Ten of 11 C.O. businesses pass OLCC minor ‘sting’

Ten of 11 businesses visited in Culver, Madras, Metolius and Redmond passed a recent check for alcohol sales to minors by refusing to sell alcohol to a minor volunteer, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission reported Monday.

The sales checks were performed Aug. 16 and resulted in a compliance rate of 91 percent, significantly above the 2011 statewide average of 76 percent, the OLCC reported.

The commission performs the minor sales checks in an effort to reduce drinking by minors, which is a serious problem throughout the state.

The OLCC tests licensed liquor businesses throughout the year. Licensees or their employees could be held liable for alcohol-related damages and injuries if they serve or sell alcohol to a minor.

The OLCC offers a free training course on how to check ID’s. Participants learn how to identify false identification and the laws regarding minors and alcohol.

Additional training opportunities are available including classes for store clerks and service permit holders. Interested persons can call the local OLCC office to schedule a training session.

During the sales checks, a minor volunteer attempts to purchase alcohol from a licensed business to see if staff are checking IDs correctly and refusing to sell alcohol to anyone under 21.

Commission inspectors or other law enforcement officers supervise the minor volunteers. The volunteers carry their own legal ID that identifies them as under 21 and do not disguise their age or lie to encourage the sale of alcohol.

The Oregon driver license for a minor carries a red border around the picture with the words “Under 21 until” followed by the date of his/her 21st birthday.

Under Oregon law, businesses in cities with a population of 20,000 or more have an equal chance of being randomly selected for a minor decoy compliance check.

A business can also be selected for a compliance check if there is a documented complaint of sales to minors. Businesses in cities with a population under 20,000 and unincorporated areas in counties are not subject to these selection requirements.

Culver, Madras, Metrolius, and Redmond
11 premises visited: 10 No Sales, 1 Sale – Compliance rate of 91%

SALES

MARAGAS WINERY
15523 SW HWY 97
CULVER

NO SALES

THE BACK STREET PUB
272 NW 5th ST.
MADRAS

MAZATLAN MEXICAN RESTAURANT
675 NE HWY 26
MADRAS

BUSY BEE MARKET
481 SW 4th ST
MADRAS

FIESTA MAZATLAN
975 SW RIMROCK WAY
REDMOND

SEVENTH STREET BREWHOUSE
855 SW 7TH STREET
REDMOND NO SALES
MADRAS PUB AND DELI
118 SW 5TH ST.
MADRAS

DING HO FAMILY RESTAURANT
36 SW “I” ST.
MADRAS

ABBY’S LEGENDARY PIZZA OF MADRAS
1235 SW HWY 97
MADRAS

DESERT INN BAR & GRILL
385 JEFFERSON AVE
METOLIUS

ONE STREET DOWN CAFE
124 SW 7th ST
REDMOND