Runs 1:10

(Anchor)

WHEN THE IOWA CITY CITY

COUNCIL PASSED THE 21-

ORDINANCE BANNING MINORS FROM

CITY BARS AFTER TEN P-M, THE

FOCUS WAS ON HOW THE LAW

WOULD AFFECT DOWNTOWN BARS.

HOWEVER, AS DAILY IOWAN TV’S

NICK LONG TELLS US, SMALL

BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN WILL ALSO

BE AFFECTED BY THE AGE CHANGE.

(Reporter)

The 21-Ordinance will undoubtedly have an effect on downtown bars. Those under the age of 21 will no longer be able to enter drinking establishments after 10 PM. But how will the ordinance affect other business downtown such as the beloved food carts? According to Marco’s Grilled Cheese worker Katie Williams, about half of their clientele is under the legal drinking age.

“It seems like most are about 21, 22. I realize a lot of young kids come down here but I don’t know how much they hang out late because you can’t really close a bar down if you can’t drink.”

Marco’s has the advantage of being in the middle of the Pedestrian Mall where they are surrounded by several already-21 bars.

“We have to be here. This is the choice spot. All of the carts want to be in this spot because we’re surrounded by everybody.”

However, Williams says that other businesses downtown with different locations will just have to wait and see how the ordinance will affect their customer base.

“They’ll probably be affected in the same way we are. They have the same people coming up to them. We’ll see. I think everybody’s going to wait and see how it affects them.”

Whether the business will be affected or not will be seen in the future but come June 1st, the downtown Pedestrian Mall will have an older crowd.

Nick Long, Daily Iowan TV.

(Anchor)

THE ORDINANCE GOES INTO

EFFECT ON JUNE FIRST. SEVERAL

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES

HAVE ALREADY BEGUN THE

PROCESS OF GATHERING THE

TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED

SIGNATURES NECESSARY TO GET A

REFERENDUM VOTE ON

NOVEMBER’S BALLOT.