Naperville Won't Revisit New Liquor License Ordinance

Councilman hoped colleagues would review new legislation following weekend stabbing

Naperville's City Council on Tuesday night voted down a motion to revisit a recently-passed ordinance concerning liquor licenses.

Effective May 1, restaurants with a "B" license have the option to essentially close their kitchens at 9 p.m. but continue to serve alcohol until the early morning hours.

"My concern is that we have the potential of having 86 taverns," said Councilman Doug Krause.

Krause voted against the original ordinance before a weekend bar fight that left a beloved elementary school teacher dead and a North Central College football player severely injured. In light of that incident, Krause had hoped his colleagues would join him in reconsidering the new legislation.

He was shot down.

"We should not have a knee-jerk reaction and changing ordinances until we get a police report," councilman Kenn Miller told those gathered in the chamber.

Some people refer to parts of the southwest suburb as "Bourbon Street West," and at least one business owner called for a bigger police presence downtown.

But still others said they feel the area is safe.

"I've never had any problems down here, and I think it's an isolated event that's hopefully one in a million," said resident Don Duncan.

Daniel Olaska, of Brown Deer, Wisc., is being held on $3 million bail in connection with the weekend stabbing of Spring Brook Elementary School teacher Shaun Wild and North Central College senior Willie Hayes. Hayes was released from the hospital on Monday.

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