Dale Hess and Beverly Trudo of Glen's Market in St. Ignace are working to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors. Melanie MacDowell, Prevention Specialist at LMAS District Health Department, is helping Glen's promote the We Don't Serve Teens program. (Photography courtesy of LMAS Health Department) Twenty-nine businesses in the Upper Peninsula were cited for selling liquor or tobacco to minors during a sting operation conducted jointly by police and district health departments in September. In the operation, which is conducted annually, St. Ignace topped the list of communities in the percentage of citations issued.

Overall, 107 businesses in six counties were checked, with 27 percent cited for such infractions as selling alcohol or tobacco to minors.

The following are the results, with an estimated percentage of noncompliance in parentheses: Mackinac County (all in St. Ignace), five out of 11 businesses investigated were cited (45 percent); Chippewa County, 15 out of 39 places were cited (38 percent); Delta County, one out of four businesses cited (25 percent); Schoolcraft, one out of five businesses cited (20 percent); Marquette County, six out of 30 businesses cited (20 percent); Menominee County, one out of 18 businesses cited (five percent).

Mackinac and Schoolcraft county liquor establishments were selected by the Luce, Mackinac, Alger, Schoolcraft (LMAS) District Health Department.

In investigations similar to those made by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, LMAS is required to conduct sting operations each year, which includes tobacco sales to minors, as part of its support for community health in the area, said Melanie MacDowell, a prevention specialist with LMAS. No sting operations were conducted in Luce and Alger counties this year because a prevention specialist was only recently hired for those areas.

A 17-year-old youth served as a decoy for the operation in St. Ignace.

Each cashier who sold the minor alcohol was given a citation by police, a misdemeanor that carries a fine up to $1,000.

In St. Ignace, the youth was able to purchase two bottles of wine from one establishment, and, from the other places combined, he was able to purchase a 16-ounce cup of beer, two 40-ounce bottles of beer, and a six-pack of beer. None of the cashiers of the five establishments asked for identification.

"I was shocked; that's not a good turnout," said Mrs. MacDowell about the overall number of violators. "It reflects badly on us as an area, and this was done during a time when tourism isn't high."

The alcohol purchased will be used as evidence by police.

"The reason we do this is because the consumption of alcohol by minors is really huge in this area," Mrs. MacDowell said. "We're trying to make it a point that if you violate the liquor law, this is what is going to happen."

Mrs. MacDowell is working with Glen's Market, one of the violators, to educate its staff on preventing the sale of alcohol and tobacco to minors. The service is available for any business with a liquor license.

"Glen's Market has embraced the information we can provide them and we will be working with their staff to educate them more on preventing sales of alcohol and tobacco to minors," she said. "We are willing to come to any establishment and help train their staff."