hearing resulted in the levying of
$2,000 worth of fines between three
area businesses that sold to a mi-
nor.
Hole Bar and Grille all received vio-
lations for selling alcohol to under-
age police cadets posing as shop-
pers.
Pines, received the lightest sen-
tence, only having a letter of repri-
mand put on file, though BLC Chair
William Esham warned owner Rita
O'Neil that a subsequent violation
would bring that letter out of the file
and negatively influence the board's
next ruling. Rita's World had one
sale to a minor on record already,
but it was in 2011 and the spot had
passed six more checks by under-
cover cadets since then until their
most recent violation.
with the heaviest fine, $1,500. Like
Rita's, Mike's Shell also had a sale to
minor already on record, but it was
more recent, taking place in 2012,
with four checks passed since then
before the most recent violation. At-
torney Hugh Cropper told the BLC
beyond the clerk being overworked
and distracted at the time.
third violation in a short period of time
it could have resulted in a much
steeper fine or even a license suspen-
sion if not for the positive assessment
of the store by Worcester County
Sheriff's Deputy Jennifer Hall.
the BLC. "It then just becomes in-
cumbent upon the person at the
register to ask for an ID because the
tools there become useless when
you do not."
Marlin Market on Route 611, used
the same line of reasoning in
defending the most recent violation.
ing people that they will not be serv-
ed if they do not have ID and that
vertical IDs will not be accepted," he
said. "What I'm trying to do is show
you all that they are using an ab-
solute, honest effort to prevent what
happened."
checking precaution that could fea-
sibly be taken by 19th Hole has
been. Besides extensive signage,
cash registers require a date of birth
to be put in for alcohol sales or the
use of a manual override. Store pol-
age must be checked, an agree-
ment all employees must sign be-
fore they begin. Finally, all employ-
ees must be certified through alco-
hol classes.
various available in the store, ar-
gued Moore. The clerk was immedi-
ately fired after the sale.
board in five years, asking that
leniency be shown to 19th Hole.
you allow me to cite the gentleman
minor in lieu of doing any heavy
fines or suspension of a license to
the company itself because they
have had fantastic follow through?
They've only improved since the
times I've been in contact with them
before," she said.
support of the restaurant's efforts,
but he did not feel that a criminal
citation would be the best route.
said.