Legal beer and wine sales began in Cleburne for the first time in more than 100 years after voters approved two option election propositions in May.
The first proposition, calling for the legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption, passed by a vote of 1,665 to 927. The second, calling for the legal sale of mixed beverages in restaurants, passed by a 1,735 to 845 margin. Proponents cited economic reasons. Opponents cited religious and safety reasons.
Either way, stores all over town soon after began stocking their shelves, and several new stores, dedicated primarily to beer and wine sales, opened.
The sales-tax impact from the sales is hard to determine, said Cleburne Finance Director Greg Wilmore, because convenience and grocery stores sell other items and had already been reporting sales-tax receipts before beer and wine sales began.
The reports don’t break tax figures down into revenues collected off specific products, he said.
“We hoped it would help curb or bottom out declining sales-tax revenues,” Wilmore said. “But, for now, they continue to go down.”
Rio Vista residents meanwhile seem to have finally settled the long running question of alcohol sales in their city.
Rio Vista residents voted on the question of legalizing the sale of alcohol for off-premise consumption seven times in the last five years. The measure failed in some elections, passed in others. Judges, citing illegal votes and signatures, voided two previous elections in which the voters approved the proposition.
The margin in most of the earlier elections amounted to a handful of votes one way or the other. Voters approved the measure by 47 votes in November. So far, no one has challenged the result.
— Matt Smith
Local News
2009's Top Ten: No. 4 Alcohol votes pass in Cleburne, Rio Vista
- Cleburne
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Madison Dingman, 6, a first-grade student at Norwood Elementary School in Burleson, received a surprise Tuesday when her father, U.S. Army Spc. Aaron Dingman, visited her class after arriving on a flight home on a three-week leave. Dingman, who is based at Fort Drum, N.Y., just concluded a 10-month tour in Iraq. “I felt real good and real surprised,” Madison Dingman said of seeing her father for the first time in a year. “I can read him some books.” Aaron Dingman said that Madison still had all of her baby teeth the last time he saw her. “I was kind of nervous about her reaction,” he said. “She’s grown up.”
- A very welcome surprise
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Government employment unchanged
According to government employment data in a U.S. Census Bureau report released last week, the nation’s 89,526 state and local governments employed 16.6 million full-time equivalent employees in 2009, statistically unchanged from 2008. Part-time employees numbered 4.7 million, the same as 2008.
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One swept away, still missing near low-water bridge
Cleburne residents can thank their lucky stars for flood control work performed by the city of Cleburne in the mid 1980s.
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Rescue workers pull body from water
Alvarado and Cleburne firefighters pulled the body of a man from moving water near County Road 607 caused by rain about 1 p.m. Wednesday. The man attempted to cross a high-water crossing in his truck and became stuck, Cleburne Fire Chief Clint Ishmael said. According to reports, rescue workers saw the man in the water earlier Wednesday morning but were unable to reach him. The identity of the man has not been released.
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Former Cleburne grad Gee takes no-hitter into sixth for Mets
WASHINGTON -- Gee, that looked pretty good.
- Johnson County
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Ex-policeman: City violated whistleblower act
A lawsuit brought against the city of Burleson by a former Burleson police sergeant asserts that the city violated the Texas Whistleblower Act when it fired him.
- A very welcome surprise
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- JP gets to work day after Labor Day
- Government employment unchanged
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Ex-policeman: City violated whistleblower act
- Alvarado
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One swept away, still missing near low-water bridge
Cleburne residents can thank their lucky stars for flood control work performed by the city of Cleburne in the mid 1980s.
- Rescue workers pull body from water
- Police arrest suspected cemetery vandals
- Police officer benefit concert today
- Friday night sights
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One swept away, still missing near low-water bridge
- Burleson
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Ex-policeman: City violated whistleblower act
A lawsuit brought against the city of Burleson by a former Burleson police sergeant asserts that the city violated the Texas Whistleblower Act when it fired him.
- Burglars hit Joshua, Venus and Alvarado
- Officer files suit against city
- Friday night sights
- Crash claims life of Burleson drag racer
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Ex-policeman: City violated whistleblower act
- Godley
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Riggin Cleveland, front right of the edge of the banner, and Garrett Murdick, back left edge, with their teammates at the 2008 Walk To Defeat ALS and their inspiration for walking, Riggin’s grandmother, Barbara Turner, standing with a walking aid.
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Godley boys not leaving the side of those in ALS fight
Two teenage boys from Godley soon may be visiting a grocery store near you. They won’t necessarily be looking for groceries, but, rather, sponsors to help them participate in a fund drive to raise money for the ALS Association of North Texas.
- Friday night sights
- Believe and see
- Godley man arrested on suspicion of assault
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Godley boys not leaving the side of those in ALS fight
- Grandview
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One swept away, still missing near low-water bridge
Cleburne residents can thank their lucky stars for flood control work performed by the city of Cleburne in the mid 1980s.
- Grandview officer, family grateful for community
- Police officer benefit concert today
- Friday night sights
- Stage set for benefit honoring officer
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One swept away, still missing near low-water bridge
- Joshua
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Friday night sights
Football was in the air this weekend as Johnson County teams hit the field for the first time in 2010.
- Duty earns Joshua student prestigious ROTC award
- Man found dead hit by car; driver interviewed
- Partners in fighting crime
- Joshua man scuffles with police
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Friday night sights
- Keene
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Friday night sights
Football was in the air this weekend as Johnson County teams hit the field for the first time in 2010.
- Assistance program on table
- Former Keene teacher pleads not guilty
- Garage sale a booster to prison Bible studies
- Keene teacher indicted
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Friday night sights
- Rio Vista
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One swept away, still missing near low-water bridge
Cleburne residents can thank their lucky stars for flood control work performed by the city of Cleburne in the mid 1980s.
- Friday night sights
- Three hospitalized in Rio Vista wreck
- Fort Worth man killed in Rio Vista wreck
- Hobbs looking to rebuild Eagle football from the ground up
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One swept away, still missing near low-water bridge
- Venus
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Rusty Redden, a former offender, leads the men and their family members in bible study during a No Turning Back support group meeting Tuesday at Venus United Methodist Church.
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No turning back
Jimmy Humphus had an idea. He had already ministered to prisoners for three years at the Sanders Estes unit, a small minimum security prison in Venus.
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No turning back
