Alcohol

A federal appeals court is set to consider the validity of a ruling striking down Kentucky's seven-decade old ban on grocery stores, gas stations and other retailers selling wine and liquor.

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled oral arguments for November 19 in Cincinnati in an appeal brought by the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Department.

Kentucky officials say a crackdown on underage drinking has resulted in dozens of citations being handed out.

The Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control's "Cops in Shops" program has given 154 alcohol-related citations since the effort started August 29. A total of 94 underage possession citations have been issued.

Taverns in Murray may stay open a little longer as part of a city effort to keep liquor business within city limits and cut down on public intoxication charges.

The Murray City Council Thursday night passed the amendment's first reading on a 5 to 6 vote to extend operating hours from midnight to 1:30 a.m. for the four taverns within city limits. 

Each year, nearly 10,000 people die on the road due to drunk driving, which is the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year and killing all aboard. In order to stop this deadly epidemic, law enforcement in every state and most US towns and cities will be cracking down on drunk driving through Labor Day. Murray Police Department Crime Prevention Sergant speaks with Chad Lampe about the crackdown.

Nearly a year after Murray voted to allow package alcohol sales the city's Mayor says the move has had a positive economic impact. Mayor Bill Wells says the city has used money to fund resource officers in two city schools, and may authorize a third officer in the elementary school.

Wells says the general fund dollars previously budgeted for law enforcement currently remain with law enforcement. He says the additional $1 million in projected alcohol tax revenue will also go toward alcohol enforcement and education.

The Hopkinsville City Council approved a new ordinance at a special meeting yesterday which would lift restrictions on liquor sales outside of the downtown district. However, several council members were concerned that the current zoning ordinance wouldn’t prevent bars and liquor stores from opening near schools and churches and decided to postpone lifting the restriction until January 1stof 2014.

The Murray City Council has approved a $44.6 million  budget despite failed attempts to amend the spending plan. Discussions lasted well into the night yesterday because of what Councilman Danny Hudspeth says was his obligation to bring forward the four amendments.

Hudspeth entertained cutting a two-point-five-percent salary increase for all city employees, the hiring of a new storm water and drainage technician, money for building a scenic trail and a $50,000 allocation to Murray State University for an alcohol education program.

The Hopkinsville City Council will hear the first reading tonight of an amendment that would cut the fifty-year-old restriction that alcohol sales only be sold in the downtown area.

The move would essentially eliminate the four-by-fourteen-block boundary in which the sale of alcohol has been limited to since the mid-1960s.

Quarterly profits from alcohol sales in Murray are going up as the city continues to fill the number of package stores the state permits.

Murray Police Sergeant Kendra Clere says the city’s 8 percent sales tax on alcohol has brought in almost $193,000 since January.

Clere told the City Council yesterday that DUIs and alcoholic intoxication charges have also risen, but says she expects those numbers with more officers working DUI calls.

Kentuckians can buy alcohol at restaurants, bars and retail stores on the next Election Day now that Gov. Steve Beshear has signed legislation lifting the Prohibition-era ban.

The state House and Senate both voted overwhelmingly last month to allow alcohol sales during hours the polls are open.