Evil Ernie
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http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/24/city-eyes-staggering-last-calls/
There is a poll included!
City will ask bar owners to discuss staggering 'last call' By Ashleigh Oldland, Rocky Mountain News , Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News (Contact) Originally published 06:52 p.m., June 24, 2008
Updated 06:52 p.m., June 24, 2008
Lower Downtown bar owners will soon be asked to discuss staggering "last call" to curb a massive outpouring of patrons into the streets.
City Council members Tuesday expressed support for Mayor John Hickenlooper's desire to explore ways to lighten congestion in LoDo in the wake of a fatal police shooting there Sunday morning as clubs closed.
The shooting left Mark Tabullo-Zuniga, 23, dead and Andres Castillo, 26, in serious condition. Police are still seeking a third man.
Hickenlooper said Tuesday he'd be convening a meeting to discuss staggering hours, a notion that has been proposed before but never went anywhere. Most bars close at 2 a.m. because they are not legally allowed to serve alcoholic drinks after that.
Hickenlooper said Wynkoop Brewery, which he formerly owned, voluntarily shifted last call to 1:15 a.m.
"You don't make that much money on last call," Hickenlooper said. "It would take the energy level down a couple notches."
Council members did not have much to say, however, about the mayor's desire to explore new gun control measures in Denver after a violent weekend in which an 8-year-old girl was injured in another shooting in Curtis Park.
But, without council support, no changes in gun laws will happen, said Assistant City Attorney David Broadwell, who has worked on various municipal gun control measures over the years.
Fight promised
"I am underwhelmed by that approach," City Councilman Charlie Brown said Tuesday when asked about new local gun control laws.
Brown said he favored voluntary staggering of bar closing times. He said he'll never drive through LoDo in the wee hours again after picking up his son from work at a catering company last summer.
"I saw the patrons emerging from the bars and it wasn't a very pleasant sight," Brown said. "Some people were throwing up. Others were in a militant mood. A couple people banged on my car and it was scary."
Police Chief Gerry Whitman joked in a news conference Monday that it would be best for the bars to "close at dusk." He didn't embrace the idea of bars staying open later than 2 a.m. and serving non-alcoholic drinks.
"It requires the police to make a commitment of resources," Whitman said.
As for gun control, Hickenlooper held up Philadelphia as a city that has passed numerous ordinances recently to curb gun violence. Only three of five ordinances have taken effect due to court challenges, and they face appeals from pro-gun groups.
And critics of new gun laws in Denver are already emerging. Dudley Brown, a lobbyist for the last 15 years for the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, said criminals don't follow laws.
"With gun control, the only people carrying guns are the bad guys," Brown said. "We will fight Hickenlooper tooth and nail."
Strict laws in place
Denver already has some of the strictest firearm laws in Colorado. The city's ordinances — which have survived court challenges — include a ban on assault weapons and so-called Saturday-night specials, a prohibition against openly carrying firearms in public, and a requirement for safe storage of all firearms.
But gun control advocate Tom Mauser said "local communities should be able to make local level changes to fit area needs." He said he supports a new law in Philadelphia, now challenged in the courts, that would limit gun purchases to one per month.
"The law needs to be tougher on rogue gun dealers," Mauser said. "We need to take guns from people we know are dangerous."
Hickenlooper said he would examine the city's laws.
"We want to look at the matrix of our existing laws and see if some of these other laws are able to help," Hickenlooper said. "The goal is to send a clear message that people running around with guns and shooting them in our most populated areas isn't OK."
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/24/city-eyes-staggering-last-calls/
There is a poll included!
City will ask bar owners to discuss staggering 'last call' By Ashleigh Oldland, Rocky Mountain News , Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News (Contact) Originally published 06:52 p.m., June 24, 2008
Updated 06:52 p.m., June 24, 2008
Lower Downtown bar owners will soon be asked to discuss staggering "last call" to curb a massive outpouring of patrons into the streets.
City Council members Tuesday expressed support for Mayor John Hickenlooper's desire to explore ways to lighten congestion in LoDo in the wake of a fatal police shooting there Sunday morning as clubs closed.
The shooting left Mark Tabullo-Zuniga, 23, dead and Andres Castillo, 26, in serious condition. Police are still seeking a third man.
Hickenlooper said Tuesday he'd be convening a meeting to discuss staggering hours, a notion that has been proposed before but never went anywhere. Most bars close at 2 a.m. because they are not legally allowed to serve alcoholic drinks after that.
Hickenlooper said Wynkoop Brewery, which he formerly owned, voluntarily shifted last call to 1:15 a.m.
"You don't make that much money on last call," Hickenlooper said. "It would take the energy level down a couple notches."
Council members did not have much to say, however, about the mayor's desire to explore new gun control measures in Denver after a violent weekend in which an 8-year-old girl was injured in another shooting in Curtis Park.
But, without council support, no changes in gun laws will happen, said Assistant City Attorney David Broadwell, who has worked on various municipal gun control measures over the years.
Fight promised
"I am underwhelmed by that approach," City Councilman Charlie Brown said Tuesday when asked about new local gun control laws.
Brown said he favored voluntary staggering of bar closing times. He said he'll never drive through LoDo in the wee hours again after picking up his son from work at a catering company last summer.
"I saw the patrons emerging from the bars and it wasn't a very pleasant sight," Brown said. "Some people were throwing up. Others were in a militant mood. A couple people banged on my car and it was scary."
Police Chief Gerry Whitman joked in a news conference Monday that it would be best for the bars to "close at dusk." He didn't embrace the idea of bars staying open later than 2 a.m. and serving non-alcoholic drinks.
"It requires the police to make a commitment of resources," Whitman said.
As for gun control, Hickenlooper held up Philadelphia as a city that has passed numerous ordinances recently to curb gun violence. Only three of five ordinances have taken effect due to court challenges, and they face appeals from pro-gun groups.
And critics of new gun laws in Denver are already emerging. Dudley Brown, a lobbyist for the last 15 years for the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, said criminals don't follow laws.
"With gun control, the only people carrying guns are the bad guys," Brown said. "We will fight Hickenlooper tooth and nail."
Strict laws in place
Denver already has some of the strictest firearm laws in Colorado. The city's ordinances — which have survived court challenges — include a ban on assault weapons and so-called Saturday-night specials, a prohibition against openly carrying firearms in public, and a requirement for safe storage of all firearms.
But gun control advocate Tom Mauser said "local communities should be able to make local level changes to fit area needs." He said he supports a new law in Philadelphia, now challenged in the courts, that would limit gun purchases to one per month.
"The law needs to be tougher on rogue gun dealers," Mauser said. "We need to take guns from people we know are dangerous."
Hickenlooper said he would examine the city's laws.
"We want to look at the matrix of our existing laws and see if some of these other laws are able to help," Hickenlooper said. "The goal is to send a clear message that people running around with guns and shooting them in our most populated areas isn't OK."
