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September 13, 2004
Last call for Arizona
Dan Smith
Mesa Legend
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Photo by Casey Ferguson Mesa Legend |
| Valley residents had an extra hour to celebrate when last call was recently extended to
2 a.m. Local bars and liquor stores are already feeling the effects of the change as patrons are arriving and staying at the bars later than usual. |
A new state law has helped Arizona get “caught up with the rest of the country,” according to a security staff member Mike Sanchez, who works at RT O’Sullivan’s sports bar in Mesa. The new reform does not aid the state’s sub-par public educational system, an area where Arizona could really do some catching up, but Arizonans can now legally purchase alcoholic beverages an hour later than usual.
Bars and liquor stores are staying open longer and providing libations for thirsty customers until 2 a.m. under the new legislation. The change is already being felt by restaurant and bar industry employees, as well as patrons.
“The regulars are arriving later and staying later,” said Sanchez, who believes the change is positive for employees because of the added revenue that will be made by the liquor selling establishments.
It will also allow those getting off of work or school late some time to come in and hang out without being rushed, said former MCC student Mike Bizzle, while enjoying a frosty glass of brew. Bizzle pointed out that before the rule changed, “When you were finally getting drunk you got cut off, but now you can fulfill your drinking pleasures.”
Sanchez, a veteran bartender of seven years, also believes that the amount of drunk drivers traversing Arizona’s roads will increase as an effect of the additional hours for alcohol purchase.
In Mesa, no remarkable changes in the amount of DUI citations occurred during the initial weekend of the new law. The Mesa police department does not predict significant changes in the amount of DUIs according to Lieutenant Ben Kulina of the Mesa Traffic Division, “If people are going to drink and drive they will do it at any time.”
Mesa’s police department will be monitoring the impacts of the new law, “We will see if there is an increase in DUI rates and make adjustments,” said Kulina.
No remarkable rate change in DUIs took place in Tempe during the first weekend of the extended hours according to Tempe Public Relations Officer Jeff Lane. Lane also does not predict changes in DUI amounts, “if you are making the wrong decision in the beginning then you are going to continue to make those decisions no matter what time it is.” But Lane does see the possibility of extreme DUIs rising.
Valley cities will be watching the amount of DUIs given out to see if any changes should be made in law enforcement.
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