Just a few days after declaring himself victorious in the first of several anticipated court battles over his shuttered Pottsville business, Bobby Weaver Jr. says he’s planning another Free Beer event on the grounds of the former Black Rock Brewing Co.
In a Facebook video posted Sunday evening, Weaver says the Free Beer event will be held on Saturday, July 6, at the Black Rock location on S. Centre St. in Pottsville.
On Wednesday, Weaver was found not guilty on 2 of 3 citations he faced for hosting a Free Beer event on March 16 at the same location. He was found guilty of violating an ordinance that doesn’t allow people on the grounds of a condemned property.
He faces two more similar citations for other Free Beer events he hosted on the weekend of the Yuengling Light Lager Jogger.
Weaver still insists that City officials have some kind of personal vendetta or beef with him, despite them saying they don’t, and for this next Free Beer event, he’s taking aim at Pottsville’s recent controversial decision to ban the feeding of stray animals in the city.
“The City of Pottsville government … they really don’t like me,” Weaver says in the video. “But you know who else they also don’t like? They don’t like the people in the City of Pottsville that feed the wildlife and care for stray cats.”
Weaver says two Schuylkill County-based organizations, Save the Strays Schuylkill and Strays No More Schuylkill County, will be at this next Free Beer event on July 6. The goal of the event is to raise money for both organizations, Weaver says.
The embattled business owner offers criticism of the recently-adopted Pottsville ordinance that threatens to fine residents for feeding stray animals in the city. Weaver says City officials should have involved organizations like the two he’s invited to this next Free Beer event before passing any such ordinance.
A similar stance has been taken by Hillside SPCA, just outside Pottsville, which says the City government should have consulted the shelter so they might be able to work together on a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) program to help reduce the number of stray cats in the city.
In a follow-up, Pottsville Mayor Dave Clews told The Canary that he’s willing to work with Hillside on such a program, provided that some type of funding is found for it.
As for this Saturday’s rather defiant Free Beer event, Weaver says, “It’s going to be a safe event. We’re not going to have people getting drunk, causing a riot. It’s just going to be nice and easy and we’re all going to get to hang out again.”
Weaver says people who attend will be able to meet with reps from the two animal organizations to learn more about them.
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Coalregion12
July 1, 2024 at 5:29 pm
Bob is destroying the city in court and in the PR battle as well.
Bob came to court with one of the best lawyers in the area. City has the young inexperienced code enforcement officer handle the case.
Time for cooler heads to prevail in city hall and move-on.
Come together with Bob and come to some type of agreement(city agrees to inspection of building).
Lori Steinhart
July 5, 2024 at 12:33 pm
I think it’s time for the city to reach out with a grant to help Bobby reopen. His business was a great place and brought money into dying Pottsville. People came from out of the area. I don’t like the guy’s personality but at some point the kid games need to stop. It’s interesting how other condemned properties are reinhabited and nothing is done to the owners or residents. This is a game between Bobby Weaver and the city and it’s hurting Pottsville. There’s nothing downtown. Crimson house is up for sale. I don’t think the wheels open anymore. So as far as restaurants go, you have the Mexican place or Roma’s. You have one bakery. Oh yeah and the drag queen store. I think it’s time we start to invest in Bobby Weaver, and his business is because at least he’s trying. As far as the cat ordinance, I hope people realize the same people that did that or the same people giving Bobby a hard time. I think our city Council needs to change. Since they’ve been in office I haven’t seen any changes to make Pottsville better.