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Downtown bar owner seeks three annual street closures; resident urges stronger nighttime policing
Summary
During public comment at the Jan. 7 Brownsville City Commission meeting, Rodrigo Quintero, owner of Double Trouble, asked for permission to hold three annual street closures in downtown Brownsville to boost foot traffic; a resident, Yolanda Spies, urged the commission to address nighttime speeding and police conduct.
Brownsville — During the public comment portion of the Brownsville City Commission meeting on Jan. 7, Rodrigo Quintero, owner of Double Trouble, asked the commission to let his business hold three street closures per year to revive downtown foot traffic. A separate speaker raised concerns about nighttime speeding and interactions with police.
Quintero told the commission he has operated Double Trouble for 16 years and that the business has hosted free outdoor events that drew people downtown. He said the events brought energy to the area and helped local vendors and performers. "Today, I'm respectfully asking the opportunity to bring back 3 street closures dates per year," Quintero said, adding that the events are self-funded and free to the public.
Quintero said the city manager informed him he could no longer host private street events and instead must collaborate with city-led events across various locations; he said that arrangement does not align with his goal of driving traffic directly to his business downtown. He told commissioners that sponsorship interest exists that could increase event scale and economic benefit for downtown vendors.
Also during public comment, Yolanda Spies urged the commission to strengthen law-enforcement presence and professionalism at night. Spies said inconsistent enforcement of speeding at night is a public-safety concern and that routine practices such as providing business cards and treating residents respectfully affect trust in policing. "Speeding poses a real danger to families, residents, visitors," Spies said, and she asked commissioners to "take these concerns seriously and explore solutions that prioritize both public safety and the trust of residents."
No formal action was taken during the meeting on the street-closure request or on policing policies; both issues were raised during the public-comment period for the commission's consideration.
Quintero's request, if pursued, would require coordination with the city's event-permitting process and public-works or police departments for street closures. Spies' remarks put a spotlight on enforcement priorities and community trust; the commission did not announce specific follow-up steps during the meeting.
