Nevada board targets Carson City tavern over mask mandate violation
The Nevada Gaming Control Board has issued its second complaint in a year against a Carson City tavern that was fined $5,000 in November for its failure to enforce health and safety guidelines to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The state attorney general’s office, which prepared the complaint for the Control Board, has recommended a $10,000 fine for the second offense.
A five-count complaint against restricted licensee Bette Larsen, owner of The Timbers, was issued Aug. 9, but its disposition is pending consideration by the Nevada Gaming Commission. Larsen did not return a call Monday seeking comment on the matter.
The Timbers is not affiliated with a Las Vegas tavern group with the same name.
According to the 18-page complaint, a Control Board agent inspected The Timbers on the evening of May 5. During the inspection, he saw 20-30 patrons inside the bar not wearing face coverings or practicing social distancing. The agent also saw three employees behind a bar not wearing masks.
The incident occurred at a time when Gov. Steve Sisolak had issued an emergency resolution requiring facial coverings.
The incident was similar to what occurred in the first complaint from August 2020.
Control Board agents said that on Aug. 17, 2020, they received an anonymous tip that patrons and bartenders at The Timbers were not wearing protective facial covering when drinks were served. Control Board agents made an unannounced visit on Aug. 26, notified a bartender about the anonymous tip and explained various guidelines imposed since March by Sisolak.
The bartender acknowledged the guidelines, pulled out a facial covering — but continued to work without one.
An attorney that represented Larsen at the Nov. 19 commission hearing — when commissioners unanimously voted to fine Larsen — didn’t dispute the charges.
Commissioners also ordered a key employee licensing — someone responsible for making sure all regulations and statutes are followed when a manager or owner is not present — because they said Larsen had not spent enough time monitoring activities at the bar.
According to the second complaint, Larsen was directed to file a key employee application by Jan. 18, but didn’t until Jan. 21.
Both complaints say Larsen violated Regulation 5, which says the “responsibility for the employment and maintenance of suitable methods of operation rests with licensee and willful or persistent use or toleration of methods of operation deemed unsuitable will constitute grounds for license revocation or other disciplinary action.”
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.
