Calhoun-Cleburne Circuit Court Judge John Thomason ruled last week that the Cleburne County Commission must issue a lounge-liquor license to Connie Gail Rodriquez who is planning an establishment at Muscadine Junction.

Earlier this year the commission had denied her application.

At the time their only requirement, other than regulations set by the Alabama Beverage Control Board, was to deny a license to an establishment within 1,000 feet of a school, day care or church.

Rodriquez responded by filing a lawsuit against the county saying that they also considered a separate resolution to require a clean criminal history and that an establishment must derive an equal amount of revenue from food sales as sale of beverages.

Judge Thomason found the requirement concerning food sales did not apply to state law and ruled in Rodriquez's favor.

Attorney Doug Ghee, representing Cleburne County said the ABC Board had already approved Rodriquez's application.

The license was the third request from the county, the other two being the restaurant at Cheaha State Park for the sale of wine and beer and the Fruithurst Winery for production and on site sale of wine.

The Rodriquez application was the first application the county has received for a liquor-lounge permit.

Ghee said he will recommend that the commissioners take a very careful look at a complete set of criteria and review very carefully the regulations they already have.

He said the county's main concern has been "unregulated bars".