By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – Troubles continue to pile up for a well-known Bloomington restaurant. The city’s liquor commission has suspended the liquor license for CJ’s Restaurant and Catering, located in the old terminal at Central Illinois Regional Airport.

The city attorney said CJ’s owner Peter Goranitis owes $4,958.85 in municipal taxes, he wrote a check with insufficient funds to pay for his liquor license, and Goranitis did not show up for Tuesday’s liquor commission meeting even though he was ordered to do so.

“We will suspend their license until such time as they pay their liquor license fee and all taxes that are owed to the city, and I would ask that to be effective immediately,” said Mayor Tari Renner, who chairs the commission.

The airport authority has taken Goranitis to court, seeking a default judgment to take possession of the restaurant for failing to pay its rent.

Also, the liquor commission and a local restaurateur who wants to buy Cousin’s Restaurant on Maple Hill Road are having a hard time finding current owner Blerim Bekiri, who allegedly owes $14,537.35 in delinquent city taxes.

Eric Trujillo wants to buy the place he’s been managing since November, and is liable to pay the taxes if he becomes the owner.

“I think it is fairly clear that Eric is being jerked around by this guy,” said Trujillo’s attorney Hal Jennings.

“It’s not just Mr. Trujillo who may very well be jerked around by Mr. Bekiri, but it’s also nearly 80,000 taxpayers in the City of Bloomington,” said Mayor Renner.

The commission found Bekiri in contempt for failing to appear, fined him $2,000, and suspended Cousin’s liquor license for another 30 days.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].