Read on Twitter
So to anyone not already familiar with this situation - Sunday River Brewing Company has been operating without masks and safety in the name of "freedom" and picking fights with the state to become martyrs for the industry, and raising funds alongside for "legal defense."
Rick Savage, one of the owners, is buddy buddy with Tucker Carlson, getting more $ for his fund through profiles etc. Savage's characterization of the Gov's orders is totally at odds with every other brewery - who bend over backwards to stay open and keep patrons safe.
The restaurant/brewery has been cited MANY times now for non-compliance with mask orders. Undercover people from the state have documented lack of mask wearing over months, so the state recently said, "hey, your license is set to renew in December... and we're not renewing it."
SRBC cried foul and started whining "you can't do that to our poor EMPLOYEES...." https://bangordailynews.com/2020/12/18/business/sunday-river-brewing-fighting-states-decision-not-to-renew-its-restaurant-license/
And, weirdly, their lawyer noted that most of their 60 employees were single mothers.
"Dilworth also noted that closure of the restaurant had put 60 employees, many of them single mothers, out of work."
"Dilworth also noted that closure of the restaurant had put 60 employees, many of them single mothers, out of work."
Sooooo fast forward to December 19 when they are again back in court trying to ask the state to reconsider reinstating the restaurant's licence...
...because...
(wait for it)
...because...
(wait for it)
Ron Savage, Rick Savage's brother and other owner... says that Rick Savage is no longer involved in managing the restaurant.
"Rick Savage, he said, was responsible for previous compliance failures and decisions to operate the business without the proper licenses."
BUT, the state was NOT having it.
The state said "there has been a pattern of noncompliance for the past eight months, and there was no reason to believe it will change. They also said they did not believe issues would be corrected by their issuing a conditional license."
The state said "there has been a pattern of noncompliance for the past eight months, and there was no reason to believe it will change. They also said they did not believe issues would be corrected by their issuing a conditional license."
AND...
“History shows we’ve been in this exact scenario multiple times since May,” said the assistant attorney general, adding Ron Savage’s claims that he suddenly has control of decisions at the restaurant, despite months of chances, “doesn’t pass the straight-face test.”
“History shows we’ve been in this exact scenario multiple times since May,” said the assistant attorney general, adding Ron Savage’s claims that he suddenly has control of decisions at the restaurant, despite months of chances, “doesn’t pass the straight-face test.”
“The department is not persuaded that suddenly things have changed,” she said. “The risk to the public is too great, and it’s a risk we’re not willing to take.”
Lisa Silva, manager of the state’s health inspection program, said the business had been given multiple chances to comply, and, given its history, believes it “an imminent threat to public health.”
They crowed about being in compliance since the last violation... and they asked for an inspection, and didn't get one in the last ten days. However, the health inspectors said it was because of capacity issues and because previous health inspectors had been harrassed by Rick.
Lisa Silva, manager of the state’s health inspection program, said Rick Savage has been hostile with inspectors at the property and “tailgates” them when they leave.
So, Ron Savage, the brother, has apparently had "heated debates" with Rick about compliance, and Ron thinks compliance is the "right thing to do."
Our state (Maine) is STILL one of the lowest per capita for infections and deaths - and it is because the state does not put up with nonsense like this. Period
They were given literally dozens of chances to shape up, and this last minute "Rick doesn't work here anymore" is just not gonna fly.
Details here: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/12/22/rick-savage-out-during-sunday-river-brewing-co-appeal-hearing/
As an addendum, despite putting both their employees AND patrons at risk with this stunt... thanks to Tucker Carlson's free publicity, and misleading the public on the situation, the GoFundMe that Savage started has raised bearly $200K https://www.gofundme.com/f/n5fpsu-maine-back-to-work-fund
I am CERTAIN that Savage intends to keep this money to offset his personal losses. Unless the money goes to his 60 "single mother" employees, this is 100% fraud.
