Throughout the past year, there have been a lot of articles in the news about who should and should not be able to sell alcohol or even have it on the premises. There have been stadiums and restaurants and even fast-food establishments who have discussed the possibilities and universities and fraternity houses that have worked towards cutting back on options.
There is always a heated debate in every situation between those who think that society will be better off if we allow less liquor, or at least in public places, and those who say, hey, they’re going to drink anyway, it’s their right, so why not let them buy it close to here so that we can make a profit off of it instead of someone else?
Here in the South, there are whole counties and cities and towns that are still “dry” and discussing it. This story is about the Magic Springs & Crystal Falls amusement park in Hot Springs. They are under new management, and the new managers have assessed the park and they decided that it would be beneficial to sell beer and wine at seven locations instead of just five like before.
On the other hand, Mayor Ruth Carney thinks otherwise. She is a member of the board of a substance abuse treatment groups and she is actually hoping to see the park cut back on how many sites offer beer and wine.
The Arkansas Beverage Control Division (ABCD) has denied the application. Kathy Gibson, a document examiner with the ABCD, said on December 20, 2011, “The application in its entirety was denied based on the mayor’s objection. So if they want to pursue the application, they’ll need to appeal the director’s decision and have a hearing before the full board...”
The quandary continues. But is this a question of one person trying to impose her beliefs on others, or a situation where a person has studied the facts about alcoholism and drunk driving and thus is pushing for a more healthy, family-friendly, and safe environment?
The park will still be allowed to serve beer and wine in the five current locations, and they can appeal the decision if they so desire.
