Pubdate: Saturday, 28 Aug 1999 Source: The Kearney Hub (NE) Copyright: 1999 The Kearney Hub Contact: P.O.Box 1988, Kearney, NE 68848 Website: http://www.kearneyhub.com/index.htm Author: Arthur Sobey Note: Title by MAP editor LANG'S CONCERNS ARE SILLY Dear Editor, While it is true that alcohol is our country's most problematic recreational drug, those who make their living in the legal recreational drug business deserve to be treated the same as any other legitimate businesspeople. Trevor Schaben, the owner of Thunderhead Brewing in Kearney, should take his highly successful microbrewery to a town more in need of good beer, more jobs, and an expanded tax base. City planner Lance Lang's reasons for concern are rather silly. Citing a concern like underage drinking as a reason to deny Schaben his permit, is like denying the city a permit to build a new airport because a plane might crash there sometime in the future. Lang's other concern, a proliferation of alcohol outlets, is equally inane. The large number of alcohol outlets only proves that the good people of Kearney like to drink alcohol. Running Schaben out of town by denying him the license to expand his business, will neither reduce Kearney's demand for alcohol, nor reduce the number of stores in Kearney selling alcohol, America's favorite legal recreational drug. From the city administration's shabby treatment of Schaben and his fledgling beer brewing business, it seems clear his brewery isn't wanted in Kearney. sincerely, Arthur Sobey - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck