University Chronicle

Issue date: 7/2/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Prince Rajbhandari Gary Tripp and Shae-Lee Tripp (right) enjoy their Friday afternoon at Warner Beach. Authorities recently banned alcohol around the property.

Media Credit: Prince Rajbhandari An alcohol free zone sign stands post at the entrance of Warner Beach.

The authorities of Warner Beach, a beloved summer hangout of college students, have banned alcohol consumption on its shores.

This is the first summer under the ban and reactions to the new rules remain mixed.

College student Charles Leckelt said he thinks alcohol should not be banned from the beach.

"I think we should be able to drink," he said. "I've been coming out here for years, and I like drinking here."

Ashely Grayheck, a recent college graduate, said she wished beach-goers could be more mature, so the ban would not be necessary.

"I think people should be responsible enough to drink out here like any place," she said. "I would like to come out here and have a beer or two. I don't think that people who are irresponsible should ruin it for the rest of us."

Leckelt admitted he has witnessed some past disturbances.

"I think people could be responsible enough, but it did get out of hand once or twice," he said. "It's the people that aren't old enough that are the problem."

Despite the ban, Leckelt said alcohol is still being brought into the beach area.

"A lot of people just bring it in anyway. When they (park authorities) come around, we just hide it from them," Leckelt said. "So it's either we can hide it from them, or they can just legalize it."

He also said he claimed to know when authorities patrol the beach.

"They come around about twice a day," he said.

As if on cue, a short time after interviewing Leckelt, a sheriff arrived at the beach and escorted a group of adults off the premises for violating the alcohol ban.

The sheriff refused to speak on the topic, but one of the men cited for violating the ban said, "The park people watch in the woods with binoculars."

On the other side of the issue, many feel the new ban is justified.

Luzette Wassen, a mother, said she thought the ban was a great idea.

"People don't get as stupid when they don't drink," she said. "It's better for families."

She said Warner Beach was a pleasant place to spend an afternoon.

"This is our first time here, but we'll come here again," Wassen said.

College student Eric Eidson agreed.

"When people drink, people drown," he said.

Regardless of the ban's controversy, though it is surely being enforced.

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