Five businesses sell beer to underage buyers

Underage beer and alcohol purchases were attempted at 26 local businesses on Friday evening.

Five local businesses sold beer to minors, none sold liquor. Three of the five clerks at the businesses sold beer without asking the buyer to produce any identification. The other two checkout clerks asked for an ID, but sold to the underage buyer anyway.

2M2L is a state program of the Department of Mental Health. 2M2L targets communities throughout the state to decrease underage drinking and related social problems, decrease youth access to alcohol through retail and social sources, increase community-level support for environmental change, and increase youth-driven prevention activities.

Clerks working at the following businesses on Friday night sold to the underage buyer:

• Dollar General at 700 North Fourteenth Street
• Food Pyramid at 2005 North Fourteenth Street
• Stop and Go at 2911 North Union
• Valero at 201 West Hartford Avenue
• Valero at 425 South Fourteenth Street.

The clerks were all written citations for the sale of beer to a person under the age of 21 years. The fine associated with the citation is $200 plus court costs. The clerks also have the option to go before the Municipal Court Judge.

Each of the businesses that had a clerk sell will be reported to the ABLE (Alcohol Beverage Laws Enforcement) Commission.