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Next Queen of Hearts drawing location, draw day could be changed
By ROBERT CONNELLY
AUSTINTOWN
Over the next several days, Barry Dyngles and township officials will decide what to do about the next Queen of Hearts drawing.
“There’s a lot of factors that are going to play into this” decision, said Austintown Trustee Jim Davis after a Friday afternoon meeting with pub officials.
Davis also said pub officials, such as owner Shawn Hannon, have “kept the communications open and worked with our law enforcement, and that’s been the best thing out of this whole thing – that he has communicated and cooperated.”
The township’s biggest concern is public safety, Davis said, as crowds have grown along with the jackpot in the quest for the elusive Queen of Hearts, still hiding on the board.
The pub, at 1601 S. Raccoon Road, could have a jackpot of $1 million at its next drawing Wednesday night, which is usually at 8 p.m. The drawing, however, could be moved to a different day or location, and that will be determined over the coming days.
“I think Shawn [Hannon] is going to work some things out on his end ... he’s kind of in a holding pattern,” Davis said.
Pub officials were not available to comment Friday night.
In other Queen of Hearts news, the Austintown Fraternal Order of Police was the nonprofit beneficiary for Wednesday night’s outdoor liquor permit. That permit requires a nonprofit beneficiary, police officials have explained.
The FOP plans to give the proceeds it will receive from the restaurant to the Brian Newhard Foundation. Newhard, a detective for Jackson Township Police Department, recently died of ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease.