Local officials keep closer watch on Luna Cafe

A few weeks ago, a woman was shot in the right ear during karaoke night at the historic Luna Cafe, along old Route 66 in Mitchell, Ill. I didn’t take much note of it, thinking it was random violence.

However, this report in the Edwardsville Intelligencer indicates the Luna may be attracting a nastier clientele. According to the newspaper, a woman was robbed at gunpoint in the tavern’s parking lot on March 19. In July, a man was stabbed in the parking lot during an argument.

The situation has gotten bad enough where Madison County officials talked of requiring the owners to buy surveillance cameras. But a sheriff’s Capt. Eric Decker said it’s not the only answer to quelling the violence:

“Unfortunately, it’s a case of having a bad element that patronizes the area and doesn’t behave well,” Decker said. “I don’t think there’s a magic wand you can wave that will make them follow the laws.”

Decker encouraged the committee to develop guidelines that discourage violent incidents, and said his department will work with them to enforce those recommendations. “Our concern is the safety of the citizens of Madison County while they’re in the establishment having a beer or grabbing a burger,” he said. “But if some of these establishments cannot provide that safety, then something has to be done.”

I covered county governments for newspapers for years. If the Luna Cafe doesn’t straighten up soon, Madison County will look seriously at yanking the tavern’s liquor license. Madison County officials didn’t say that publicly, but I guarantee they’re thinking it.

This saddens me. I’ve always regarded the Luna Cafe as a great blue-collar bar that’s equally hospitable to area steelworkers and Route 66 cruisers.  It’s a place where you can hear Hank Williams and Hank Williams Jr. on the jukebox, and the local favorite Stag beer is kept cold.

It’s hoped this uptick in violence proves to be an aberration. Or perhaps the Luna will crack down on the bad element, at least.