Hollister cracking down on alcohol sales during motorcycle rally
The Hollister City Council has unanimously ok’ed an emergency ordinance regarding alcohol sales during the motorcycle rally. Specifically, bars within the rally area have to stop selling alcohol at midnight on July 3 and 4.
Local businesses agree the Hollister Motorcycle Rally is one of the biggest weekends of the year. However, not may agree with the city council’s ruling to stop alcohol sales at certain parts in certain areas of the rally. One of those, Johnny’s Bar and Grill in Hollister.
The Hollister Police Chief, David Westrick, said he’s concerned with public safety.
“We had an incident last year where there was a shooting on a Sunday,” Chief Westrick said. “We had a little bit of a skirmish on a Saturday night. And last month we know there was a big to do in Waco.”
The pilot program was born out of another motorcycle rally. Authorities found less alcohol quells violence, disturbances, DUI’s and crashes.
“We sent officers to other events and rallies,” Chief Westrick said. “We also encourage them to also work these events and rallies so they really have an idea of what that events best practices are. We can apply those lessons learned to our event as well.”
The biggest challenge the department is facing is manpower, but the chief is confident other agencies across the state will lend a hand.
“This year has been sort of challenging because a lot of communities have events on the Fourth of July and it happens to be on Saturday this year,” Chief Westrick said. “The pool of officers has shrunk tremendously this year and it’s been very difficult to get those departments to volunteer their officers for this event.”
Carol Beaver, the owner of Whiskey Creek says she supports the local law enforcement and the council’s decision.
“I want everybody to have fun,” Beaver said. “I don’t want people to get killed on the highways, cause I want them back the next day. DUI’s aren’t fun, they can get expensive. So, I just want every body to have a good time and enjoy themselves.”
As for bikers heading to other bars in the area, the owner of the Mom and Pop’s Saloon in San Juan Bautista says she isn’t expecting a huge boom in business.
“At midnight, people tend to go home, they’ll be done drinking, Rhonda Roascio said. “Or they’ll go to the liquor store and ge whatever they need and take it back to their hotel. But I think by midnight, no.”
Chief Westrick stresses while this alcohol sales rule may have worked at other rallies, it may not work here. If that’s the case, things will go back to normal next year.
