HEARTS AND MINDSETS An Update on the Prodigious Thirst at Georgia Southern U.
From gainesville.com:
The City Council in Statesboro, Ga., has voted unanimously to do away with all drink specials and happy hours in the city's restaurants, bringing to end a months-long battle over binge drinking at Georgia Southern University.
The new rules prohibit establishments from giving away alcohol or offering reduced prices during certain hours of the day. They also restrict people from buying a pitcher of alcohol unless there are at least two people there to drink it and limit customers to one drink per person at a time.
Mayor William Hatcher called amendments to the existing alcohol ordinance "a step in the right direction."
"To think that we are going to stop all the drinking at Georgia Southern or in Bulloch County is ludicrous and that's not our heart or our mindset," Hatcher said. "Our intent is to slow it down and to focus on underage drinking."
The alcohol rules have stirred controversy on Southern's sprawling campus, and hundreds of college students turned out for last month's city council meeting to protest the changes. Many say the additional rules will drive more students to drink at house parties or in Savannah, a 30-minute drive away. Some restaurant owners have said they feel they are being persecuted for problems that occurred at other establishments.
Williams Britt, a member of the City Council, owns two of the most controversial establishments in town. Last month, the board yanked his liquor licenses because he didn't meet the requirement that at least half his profits come from food. He was barred from Tuesday's vote because of a potential conflict of interest.
Nancy Waters, chairwoman of the Alcohol Control Board, said she was happy with the council's vote.
"They made the responsible decision," Waters said. "I feel that the role of the mayor and the City Council is to see to the safety and well being of our citizens."
|