Throughout the pandemic, restaurants across the Utica and Rome area were able to sell alcohol to go. The bill that allowed that to happen is set to expire this month. A new bill is looking to extend that.

To-go cocktails all across New York State has given bars and restaurants an added source of revenue, while most of their customers have turned to delivery options because of the pandemic. That original bill is set to expire March 28th. According to News 10, Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy is looking to extend that, and extend it for a lot longer:

Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy is sponsoring Bill A3116 to lengthen to-go alcohol services for two years. While the bill is welcomed by restaurants, Fahy said there’s been push back from liquor stores and distributors.

“We have tremendous support, but it has been difficult to move this bill,” Fahy said.

News 10 points out that Governor Cuomo can propose an extension to the emergency order, which then will give the legislature five days to act on his proposal. If the governor doesn’t extend the order, to-go alcohol would end until a bill supporting it is passed.

Here's to hoping it passes to help out our local restaurants, while helping us get these drinks to go.

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Utica/Rome Restaurants Can Soon Operate at 75% Capacity

After carefully reviewing data from across the state, Governor Cuomo announced that restaurants will soon be able to up their capacity to 75 percent. This change comes while restaurants in the area are currently operating at 50 percent, and includes all communities outside of New York City.

The dining capacity restrictions that have been in place in the recent past forced many Utica/Rome restaurants to rethink their immediate business plans. Several are still offering only take-out, with dine-in not currently available. The increase to capacity may allow them to open their doors to customers if they feel comfortable doing so.

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