GOVERNMENT: LOUNGE OWNER DISPUTES COUNT CITED IN SUSPENSION

The owner of The Taste Lounge in Cape Girardeau disputes one of the four counts Liquor Control cited as the cause of the current suspension of his liquor license.

Michael Pryor's liquor license was suspended by the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Division of Liquor Control for seven days, effective yesterday, for two counts of failure to report an illegal or violent act and for two counts of failure to close.

Pryor's suspension, according to Missouri Liquor Control District 5 Supervisor Don Pickard and Cape Girardeau Police reports, was the result of four incidents.

The most recent was May 23. Pryor reported to police that his son had been in the bar after closing time with an acquaintance and that he believed the acquaintance stole some money and liquor while his son was in the bathroom. Liquor Control was informed of the report, and one count of violating closing time regulations was cited against the bar.

"She stole from me, so I reported it," Pryor said. "Instead of arresting her, they went to Liquor Control and reported that was failure to close. How the hell was that failure to close? I think that was petty. And the girl got away with my money."

Cape Girardeau Police reported they were unable to contact the suspect.

The other three violations were:

* Failure to report an illegal or violent act -- On Feb. 23, a woman reported to police she had been assaulted inside The Taste. During the assault, the victim claimed, the bartender refused to get involved. Bar staff did not report the assault to police, a violation of liquor control regulations.

* Failure to close -- On March 20, a police officer drove past The Taste at about 2:45 a.m. and saw three people inside. The officer talked to the three, some of whom had been drinking and playing pool. Even though one was the owner's son, such behavior after closing time is a violation of liquor control regulations.

* Failure to report an illegal or violent act -- An assault occurred inside The Taste Nov. 26, 1999, and the victim reported the incident to police. Bar staff did not report the assault to police.

That this year-old event is being cited in a suspension now, Pickard said, is outside the usual Liquor Control lag time of two to three months. But Liquor Control is currently has a heightened workload and subsequent backlog, he said.

Pryor did not officially appeal any of the violations, Pickard said.

Reviewed next month

Pryor's probationary six-month city liquor license, issued in June, will be reviewed by the Cape Girardeau City Council next month. Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III has said the state suspension will be factored into the council's December decision.

Pryor said the regular police patrols in the area of his bar at closing time are the result of his customers being misunderstood.

"You don't understand black people. We're just loud people," Pryor said. "What you don't understand, you're afraid of."

Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel has categorized The Taste as the most heavily policed bar in town.

"I'm trying not to make waves with the city," Pryor said. "But the newspaper and the television have backed me into a corner. I'm in the limelight so much, I've got to say something. If I didn't voice my opinion, I'd never be heard. ... The officers know I'm not their enemy. If there's any type of altercation, they know I'll be out there backing them up."