Free Republic

In October, Mark Garber decided he had had enough. After nearly two years of appeals, he cut a $1,000 check to cover a fine for keeping his brewpub open in late December 2020 in violation of former Gov. Tom Wolf’s emergency orders meant to limit the spread of COVID-19. “We finally bit the bullet even though we didn’t agree with it so we could just move on,” said Garber, co-owner of Big Dog Craft Brewing in Manheim Township. With the citation cleared, Garber said he was able to complete an online renewal for the brewpub’s liquor license, something that had...

After paying $216.7 million into the state’s general fund in the year ended June 30, more than twice the $100 million paid to help fund state operations the year before, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board had a bottom line loss of $114.3 million, according to the agency’s latest financial results. Despite the strain from larger-than-usual payments to the state, the agency’s spokeswoman pointed out that its cash and short-term investments were only $66 million lower on June 30, despite the additional $117 million contributed to the state’s coffers. The PLCB board told legislators that they are comfortable with a $185...