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Updated: 1:59 PM Jul 27, 2010
Beatrice Considers A 2:00 A.M. Bar Closing Time
Beatrice becomes the latest town to consider closing its bars an hour later.
Posted: 9:13 AM Jul 27, 2010Reporter: Erika Tallan |
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12 Comments 
Beatrice becomes the latest town to consider closing its bars an hour later.
"It's been really tough for the bars with the recession and with everything going on. we've had to struggle. We've had to come up with new ideas and new ways to get people to come in," said Kathy Keylon.
Kathy Keylon and Don Cerveny manager and owner of the office want to be able to shut their doors to drinkers at 2 a.m. an hour later.
"If we keep the bar open until 2:00 a.m. that's an extra hour of revenue for us which is greatly needed," said Keylon.
Keylon says staying open later could means less liability for bars.
She said some people are leaving Beatrice bars at closing time and going to bars in nearby towns, Wymore and Dewitt. Those towns are about a 30 minute drive away but bars there stay open until 2 in the morning.
"We've heard people leaving the bar saying we've got one more hour, 'let's go let's go let's go'! It worries me when they leave because if they get into an accident when they leave this bar and don't make it to the other small towns, we're responsible," said Keylon.
Other bar owners aren't so convinced its the right move.
"I don't want to close at 2:00 a.m. but I have to do it. Everybody has to do it. You have to be competitive in this business," said Steve Mason, owner of The Rail bar.
Mason said the later time will create problems for his employees.
"I'm going to have a hard time getting my employees to stay up that late. Most of my employees have what they call real jobs. They have to get up and go to work in the morning," Mason said.
He said he'll have the same problem trying to keep bands and other entertainment to stay the extra hour.
But other bar owners say it's what customers want.
"They do want to stay and have a couple more drinks," said Don Cerveny.
More than 20 communities have already made the switch.
Monday night, the Beatrice City Council held a public meeting at the Beatrice Public Library and decided to put the issue on the agenda for next week's meeting. The council will vote on whether to extend the closing time to 2:00 A.M. next Monday.
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Latest Comments
If you can't get drunk by 1:00 stay home!, don't enough people die from drunk drivers the way it is?, this is just another way for the county to get more money from the added tickets they will write, and fines to collect.
time for some new articles this ones been here since july
I think it`s a great ideal the city will get more money from the drunk`s that get picked up instead of harass us about a fence around our pool`s .I have lived here a few years now and I don`t recall if hearing about any one drowning in a pool .But there sure are a lot of people dieing because of drunk drivers. Go have another beer [word omitted due to profanity].
Peace, brethren. For once the time has come that all have agreed upon, so too shall entropy in the Universe cease. Or at least in Nebraska counties.
you know ther was a rape that took place on the block i live on. then 2 weeks later another in the same neiborhood. lets focus on whats important. no drinking.
The comments against the 2:00 AM closing time really don't surprise me here... what with the mannequin tragedy and all. Beatrice needs to quit being Mayberry and loosen up before it inadvertently loses all of its freedoms by forcing the government to "protect" the people from themselves with all sorts of laws.
There are not that many responsible people out there. Get off at 11 then go to the bar till 12 or 1--then what?? Drive home drunk and maybe kill someone??!! Freedom to drink and drive and -again- kill someone??!!
People are going to get DUIs no matter what time the bars close. This will benefit 2nd shifters that don't get off work until 11. Responsible people will adjust what time they go to the bars or leave before closing time. Finally something that gives us some freedom instead of protecting us from ourselves.
people are going to drink however long that they want to, whether it is at the bar or at the after party.
that's all they need to closed later more drunks out there to kill good people there be alot more accidents too s
like that city needs to encourage people to drink even more. I lived there. All there is to do is factory work and drink on payday. Every other person has had a DWI (if not, then they know the country roads better than the cops). One more hour, many more DWI's and possibly accidents. How many more wrecked cars do you want to see? This is the last town for MORE drinking. It is tolerated too much.
This is ridiculous. A member of the community just got killed by a drunk driver! Money is all we hear about. This should NOT happen!!!
