The Blue Coyote faces alleged ordinance violations
City Council, Downtown Blue Ridge, News May 3, 2021
Blue Ridge, Ga. – City Council met Friday, April 30, 2020 in a special called meeting to appoint a Hearing Officer that will oversee a case involving the possible “suspension and revocation of an occupational tax certificate allowing for the sale of alcoholic beverages”.
Blue Ridge Municipal Court Judge Robert Sneed will be put in place as the hearing officer.
City Council meets to instate Hearing Officer.
Council members were unable to speak on the specifics of the case, with Mayor Donna Whitener telling press, “All questions on the matter will have to be directed to the hearing officer.”
The case is presumably involving the City of Blue Ridge vs. The Blue Coyote, a restaurant in the Commercial Business District of Blue Ridge.
Recent events at the Blue Coyote have caused complaints from citizens, along with allegations of the establishment being in violation of numerous sections of the City’s Alcohol Ordinance.
One issue that has been discussed on previous occasions, not only of the Blue Coyote but of neighboring businesses, is violation of the noise ordinance due to live amplified music. The Blue Coyote, however, has not received a citation from the City on the matter.
The most recent issue that could be cause for the hearing involves an altercation that took place between patrons of The Blue Coyote. That altercation which took place in April continued outside of the establishment onto City property according to sources.
Currently several businesses in Fannin County are supporting a petition that is circulating to save The Blue Coyote from possible penalties of the hearing.
The hearing is set to take place in May but could see delays if requested by either legal party.
Sneed will ultimately decide the fate of the establishment. If found to be in violation of the City’s Alcohol Ordinance, several possibilities of penalties are on the table for The Blue Coyote. These penalties range from a fine, to a probation period where no other violations may occur, to the possible revocation of the occupational tax certificate allowing for the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Featured Image courtesy of Fannin County Chamber of Commerce website.
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Possible COVID-19 exposures in Gilmer and Fannin’s Court Systems
News July 7, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Several offices in both Fannin and Gilmer County are closing today as reports indicate one or more employees may have had exposures to the Coronavirus in recent days.
The District Attorney’s Office in both Fannin and Gilmer have closed today. Additionally, Gilmer’s Probate Office has confirmed closing and the Gilmer Board of Commissioners has cancelled its Wednesday morning Work Session citing a “recent spike in Covid-19 cases.”
The Gilmer County Probate Court released a statement with this photo saying they would be closed immediately and “until further notice.”
The Probate Court of Gilmer County issued a statement on Social Media saying, “The Probate Court Office of Gilmer County will be closed effectively immediately and remain closed until further notice.”
FYN has also confirmed that every office of an elected official in Gilmer County has been closed until Monday along with the court systems with the exception of the Sheriff’s Office.
According to County Attorney Lynn Doss and Fannin Magistrate Judge Brian Jones, Fannin County’s Court systems are also shutting down including Superior Court, Magistrate Court, and Probate Court. The closings come “by order of the Chief Judge Brenda Weaver.”
According to Fannin County Commission Chairman Stan Helton, only the second floor of the courthouse is closed and it will reopen on Monday after it has been sanitized.
Despite the offices closing and courts canceling, the Gilmer Courthouse and Fannin Courthouse are both, as a whole, not closed at this time. Citizens may still enter the courthouses.
Reports are coming in that in Gilmer, Sheriff’s Deputies at the security checkpoint in the entrance are informing citizens of the offices and courts closing and are directing visitors accordingly.
Additionally, FYN confirmed that the Gilmer Planning and Zoning Office was closed late last week due to possible exposures of an employee.
Sources tell FYN that at least one of the exposures this week may have been related to a recent church revival held in Gilmer County. However, no cases have been officially confirmed at this time.
Judicial Order closes Courts in the Appalachian District
News March 13, 2020
GILMER, Ga. – An order declaring a Judicial Emergency has been released from Chief Judge Brenda Weaver was filed today in Gilmer County regarding civil and/or criminal court proceedings in the Appalachian Judicial Circuit (Gilmer, Fannin, Pickens counties).
The order states, “The nature of this emergency is the continued transmission of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 throughout the State of Georgia and the potential infection of those who are required to appear in our courts and interact with large groups due to jury service, including grand jury service, or other large, non-essential calendars.”
As for the cases slated for next week, the order states, “It is the order of the Court that jury trials are CONTINUED, and no jurors or grand jurors shall report, and no jury trials shall be held for a period of 30 days from the date of the entry of this order.”
The order charges all parties and attorneys in specially-set hearings between March 13, 2020, and April 11, 2020, to contact the assigned judge for directions.
The order provides this list of the Amended 2020 Superior Court Calendar in that same time frame:
Additionally, the order calls for attorneys and clients to report and notify each other of any sign or showing of symptoms of illness, even mild ones, prior to or after court as well as any contact or exposure to a Coronavirus positive individual. The attorneys should then contact the judge’s office if this occurs.
The order also states a list of people that “shall not enter Pickens, Gilmer, or Fannin Courthouse or any probation office Pickens, Gilmer, or Fannin Counties, without prior permission from the Chief Judge.” Those people include:
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Persons who have been in any of the following countries or regions within the last 14 days:
STATE OF WASHINGTON
NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK
CHINA
SOUTH KOREA
JAPAN
ITALY
IRAN
EGYPT -
Persons who reside or have had close contact with someone who has been in one of the countries listed above within the last 14 days;
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Persons who have been asked to self-quarantine by any doctor, hospital, or health agency;
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Persons who have been diagnosed within, or have had contact with, anyone who has been diagnosed with Coronavirus (COVID-19);
The order charges Sheriff’s offices in these counties to deny entry to those in violation of this order. It also gives guidance to those under this order’s restrictions on the steps to take. Read the full Judicial Order below:
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Order pg. 1
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Order pg. 2
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Order pg. 3
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Order pg. 4
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Order pg. 5
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Order pg. 6
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Order pg. 7