports Grille

Lincoln’s Sports Grille on South Illinois Avenue is pictured above. (File photo)

A few days after its beer permit was revoked late last month, Lincoln’s Sports Grille requested a hearing in Anderson County Chancery Court and asked that the revocation be put on hold while the legal case is pending.

Lincoln’s, which had its beer permit revoked by a city board on August 28, said it has been hit with a “more substantial penalty than similar establishments have faced with similar conduct.”

The beer permit of the popular restaurant and bar, which opened about 4.5 years ago, was revoked for one year after its fifth show cause hearing before the Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, and the second called after Lincoln’s sold beer to a minor.

In a petition filed September 2, Lincoln’s asked the Anderson County Chancery Court for a hearing to determine whether the business “violated any rules of conduct pertaining to the sale of beer and the appropriate punishment.”

The litigation could be protracted, the petition said. Lincoln’s is represented by Oak Ridge attorney Kevin C. Angel.

“Failure of this court to issue a stay of the Beer Board’s decision will result in irreparable loss to the petitioner (Lincoln’s) because it severely impacts petitioner’s ability to do business while the matter is pending,” Lincoln’s said. “On the other hand, if this court grants a stay and ultimately upholds the decision of the Beer Board, the petitioner can still be suspended for a year after this court’s decision. Thus, a stay of the Beer Board’s decision is in the interest of justice.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Chancery Court, Aubrey's, Back to Brewski's, beer board, beer permit, compliance check, drinking, DUI, Ian's Market, Kevin C. Angel, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Lincoln’s, New China Palace, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Moose Lodge #1316, Oak Ridge Police Department, Outback Steakhouse, public intoxication, revocation, Riverside Grille, show cause hearing, TABC, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, writ of certiorari

Beer Board revokes Lincoln’s beer permit

Posted at 7:27 pm August 28, 2014
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Lincoln's Sports Grille

Lincoln’s Sports Grille on South Illinois Avenue is pictured above. (File photo)

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 a.m. August 29.

The Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board has revoked the beer permit of Lincoln’s Sports Grille.

The revocation was approved in a 4-2 vote during a special meeting on Thursday, the fifth show cause hearing for Lincoln’s.

It wasn’t immediately clear what effect the revocation, which took effect immediately, would have.

But during the hearing, a Lincoln’s consultant testified that a beer permit suspension coupled with a possible temporary state suspension of the restaurant’s liquor license for its second sale of beer to a minor could effectively shut down the business.

“The economic impact would be great,” consultant Roy McKinnon said. “It would finish Lincoln’s.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: alcohol, Barton Bailey, beer board, beer permit, Beer Permit Board, Carl Smith, civil penalty, Colin Colverson, compliance check, Darren Osborne, Debra Solmonson, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Lincoln’s, Moose Lodge, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Moose Lodge #1316, Randy Tedford, Randy Wishinsky, revocation, Roy McKinnon, show cause hearing, TABC, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Theresa Scott, Victoria Renee Ballard, Wendy Williams

Beer Board has show cause hearings for Lincoln’s, Moose Lodge

Posted at 10:09 am August 26, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Lincoln's Sports Grille

Lincoln’s Sports Grille on South Illinois Avenue is pictured above. (File photo)

A city board on Thursday could consider revoking or suspending beer permits, or levying fines, on a restaurant and local organization that have previously had their permits suspended and sold beer or alcohol to a minor during a state sting in June, officials said.

The two businesses, Lincoln’s Sports Grille and Oak Ridge Moose Lodge #1316, are among five that sold beer or alcohol to a minor during a compliance check by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission in June, officials said. The Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board plans to have show cause hearings for all five.

Thursday’s special meeting will be the fifth show cause hearing for Lincoln’s and the second for Moose Lodge, according to the Beer Board agenda.

Lincoln’s sold beer, a 16-ounce Bud Light, to a 19-year-old on June 9 after checking the person’s identification, according to the TABC records. It’s the second violation at Lincoln’s for sale to a minor by the TABC, the Beer Board agenda said, and the case is still pending.

Meanwhile, the Moose Lodge sold alcohol, a mixed drink vodka cranberry, to a 19-year-old on June 26 after checking ID, the state records said. It’s also the second violation at Moose Lodge for sale to a minor by the TABC, the Beer Board agenda said. Moose Lodge paid a $2,000 civil penalty for the violation and agreed to a 15-day suspension of their liquor-by-the-drink license. That suspension was in effect from July 13-27.

The Beer Board can revoke or suspend a beer permit during a show cause hearing. The board can also accept a civil penalty in lieu of a suspension. The maximum civil penalty is $2,500 per violation for selling beer to a minor, and $1,000 for all other offenses. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Community, Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: alcohol, beer, beer board, beer permit, beer permit suspension, civil penalty, compliance check, Derrick Dalton, fight, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Lincoln’s, liquor by the drink, Moose Lodge, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Moose Lodge #1316, public intoxication, sale to a minor, show cause hearing, TABC, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission

Three businesses avoid beer permit suspensions, five more have hearings

Posted at 10:40 am September 16, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Three Oak Ridge businesses have avoided short suspensions of their beer permits, but five more have hearings in the next two months.

The Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board had imposed the suspensions against the three businesses in three separate meetings during the past three months. Two were punished for selling beer to a minor and one over concerns that included questions about whether it was serving its customers too much alcohol.

But all three businesses have complied with the Beer Board’s orders, so they were able to avoid the suspensions, Oak Ridge Senior Staff Attorney Tammy Dunn said last week. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Applebee's Neighborhood Bar and Grill, Aubrey's, Back 2 Brewski's, beer permit, compliance check, Hacienda DeGollado, Hidalgo, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Moose Lodge, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Randy Tedford, Ruby Tuesday, sale of beer to a minor, Scott Green, selling alcohol to a minor, show cause hearing, sting, suspension, TABC, Tammy Dunn, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Theresa Scott

Beer Board has hearing for Applebee’s, could re-open Brewski’s hearing

Posted at 3:58 pm August 11, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board on Monday will have a hearing for an Oak Ridge restaurant and bar that reportedly sold beer to a minor in March.

The board agreed last month to have the show cause hearing for Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill during a meeting that starts at noon Monday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Applebee's, Applebee's Neighborhood Bar and Grill, Back 2 Brewski's, beer permit suspension, Nang Crossno, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, restaurant, show cause hearing, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission

After large disturbance, ORPD warns restaurant to avoid over-serving alcohol

Posted at 2:48 pm March 16, 2013
By John Huotari 2 Comments

One month after a large reported disturbance, the city’s deputy police chief told the owners of a popular restaurant and bar in central Oak Ridge that they need to monitor customers who are drinking and not serve people who have consumed too much alcohol.

The warning to the owners of Lincoln’s Sports Grille came during a Monday meeting of the Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board.

That board had called a show cause hearing for Lincoln’s, which is on South Illinois Avenue, after a Feb. 10 fight that reportedly started as an argument between two men over a woman and escalated into a large disturbance that required an entire shift of police officers to respond.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Alan Massengill, alcohol, argument, beer permit, Brad Jenkins, disturbance, drinking, fight, intoxication, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Mike Lincoln, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Police Department, ORPD, public intoxication, Scott Green, show cause hearing, South Illinois Avenue

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Public Notice: Comment period extended for Draft EA for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

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Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment for the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC) (DOE/EA-2144), Finding of No Significant Impact, and Wetland Statement of Findings

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