kaorder1999
08-15-2006, 08:21 AM
New Braunfels bans 'Jell-O shots' on rivers
11:29 PM CDT on Monday, August 14, 2006
Associated Press
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – The New Braunfels City Council on Monday approved an anti-littering rule that targets "Jell-O shots" on local rivers despite some residents' complaints that the ordinance will be ineffective.
The ordinance does not specifically address the small cups of alcoholic gelatin but was crafted to focus on containers of 5 fluid ounces or less.
"I grew up on this river, and we were taught not to eat or drink anything on it," resident Mike Nate, an ordinance supporter, said in Tuesday editions of the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.
"There are plenty of places to stop around here and get a drink or a bite to eat."
Concerns about rowdy tubers downing shots and tossing the cups into the Guadalupe and Comal rivers spurred the ordinance. Already this year, floating parties provoked the City Council to increase fines for noise-ordinance violations and to ban "volume drinking devices" – better known as beer bongs.
But some residents said the ban on small fluid containers will be easily circumvented. They also argued that the ordinance will restrict common items such as small tubes of sunscreen, small bottles of juice, cups of pudding and apple sauce, and bottles of medication.
Councilwoman Gale Pospisil voted against the ordinance for that reason.
"It encompasses so many things other than Jell-O shot containers," she said.
At Monday's council meeting, resident Jay Patrick distributed nonalcoholic Jell-O shots in 6-ounce containers to make the point that nothing but the size of containers would change under the new ordinance.
"You can use 6-ounce containers, like these, or you can make Jell-O shots in ice trays," he said.
He said the city already has two littering ordinances and public intoxication is illegal.
"This is just going to create another problem," he said. "We're going in circles without making a difference."
11:29 PM CDT on Monday, August 14, 2006
Associated Press
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – The New Braunfels City Council on Monday approved an anti-littering rule that targets "Jell-O shots" on local rivers despite some residents' complaints that the ordinance will be ineffective.
The ordinance does not specifically address the small cups of alcoholic gelatin but was crafted to focus on containers of 5 fluid ounces or less.
"I grew up on this river, and we were taught not to eat or drink anything on it," resident Mike Nate, an ordinance supporter, said in Tuesday editions of the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.
"There are plenty of places to stop around here and get a drink or a bite to eat."
Concerns about rowdy tubers downing shots and tossing the cups into the Guadalupe and Comal rivers spurred the ordinance. Already this year, floating parties provoked the City Council to increase fines for noise-ordinance violations and to ban "volume drinking devices" – better known as beer bongs.
But some residents said the ban on small fluid containers will be easily circumvented. They also argued that the ordinance will restrict common items such as small tubes of sunscreen, small bottles of juice, cups of pudding and apple sauce, and bottles of medication.
Councilwoman Gale Pospisil voted against the ordinance for that reason.
"It encompasses so many things other than Jell-O shot containers," she said.
At Monday's council meeting, resident Jay Patrick distributed nonalcoholic Jell-O shots in 6-ounce containers to make the point that nothing but the size of containers would change under the new ordinance.
"You can use 6-ounce containers, like these, or you can make Jell-O shots in ice trays," he said.
He said the city already has two littering ordinances and public intoxication is illegal.
"This is just going to create another problem," he said. "We're going in circles without making a difference."