Committee continues work
on new city liquor code

[DEC. 21, 2000]  The ordinance committee of the Lincoln City Council, after listening to comments from the city’s liquor license holders, went back to work on the proposed new liquor code. The committee had asked for input from the license holders before deciding upon the final provisions in the code.

One of the major complaints at the public hearing was the increase in price of some licenses, according to Glenn Shelton, chairman of the ordinance committee. The proposed increase in the Class A license, which allows liquor to be sold at retail but not for consumption, was $250, from $1,250 to $1,500. The ordinance committee agreed to raise the fee only $100, from the former fee of $1,250 to $1,350 rather than to $1,500.

 

Committee members also changed the fee for the Class C license, which allows for consumption of liquor on the premises and also for retail sale. This license, formerly $1,250, is also raised $100, to $1,350, according to Shelton. No other fee changes were made.

 

Shelton said the committee took note of the request some license holders made for permission to serve liquor earlier on Sundays. The proposed hours for the new ordinance were from 1 p.m. to midnight Sunday. License holders asked for a noon or even 11 a.m. serving time, both for restaurants which want to serve champagne brunch and for sports bars. The committee decided to permit liquor service to begin at noon, Shelton said, but decided not to change any closing hours, which will remain midnight on Sunday and 2 a.m. on weekdays.

[to top of second column in this article]

Another complaint from license holders was that under the new code not enough Class C licenses would be available. Ten Class C licenses and 10 Class B licenses, which would allow for consumption of liquor on the premises but not for retail sale of liquor, had been proposed. Most holders appeared to want Class C licenses, Shelton said. All present license holders will be given the opportunity to state which license they want, he said, and enough Class C licenses will be available to accommodate both existing businesses and any new ones that would like that license class.

The Class C license would also allow for sale of liquor at drive-up windows, Shelton said.

 

The proposed new code will allow 18-year-olds to sell and serve liquor if supervised by someone 21 years or older. Some license holders had objected to this provision, while others said without 18-year-olds they would not be able to hire enough servers. The committee decided not to change the age limit, as that is in accordance with Illinois statutes, Shelton said.

He said the changes would be made, copies of the revised code sent to all license holders, and another public hearing would take place sometime in January, at which the committee will again listen to input from licensees.

Shelton said he would like to have the new code completed by the first of February, as the liquor licenses expire April 30. He said he did not anticipate any more major changes in the code.

[Joan Crabb]

An exotic getaway

Elegant new bed and breakfast
in downtown Lincoln

[DEC. 20, 2000]  Yesterday morning, Mayor Ritter and members of the Chamber of Commerce gathered with owners John and Jason Steffens in front of their new Eckert’s Bed and Breakfast for a ribbon-cutting. You may already recognize the Steffens brothers; they own Eckert’s Inc., Fine Furnishings and Fine Dining, and Grapes and Grounds at 121-123 S. Sangamon.

Click here for pictures

Eventually, there will be four suites available in the bed and breakfast, each with a different theme. At the present, only the Arabian room is finished. The next room will have a medieval theme and is scheduled to be finished by the fall of 2001. The other two themes are unknown at this time.

 

John and Jason Steffens are transforming old apartments into formal accommodations. So far they have done all the labor themselves and plan to finish the rest of the rooms in the same manner. This is why the second room will not be available until the fall of 2001. In restoring and decorating the room, Jason Steffens said, "We wanted the rooms to look classy, not cutesy." Two characteristics which add to the room’s ambience are original wood floors and a pressed tin ceiling.

 

The hallway and Arabian room look very professional. The entrance to the suites is just down from Grapes and Grounds. At the top of the stairs, guests step into a Victorian hallway. A wood-paneled fireplace is the focus of the hallway, and antique pictures and photographs hang on the wall. The first room is decorated in deep plum, beige and dark wood. The bathroom has a Jacuzzi tub and rain-shower shower head. The main area has a plush couch, Oriental carpets and decorations, television, a breakfast table for two, a microwave and a small refrigerator. The bedroom is lined in 150 yards of beige fabric, to simulate an Arabian tent. A covered basket serves as a nightstand.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

The medieval suite will have a queen-sized bed, bearskin rug, suits of armor and other decorations to fit the theme. It will also have a breakfast table, microwave, refrigerator and television. The Steffenses plan to install a Jacuzzi tub and rain-shower shower head as well.

 

Yesterday morning’s ribbon-cutting was just a formality, because the Arabian room has already been used seven times in the past month. This is encouraging to members of the Chamber of Commerce and the mayor. At the ribbon-cutting several members mentioned that a bed-and-breakfast will flourish in the town of Lincoln. Eckert’s Suites is only a stone’s throw from the Lincoln Depot. John and Jason Steffens hope that the proximity of Eckert’s to the railroad and its unique décor will attract business travelers — either alone or with their spouses.

If you are interested in reserving the Arabian room for either pleasure or business, call Eckert’s Suites at 732-6102.

[Jean Ann Carnley]

Do you hear what I hear?

Businesses join together to provide
holiday shopping tunes around the square

[DEC. 15, 2000]  Christmas carols were ringing through downtown Lincoln Thursday evening after installation of the new sound system on top of the Logan County Courthouse.  The project was a Main Street Lincoln and Logan County Board partnership, with a major donation from P&M Communications.  

Wendy Bell, Main Street Lincoln program manager, brought the idea to Dick Logan, Logan County Board chairman, after discussion at a Mornings on Main monthly meeting.  "Carols have played off the courthouse for years in Edgar County, where I grew up," said Bell.  "It was always one of my favorite parts of the holiday season."

 

Logan thought it was a great idea and suggested contacting Bob Metz from P&M Communications.  Metz contacted the Edgar County Courthouse for specifics on their system and then joined Logan and Bell on the courthouse roof about 10 days ago to discuss the possibilities.

Installation of the equipment on a snowy and slippery roof was done Thursday afternoon, and the strains of "Do you hear what I hear?" could be heard before 4 p.m.

P&M Communications generously gave almost $1,500 worth of equipment, while the county paid for the labor.  

 

The music is set on a timer and will play from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.  The player randomly selects songs from six different compact discs, so repetition will be kept to a minimum.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

The CD player is wired to four speakers, two on the southwest corner and two on the northeast corner of the roof.  The speakers are attached to brackets specially built by Don Bode.  Metz noted that Bode's work made the installation much easier.

Bell and Metz walked around the square to check the music level, stopping in shops to be certain it wasn't a distraction.  Metz explained, "Not all compact discs are recorded at the same level, so some songs are going to be louder than others no matter what you do." 

 

General reaction from shoppers on the street was very positive; all agreed that the music added to the festivity of the season.

Bell remarked, "Downtown Lincoln is our shopping mall, and every mall I know is climate-controlled and has music.  We may not be able to control the climate, but we can have our music!"

[Main Street Lincoln news release]