CU Bars in the News; University, cities getting set for annual 'Unofficial' event

University, cities getting set for annual 'Unofficial' event

From the News-Gazette

Highlights/what to expect in the community:

Campus bars also will not be allowed to open before 11 a.m. on Friday. The orders will be in effect only for Unofficial, Schweighart said. Bars also may not serve pitchers or shots of undiluted alcohol, and all drinks must be served in a plastic or paper cup.

Schweighart is Mayor Jerry Schweighart of Champaign, he is also the city liquor commissioner.

Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing on Wednesday announced "emergency order plans" for an area between Oregon Street on the north, Nevada Street on the south, Goodwin Avenue on the west and Lincoln Avenue on the east.

The two liquor licenses in that area – Canopy Club, 708 S. Goodwin Ave., U, and Rosati's Authentic Chicago Pizza, 701 S. Gregory St., U – are not allowed to open before 11 a.m. March 5.

The Urbana rules also prohibit serving shots or undiluted drinks from 11 a.m. March 5 until 2:30 a.m. March 6. Pitchers are not allowed to be served in that area of Urbana from 1 to 2:30 a.m. March 6.

So, if you want to get drunk, go to downtown Urbana. Bunny's, Rose Bowl, Legion, Iron Post, (or my favorite) Crane Alley.

The UI will have security staff stationed in large lecture halls, Kaler said, and will be checking students upon entrance to ensure they are not drunk and not carrying alcohol into class.

At least they aren't on furlough that day.

CU Liquor News; Emergency rules announced for "Unofficial" in Champaign

From the News-Gazette.

Emergency rules announced for "Unofficial" in Champaign

The nanny state is at it again! (This time, it's the nanny city)

Selected highlights in the article:

Bars in the campus area must raise their minimum entry age from 19 to 21 during Unofficial, and they must also have a doorman aged 21 or older checking identification at the entrance.

That's not necessarily a bad thing anyway.

Bars and liquor stores in the campus area will not be allowed to serve alcohol before 11 a.m. on March 5. Bars also may not serve pitchers or shots of undiluted alcohol, and all drinks must be served in a plastic or paper cup.

What is a shot of undiluted alcohol? Does everything have to be a mixed drink? No pitchers? Plastic or paper cup?

The mayor’s office will not issue any keg permits for private parties, making it illegal to possess more than one keg per residence.

Attention homebrewers, during unofficial if you own more than one keg, you are a criminal. Thank you for that Champaign.

Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day is a daylong drinking event in which some University of Illinois students participate. Last year, Champaign police issued 351 citations on Unofficial, and spent more than $13,000 on police overtime, Champaign police Lt. Brad Yohnka said Friday.

That's an example of throwing around numbers that seem big. But they left off the biggest number. Paying $13,000 seems like a lot. Giving out 351 citations seems like a lot. In order to recoup the $13,000 and not make a profit off of those citations, the city would have to charge $37.04 per citation. The fine is more than $300, so the city took in $57,198.96 that day (300-37.04=162.96*351=57198.96).

I can throw around numbers that make it seem small. According to wiki, there are 31,173 undergraduate students at the school. If they don't turn 21 until the middle of their junior year, that's roughly 16,000 students who are under 21. That means that only 351 of roughly 16000 people got ticketed. 1 percent of 16000 is 160, 2 percent is 320, so only 2% of students got cited last year. How is that a problem?

If Champaign took the money, they would only have to bitch about $2,000 that they would have paid.

'No Refusal' DUI program in effect over New Year's in Macon Co.

'No Refusal' DUI program in effect over New Year's in Macon Co.

DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE IN MACON COUNTY!!!

This weekend over New Year's if you drink and drive, you won't be able to refuse testing.

The Macon County State's Attorney's Office calls it the "No Refusal" DUI program. Prosecutors, nurses, a judge, and police will be working over the weekend to speed up the process of getting evidence on DUI suspects as soon as possible. If you refuse to voluntarily take a breathalyzer, warrants will be issued right away to force urine or blood testing.

How is this even legal?

Have a designated driver. Don't have a designated not as drunk.

Hmmm, if you refuse the breathalyzer, can you just pee all over the cops, or pull out a knife and throw some of your own blood on them?

The Nanny State In Action: or you aren't smart enough to make your own decisions

Texting while driving, smoking target of '10 laws

Dear citizen;

You can't make good decisions, therefore the state is making them for you. No, not The State, although you probably don't want them making decisions for you either.

Here's some new laws.

You can not text while driving in Illinois.

On Jan. 1, it becomes illegal for motorists to send text messages while driving and to talk on cell phones while driving through a highway construction zone or school zone.

Oh, this is nice.

Gov. Pat Quinn will sign an amendment to the Illinois Vehicle Code that prohibits writing, sending or receiving text messages while driving, said the governor's spokeswoman, Marlena Jentz. The bill does make texting exceptions for drivers who pull over to text or shift their car into park or neutral to message while stopped in traffic.

So, make sure your car is in park if you are texting while stuck in traffic. Is sitting at a stop light "stuck in traffic"?

Here's some other new laws (from the yahoo article)

You cannot smoke in bars and restaurants in North Carolina.

Ah, I remember when Champaign/Urbana first passed that law (before the rest of Illinois did) and Rock's had on their sign, "OK non-smokers, where you at?" Because, remember non-smokers had complained that they didn't like going to all those smokey bars. So when the law was passed, a lot of smokers stayed home, but the non-smokers never came...

I wonder if there's a link between state's budget shortfalls and the reduction in people who smoke? All these states seem to be running out of money, meanwhile, people stop smoking and paying taxes on cigarettes... coincidence? When do more people who normally don't smoke, smoke? (when they are drinking).

Massachusetts says you can't watch dog racing anymore.

Texas says you teens can't go tanning without an adult.

Nevada and Louisiana say you can't buy a "novelty" lighter.

All of this because you can't make your own decisions.

Unless you are gay, then in Wisconsin you can receive health insurance benefits, and in New Hampshire you can get married.


How you managed to get out of bed this morning and get to work without killing yourself is beyond my comprehension.