By Rich Larson, News Director
The Minnesota Department of Health announced on Saturday that they have filed suit against Alibi Drinkery in Lakeville for operating as a food and
beverage service without a license.
The Department of Health notified the Alibi on December 22nd that their Restaurant license would be suspended for 20 days, and furthermore the restaurants license was set to expire on December 31st. However, the Alibi, which is owned by Lisa Monet Zarza who also owns The Alibi at Froggy Bottoms in Northfield, has continued to operate as a food and beverage serving establishment and was open as recently as yesterday.
Zarza has been outspoken in her defiance of public health statutes restricting the operation of bars and restaurants, saying the shutdown orders violated her Constitutional rights as a business owner. The Alibi operated outside of those restrictions during the most recent shutdown ordered by the Governor, and has been faced with restraining orders, and injunctions asked for by Attorney General Ellison. Most recently, the Dakota County First Circuit court found Zarza and her establishment to be in Civil Contempt of Court.
“We do not take enforcement actions lightly,” said Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff. “Even when there is no pandemic, the public depends upon the licensing of bars and restaurants as a basic public health measure – which is why the legislature requires that bars and restaurants have an active license in order to serve the public.”
Depending on the court’s decision in this case, Alibi could be facing an operating license suspension of up to five years.
Lippert active in helping state farmers
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all segments of the economy, and farmers and agricultural development is no different. Many farmers have had loans called by their banks, giving them 90 days to sort out the financial issues before they go to arbitration. Last spring, Representative Todd Lippert authored a bill that unanimously passed through the legislature and was signed by Governor Tim Walz halting farmer-lender mediations through December 1st of 2020. However, Lippert said that farmers are still facing a number of immediate challenges, so today Lippert will introduce another bill that will add sixty days to that deadline, through October 1st in an effort to allow cash strapped farmers more time to keep their businesses afloat.
“In the five years between 2014 and 2019, we lost 5000 farms in Minnesota; about 1000 farms a year. So every small thing we can do to help farmers stay on the farm is extremely important. Extending mediation just a little bit is one of those factors and I look forward to the bill hearing [today.]”
As a member of the House Ag Finance Committee, Lippert said that not only do farmers need direct help, but he said there should be more support for industry and labor tied directly to the farm economy.
“I’ve been having more and more conversation, in fact I just had one [on Thursday,] with a farmers union gathering about more support for local meat processors. Farmers know that we need more options for local meat processors, and that was clear during Covid as big packing plants shut down. But for that, we need more meat cutters. We need more support for this labor force, and we need business models that work, too. So that’s another area where farmers are interested in solutions and I’m interested in partnering with them to make some things happen.”
Lippert also said he is currently drafting a bill that would incentivize better soil health practices. Lippert said that many farmers are interested in finding ways to help the health of their soil as it is both good for the environment and their bottom line.
Representative Lippert’s full conversation with Jeff Johnson can be heard here.
Northfield Police moving closer to bodycams
And, the Northfield City Council will soon take up conversation about budgeting for the purchase of use of 
body cams by the Northfield Police Department. Police Chief Mark Elliott said the money for body cams is in the budget, so the department is preparing a proposal to bring to the council. Elliott said the proposal is necessary under state law for privacy concerns, and due to the fact that a public hearing is necessary before the equipment is purchased.
Chief Elliott said that as they have been working with the City’s Police Oversight Task Force, he has seen overwhelming support for the cameras.
“That’s one of the things we heard during our policy task force meetings is just overwhelming support for it. I think most in the community want officers to have it for that transparency reason. But it was also brought up by a couple members because of things they have seen released, in how it can help protect the officers and help to investigate crimes [that the officers witness] and then be able to show that evidence. Other people can see that, juries can see that, the judge the information that that are seeing based on the video, and not just testimony from a defendant, or a witness, or a police officer. And really just providing more transparency.”
He went to say that, in the past, the cost for bodycam equipment has been cost prohibitive to a department the size of Northfield’s. However, he said the technology has come down in price over the year. And also, there is a long-term risk reduction in implementing a body cam program, as footage from those cameras can reduce liability exposure.
Chief Elliott’s full conversation with Jeff Johnson can be heard here.
