Kids, businesses upset with Fort Myers curfew challenges

By FOX 4

CREATED Sep. 7, 2012 - UPDATED: Sep. 7, 2012

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  • For the past week, Fort Myers police have been warning teens about the curfew. But that doesn't mean they're listening. Video by fox4now.com

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FORT MYERS, Fla. - For the past week, Fort Myers police have been warning teens about the curfew.  But that doesn't mean they're listening.
 
"We're not just going to stay home all night, that's what we do on the weekdays, week nights are like our night out and everything so it's like our time." Max Mazzulo said.
 
These three guys often spend their evenings at the Skatium, practicing with their youth hockey league.  By the time they're finished, it's late and they don't plan on going straight home afterwards.
 
The city of Fort Myers enacted a new curfew this month.
 
Minors can no longer be out in public by themselves after 9pm on weekdays or past 11pm Friday and Saturday.
 
Some Fort Myers teens are confused about whether they can still drive to the movies after curfew, even if the theater is outside city limits.
 
Christina Gonzalez: "I think we should be mature enough to go to the movIe theater and have a good time with our friends, you know."
Mike Mason: "What do you think?"
Guy: "I think kids are going to do it anyway."
 
Terry Leis manages Pin Street Bowling and says this new curfew could cut into her business.
 
"Yeah, it's definitely going to hurt because they're going to want to come earlier so they can bowl and get home before the curfew therefore we're going to be sitting in an empty building." Leis said.
 
Leis says tourist season is about to begin and she relies on late night business, something she feels city officials didn't take into consideration.
 
"Is this the way to go about it? I don't know." Leis said.
 
But these guys still plan on having a ball on the weekends.  They just hope they don't strike out with police.
 
Mike Mason: "You get slapped with a citation. What do you think?
Max Mazzulo: "I just think that, that's upsetting."
 
The new curfew officially goes into effect October 1st.  Fines begin at $110 per offense and go up to $250 thereafter.  Parents can be fined as well, if their kids don't comply.