Head of supermarket wine sales group leaving

Friday, January 10, 2014, Vol. 38, No. 2

NASHVILLE (AP) — The campaign manager for a group advocating for supermarket wine sales in Tennessee is leaving to become the CEO of the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors.

Jarron Springer has been president of the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association since 2005, and also leads the Red White and Food campaign pushing for the law change.

Current law keeps supermarkets and convenience stores from selling beer stronger than 5 percent by weight, which is the equivalent of about 6.5 percent in the more common measure of alcohol by volume. Anything stronger can only be sold in liquor stores, which aren't allowed to sell any items beyond booze and lottery tickets.

Advocates want cities and counties to be able to hold votes on whether to allow supermarket wine sales