In Waynesboro
Alcohol ordinance passes first reading
By Elizabeth Billips Associate Editor

Come November, restaurants and retailers will probably sell alcohol until 1 a.m.

Waynesboro's proposed alcoholic beverage ordinance mustered a 3-2 approval from city council Monday - and will become city law if it passes again Nov. 5.

Council members have been tossing around the idea of a later last-call since early summer, and on Aug. 6, a similar ordinance with a 2 a.m. cut-off was killed when Mayor Jesse Stone voted against it in a tiebreaker.

Earlier this month, council voted 2-1 for the 1 a.m. cut-off, but it didn't get the three-vote majority needed for a second reading.

Monday night, council members finally passed the first reading in less than two minutes with no discussion among them or audience members.

"I guess we've already discussed this," Mayor Jesse Stone said.

Vice-mayor Neal Leonard voted in favor of the ordinance, along with councilmen Chick Jones and Curtis Bell. Dick Byne and Bill Tinley were opposed, and Willie Williams, who previously voted in favor of it, was absent.

If the second reading flies, the 1 a.m. cut-off will apply every night except Saturday when sales will stop just before midnight. Also, restaurant employees under the age of 18 would be allowed to take drink orders, and establishments can begin advertising drink specials.