Mishap At Electric Blue Turns Into Brown Mess In Tolland

TOLLAND, CT — A septic problem turned into a busted sewer pipe that turned into a trail of sand in the parking lot of the Electric Blue Cafe in Tolland that crept onto a portion of Route 195 on Wednesday.

The Blue, as it is known in local circles, is a strip joint located at 62 Merrow Road, the local address for that part of Route 195.

The situation broke out in the afternoon, when the Eastern Highlands Health District, for the second time this month, ordered the property owner to pump out an "overflowing" septic tank. Early Wednesday evening, a contractor hired by the property owners broke the sewer line, Tolland Town Manager Brian Foley said.

The Tolland Fire Department, a Department of Public Works crew a crew from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and inspectors from the EHHD went to the scene. The repairs were made shortly after, Foley said.

The Blue has been on the radar of authorities often these days, particularly after a raid by federal, state and local officials in mid-March. The investigation included federal vehicles with homeland security agents.

On March 16, Tolland's planning department issued a notice of suspension to the Blue's parent company, Denning Enterprises Inc., under Chapter 51 of the Town Code. The following day, company representatives optioned the Blue's right of appeal and the topless bar has remained open, Foley said.

Appeals of that sort require a Tolland Town Council hearing, and after consulting the town's legal staff and municipal administrators, the notice of suspension was vacated, Foley said.

"Most importantly, we are also aware of an ongoing Federal criminal investigation involving the Electric Blue," Foley said. "The investigation is ongoing and all information pertaining to it is sealed at this time. The town will continue to monitor the investigation and business activity at the Electric Blue and take such action, if any, deemed necessary in the future."