Ban over after 131 years!

[masta]

<H1>Folks toast lifting of alcohol ban after 131 years</H1>
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<DIV align=left ="cnnStoryCaption">Bill Morgan paid $150 to be the first customer to legally have a beer at an uptown restaurant since 1875.
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<DIV id=cnnContextualLinks><B style="FONT-SIZE: 14px">WESTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- The central Ohio city of Westerville, once known as the "dry capital of the world," is dry no more.[/B]


A pizza parlor on Thursday became the first establishment in Westerville's uptown business district to legally serve a beer since 1875.


"Here's to a new tradition in Westerville," local jeweler Bill Morgan said as he raised his plastic cup of Budweiser at Michael's Pizza.


Westerville's temperance history dates back 131 years, when the town's saloon was blown up during what's known as the "Whiskey Wars."


The Anti-Saloon League moved its headquarters to Westerville in 1909, and the city became known as the "dry capital of the world."


Business and city leaders pushed for the serving of alcohol in uptown establishments as a way to compete with restaurants and bars at two new retail developments near the Columbus suburb.


Voters on November 8 approved licenses for beer and wine to be sold at Michael's Pizza and Pasquale's Pizza &amp; Pasta, whose owner plans to start serving libations February 1.


The night of the election, Michael's Pizza owner Michael Evans said he would auction off the first beer, with the proceeds going to a local ministry.


Morgan, whose family has lived in Westerville for four generations, topped five other bidders to win the beer for $150.


"My dad said it would never happen," Morgan, 51, said as he prepared to drink the beer.


Voters in a portion of Westerville approved licenses to sell alcohol in 1998, but uptown had remained dry.


Great... but drinking Budweiser....could have picked a real beer!

 

[PolishWineP]

Now, be nice, he doesn't know any better!

He will learn as he goes! Experience is a great teacher. He just needs a mentor to help him along the way.

 

[Funky Fish]

Great... but drinking Budweiser....could have picked a real beer!

I was thinking the same thing.... You paid how much to drink a Bud?!?!?!

For $150, I would have asked to choose what beer to drink.

 

[smurfe]

Well, I for one have to be on the other side of the fence. Being from St. Louis area and growing up on Budweiser, I have a sentimental attachment to it. I would of picked the same myself. I am a loyal Anheuser-Bush fan


Smurfe

 

[MedPretzel]

We're a weird bunch in Ohio, I guess.

 

[Funky Fish]

Yeah, but he could have at least selected one of the brews from the Great Lakes Brewery - it would have been an Ohio brew and, you know, been tastier.

 

[Funky Fish]

He looks so serious in the picture, also. Like he's about to taste water from the Fountain of Youth (or a fine wine from 1975).

 

[masta]

It is not his fault since the King of Beers is really the King of Marketing and many Americans don't appreciate really good beer.

 

[MedPretzel]

He looks kind of like someone in a mug-shot at the police-station. Only with beer. ???

 

[peterCooper]

He looks so serious in the picture, also. Like he's about to taste
water

That's because he is about to taste water, or the nearest thing to it. Not a
real beer at all.

Edited by: peterCooper

 

[PolishWineP]

He's just scared!