I JUST READ AN ARTICLE THAT STATES ALCOHOL. EVEN 1-2 DRINKS A DAY CAUSES CANCER WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU SUGGEST THE ABOVE.

Janice, breathing air causes cancer. You going to stop breathing? Of course if it says it on the internet it must be true......

Anice, All people has cancer cells in their body. No one knows what activates them to spread to the danger point. Most beleive that certain foods can prevent cancer but have you read anyuthing about it. NO. Ask any doctor what causes cancer and see what he tells you. No one knows, will be the answer. I consumed alcohol over a period of 64 years on a daily basis and more than just one or two a day.My last checkup shows me to be in very good health. And I feel great.

All I know is that the two ladies in the photo are beautiful and if this beauty is the result of alcohol there are many female readers of The Daily who need a drink.....just saying!

Decatur needs to "lighten up" and this seems to be a step in the right direction! We need more to draw people to our great down town area.

A 10ft high decorative fence around the district could establish its boundaries. How else are you going to keep thugs out and drunks in? Decatur has wasted it's most valuable asset to revolve development around. It's called the Tennessee River. How about talking a page out of the play book from Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga or even San Antonio? Retail riverfront development and Interstate 65 development will do more for Decatur than anything else. It's time we stopped losing shopping revenue to Huntsville, Birmingham and Franklin, TN.

Bad idea, promotes drinking in public. Decatur cannot have a family friendly downtown atmosphere and this too. Who would want to take their family to the new pizza restaurant downtown and being exposed to public drinking. Publice drinking equals public drunks. Keep it inside. It will be a headache for the police department regardless of what the Chief says, he doesn't patrol the streets. Certain events, maybe...all of the time, no.

I am so disturbed that Terri Collins is the person pushing this. She lost my vote. Real conservatives that live according to Christ don't advocate things like this. Thank you Gary Hammon for being the voice of reason.

I agree with DECATUR and THOR. Something like the Riverwalk in San Antonio or what they've done in Chattanooga would be wonderful. Our river is beautiful and we should highlight it as an asset. I don't like the roaming around in public with a drink in your hand, it reminds me of Bourbon Street (and its associated behavior) and that's not what I want my child to be around.

I read a article in medical magazine that said 2 drinks for men and one for women a day was good for your heart..so read whatever into it.too much of anything will kill you ...

Why does everything in Decatur have to be "family friendly?" What's wrong with an area for adults to be able to go enjoy themselves? It doesn't mean it will be out of control or wild. If this city wants to attract more young people to come and/or stay here it needs something for them to do. Children have plenty to do here. Adults not so much, unless they have kids, and even people that do have kids need adult time occasionally.

The majority of the single twenty-somethings that I know go out in Huntsville. A lot of them end up moving there. When I was in my early 20s I moved away from here for several years because I wanted to be where other young, single people were.

There are NO events/areas in this city to attract them, because everyone seems to think anything and everything here has to be geared toward families. Why? Sometimes it's nice for adults to have a place to go without children underfoot.

Don't rush to judgment on this issue. The Daily article failed to disclose the actual rules of the entertainment district. These are narrowly drawn and are designed to facilitate movement from venue to venue. This would not allow unlimited drinks on the street or serving of drinks on the street outside of where drinks may already be served currently. I encourage everyone to read the proposed ordinance, attend the public comment session, and learn more before condemning the proposal based on half the facts.

Jonathon, Thanks for the airing a voice of reason. I'm guessing that most people who voice their opposition based on 'drunks walking the street', or a 'Bourbon street' atmosphere have never visited anywhere that has an entertainment district or they have but never noticed that there were people enjoying themselves outside with a drink in their hand. An entertainment district is not permission to party in the street all night long but an agreement that allows people to visit friends and venues along the district without having to watch which property line they cross, without having to buy a drink at every establishment they wish to walk by. Entertainment districts can be an excellent draw for patrons and outdoor entertainment and social events. The district can be defined in a number of ways - such as the Chinese district in San Fransisco is - A beautiful Oriental arch at each entrance: or at Key West where business and organizations buy and donate ornate signs at each entrance point that outline the rules of the district: or (I can't remember the city in N.Carolina I visited) - a beautiful area similar to our downtown - that had brilliantly paint curbs along the entire district and sections of sidewalks painted at the entrance to the district alerting patrons of the district they were in. I agree that we do not use the river as much as we should but we have made some inroads. Hopefully, that can continue. But I encourage everyone to stop before they make that knee-jerk reaction and don't reject any idea before fully researching everything involved. Now before

Decatur needs an amphitheater on the river like the one in Phenix City, AL. Check it out.

http://www.google.com/search?q=phenix+city+amphitheatre&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ZxwhUfDYD4GE9QTS7IDwCg&ved=0CEQQsAQ&biw=768&bih=928

Knee jerk reaction, Like gun control for instance?

Downtown cannot be ( I say again) a draw for family, and entertainment districts. Because the rules say you cannot got from one venue to another don't mean it ain't gonna happen. Come on....who is going to enforce that? Bars and food establishments that serve alcohol downtown all have one thing in common, they overserve, because they like making money. Over serving causes people to get drunk. Family districts and ADULT districts don't mix. Want somewhere for adults to go ? There are night clubs all over town.

There's not many nightclubs around town, and the closest one that is geared toward young, professionals is The Brick, but it's a lot less so than it used to be. Decatur NEEDS nice places for young professionals to want to hang out if it wants to grow in a positive direction. This entire town is a "family district," it would be great to have one thing in this for adults for a change.

So disappointed in Terri. She's becoming a Montgomery party girl instead of a Decatur leader.

So disappointed in Terri. She's becoming a Montgomery party girl instead of a Decatur leader.

Try 12th Avenue NW for adult entertainment after 9:00 p.m.

I don't know if I agree that someone can bring their own beer and just gather up on the streets and drink. I think it would be fun for special events liked 3rd Friday, parades and other events. How would you know if they bought their drinks at one of the restaurants? Just thinking........

I don't even drink but I am in favor of having an entertainment district. As it is, many people go to Huntsville when they want to go out for music, dinner, or to socialize. It would be nice for there to be something for people to do in Decatur for a change. Not everyone who wants to go out for a drink or just hang out with friends wants to go to a nightclub or even likes a nightclub's atmosphere at all. You often can't even hear yourself think much carry on a conversation with your friends in most nightclubs. If you can't tell the difference between an entertainment district in which responsible adults can socialize and drink in moderation and a nightclub, then perhaps your opinion on this matter is not informed enough to be worth voicing.

Jackson, it can't be on the internet unless it's true. Joe- good point

I think Thor is correct. If alcoholic beverages are openly allowed on the downtown streets it will reduce the attractiveness of downtown for many families. Events like 3rd Fridays as they exist now will not be supported by many of the people who now attend them with their children or grandchildren. It is one thing for attendees to discreetly drink from a koozie disguised can of beer. It is an entirely different matter to allow obvious alcohol sales and consumption in public. While there are many parents who don't mind their children witnessing adults drinking alcohol, there are many, many others who do. Even if alcohol is allowed on the streets, as long as children are allowed at these events they will not attract the 20-30 year old singles. They want events without children in attendance and where more overtly young adult behavior in public is allowed. Just read AngieK's comments above.

As to the perceived dearth of clubs here for the 20-30 somethings, there are plenty of nightclubs in Decatur. What demographic they attract is primarily a decision, conscious or not, of their ownership and management. Creating an entertainment district in and of itself will not attract young people. Having multiple clubs with management willing to cater to the young singles as their primary customer base will be needed as well. I don't see the current places in downtown Decatur that serve alcohol being willing to alienate their more mature customer base to create the type of club the young singles will support. You can fill an "exciting" club with young people, but that doesn't always translate into filling the cash register. In a town the size of Decatur you need to attract an older demographic willing to spend to do that.