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108 East Madison Avenue Berryville, Arkansas 72616 |
Ozarts and the Grand View |
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Grand View Hotel Ozarts News, Columns, and Writing Pictures |
By Alexander Virden
Crushing the Little Vine If you raise a calf, should the government be able to force you to make it satellite trackable? If you make a bottle of wine should you only be able to market it through one distributor? These are things that come about from congressional lobbying to give unfair advantages to large corporations, to squeeze out small competitors. Fortunately there is a bill going through the state legislature to stop the live stock chip law from taking effect in Arkansas. I gave a whoop and a hurrah when I read that, because I’ve been watching that bit of federal pandering, for a while, with great trepidation. But for every wrong that is righted, it seems like ten more pop up to take their place. Last week I read a story in the Citizen, about the Keel’s Creek Winery, that burned my biscuits. The Keel’s Creek Winery which Doug Hausler and his wife, Ewidge Denyszyn, have been pouring their life and finances into, for the last several years, is now in danger. A court case is threatening to pull the cork and sink them. This was actually a challenge to the state trying to help the little guy, by allowing state wineries to bypass the state’s forced distribution system and market directly to liquor stores and restaurants. Now because of a recent Supreme Court decision, which affects 33 states, that little window of help may be shutting. I looked up the decision on No. 03-1116 and it’s hard to tell who actually brought the suit, because there’s just a name, it doesn’t break it down to whom that name represents. I would be willing to bet it’s someone who sells more wine than all the wineries in Arkansas combined. It’s a 54 page document that will challenge those who don’t read legalese for a living. By page 29, I was still reading, but it had just become a hum in my brain. I comprehended enough to understand, that based on federal law, Arkansas is not allowed to do what it is doing, because it’s solely for the purpose of economic protection for state wineries. I say why not. California is not under threat of losing all it’s wine business to Arkansas. I don’t think New York has much to worry about either. Arkansas only gets protection in Arkansas and it’s only a minor price advantage that allows fledgling wine makers to enter the market and Arkansas needs all the things that can be made in Arkansas, to be made in Arkansas. There are currently two legislative actions being taken. One is Senate Bill 304 which is a move to protect Arkansas’ three tier (maker, wholesale distributor, retail) system at the expense of Arkansas wineries. This is to protect the distributors, with knee jerk bill, to keep Arkansas out of court. I read the bill, it basically takes the existing law and strips it of the protection in-state wineries were given. Which goes to show you that the three, protected, wholesale distributors in Arkansas, have a whole lot more flash to spread around, than all the winemakers put together. To help defeat this bill please write your objections to State Senator Randy Laverty, State Capitol, Room 320, Little Rock Arkansas, 72201. The other move is house bill 1651. What this bill does is extend the same rights to out of state wineries that make less than 250,000 gallons a year. While this seems like a lot of wine, it’s not, when you consider how slim the profit on a gallon of wine is. This would satisfy the unconstitutional nature of the current law, while still giving some protection to Arkansas wineries. At least Arkansas wineries would only have to compete with wineries of similar size. To support this bill you can email or write State Representative Bryan King at: kingb@arkleg.state.ar.us or State Representative Bryan King, Speaker’s Office Room 350, Third Floor State Capital, Little Rock Arkansas, 72201. Please write. Your letter can make a difference. The Grand View and You The Grand View is dedicated to bringing life back to the square at night and we’d like your input for activities to hold at the coffee shop. There will be a PA system set up at all times for those looking for a place to perform. Square dances are being planned so if you’re interested in that let us know so we can notify you. I’d also like to thank everyone that has called and written to encourage us. If you would like to make a donation to the restoration of the Grand View you may do so at any Arvest Bank, by donating to the Ozarts account. Calling all Disk Jockeys and Bands! We are looking for disk jockeys for Friday and Saturday night dance parties and to be available for private events. Contact us and let us know what you’ve got. We want to have a lot of live music in the Grand View, so bands let us know your available. Ozarts is still looking for: Artists, Independent Publishers, Bands, musicians, and potters. Please feel free to send me your questions by mail, or email. Ozarts Center for the Arts 108 East Madison Avenue, Berryville. (Across from the post office.) Ozarts.org (870) 654-3231 Alexander@Ozarts.org Open by Appointment.
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