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Lawrence licensing board imposes 7-day suspension, $600 fine and temporary rollback of hours on Cavallo following after-hours incident
Summary
After a June 13 police report describing after‑hours alcohol service, locked exits and on-site hookah, the Lawrence licensing board voted to suspend Cavallo restaurant’s license for seven days, levy a $600 entertainment fine, and roll back operating hours to 11:30 p.m. for seven days.
The Lawrence City Licensing Board voted on July 15 to impose a seven‑day suspension, a $600 fine for entertainment violations, and a seven‑day rollback of operating hours (to 11:30 p.m.) on Cavallo restaurant, after a police report found the venue was open three hours past its authorized closing time on June 13.
Officer Pena, who presented the department’s report (No. 263865), told the board officers arrived around 4:33–5:00 a.m., found roughly 60 people inside, observed alcohol service and hookah smoking, and reported that doors opened to smoke and that egress had been obstructed. “Given the nature and seriousness of these violations, I respectfully recommend the license board consider this penalty action, including suspension of the establishment’s liquor license,” Officer Pena said during the meeting.
The establishment’s representative, Brian Hargan, described the application on behalf of Cavallo and noted the proposed manager change; the licensee pushed back that the business has a long, otherwise clean record and asked for leniency. “My track record is good. I go by the law. I abide everything,” the licensee (meeting participant) said in his defense.
Board members debated whether the incident—characterized by some commissioners as a potentially life‑threatening failure of safety—warranted the longer suspensions used in prior cases. One enforcement speaker recommended heavier penalties including a 20‑day suspension and multiple fines; other commissioners emphasized this was the business’s first appearance before the board and favored a shorter sanction. After discussion the board’s motion, seconded by Commissioner Morales, passed directing a 7‑day suspension, a $600 entertainment fine, and a 7‑day rollback of hours to run after the suspension and conclude on July 30. Staff said inspections and paperwork will follow before the establishment resumes normal hours.
The board’s action distinguishes between discussion (safety concerns and officer recommendations), formal direction (inspections and implementation dates) and formal action (the motion the commission approved). The board recorded the motion and directed staff to implement the suspension, fine and temporary hours rollback; any appeal period was noted as available per statutory timelines.
