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Toledo restaurant blames USPS blunder for liquor license suspension

The Polish Ostrich chose to pay a fine for COVID-19 violations instead of a suspension. The owner sent a check in the mail, but it didn't arrive in time.

TOLEDO, Ohio — After being cited for COVID-19 health violations last year, a Toledo restaurant is barred from serving alcohol for the next week, despite its best efforts to avoid the suspension by paying a fine.

In October, the Ohio Investigative Unit slapped The Polish Ostrich on Sylvania and Phillips Avenues with a citation, which alleged alcohol sales past the statewide 11 p.m. curfew.

"We were finishing a show," general manager Racheal Nadrasik said.  "Everybody was clearing out. Some people were still moving their stuff from the stage. There was still a patron here and they came in and got us."

The Ohio Liquor Control Commission ruled against The Polish Ostrich during a February hearing. So the restaurant had two options: pay a $2,000 fine or agree to a 10-day liquor license suspension.

The owner opted to pay the fine.

The problem was the money never got there.

"We had gotten a check," Nadrasik said. "We two-day airmailed it and it's just been kind of lost in the crumbled postal system for about a week now."

Credit: WTOL

In a statement to WTOL 11, the liquor control commission said, "Pursuant to Commission orders, all forfeiture payments must be received by the Commission on or before the due date (not merely postmarked prior to the due date)."

Because the check never arrived, the commission handed down a suspension. Now the Polish Ostrich has shut off its taps, riding out its alcohol hiatus.

"It's hard to say that there's even a lesson because we did everything to kind of avoid this situation anyway," Nadrasik said. "Paying it early with the two-day air mail. So you'd think that we would have no cause for concern that this would happen."

The owner of The Polish Ostrich is now seeking new legal counsel.

April 1 is when the restaurant and music venue will be able to sell alcohol once again.

A manager told WTOL 11 six employees are out of work during the suspension. Management also said it stands to lose about $8,000 in sales and has canceled six live music events over the 10-day liquor suspension.

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