Alcohol

Today on Sounds Good, we meet Todd Blume, the co-owner and brewer of Paducah Beer Werks, set to open this fall in Paducah. Located in the old Greyhound Bus station at 301 N. 4th Street, Blume is converting the space into a fully-functional craft brewery, while keeping some of the station aesthetic and artwork. He's in the discovery process of determining the palate of Paducah and aims to start with four beers, some seasonals, and eventually partnering with local restaurants. Hear the conversation:

Community discussions about underage drinking are going on in the Purchase area. On Sounds Good, Kate Lochte speaks with Dr. Patrick Withrow and Ms. Ellen Walsh about the Paducah/McCracken Town Hall Meeting at Baptist Health next Monday evening (April 28) being called "Not My Child: A Community Discussion about Underage Drinking."

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.