Officials retract licenses

City commissioners penalize two entrepreneurs after sheriff's raid reveals illegal gaming machines

Web posted July 25, 2000

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By Sylvia Cooper
Staff Writer

An Augusta Commission committee voted Monday to revoke the business licenses of a game room raided by the sheriff's department 10 days ago and a beauty shop in the same building.

The owner of a second game room, shut down by the sheriff's department in the raid because of cash payoffs to undercover agents, voluntarily surrendered his business license to City Attorney Jim Wall before Monday's meeting.

The public services committee voted to revoke the business license of Tiet T. Anderson for Hair Professional at 3096 Deans Bridge Road in connection with commercial gambling. The sheriff's department raided T's Gift Shop, owned by Charles Cathcart, at that location July 14.

The sheriff's department had shut down a game room in that building a year ago and issued a warrant for commercial gambling.

Mr. Cathcart told officers he was receiving 25 percent of the profits from the video poker machines and Ms. Anderson was receiving 75 percent, according to sheriff's department vice investigator Rodney Berry.

Ms. Anderson's lawyer Ben Jackson asked the committee to let her keep the license to operate her beauty shop because she did not hold a game room license.

But Investigator Berry and city officials said Ms. Anderson was circumventing the law by having Mr. Cathcart hold the license for T's Gift Shop.

``It's apparent to us, she's circumventing the law,'' Mr. Wall said. ``According to the information he's provided, she's benefiting 75 cents out of each dollar. This is the second episode there. Last year, she surrendered the license rather than have to come back before us.''

Commissioner Jerry Brigham asked who owned the video poker machines that were in T's Gift Shop before the sheriff's department seized them in the July 14 raid.

``Her son owns the gambling machines,'' Mr. Jackson said.

Mayor Pro Tem Willie Mays said commissioners had no choice but to support the action of the sheriff's and license departments, which recommended revocation.

Meanwhile, Jack B. Gordon turned in the business license for K.C. Collectibles at 2326 Lumpkin Road. During the July 14 raid, officers seized eight gaming machines and arrested an employee and charged him with two counts of commercial gambling.

The raids and license revocations stem from city officials' efforts to keep South Carolina's outlawed video poker industry from relocating in Augusta.

On Thursday, the full commission revoked the licenses of the Pot of Gold video arcade, the third target of the raid, and rushed through a third round of amendments to the city's arcade ordinance.

The full Augusta Commission will vote on the licenses Aug. 1.

In an unrelated matter, commissioners discussed the future of the city's skateboard park. The unsupervised skate facility on Central Avenue will be closed, and commissioners must decide whether to build one elsewhere or just not have one.

Recreation Department Director Tom Beck recommended constructing a skateboard park at the Augusta Bicycle Motorcross Park at Wood-Division Street and operate it as a supervised site. A public hearing was held on the issue July 6.

Commissioner Lee Beard voiced concern that a new supervised park would ``grow'' the recreation department and not be welcome by residents of surrounding neighborhoods.

Commissioner Bill Kuhlke proposed that Mr. Beck contact the Augusta Rugby Club about the possibility of allowing the club to use the soccer field at the Wood Street park in exchange for operating a skateboard facility there.

In another matter, the public services committee voted to approve a resolution authorizing Augusta Regional Airport officials to file an application with the Federal Aviation Administration to raise the passenger facility charge to $4.50 from the current $3. The charge is added to each airline ticket. The money would be used to help pay for the airport terminal makeover.

Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228.