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<p>WILKES-BARRE TWP. &#8212; Moving is out of the question for Ross Graham.</p><p>The South Franklin Street resident dug in and joined neighbors who want to see the Ali Baba Lounge go instead.</p><p>Graham testified as a witness for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board at a hearing Wednesday on whether the lounge&#8217;s license should be renewed in light of more than two dozen reports of fights, drunk and disorderly patrons and a fatal shooting that occurred outside the South Main Street nightspot within the past two years.</p><p>The PLCB has allowed license holder Nabil Abualburak Inc. to continue to operate Omnia Bar &amp; Grill and Ali Baba Lounge under temporary authority since the license expired Sept. 1. The PLCB alleged Abualburak, president of the company, along with Manal Saleem Daghlas, secretary, and Samer Abualburak, treasurer, abused their licensing privilege.</p><p>A resident of the downtown for 10 years, Graham said he lives directly behind the lounge that has affected the quality of life and made the neighborhood unsafe by attracting an &#8220;unsavory crowd&#8221; and bringing in &#8220;seedy&#8221; rap singers to perform.</p><p>During questioning from the lounge&#8217;s attorney William Byrne, Graham said he has too much invested to sell his house and leave.</p><p>&#8220;I have intentions of cutting out the cancer in the neighborhood. That&#8217;s my intention,&#8221; Graham said.</p><p>The two sparred over whether the July 19 shooting death of Colin Jones, 26, of Brooklyn. N.Y., was connected to the lounge.</p><p>&#8220;All&#8217;s I know there&#8217;s been problems since it opened,&#8221; Graham said.</p><p>The shooting got the attention of Wilkes University President Patrick Leahy. He testified that he received a call in the middle of the night from the school&#8217;s Public Safety department alerting him about it. The Nissan Rogue driven by Jones crashed into a utility pole at the intersection of West South and South Main streets near the Wilkes Sidhu School of Business building.</p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;s when it really raised the awareness to me of the challenges&#8221; of that location, Leahy said. His biggest concern is the safety of the students, he added.</p><p>When Wilkes became aware of the license renewal, the school&#8217;s legal counsel wrote a letter to the PLCB opposing it, Leahy said.</p><p><strong>License decision later</strong></p><p>PLCB attorney Michael Plank also questioned Wilkes-Barre Police Detective Charles Jensen about the fatal shooting. Jensen declined to say if there is a suspect at this point.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s an open homicide investigation,&#8221; Jensen said.</p><p>The lounge&#8217;s security camera system was damaged by a storm and was sent away to be repaired when the shooting occurred, according to the detective.</p><p>&#8220;Through other video sources, we could see the victim leaving the establishment and his shirt was ripped,&#8221; Jensen said. The shirt was taken into evidence after Jones was taken off life support July 21. An autopsy determined his death was a homicide and that he died from a single gunshot wound to the head.</p><p>Jensen acknowledged the shooting occurred outside the lounge, but Jones was involved in a fight inside that brought 25 to 50 people into the street.</p><p>Other officers who were paid by the club to work a private detail testified they made arrests outside the club and across the street in a parking lot. Ali Baba security personnel escorted unruly and intoxicated patrons outside, the officers said.</p><p>Administrative Law Judge Charles Gibbs will resume the hearing at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Courtyard by Marriott on Schechter Drive. He will make his recommendations to the PLCB, and the agency will rule on the case at a later date.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Ali Baba Lounge, South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, is fighting to renew its liquor license. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_TTL111518AliBaba1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Ali Baba Lounge, South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, is fighting to renew its liquor license. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Resident, university president oppose Ali Baba liquor-license renewal