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Board rules Savin Hill wine-and-cheese shop has decent ratio of wine and cheese

The Boston Licensing Board decided yesterday the ratio of wine and beer to cheese and other foods at Savin Hill Enterprise, 1047 Dorchester Ave., did not violate any board regulations.

The shop, which opened earlier this year, had been cited by police in July for using too much shelf and refrigerator space for alcohol; police said that seven of eight shelves marked "food" on a store floor plan were actually being used for beer and wine.

At a hearing on Tuesday, the store's attorney said that she couldn't find any Boston regulations that gave the city specific control over the ratio of alcohol to food on shelves, and presented several folders worth of food and dog-treat receipts to prove the store had not become merely a fancy packie.

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Comments

.... waiting to hear about the disciplinary action taken by the Police department against the rogue officer.

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He's not a lawyer and can't be expected to know or understand what the law actually says - except for the ones he makes up on the spot ...

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How do you know this?

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Andy Griffith Show reruns didn't exactly help matters either.

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When you watch them instead of leaving the safety of mommy's basement.

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Somebody probably complained and the police did their duty and investigated. That the board disagreed with the citation doesn't mean the cop was rogue - a "no violation" finding is hardly unique.

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Isn't writing up a citation for some completely made up thing that isn't actually against the law somewhat of a no-no in law enforcement circles? What would happen to a meter maid who had a habit of writing tickets for "wipers not in down position" or "bumper sticker crooked."

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Just ask one of them if they actually know what the law says. They'll tell you "I'm not a lawyer" and "I don't care what the law says I just do what I'm told to do". I've heard this a number of times, including when I was hassled for the "suspicious act" of being a female biking home from work late at night, and questioned whether they had any legal pretense to further delay a fully lit and visible cyclist obeying traffic laws. They must learn it in the Academy when they learn how to "handle civilians".

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It's another reason why they are one of the best departments in the land.

It's quite understandable that someone rising from poverty who may be from a culture stuck in a state of dynamic antagonism with cops will tense up when an encounter happens.

But it's a rare psycho cop who won't be amenable to the calming effect of letting him/her know you see the neighbor and human behind the blue suit.

We are often conditioned to think of them as antagonists and go into some kind of defensive crouch when one crosses our path. As a former weed cartel person, I learned long ago that there are better options.

It isn't about servility or slavish flattery, just the little things that help them unwind from the initial pent up moment of the encounter where they are still trying to understand what kind of hazard you are.

I'd usually open my side of the exchange with something like 'What idiot thing did I do that brought me to your attention?" This tells em you have a sense of humor, are not very self important and are genuinely interested in the circumstances that occasioned the meeting.

You can't get empathy if you don't make it clear you are an empathetic person. It's a great bridge builder. And cops rarely run into people who can convey some sense that they appreciate the gravity and hazards of the job, not as authority figure, but as person who has to deal with splattered highway remains, gruesome domestic violence outcomes, vicious dingbats with guns and so on.

Besides, it's a great exercise for getting over yourself. Obviously, if you live in some urban war zone where there may be racial/cultural issues, this may be more of a challenge, if not impossible.

Maybe it's even glib advice, But it works very well if you're a suburban white guy and the best part is that it is grounded in situational reality, not a con and not a confrontation. Cops have isolated lives because of their job.

It is not easy for them to mingle when off work except with other cops. In Reading, when I was a kid, they'd hang out at 'cop bars' like the Stardust in North Reading. This isolation is in no ones interest. We want em back in the community, at ease, to the greatest extent compatible with the demands of their jobs.

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If you look at various permits for different licenses, various city departments can add restrictions. You won't find these restrictions in any book of general regulations, just the general code of being (in violation of restrictions). You will see this sort of complaint with gas stations that have filled up their small coolers with beer and nothing else, but I did believe all of these places are supposed to have some sort of ratio if they don't have a beer/wine only license.

Regardless, it's a great opportunity for swirly to show how much smarter, better and morally superior she is to these dumb policemen. She must be angry that she's forced to live in Medford?

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Regardless, it's a great opportunity for swirly to show how much smarter, better and morally superior she is to these dumb policemen. She must be angry that she's forced to live in Medford?

Neither you nor I were there... She's describing an incident in which she appears to have been hassled when she was minding her own business, commuting home. Maybe that's true, maybe it's not, but I can't see how you read any kind of attitude problem into her complaint.

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At the store or hearing where Swirrly wasn't? (But where she still was able to put down a group of people)

Or the city regulations that Swirrly doesn't know about either and how permit violations are enforced? (But where she is still able to tell everyone where someone else was wrong)

Again, these permits have restrictions that aren't specifically mentioned by name. There are some restaurants in town at have a restriction to only allow 3 person mariachi bands on certain days. There are no 3 person mariachi band regulations written anywhere however if you were to look for them. The same goes for stores that don't have beer/wine only licenses, and usually they have some sort of restriction.

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I believe the point being made was that this particular license did not have any restrictions about food / liquor ratio.

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I got written up for "passing on the right" while on my scooter (at the time classified as an motorized bicycle)...with the cop citing the exact RMV regulation that explicitly states that a motorized bicycle is allowed to pass on the right.

They don't give a shit if they want to hit you for something. The owner probably got in an argument with the cop when the cop started asking questions about "where's all your cheese, chief". The cop said to himself "I can't let this guy *win*, I'm giving him a ticket". Classic contempt of cop charge. Bog the guy down, make him pay for a lawyer, make him have to show up on his own time at a hearing or two...that'll teach him not to argue again next time even when he's absolutely in the right.

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And you blamed the clerk then right? Don't mind the fact that basically every lane/passing statute in Massachusetts has a safely factor involved as well. Ch.89 s4a is written and accepted about 100 different way by judges and courts in the commonwealth. If you can articulate that what you did didn't violate that statute (similar for bikes/mopeds)you will get off 100% of the time, and even if you don't articulate thT what you did was safe, you will get a break 90% of the time if you have a clean record.

Although Kaz, I believe you and how you felt you passed on the right legally and safely. I bet the trooper did not know you couldn't pass on the right, but only stopped you because he felt it wasn't safe. The fact that the clerk backed him up says something though. All in all, it is completely different than this case I would guess.

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My husband was cited for passing on the LEFT when a vehicle was illegally using the cycle lane.

Got thrown out faster than the first pitch.

Keep it up, Pete. You are just proving my point about 1) cops not knowing the law, and, 2) cops making shit up.

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I'm talking about you saying this cop here made something up because you think your better than him. It also doesn't matter if something gets thrown out in court, 90% of valid violations get thrown out.

And it still doesn't matter if there was a car in the bike lane. If your husband passed illegally or unsafely, he is in violation.

Don't forget my mother is from South America Swirly. So you can say that Hispanics as well as cops are liars as well if I "keep" it up. Oh I forgot, your great grandfather liberated Peru from the Spanish Empire.....I'm wrong again.

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His name was Lem Winchester. http://youtu.be/MbelwlebyH0

He worked with my friend's dad in Newark, Delaware in the 50s but died in a dumb stage stunt accident after he got a record deal and went on tour.

The sound is a great fit for today.

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When I defended myself by stating that the law allows me to pass on the right and that the law is printed on the registration that I gave the officer, he said "do you have it with you today?". I said it was in my frozen shut glove compartment of the scooter right outside. He told me he can't consider it and I should have been prepared for court.

He didn't know the damn law he was supposed to be considering and wanted a copy of it provided him. I brought it but spent 10 minutes freezing outside before court to try and bring it in but couldn't get the lock to turn at all. The clerk backed him up out of ignorance and knew that the cost of the ticket and the cost of going to trial were equivalent and wanted to get on with his day.

I had no record and articulated it exactly. The cop reading the ticket couldn't deny what I did and upon questioning by the magistrate said "well, the cop wrote what he wrote". The entire thing was bullshit and happens all the time more out of convenience to the authorities involved than actual innocence until proven guilty. Traffic court in this state is monkey works.

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The fact that the store had to have an attorney go to the "hearing" does
not give me a pleasant feeling. So the board rules for the store owner but
the owner still has to pay attorney fees and for their time dealing with this.

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Want some cheese to go with that........ Oh wait!

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At a hearing on Tuesday, the store's attorney said that she couldn't find any Boston regulations that gave the city specific control over the ratio of alcohol to food on shelves

Why enforce boring real laws when you can make up fun new ones!

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Just gotta say it - the name of the store is Savin Hill Specialties. Wasn't sure if first post was a typo, or you are a victim of autocorrect....

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..or 'Doing Business As'. It's attorney stuff.

So you may have been cheated of your gotcha rush.

Don't fret though, be patient, and another gotcha opportunity will surely be around the bend.

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Did someone say goat cheese?

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It was Cheese Whiz that won the day. It's used in crab rangoon with periwinkles for that special crabbie patty flavor. Tastes great smothered in duck sauce after downing a six pack from Specialties.

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