Ledger-Dispatch

By Bethany A. Monk (bmonk@ledger-dispatch.com) =

Danny McCauley, the property manager of = Sierra=20 Homes and Properties, is seeking approval of a Public Convenience = or=20 Necessity letter from the board of supervisors to open a liquor = store in=20 Pioneer.

Photo by: Bethany A.=20 Monk
Booze is back on the = agenda.

Tomorrow=20 the Amador County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss and = possibly take=20 action on the controversial "Liquor & More, Inc." business that, if = approved=20 by the state, could bring another alcohol-related establishment to=20 Pioneer.

"The sole reason for opening this up is to stimulate the = economy=20 (and provide employment)," said Danny McCauley, property manager of = Sierra Homes=20 and Properties, and the owner of the potential liquor store.

The = new=20 establishment would be located in the Buckhorn Plaza near Franco's = Pizza, in the=20 1,400 square-foot building where Buckhorn Liquors used to = be.

"I'm=20 already in this business," said Gurdev Singh, who has owned Buckhorn = Liquors for=20 the past two years, ever since it moved to its new location on Highway = 88 and=20 Tiger Creek Road, just down the street from where the new liquor store = would be.=20 "But when you have (a liquor store on) every block, it's not good," he = said,=20 adding that he's concerned for the community.

Hundreds of = residents have=20 signed petitions at Singh's store, and at several other stores in the = area,=20 opposing the new liquor store.

"I will actually go picket out = there if=20 approved," said Terry Suchernick, a resident of the area and employee of = Young's=20 Payless IGA in Buckhorn, where, she said, people can buy wine and=20 beer.

The former Los Angeles resident said she doesn't want to = see a=20 liquor store on every corner in Pioneer. "I don't want this to be the = Compton of=20 Amador County."

McCauley said his new store would be more like an = "upscale boutique" that would offer wine tasting events.

He said = he is=20 required by the state to present a Public Convenience or Necessity = letter to the=20 California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. But first = supervisors must=20 approve the letter today.

The issue will be discussed during the=20 miscellaneous matters session of the meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. = Tuesday at=20 the County Administration Office.

For more information, call=20 223-6470.

Bethany A. = Monk