The Senate Site: AlcoPresser: The Twitter Chronicles

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Monday, March 09, 2009

AlcoPresser: The Twitter Chronicles

Here's today's alcopresser in Twitter bursts of 140 characters or less:

9:47 a.m.
sausagegrinder: I’ll try and tweet the alcohol presser. Most important legislation of the decade, says President Waddoups.

10:00 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: At the Capitol. A press conference on Utah liquor law reform is set to start any minute.

10:04 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: 3 minutes after officials aren’t here, still compromising?

10:05 a.m.
gwarchol: I’m in the Gold Room at the Capitol waiting for the announcement on the liquor law club compromise.

10:06 a.m.
hollyonthehill: Waiting to find out what sweeping changes there will be to Utah’s alcohol laws

10:07 a.m.
utahsenate: Presser in the Gold Room. About to start. Live stream at www.senatesite.com

10:08 a.m.
gwarchol: All the usual suspects, including Pamela Atkinson, so-called “Queen Mother” of the poor.

10:12 a.m.
gwarchol: Don’t joke, it’s happened before. Fortunately, Rod Decker will drown me out.

10:12 a.m.
RobertGehrke: is waiting for the big announcement on utah’s liquor law deal. The tension is almost too much.

10:12 a.m.
gwarchol: I assume they’ll offer champagne?

10:12 a.m.
sausagegrinder: Valentine and Hughes both have on light blue ties, proving that there’s nothing I won’t tweet.

10:12 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: Senators and Reps showing up. About to start. Gov is here.

10:12 a.m.
gwarchol: And here’s Jonny!

10:13 a.m.
gwarchol: Notes it’s all pasty-faced white guys - as usual.

10:13 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: Gov is speaking now.

10:15 a.m.
sausagegrinder: Warchol’s phone just went off at volume 11.

10:15 a.m.
sausagegrinder: “We’ve accomplished a lot in a very challenging environment.” - Huntsman

10:16 a.m.
sausagegrinder: Only one other incident in his life this complex and sensitive and that was getting China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organization

10:17 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: “complex and sensitive issue” -gov

10:18 a.m.
gwarchol: the WALL comes down!

10:18 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: gov says membership fees and zion curtain will go

10:18 a.m.
sausagegrinder: this reform is something “We all knew we would have to achieve at some point.” - Huntsman

10:18 a.m.
gwarchol: Someday, someday - perhaps hard lemonade will return to 7-Eleven.

10:19 a.m.
gwarchol: I like the way everyone uses the term “Zion Curtain” without irony.

10:20 a.m.
RobertGehrke: Gov. says many thought liquor deal was “quite impossible,” but thanks to collaboration they will eliminate private clubs and Zion curtain.

10:21 a.m.
sausagegrinder: Utah will be the first state to mandate the scanning of IDs at clubs.

10:21 a.m.
gwarchol: “Modernizing,” not liberalizing Utah’s liquor laws. Hughes is a wordsmith.

10:23 a.m.
hollyonthehill: Greg Hughes: “We did not let perfect get in the way of good.”

10:23 a.m.
sausagegrinder: This bill tears down the walls - Valentine

10:23 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: bill is online if you want to look at it

10:24 a.m.
hollyonthehill: Senator Valentine “This bill tears down that wall,” referring to the Zion Curtain

10:24 a.m.
sausagegrinder: Main bill eliminate the requirement for a membership or fee, but keep the ability

10:24 a.m.
sausagegrinder: requires electronic verification for those under 35, kept for 7 days by club

10:25 a.m.
sausagegrinder: restaurant cannot have a bar in it for future construction but grandfathers in current restaurants

10:27 a.m.
sausagegrinder: New definition of intoxication for purpose of serving that person

10:28 a.m.
RobertGehrke: Sen. Valentine: “Tear down this wall.” No more private clubs, eliminate zion curtain, no more bars in restaurants but those in place ok.

10:29 a.m.
gwarchol: I just realized that Gayle Ruzicka isn’t here.

10:30 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: wow, lots of changes. Lots of new restrictions on restaurants

10:30 a.m.
sausagegrinder: “You’ve rescued us.” - Valentine to the Governor

10:30 a.m.
gwarchol: At least I don’t see her and she’s pretty hard to miss.

10:31 a.m.
sausagegrinder: “That’s the type of culture we’re trying to bring back to Utah” - Herrod, lots of drinking, no driving. (Did I say that?)

10:31 a.m.
gwarchol: OMG - Gayle and Buttars are absent for a bill that will change UT’s moral landscape? Sorry guv, it ain’t over til the Ruzicka lady sings.

10:32 a.m.
sausagegrinder: minors get caught, they’ve lost their license for 90 days or one year, now it’s until 21 - Jenkins

10:32 a.m.
hollyonthehill: Jenkins: If you get caught driving under the influence, you will pay a heavy fine. Lose license until age 21 if a minor

10:33 a.m.
utahsenate: Now doing Q&A. We'll post an outline of these five alcohol policy bills at www.senatesite.com . Give me half an hour.

10:33 a.m.
sausagegrinder: “Thanks for the punt, John.” Governor to Valentine about not answering what kind of message this sends to the nation.

10:36 a.m.
gwarchol: this bill is strangely rational for Utah.

10:37 a.m.
sausagegrinder: Restaurants will be required to prepare drinks in a separate area

10:37 a.m.
sausagegrinder: No 10-foot wall, but some sort of “opaque permanent structure”

10:39 a.m.
gwarchol: The 10-foot wall should be forever known as “Val’s Bluff.”

10:39 a.m.
gwarchol: I can hear a sigh of relief from restaurant owners across Utah

10:41 a.m.
gwarchol: The LDS church, “Just like all the other stakeholders.” Gimme a break.

10:41 a.m.
sausagegrinder: valentine says that the LDS church has focused on underage drinking, over-consumption and enforcement of DUI laws.

10:41 a.m.
sausagegrinder: over

10:42 a.m.
gwarchol: Will grog be served at the USS Utah exhibit?

10:47 a.m.
KirkYuhnke: Press conf. is over. Big changes for sure. Bars become more normal and restaurants get restrictions on their bars.

10:56 a.m.
gwarchol: Guess I’ll go lookin' for Gayle Ruzicka. See what’s really up.