MOUNT VERNON — There are three local option issues on the November ballot in Mount Vernon seeking voter approval for a business to sell alcoholic beverages. There are many different types of licenses available depending on the type of business and what they want to sell and when.
related
Jordan, Reed vie for commissioner’s seat
Ryerson challenging incumbent Ruhl for 90th District seat
EK schools asking for emergency operating levy
Gibbs, Space, Sutton square off for 18th District seat
Residents to vote on additional tax for MV schools
FCFD asking for renewal of 1-mill levy
Jordan, Patel square off for 19th District seat
Three local options on ballot in city
North Fork asking voters for approval of levy
Morgan Twp. voters to decide on renewal levy
Find your polling precinct
2010 Election Results: Issues
2010 Election Results: Candidates
The local Kroger is looking to the future in asking voters to approve Kroger to be a state liquor agency or what was once referred to as a “State Store.” It acts as an agent for the state liquor authority. There is one approved for Knox County and that is held by Rite-Aid Pharmacy on South Main Street in Mount Vernon. Kroger spokesperson Amy McCormick emphasized Kroger was not looking to take this away from Rite-Aid.
“Kroger does have on the ballot a local option for a state liquor agency,” McCormick said. “And basically we are doing that across our division in any area where we don’t have that as an option. We are looking to do that in order to make a store available to operate a state liquor agency if the state would decide in an area to add another one or replace one or whatever the case may be. It would make us available to be prepared to go for that and add that as an offering to our customers.”
The Mount Vernon Veterans of Foreign Wars is also looking for voter approval for a D-6 class state liquor license. This would allow them to serve intoxicating liquors on Sundays.
“We’re doing it to be able to serve alcoholic beverages to our customers on Sundays,” said VFW Commander Jim Drake. “And so we can serve alcoholic beverages to our membership. We have a D-4 license now. We can serve beer on Sunday but we can’t serve wine or liquor.”
Wal-Mart is also looking for approval for a D-6 class license to be able to sell intoxicating liquors on Sundays between the hours of 11 a.m. and midnight. As of press time there had been no response to requests to Wal-Mart corporate headquarters for comment on this issue.
