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Greensboro Considers Nightlife Safety Ordinance, Seeks Public Input

Downtown Greensboro, North Carolina KERI BROWN/WFDD

The city of Greensboro is asking for input on a new security ordinance that would focus on nightlife safety issues. Business owners voiced their concerns during a recent virtual town hall meeting with city council members and say they want to be part of the process. 

Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan says the ordinance would be for establishments that have on-site alcohol for purchase.

The goal is to try to curb violent crime in the city. This comes as four people were stabbed this month at a downtown nightclub on Elm Street. Police say aggravated assaults and homicides have increased over the past year.

Some members of the North Carolina Bar Owners Association propose a promoter permit for venue usage that would require a completed background with fingerprint check among other things. They also suggest having more officers patrol the entertainment district when they're not responding to calls.

Vaughan says the ordinance is in the draft stage.

“This is going to be part of a Greensboro safety ordinance. We are looking at overall safety concerns in the city of Greensboro, so this might be Phase one. Phase two might be gas stations and convenience stores,” says Vaughan.

The city will host another town hall meeting on May 10 to collect public input on the issue.

Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

 

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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