TEXARKANA, Ark. -- Texarkana's Board of Directors halt their vote after bars clash with police over a 10 p.m. drinking ban.

The heated debate happened Monday night in City Hall as business owners, police, and city directors clashed over new limits on open-container hours in the city’s entertainment district. What started as a public-safety fix quickly became a showdown over freedom, fairness and the future of nightlife downtown.

The Board of Directors voted to table changes to the ordinance after bar owners warned that a proposed 10 p.m. cutoff could cripple late-night business.

Police Chief Ed Chattaway urged action, saying weekend crowds have grown unruly and costly.

“We’ve had fights where guns dropped to the ground,” Chattaway said. “We’re spending $28,000 in overtime just to keep

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