Ferentz on '21 makes sense' group

Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz is on the "21 Makes Sense" coalition in Iowa City.

The 21 Makes Sense coalition has broad-based support from leaders of the University of Iowa, the City Council and Johnson County, as well as other concerned individuals throughout the community. A referendum to repeal the ordinance will likely be added to the November 2nd ballot. "21 Makes Sense" will work to educate the public on the impact of the minimum bar entry age on health and public safety in the downtown area.

“I'm in favor of it, but that being said, no matter what we do we can try to curtail, we can try to be proactive and educate, but drinking is going to be an issue on every college campus in America,” Ferentz said in an interview this spring.

He gave a point of reference when he and a daughter visited Penn State a few years ago. You need to be 21 to enter a bar in Pennsylvania.

“We went downtown and I looked out at an apartment building,” he said. “The bar scene might've been a little slow, but the apartment I was looking at was rocking. So it's hard to slow things down. … It's not going to be the ultimate cure.”

In March, the Iowa City Council approved the first of three readings of an ordinance banning those younger than 21 from being in bars after 10 p.m.

In June, running back Jewel Hampton plead guilty to the public intoxication charge and was issued a ticket for being in a bar illegally after 10 p.m. Iowa City's new 21-only ordinance that went into effect at midnight June 1. That ticket carries a $735 fine.

100701 21MS PR