BROOKINGS COUNTY Three businesses came up short in an alcohol sales compliance check conducted by the Brooking County Sheriffs Office on June 19-20.
The businesses in question were:
- Los Tapatios, 100 Hansina Ave., of Volga
- Schade Winery, 21095 463rd Ave., of Volga
- The Ridge, 919 Jay St., of Bruce
The businesses in question made underage sales to a 19-year-old buyer, Assistant Sheriff David Biteler wrote in a Monday news release, adding that a total of 23 businesses were checked in the county. He noted that in an earlier sweep in February, three businesses failed an alcohol compliance check.
According to the South Dakota Department of Revenue, fines and penalties can be imposed on licensees, clerks and those who furnish alcohol to underage individuals.
Previous reporting in the Brookings Register, based on sheriffs office news releases, indicates that Los Tapatios has had other violations in recent years as well one in June 2023, and another in June 2024.
How alcohol violations are handled, especially when it comes to renewal time for licenses, depends on where the business is located. Since Los Tapatios is within Volga city limits, any such decision would rest with town officials, and City Administrator Michael Schulte was out of the office on Monday afternoon.
At the county level, a business with a recent alcohol violation on its record must appear before the Brookings County Commission to make the case for its license when the time comes for its renewal, according to Commission Department Director Stacy Steffensen.
The same essentially holds true in Brookings proper, where violators must, according to City Clerk Bonnie Foster, also appear at a City Council meeting when it comes to renewing their license.
Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
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