The St. Louis County Board got tough on Tuesday against a Clinton Township liquor store that has been caught twice in less than one year selling alcohol to minors.
Crossroads Convenience and Liquor Store was caught Aug. 26 selling to an underage person as part of a St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office compliance check.
The board generally imposes relaxed penalties for first-time offenders, often suspending liquor licenses for a day or two and waiving much of any fine if no further offenses occur over the next year.
But the Aug. 26 incident was the second in less than a year; an employee at Crossroads also was caught selling alcohol to a minor on Sept. 12, 2013.
On Tuesday, after a public hearing before their regular board meeting in the Hibbing City Council chambers, county commissioners voted to suspend Crossroads’ liquor license for 13 days, from Dec. 4-16, and levy a new fine of $1,600. Eight of those days and half the fine are for the 2013 infraction, with the other five days and $800 for the recent incident.
Crossroads’ owners noted that the second offense was an employee on the job for only two days. And they noted they have installed a new cash register that requires a birthdate to be included before the sale is approved. But commissioners weren’t in the mood for leniency.
“I think it’s good that we not let them explain their way out of these offenses. One may be an anomaly, but two in a row, in less than a year, is a problem,’’ said Commissioner Chris Dahlberg of Duluth, who serves on the county’s liquor committee that negotiates agreements with liquor license owners found in violation.
If the store incurs another violation in the next year, it will be on the hook for another five-day suspension and $800 fine for this year’s offense and probably a major crackdown for the new offense, county officials said. It’s one of the first two-time offenders within one year.
Crossroads is on St. Louis County Road 7 in unincorporated Iron. The county issues liquor licenses to establishments outside city limits.
In addition to the county’s civil action with the license holder, misdemeanor criminal charges can be leveled against the person selling the liquor to a minor.
The Sheriff’s Office regularly hires underage individuals to take part in compliance checks - but only after all businesses that will be checked are warned in advance that the checks are coming.
Board wants methadone clinic closed St. Louis County commissioners Tuesday went on the record that they want the Duluth methadone clinic closed quickly.
Commissioners voted unanimously to send a letter to the Minnesota Department of Human Services asking that the state take action to permanently revoke the license and close the facility immediately.
The Lake Superior Treatment Center already is operating under a revoked license; the clinic has remained open during the appeals process. In a certified letter to the center’s owner earlier this month, state officials listed 22 new alleged violations.
A second Duluth methadone clinic is targeted for opening April 1. It will be operated by the Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment at 1402 E. Superior St., and is a result of a partnership with St. Louis County and other entities.
Methadone is a narcotic used to treat addiction to other narcotics, such as heroin.
New bridge over Sturgeon River Commissioners on Tuesday approved a new bridge where St. Louis County Road 22 crosses the Sturgeon River near Minnesota Highway 73 southwest of Cook.
The $2.8 million bid went to Redstone Construction of Mora, Minn. Construction is due to start June 15 and conclude by Oct. 31.
Sales tax hearings continue Commissioners also heard additional public testimony about a proposed 0.5 percent county sales tax that would be used for highway repairs.
Several people testified on the proposed tax which would be on most retail sales across the county. The county board held a hearing on the tax last Tuesday in Duluth and has scheduled a third and final hearing for Monday at 5 p.m. at the Hermantown Public Safety Building.
The proposed tax would raise more than $10 million annually for highway repairs. Commissioners could vote on the new tax as early as their Dec. 2 meeting in Duluth.
