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PrintSEDALIA — Eight people working on the Missouri State Fairgrounds were charged with selling alcohol to minors on the opening day of the state fair.
The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control said Tuesday the arrests were made after alcoholic beverages were served to an 18-year-old working undercover. Officials said only one vendor refused to serve the minor during the compliance checks on Thursday.
The agency's chief of enforcement, Steve Shimmens, said vendors were warned two days before the fair that the division would be there doing the checks.
Shimmens said the employees arrested will be allowed to explain their actions in a trial before a state supervisor. Penalties range from a written warning to revocation of their licenses.
Comments
Yet again, we've been tricked by the man. I totally agree with busting people for underage drinking....but why is it in America you can die for your country at age 18...you can make a conscious decision to take a bullet and die...but you cant drink a beer? Are 18 year old's more qualified to make a decision to put them directly in harms way than they are to decide if they want to drink? It seems a quite bit lopsided to me! I'm sure some people will disagree with me on this and thats totally fair...but i'd like to think that if you can die for America you'd ought to be able to toast her before hand!
Back in the '70s, many states lowered the drinking age to 18. It didn't work then, and it's unlikely to work now.
DK
The minimum age really doesn't matter. The people serving were told two day ahead that they would be having compliance checks on the first weekend. When a compliance check is done it is with a person who looks young. The reason why is because most people are not good at judging ages just by looking and so they have to have someone one young so that it gives the person selling the liquor a chance to do the right thing. In other words the compliance checks are in favor of the person selling the liquor. I have worked in a c-store for over five years and the Missouri alcohol, tobacco, and firearms has training that companies can send their employee to to know what to do. Whoever the employee works for will not be punished the person selling it is.