Voices: Alcohol and Main Street

May 14, 2008 12:31 am

— In 2006, in Jasper County, there were 154 accidents involving alcohol. Of those accidents, 77 happened in Joplin. That means half of all alcohol-related crashes in Jasper County happened in Joplin. That is a very high rate. It’s safe to say a large part of the problem is on Main Street.
I live six blocks off of Main Street. J Town Bar operated at 26th and Main until July of last year, and is now reopening. Alps Liquor Store is still there.
Businesses like these have an impact on the area they operate in. The building at 26th and Main streets is within three blocks of three schools. There is a school zone a half block from it and a school crossing at 26th and Main streets.
Bars and liquor stores can sell alcohol all day, and if a certain amount of their profit is from food, then children are allowed inside.
I have an accident report for an accident that occurred at 4 p.m. near Irving Elementary School. It involved the driver being intoxicated and driving on a revoked Kansas license. The vehicle involved left the road, ran through a yard and knocked a hole in the wall of the day care across the street from the school.
We need our state government involved. In 2004, Missouri was 11th in the nation for alcohol-related accidents. In 2005, we jumped to ninth in the nation. In 2006, we have improved as a state, but locally, we still have a very high rating.
I don’t want the building at 26th and Main streets to reopen as a bar. It is too close to schools and residences.
If you want to see Main Street revitalized and you can see the reasoning in this letter, please call a Joplin City Council member, a Zoning and Planning Commission member and the Joplin Police Department.
Joyce Hardcastle
Joplin