More Kentucky Counties Vote on Alcohol Sales, But 65 Counties Remain "Dry"

Louisville, KY, Courier-Journal ^ | 08-17-03 | Malone, James

[Theodore R.]

MURRAY, Ky.

[Theodore R.]

There is an old joke about KY. It notes how the state has long produced race horses, whisky, and tobacco. The old man in the joke says, "Son, we is in trouble if the country ever goes on a morality kick."

[StatesEnemy]

"The Bible says to be opposed to it."

Changing water into Kool-Aid?

[Salman]

Some years ago I lived in Conway, Arkansas for a while. Conway was in a dry county, but Little Rock (in the next county over) was wet. There was no enforcement of personal possession of alcohol, only sales. There were said to be a few moonshiners around, but nobody I knew had ever dealt with them.

However, the exit off the interstate at the county line had a strip mall with nothing but liquor stores, except for one convenience store that had quite a large inventory of beer and wine coolers.

When my mother grew up in North Carolina, the state was dry. Later, I think the 1950s, they allowed beer and wine sales in restaurants, but package liquor sales became a state monopoly. Not sure of the current situation, though I know package liquor sales are still a state monopoly.

My mother always said that the two forces opposing legal liquor were the Baptist preachers and the bootleggers.

[Zipporah]

But Ted Yates, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church in the county, said the argument that alcohol brings growth is not believable. And he added, "The Bible says to be opposed to it."

The Bible is opposed to being a drunkard. Guess this pastor missed the passage where Jesus changed the water into wine...OOPS I forgot.. believe it or not, some of these people teach it was grape JUICE!

[Eagle Eye]

Looks like they're now joining the 20th century. But I can't imagine Murray ever getting a Hooters.

[Conservababe]

I just returned from a four day visit with family in Breckinridge County, which is dry. What a hassle to pack in enough beer from home.

Home folks there are just used to making a run every week to a wet county and buying beer and liquor by the cases.

I asked them if they would ever vote to be a wet county and they all said "no way". They don't want "honky tonks" springing up all over the place. They would rather drink and socialize at home.

[Hoosier43fan]

What's wrong with just letting the locals decide how they want their communities to look? We have vacationed in Mercer County for 25 years. (Dry). Since the kids were babies. I am an occasional drinker of beer and spirits, but what my wife and I have decided is that the absence of readily available alcohol allows one to focus on the beauty, cuisine,history and charm of one of the finest stretches of land in the country. It's a situation that's kind of hard to describe. Of course we can carry something in with us, but never have. It would change the whole picture of what we go for. And besides, if ya really want a drink, a good innkeeper will get you one. Some throw private "receptions" in their homes. It's a local thing, and I'm for letting them handle it how they want to. "Progress" hell - we can go to Chicago for that!