The Huntley Farmside

              Volume 40 No. 19
Your hometow^n newspaper
Thursday May 11,2000
© 2000 Press-Republican Newspapers
Offie's Tap to close because of technicality
By Shelby Becker
For the Farmside-Press
Located a stones' throw from the Huntley Village Hall is an establishment by the name of Offie's Tap. Offie's has been a familiar face for nearly five decades to longtime Huntley residents, but that familiar face may disappear in the near future.
Owned and operated by the Offenheiser family since 1955, Offie's is home to local resi¬ dents as well as to a faithful following of patrons whom Caroline Offenheiser calls "family." Third generation and daughter of the owner, Marlene Offenheiser, "Caroline works along side her mother in the family-owned business.
The clientele range from regulars who knew the founder to those with a fondness for
road bikes. It is not unusual to see an impressive lineup of Harley Davidsons, Hondas and choppers of all varieties out¬ side of Offie's Tap on any given day. Nor is it unusual to see those same bikes vying for parking spaces when the church across the street holds a service - thus the problem.
Established in 1852, the First Congregational Church of Huntley has maintained a peaceful coexistence with Offie's Tap for the past 50 years. Reverend Ron Woodruff said, "Sometimes there's noise, but I have no great problem with it [the tavern]."
Illinois State law, however, states that no liquor establish¬ ment can be within 500 feet of a church. The village of Huntley went one step further in 1992 by declaring that within the vil¬ lage, the local ordinance would
require 200 feet of distance.
Offie's Tap was then - and is now - in violation of both of those laws, though the exact distance is currently in ques¬ tion. Offie's has continued to conduct business in such close proximity due to a clause known as 'grandfathering.' Basically, this clause allows for the fact that Offie's Tap' was established before this ordi¬ nance was created and is there¬ fore exempt from it.
Until recently, Offie's Tap was owned and operated by Jack and Marlene Offenheiser, sec¬ ond generation in the family business. Recent personal issues have led to the owners' decision to obtain a divorce. In the inter¬ est of protecting her livelihood, Marlene found an attorney that set in motion the transfer of Jack's stock, leaving Marlene Offenheiser as sole owner of
Offie's Tap. It is that change, according to the village, that invalidates the grandfather clause. Mike Coppedge, Attorney for the village, said, "The village is legally bound not to reissue a license."
According to Marlene, Mayor Charlie Becker stated that because of this change of corporate interest, the liquor Itcense for Offie's Tap would be denied. "They told me [at the Village Board meeting] that they were setting a precedent with my situation." Marlene recalls. "They would shut me down on a technicality."
The issue appears to be the question of this corporate change. According to Title 11, subtitle A, Chapter 1, Section 100.100 the Illinois State Liquor Commission, a corpora¬ tion is a legal entity and it is that entity that is licensed.   A
change in the corporate offi¬ cers [or corporate stock] does not affect the corporations' claim to that license, and only proper notification of the changes are required.
"This is my living," Offenheiser said of her tavern. "We don't have problems with anyone and we give back to the town." Offenheiser was speak¬ ing of the Barney-Manningly Scholarship Fund that Offie's Tap has sponsored for nine years. Students from the high school who may be ineligible for traditional scholarships or simply ijave limited means to attend college are given oppor¬ tunity through this fund.
Offie's Tap will be holding a rally on June 3 for its support¬ ers. The State Liquor Commission will hold a hearing concerning the tap at 10:30 a.m., June 14.
Huntley High School students survive prom week
By Susan Bohme
City Editor
Prom week at Huntley High School began somber note and ended with a party.
The Huntley Police Department in conjunction with the Huntley Fire Department, the McHenry County Coroners Office and Flight for Life presented a DUI accident reen¬ actment at the school last week as a grim reminder of what can happen to people who drink and drive.
The emergency call went out as an accident scene involving a van and a car was unveiled on the football field Tliesday morning. Emergency crews used the jaws of life to pry the top off the car to get Sara Banks, the passenger in the car, out of the wreckage.
She was then airlifted to the hospital. Her date. Rich Funk, was taken away in an ambulance.
Veronica Fitzsimmons, the passenger in the van, was not so lucky. Her parents were brought in to identify, her and she was taken away by the coroner in a body bag.
Matt Sopchyk the driver of the van was arrested and led away in handcuffs.
"My daughter was really affected by it. She told me not to go out Friday night because so many schools were hav¬ ing prom that night," said Laraine Smith, whose daughter Alison watched the reenactment.
The week ended without serious incident. School offi¬ cials said about 220 students attended a dinner and dance at the Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills, and crowned Prom King Kyle Williams and Prom Queen Marion Hansen. About 160 of the prom-goers attended a post prom party at the high school from midnight to 4 a!m. Saturday.
Farmside-Press photo by Pat Kolle Huntiey Fire Department rescue workers free victims of a drunk driver during a reenactment of a drunk driving accident at Huntley High School last week.