Voters in Barren County will go to the polls Tuesday and decide whether to expand alcohol sales.
Residents on both sides of the issue are working to influence voters ahead of the local option election. Michael Richey formed a group called Citizens for a Drug and Alcohol-Free Barren County. As a church pastor, Richey says he has seen the negative effects alcohol can have on families and communities.
"Statistics are out there that show when alcohol comes into a community crime, tickets, and DUI are known to rise," Richey told WKU Public Radio.
Tim Brown, with the citizens group Move Barren County Forward, says county-wide sales will keep locals from driving to Bowling Green for alcohol and driving back home intoxicated. Brown attributes a recent increase in local D-U-I's with a greater police presence--not relaxed alcohol sales.
"In Glasgow, a lot of restaurants are treated like bars. People hang out there and have a good time, and the police watch those places," Brown commented. "That's one of the reasons DUIs have gone up. They know where people are drinking. Before, we didn't know."
Certain restaurants in Glasgow already served alcohol while Cave City allows packaged sales in stores and by-the-drink in restaurants. Ballots can be cast from 6:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. at Barren County's normal voting precincts with a few exceptions.
People who normally vote at Eastern Elementary School need to go to East Barren Volunteer Fire Department. The Glasgow High School and Glasgow Middle School precincts will be voting at First Christian Church in Glasgow.
Wet-dry elections will also be held Tuesday in Butler, Daviess, and McLean counties.
