Two weeks after discussing options for a reorganized city government, the Woodstock City Council is scheduled Tuesday night to consider approving the addition of three new executive director positions, two of which would be funded this fiscal year. The agenda for the 7 p.m. meeting in City Hall also calls for a revised salary structure […]
Just a week after deciding to lift the cap of 25 video gambling licenses in Woodstock, the City Council started the process of pushing it to 27. In a 7-0 vote last week, council members increased the cap to 27 to allow applications from Lucky Café, 460 S. Eastwood Drive, and Mariscos El Poka, 84-88 […]
Mayor Mike Turner was hesitant to guess how many local businesses would be offering video gambling five years from now. But he is sure it will be more than 25. That was the “artificial cap” the City Council last week voted 6-0 to lift under an ordinance that had limited issuance of local gambling permits […]
Overhead lights have been strung above the tables, chairs, and umbrellas that now fill Benton Street outside several bars and restaurants north of Judd Street. But while street-level dining outside has evolved from a pandemic necessity to an essential business model, another downtown Woodstock restaurant has set its sights higher – about two stories higher. […]
The Woodstock City Council is expected later this month to consider revamping city ordinance to increase the number of video gambling licenses in the city. Mayor Mike Turner, who mentioned the issue at a strategic planning meeting of the council June 3, last week directed the city staff to prepare an amendment to the existing […]
At its meeting last week, the Woodstock City Council took care of business – several businesses, in fact. As a result, Woodstock could get a new grocery store, additional liquor outlets and the delivery of alcoholic beverages, more video gambling machines, and Saturday night music outside at the west end of Cass Street. Most items […]
Social clubs and fraternal organizations won’t have to pay as much to host video gambling after the city of Woodstock lowered its fees. Class “C” liquor license-holders, made up of clubs, will pay $100 a year to the city for each video gambling machine they run, down from $500. Clubs also will not have to […]
The Woodstock City Council closed a loophole that could have allowed some gas stations to receive video gambling licenses. The city amended its Unified Development Ordinance April 4 to create a new definition for truck stops in order to differentiate them from gas stations. Truck stops are eligible to host video gambling terminals while gas […]
Businesses with gambling machines will pay a lot more to the city of Woodstock for their licenses and permits. The yearly fee to host a video gambling terminal in Woodstock rose from $25 per machine to $500 per machine after the Woodstock City Council approved a series of fee hikes March 7. The amendments to […]
Larry Lough is editor of The Independent and reports local news.
Janet Dovidio has been a freelance correspondent for The Independent for eight years.
Susan W. Murray wrote for The Independent, covering various beats, from 2005 to 2008.
Tricia Carzoli is a freelance writer and photographer that on community news.
