SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Two Kentucky counties have been gathering signatures to allow alcohol sales throughout the entire county areas.
Currently in Scott County, alcohol sales are only allowed in Georgetown and a few other spots. In Jessamine County, alcohol sales are only allowed in the city of Nicholasville.
One restaurant, Josie's, supported the petition in Scott County. They serve breakfast and lunch, but they used to be open in the evenings until the lack of alcohol sales affected their numbers.
"It was fine, we would have people come in, but after a while, when people knew that they couldn't come here and get alcohol, we could see our numbers dwindling," Josie's server Cailon Williams told LEX 18's Alex Valverde.
Michael Blowen, the owner of Old Friend's Thoroughbred Retirement Farm said that allowing alcohol sales will boost business.
"The petition drive ended up successful, and now we're waiting for the November election to see if the voters will support us through the election," said Blowen. "We want to be able to sell Country Boy beer and bourbon and locally produced alcohol at some of our functions. it will help us an awful lot."
Jessamine County was about 800 signatures short, but those behind the effort say that they may try again next year.
The petition in Scott County received more than 6,200 signatures, they needed about 5,500. The County Clerk's Office is counting and verifying the sigantures, which they expect to have done by the end of the week.
