8 businesses busted for selling alcohol to minors
Marietta teens looking to sample adult beverages are out of luck, thanks to the diligent efforts of local law enforcement.
Police in the Cobb hamlet conducted a sweeping “alcohol compliance check” May 16 and found eight businesses violated the law by serving underage buyers.
Unbelievably, a company that chose the name “Loco Willy’s” is among the scofflaws.
The “underage buyers” used in the sting are Boy Scouts volunteering with the Marietta Police Department’s Explorer Post, police said.
Thirsty-seven businesses asked the boys for IDs and were not cited.
Here’s the list of the businesses that sold to minors.
- Battle&Brew 279 Powers Ferry Rd. Marietta, GA 30067;
- Citgo 574 Roswell St. Marietta, GA 30060
- Jimiz Lounge 2090 Cobb Pkwy. S Smyrna, GA 30080
- Rodney’s Jamaican Soulfood 2092 Cobb Pkwy. S Marietta, GA 30060
- Taqueria Tsunami 70 S. Park Sq. Marietta, GA 30060
- Fairground Food Mart 619 N. Fairground St. Marietta, GA 30060
- Beer Barrel 1294 Roswell Rd. Marietta, GA 30060;
- Loco Willy’s 800 Whitlock Ave. Marietta, GA 30064
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140 comments Add your comment
CynicalOne
May 22nd, 2012
8:52 am
If this is what they are working on it sounds like we’ve got too many cops in Marietta.
Tammy
May 22nd, 2012
8:52 am
Oh the horror! Just think what a Zima could do to a 17 year old brain!
On My Way
May 22nd, 2012
8:56 am
Back in the 80s, the BSA sent their boys out in the woods in search of the devil’s weed. What is this group, Miami Vice?
Bravesfan79
May 22nd, 2012
8:58 am
Boy scouts should be used to teach people CPR, how to tie knots… and be solid people. Not to help enforce stupid laws and cause people to loose their jobs!
richard
May 22nd, 2012
8:59 am
The Gay Bars in Marietta should feel safe.
Yes Ocifer
May 22nd, 2012
9:01 am
Aren’t Boy Scouts like, 10 years old?
Malrie
May 22nd, 2012
9:01 am
Having a drink, under age 21???? It’s the end of the world, as we know it!!! What will I do!!! oMG!!!! I need a drink!
Highlands
May 22nd, 2012
9:01 am
You take away all the bullies and now look at the mess you’ve created, MSM! Pretty sure both organizations (BSA, MPD) have other things that would better warrant their attention. Maybe everyone at the MPD is secretly auditioning for a spot in Douglasville (aka “Georgia’s Prohibition HQ”).
von
May 22nd, 2012
9:02 am
Good for these boys for volunteering to help enforce the law. And good for Cobb & Marietta PD more making sure that some kid doesnt go drinking at a bar and then drive home and kill someone.
Dr. Funk
May 22nd, 2012
9:06 am
Good for the Scouts. Businesses selling booze to kids should be made to sell only soft drinks for a year. See how that impacts their bottom line.
Evan
May 22nd, 2012
9:07 am
I think they did a good job, any business that sells alcohol to minors should be fined because as soon as they are in an accident and someone is hurt or even killed we grab our pitch forks and say who sold them the alcohol…. I like this preventative measure!!! GOOD JOB!!!
nina
May 22nd, 2012
9:09 am
Yeah, how dare people lose their jobs for not following law that requires them to have a license and everything!!! Better not get someone who can follow the right protocol, let the stupid people keep their jobs!!!!
Also I’m pretty sure learning CPR and tying knots does not take more than a couple of weeks, plus how do you know these scouts don’t already know all those things?
Sean
May 22nd, 2012
9:10 am
Glad to see Marietta PD doing this.
And actually Cynical… it means there are too few police in the Marietta PD if they’re using the BSA to help.
EMS Explorer
May 22nd, 2012
9:11 am
@ Yes Ocifer, Boy Scout Explorers start at 14 years old, most go to 21. I still think they could have found a better use for the scouts time
Ruthie
May 22nd, 2012
9:11 am
“Thirsty-seven businesses asked the boys for IDs and were not cited.”
Thirsty-seven? Intentional?
Dr. Funk
May 22nd, 2012
9:13 am
All you posters who think it’s no big deal to sell booze to minors: please undergo voluntary sterilization before you have any kids … or, God forbid, any more.
Glenn
May 22nd, 2012
9:16 am
Your asking someone making 6 dollars an hour to be able to decide if an ID is fake or not . Does the minor that produces this ID get in any real trouble ? The best way to handle this since we are going to flog these businesses in a public forum would be to have the devils sauce sold more publicly . The government should be the ones selling alcohol not any private enterprise . That would put an end to the evil in this article .
BRW
May 22nd, 2012
9:23 am
Idiot. Read the story. Where did it say they used fake IDs. All the employee had to do was check the ID as required by law and they would have passed the test.
A person SMART enough to know......
May 22nd, 2012
9:24 am
Well now the parents, older brothers or sisters will have to buy the booze for the high school graduation parties again this year.
87dawg
May 22nd, 2012
9:25 am
Just so all you folks that seem to constantly find fault in Scouting, let me educate you…..the Scouts that were used are actually what is called an “Explorer Post”. This is a branch of Scouting that has been around for a very long time that you just don’t know about or don’t care to know about since being educated would dimish your ability to criticize.
Explorer posts are training grounds for older teens, boys and girls, that specialize in various areas. In this case, law enforcement. The Scouts use these as a way to learn a skill in which they may decide to make a career. These are not the 11 year old kids and certainly not Cub Scouts. I doubt you have any problem with high schools teaching various trades. Why would you have a problem with law enforcement teaching?
And if you criticize the police monitoring and cracking down on underage drinking, maybe you should have children. You might change your mind. If not then I suggest you don’t have children because you are the problem.
Glenn
May 22nd, 2012
9:27 am
I did read it clown . This story isn’t the norm . As someone in the business you are only as good as your employees ……and more than not they are shown an invalid id .
ACE
May 22nd, 2012
9:28 am
@sean-No it means they needed somebody under 21 to attempt to make the purchases.
-You idiot.
May 22nd, 2012
9:29 am
“Good for these boys for volunteering to help enforce the law. And good for Cobb & Marietta PD more making sure that some kid doesnt go drinking at a bar and then drive home and kill someone.”
-You idiot. This increases the chances of them buying in a bar. The places where these boyscouts where used were places where you buy alchohol and drink it at home.
Glenn
May 22nd, 2012
9:30 am
@ 87 dawg
No you are the problem . Maybe you should teach your kid about moderation or why he/she shouldn’t drink instead of relying on the government .
commoncents
May 22nd, 2012
9:32 am
Checking IDs in bars and gas stations is part of the job! It’s not like the employees had to go above and beyond their typical duties.
ACE
May 22nd, 2012
9:32 am
@glenn-No you are totally off base and off topic. No mention of fake IDs anywhere in story.
Loco Willy
May 22nd, 2012
9:33 am
Why did they call out Loco Willy’s? “Unbelievably, a company that chose the name “Loco Willy’s” is among the scofflaws.” – what an insult! Did Loco Willy’s serve watered down drinks to the AJC editor?
commoncents
May 22nd, 2012
9:34 am
-you idiot @ 9:29
perhaps you should google the places where the minors were able to purchase beer.. some of those are bars and the drinks must be consumed on the premises.
commoncents
May 22nd, 2012
9:37 am
Glenn @ 9:30
While parents should be involved, the government should still be responsible for restricting certain things from certain people- i.e. alcohol from minors, uranium from terrorists, drivers licenses from legally blind people, etc.
Even the children from some of the best parents don’t always listen
Tech82
May 22nd, 2012
9:38 am
Glenn – You are 100% wrong! Checking for valid ID before selling alcohol is the law. If your employees are not capable of doing that then they are not qualified for the job. Period.
Nowhere in this story did it state that any of the boys presented a fake ID as you suggested. Each of the businesses cited failed to ask for ANY ID.
87dawg
May 22nd, 2012
9:38 am
Glenn, you are an idiot.
And yes, I actually do rely on the government for law enforcement. It’s kind of their job rather than some yahoo like you who feels he can do a better job. You do know they train the police to do this and that underage drinking is actually against the law. The very law these “government” enmployees are trained to do. This isn’t some government program that just appeared and takes rights away from citizens or goes beyond their charge (that means their directive). Did you even read the article? It has nothing to do with kids or moderation. It is about businesses selling to underage kids.
I have to guess by your reply that you are OK with your someone giving your underage children booze.
Loco Willy's Padre
May 22nd, 2012
9:38 am
Stop talking about my son, he’s a good boy.
Quityabithcin
May 22nd, 2012
9:41 am
Yeah, the cops are bad and so are the Boy Scouts..blah, blah, blah!!!! But…. when an underage teen drinks and drives and kills himself or kills someone else (ie. one of your loved ones), then we will see posts about why there aren’t more police enforcing underage sales. Who understands you, people. Damned if you, damned if you don’t.
Ms Shocked
May 22nd, 2012
9:41 am
The program is actually Marietta Police Explorers which is sponsored by the Boy Scouts. The Explorer program is for young boy and girls between the ages 14-21 that might be interested in a career in the Police Department. This is a great experience and opportunity for these young men and women to get hands on training in a field they are interested in. Therefore don’t judge something you don’t actually know about.
dan
May 22nd, 2012
9:41 am
What’s next? Boy Scouts going undercover in arresting prostitutes?
ACE
May 22nd, 2012
9:42 am
@quit-Take it up with Glenn he is the one in favor of underage drinking.
VinylT
May 22nd, 2012
9:42 am
Dear Mr. Mathis:
Marietta isn’t a “hamlet”; it’s a city of over 50,000 people, the largest in the county. City > town > village > hamlet.
I’ve said it a thousand times: a thesaurus is NOT a toy!
Love,
VinylT
ScootMonkey
May 22nd, 2012
9:43 am
Another reason the Boy Scouts should be abolished.
ACE
May 22nd, 2012
9:43 am
@dan-Sign me up.
Bert
May 22nd, 2012
9:44 am
I just don’t get the alcohol law. In 1983 you could drink when you were 18. So now you have to be twenty-one. It is not like the alcohol has a different effect in three years. I think it is just silly.
Mike S
May 22nd, 2012
9:45 am
Is it possible that the AJC assigns an idiot to every blog in order to create more responses? Thanks for being there for us today Glenn!
Jamal Jenkums
May 22nd, 2012
9:46 am
Next week the Cobb on the job cops are going to use the BSA in a prostitution sting. It will be much more rewarding for the boys. I assume that the cops have caught all the robbers and burglars and are just bored?
mreed14
May 22nd, 2012
9:47 am
What a waste of time, those kids will look back on this and be ashamed. Congratulations scouts, you got a few people that are just scraping by fired. Wait till they are in college, MOST people drink underage.
A person SMART enough to know......
May 22nd, 2012
9:48 am
I love Europe very few countries have a drinking age but also you can walk or use public transportation to get anywhere you need to when drunk.
Glenn
May 22nd, 2012
9:50 am
Sorry but I was old enough to be able to drink at 18 but that was a time of personal responsibility . If you are 18 you shouldn’t be a boy scout you should be supporting yourself .
When I see law enforcement doing something to stop people from driving with cell phones which have been proven to be more dangerous to the roads than alcohol I will might believe that safety & not morality is the main purpose of these stings .
commoncents
May 22nd, 2012
9:54 am
mreed14-
Why would the scouts be ashamed? Is keeping underaged drunks off the road something to be embarrassed about?
87dawg
May 22nd, 2012
9:54 am
You are not a Boy Scout at 18. You can, however, be an Explorer (or Venturer), part of the Boy Scouts of America, and learn a trade as any other 18 year old does after high school.
Obamaneisha
May 22nd, 2012
9:58 am
I’m trying to conjure up a mental picture of the merit badge Scouts would get for participating in undercover alcohol stings – something like a beer keg with a big X across it perhaps.
ACE
May 22nd, 2012
9:58 am
@glenn-I’m pretty sure drunk drivers kill more people than cell phone talking drivers.
ACE
May 22nd, 2012
10:01 am
I never realized that there was so much support for underage drinking in the community.
Tech82
May 22nd, 2012
10:01 am
@Glenn – Wrong again! Please cite your source for the data that suggests operating a vehicle while using a cell phone is more dangerous than operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Do you ever get the facts before launching into an argument or do you simply make your “facts” up as you go?
A person SMART enough to know......
May 22nd, 2012
10:02 am
87dwag you can be a Boy Scout after 18. If you become and Eagle Scout you are considered a Scout for Life. Once an Eagle always and Eagle.
bob
May 22nd, 2012
10:03 am
we are the only country in the western world with a drinking age as high as it is…………it’s BS…
87dawg
May 22nd, 2012
10:07 am
OK, SMART, you know what I meant, or I’m assuming you know. You are not a registered Boy Scout after 18 unless you are an Explorer, Venturer or Leader. I’m making a point.
A person SMART enough to know......
May 22nd, 2012
10:07 am
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 32,885 people died in traffic crashes in 2010 in the United States (latest figures available), including an estimated 10,228 people who died in drunk driving crashes, accounting for 31% of all traffic deaths last year.
http://www.centurycouncil.org/drunk-driving/drunk-driving-fatalities-national-statistics
A person SMART enough to know......
May 22nd, 2012
10:08 am
If one definition of “wellness” is “avoiding death,” then this story should give some readers pause. Reuter’s reports the results of a study at the University of North Texas that determined there were 16,000 automobile fatalities resulting from cell phone use between 2001 and 2006.
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/study_16000_auto_deaths_caused_by_cell_phones_texting_092410/
From these 2 articles it seems Cell Phone use is worse than Alcohol use while driving.
gv
May 22nd, 2012
10:08 am
The whole laughs at America’s drinking age.You can drive a car,buy a gun,serve in the military and get married,but you can’t have a drink.This country is so messed up!
Glenn
May 22nd, 2012
10:09 am
Good grief man . Its an easy google . Cell phones have been shown to cause more accidents than alcohol . I could give you many sources or you could simply look it up yourself .
Simeon Namore
May 22nd, 2012
10:09 am
They must have been earning their stool-pigeon merit badges.
Kar
May 22nd, 2012
10:10 am
I wanna know what the badge for that looks like.
A person SMART enough to know......
May 22nd, 2012
10:14 am
More people drive and use a cell phone so it makes sense that it is more dangerous than Drunk Drivers. Few Drunks drivers are on the roads than cell phone users. Yes the Odds of having an accident while drunk are higher than cell phone use, but their are some many more phone users on the roads every hour of the day.
BRW
May 22nd, 2012
10:14 am
Glenn, Hopefully you never get a job selling anything properly regulated. Your not qualified.
jarvis
May 22nd, 2012
10:16 am
Nobody likes a Narc.
Fight for your right to party...
May 22nd, 2012
10:17 am
I believe the drinking age should be consistant with other adult activities like voting, entering into legal contracts and fighting a war for your country. If an 18 yer old is mature enough to be sent to the middle east with a semi automatic gun to fight in a war, I think they are mature enough to drink a beer.
jarvis
May 22nd, 2012
10:19 am
Then the cops showed the Boy Scouts how to abuse their power, cheat on their wives, and take bribes. All in all it was a great learning experience.
helo5747
May 22nd, 2012
10:21 am
“Unbelievably, a company that chose the name “Loco Willy’s” is among the scofflaws.”
I’m not sure why that is so unbelievable. I’m not from the area. Is there some kind of local significance or just another reporter trying to sensationalize their writing?
Glenn
May 22nd, 2012
10:24 am
@GV
Very well said . You are an ADULT at 18 . You shouldn’t be part of the Boy Scouts or Weeblo’s. When these adults aren’t posing as children are they eating PBJ’s and playing in sandboxes ? Making the drinking age 21 is away for the government to make money & make the morality police happy . If safety was the concern I couldn’t go down the road with a cell phone in one hand placed up to my ear & drive around town . You can be legally intoxicated after two drinks & be fully coherent . You can be responsible but deemed not in the name of morality & govt revenue .
Glenn
May 22nd, 2012
10:37 am
@ BRW
Qualified ? Are theses boy scouts busting people selling asbestos ? Responsibility should trump regulations when dealing with adults . Teach responsibility . Teach moderation . Don’t regulate what adults can give themselves .
Ruff
May 22nd, 2012
10:38 am
75% of boy scouts today are sponsored by the Morman church. Should ‘t they be on their witnessing patrols?
George P Burdell
May 22nd, 2012
10:38 am
To Mr. Mathis: Marietta is not a hamlet. It’s population in 2010 was 56,579. Your ITP attempt to denigrate this city is neither funny nor necessary.
To all the readers who decided to run down the Boy Scouts: the Boy Scouts involved in this sting are members of an Explorer post who’s primary interest is law enforcement. So it makes sense that they are involved in an operation like this.
To everyone who made fun of the alcohol laws: There have been numerous incidents in Cobb and other Atlanta metro counties where underage teens have managed to get drunk and kill themselves or others. The drinking age was 21 from the end of Prohibition until 1969 when states lowered it to match the voting age as specified in the 26th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1971. So 18 year olds have only been allowed to drink in Georgia between 1972 and 1980. 1980 saw the beginning of the gradual raise of the drinking age to 19, 20 and now 21 in 1986.
anthony
May 22nd, 2012
10:40 am
Agreed with Dr. Funk But, the 21 Law should have never changed to 18 yrs. old even if in the 1970’s you could Vote and go in the military. Areal Big Mistake here in retrospect. on the same topic they didn’t give a flip about Cigarette sales to minors back then either. A kid could go in a store and with supposedly? Their parents money which was highly unlikely the case and buy. them saying Oh, I’m getting them for my Father or Mother. Now they must be as of some 20 yrs. by Law behind the counter and purchaser Id presented if following policy as instructed to do so by their Boss. A boy Scout shouldn’t be subjected to these circumstances. Let the law enforcement get off their laurels and deal with the Drug problems and Robbery’s in that area it sounds like Marietta has become quite an area with plenty of Crime to deal with these Days.
average gasstation worker
May 22nd, 2012
10:44 am
Thanks kid for screwing me over, now i lost my job, had my last paycheck taken away because i got fined for being nice to some kid who i thought looked 21 and make up some excuse why he didnt have his id. Now im getting evicted and have to go live on the street with my child who will now have to drop out of school. Thanks alot DORK
i
May 22nd, 2012
10:54 am
Ugh. What a waste of human force.
FlyGuy
May 22nd, 2012
10:58 am
When I was 17-18 (early 80’s), if we had trouble getting served, we would take our business to the strip clubs. And we looked underage! Oh, how the times have changed since then.
MissPeachy
May 22nd, 2012
11:00 am
The cops managed to recruit Boy Scouts into helping them levy huge fines against local businesses. Really classy, there. Let me tell you something: I went to Europe in the mid 90’s on a middle school trip and had wine and beer (because back then, if you were tall enough to reach the bar, you could legally buy alcohol). I had too much wine one night and it literally put me off alcohol until I went to college. And when I did get around to drinking, it was not the big deal that my peers saw it as. I maybe had a drink or two and then waited hours to drive home.
By making this whole drinking age thing so “taboo” and “rebellious” -we’re causing the very problem we say we’re trying to prevent. And the local government isn’t going to say anything because they stand to profit from fines and enforcing/entrapping “the laws.” And I love how in denial parents are about their kids: trust me, by high school, whether you supply it or not -your kid has had a drink or a few. It isn’t necessarily going to make them into alcoholic burnout losers. Focus on your kids being involved in clubs, arts, or sports -focus on them studying and making good grades. Be honest with them about the mistakes you made when drinking and more likely than not, they’ll turn out ok.
SugarfreeSailor
May 22nd, 2012
11:05 am
WAY TO GO MARVIL!!!!!!
THAT’S MY BOY!!!!!
Bobby
May 22nd, 2012
11:06 am
It’s just not what organizers had in mind when Boy Scouts of America was established. It’s unfortunate the Marietta PD have made them a part of their division. Let the cops do their own work.
37...
May 22nd, 2012
11:08 am
“Thirsty”seven huh??
Bobby
May 22nd, 2012
11:09 am
George P. Burdell – You make Georgia Tech look like a bunch of redneck hypocrisy; ever seen the amount of underage drinking at a GT football game? Perhaps GT police should borrow the Marietta PD’s boy scout troop to assist in alcohol enforcement regs on the GT campus.
Mr. Man
May 22nd, 2012
11:10 am
That was actually illegal. Undercover purchasers in sting operations in Georgia have to be POST certified. The businesses can file a complaint against the police department.
MissPeachy
May 22nd, 2012
11:13 am
@George P Burdell – you really think all those accidents were the result of those teens going to the local gas station or liquor store and buying it themselves? Let me shatter your illusions: teens that want to drink will steal booze from their parents, will pay 21+ yr olds to buy it for them -and some even have friends/parents that willingly GIVE it to them.
I drank underage without ever trying to use a fake ID at a bar or at a store. Never had the audacity to try. I let people that were of age supply it. That being said, it was those teens choice to be stupid and get themselves plastered and get behind the wheel. I drank and spent the night out or had a DD -because I wasn’t an idiot and I knew that driving & booze were two things that didn’t go together.
No, those teens are the ones that should be held accountable for their poor choices. It sucks for families to hear that, but it’s the truth. I mean, do you sue a grocery store if you eat your way to diabetes or have a heart attack from being too fat? Hold yourself accountable for your own actions, America.
Anti-Dr. Funk
May 22nd, 2012
11:20 am
As the Anti-Dr. Funk, I feel safe saying that Dr. Funk is a moron.
Boy Scouts are snitches
May 22nd, 2012
11:28 am
wonder what other secrets they are hiding?
Silly Rabbit
May 22nd, 2012
11:32 am
If the boy scout reaches the stage of becoming an Eagle Scout, I can see one posing as an undersage drinker. Think about it. Somne of these teenagers look like grown arse men!
Boom Boom
May 22nd, 2012
11:35 am
I feel SO much safer! I’m glad they’re concentrating on the important stuff in lieu of Murder, robbery, rape, drugs, etc!
dirty south bird
May 22nd, 2012
11:56 am
injustice anywhere-is a threat to justice everywhere….keep up the great work. Respect for the rule of Law is pertinent-rather your selling beer to minors or Guns to minors….crime begats crime
Bob in Buford
May 22nd, 2012
11:56 am
Von, do you have to be a kid to commit vehicular homicide? Dr. Funk, you can pay the unemployment insurance for all the employees who lose their jobs.
Mike Francis
May 22nd, 2012
11:56 am
Please watch me on 11Alive!! Dont you like my bald head?
Stan
May 22nd, 2012
11:58 am
When they’re finished with that, can they do something about the people running across Delk Rd. in rush hour?
Jim Doe
May 22nd, 2012
12:09 pm
ScootMonkey you are an idiot. The Boy Scouts will teach more to kids than you will ever know. Hopefully you won’t have any kids so the world will be a better place
cobbperson
May 22nd, 2012
12:16 pm
What merit badge do they get for this? The Entrapment skills badge? Guess they don’t go in the woods anymore.
Blah
May 22nd, 2012
12:16 pm
Their next mission is speed traps on their bicycles….
sidney
May 22nd, 2012
12:23 pm
Why didn’t they use girl scouts?
mom3boys
May 22nd, 2012
12:32 pm
Explorers is a part of scouting. Kids pick an area to learn about. These explorers chose law enforcement. Explorers is a co-ed part of the BSA; girls were likely a part of this “sting.” Way to go, Cobb!
mom3boys
May 22nd, 2012
12:32 pm
Oh, and btw…if you want your 17 year old to have a beer, give him one in your home…that isn’t illegal. Just don’t serve his friends.
Positive
May 22nd, 2012
12:37 pm
Explorers are a great coed program that is part of the Boy Scouts. The police explorer posts overall are a good concept, but I have problems with the Boy Scouts being directly associated with a underage buy sting. Even if the agenda was intended to stop illegal activity, it is asking Children members of the explorer post to essentially engage in illegal activity with the support of police. Youth are still developing they moral ideals. The police seem to be teaching at a very young age that it is okay to lie and be deceptive in order to enforce laws. Police can legally lie to suspected criminal, but is this really what the Boy Scouts is all about.
I hope the Boy Scouts along with the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts have a problem with any scouting unit promoting members to be dishonest even if the police think the ends are for the good.
SamE
May 22nd, 2012
12:48 pm
I think that under aged drinking wouldn’t be an issue if the age was lowered to 18. The whole concept of alochol being something “dangerous” “risky” or “naughty” only motivates teenagers to drink in the first place. Besides, America is wonderful at sending mixed signals to the masses with fun or innovative beer commercials, swanky wine and liquor commercials, yet on the other hand, the law villanizes alcohol. Too bad the cops are wasting their time on this matter, I would think human trafficking would be a much higher priority.
SamE
May 22nd, 2012
12:49 pm
Reason #59 as to why I don’t live in Cobb County.
Positive
May 22nd, 2012
12:52 pm
Why wait until 17 years old. Heck Ga is one of the few states that has no age limit on drinking if the parent is giving the alcohol to their own child in their home. Every so often a story is being reported somewhere in the state of children under 10 years old that test positive for alcohol and no one is charged with a crime because the parent gave the child alcohol in their own home.
DFCS will completely investigate families with a children under 10 years old found to have alcohol in their system and it can be used as a fact in any DFCS action which is not a good thing. Basically, the law makers in Ga long ago wanted to make sure a parent could not go to jail for letting a child try egg nog with alcohol or for a sipping a glass of wine with a meal at their parents home. It was also alittle bit about letting a young boy having a beer with his dad at home while watching a football game. Since the legislature could not decide how young was too young for parents to give a child their first taste of alcohol in their home, Georgia became one of a very few states with essentially no age limit for drinking alcohol with parents approval in their home.
BTB
May 22nd, 2012
12:54 pm
Marietta has graduated from a mill town to a “hamlet”. A hamlet?? Really??
Fred
May 22nd, 2012
12:58 pm
Nice try @average gasstation worker but no brownie points for you! You failed to follow an explicit law even with all the signs posted all around you about the legal age for purchasing alcohol. You weren’t asked to determine the validity of the ID, only that the ID existed. Take responsibility for your own actions.
Katie
May 22nd, 2012
12:59 pm
I bet those boy scouts are just super popular and liked at school!
CobbGOPer
May 22nd, 2012
1:24 pm
It would be awesome if the Scouts did something more useful for society than being narcs for the police.
Ther is a reason
May 22nd, 2012
1:24 pm
For all those who think drinking under the age is not a big deal…I hope that you or your family are not the victim of an underage DUI accident. Yes, preventing minors from drinking will not stop DUI’s but how many underage drinkers have cost the lives of innocent victims.
Kat
May 22nd, 2012
1:25 pm
Sounds more like the Hitler Youth than Boy Scouts.
scott
May 22nd, 2012
1:27 pm
did they get to drink the booze too???
There is a reason
May 22nd, 2012
1:29 pm
@ average gasstation worker
“Thanks kid for screwing me over, now i lost my job, had my last paycheck taken away because i got fined for being nice to some kid who i thought looked 21 and make up some excuse why he didnt have his id. Now im getting evicted and have to go live on the street with my child who will now have to drop out of school. Thanks alot DORK”
Thanks for taking accountabilty for your actions. Pretty typical of people today make a bad decisission and then balme everyone else. Guess you’d feel the same way if you gave a loaded gun to a guy said he wouldn’t use it on you (cause gosh oh golly you felt sorry for him) and he shot you right between the eyes (if you think theres no comparisom I want you to take a ride in a car with a drunk teenager).
Andy
May 22nd, 2012
1:34 pm
These Boy Scout’s are the equivalent of snitches.
COBBWATCHDOG
May 22nd, 2012
1:35 pm
Break the law to see if anyone broke the law? I thought you had to be age 21 to be a policeman. Whom would pay if that young undercover person were caught in the middle of an armed robbery while working for the police? Riding a kid around in a car without a carseat is dangerous but so is shoving a teenager into an adults job. I also thought it was against the law for ANYONE under age 21 to even try and purchase alcohol. So break the law to find out who’s breaking the law. When I was under 21 and you tried to buy alcohol underage the police were called and you got in trouble. SO the police can tell these kids to try and buy alcohol underage? Not right!!
Andy
May 22nd, 2012
1:38 pm
Wouldn’t it be more productive to round the illegals up that have taken over Cobb County?
Anyone remember when Cobb was a nice place to live….back in the 90’s?
Mike in Marietta
May 22nd, 2012
1:41 pm
I’m 48 and still get carded everywhere I buy an alcoholic beverage. How does this even happen?!?!?
James
May 22nd, 2012
1:48 pm
Since Boy Scouts are now actively involved in crime enforcement instead of learning to tie slip knots & starting fires with sticks & rope we should probably send them toward south Marietta & Franklin Rd to get the drugs off the streets & fight gang violence . Ya know give these Boy Scouts the true 21 Jump Street experience .
jmdra
May 22nd, 2012
1:59 pm
The cops are too busy investigating crimes that generate fines for the city coffers. They have no interest in catching violent criminals. There’s no money in that for them.
tracy torres
May 22nd, 2012
2:01 pm
they should try this everywhere great job
WhiteRabbit
May 22nd, 2012
2:17 pm
Narks. Little rats.
Stacey
May 22nd, 2012
2:17 pm
I love the typo “thirsty seven”…
Seriously, aren’t there more serious crimes to spend money and time on?
Jason
May 22nd, 2012
2:27 pm
Good thing our tax dollars are going to keep these 18 year olds from drinking. If they got drunk, they might do something foolish like join the army. Why is it ok if they die defending our country, but god forbid if they should drink a wine cooler, I’m sure the world would end.
CapeApe
May 22nd, 2012
2:27 pm
“THIRSTY-seven businesses”…really??
Name (required)
May 22nd, 2012
2:30 pm
Well, that’s a relief. I’m glad Cobb County is doing everything they can to make sure only people aged 21 and up are able to drive drunk.
What a waste of taxpayer money.
SugarfreeSailor
May 22nd, 2012
2:45 pm
Also, “thirsty-seven businesses”…
Intentional play on words?
Deb
May 22nd, 2012
2:52 pm
Good job Boy Scouts! We love you! And this world has let too many “laws” slide. Let’s get back to enforcing the laws – turn on your turn signal if you are going to turn, drive drunk lose your license – IMMEDIATELY – if again, GO TO JAIL. Commit murder, go to death row. Rape someone or abuse a child or the elderly – again death row. Bet crime would let up and we would all feel safer! Thanks again Boy Scouts!!
creative
May 22nd, 2012
3:32 pm
Praising the boy scouts for G-A-Y ing up America even more so than a Glee or Will and Grace-Death Row. Being named Deb- immediate life time banishment on posting anything.
hankrich
May 22nd, 2012
3:49 pm
Thirsty-seven businesses asked the boys for IDs and were not cited.
I guess writing a store about drinking made George ‘Thirsty’
murph
May 22nd, 2012
4:01 pm
“Thirsty-seven businesses” — REALLY?
Holy Smoke.!!!!
May 22nd, 2012
4:28 pm
When I was in Boy Scouts we used to bring wine on campouts and boost cars w/ slim jims on Sat. nights. Had a great time too. deb sounds like 1 of those HOA do gooders. You put up a fence without permission! GO TO JAIL! Your lawn is too long! GO TO JAIL! Lighten up a little; you are really angry it seems.
Circle R
May 22nd, 2012
4:47 pm
If the hamlet of Marietta has such a problem with underage liquor sales, imagine how bad it must be in the township of Atlanta!
Gary
May 22nd, 2012
4:57 pm
“Unbelievably, a company that chose the name “Loco Willy’s” is among the scofflaws.” I don’t get why it is unbelievable for a place named Loco Willy’s to be on the list any more than any other store. If something is truly unbelievable, shouldn’t it be obvious? If it is not, then you shouldn’t write that it is.
nomaj
May 22nd, 2012
5:08 pm
Using 20 year Boy Scouts (are they still milk drinking “boys” at that age?) to do police undercover work? These eager “boys” seem more like sanctimonious rats.
The Facts
May 22nd, 2012
5:12 pm
Young people (under 21) drink alcohol at a higher rate than ALL other illegal drugs combined. Further, 90% of this group binge drinks, consuming 5 or more alcoholic beverages at one sitting, so they are drinking with the goal of getting drunk. In fact, Cobb County students report more binge drinking, 30 day alcohol use and weekend alcohol use than all Georgia students. So, why should you care? Alcohol related car crashes kill more people age 16-20 than any other age group…your children. Underage drinking costs the state of Georgia over $1.7 BILLION each year…your tax dollars.
The sale of alcohol to a person under the age of 21 is illegal. The Georgia Department of Driver Services has significantly altered drivers’ licenses for those under 21 so it is extremely clear to the cashier. And no, most youth do not use a fake or altered ID. In Cobb County, all businesses must attend a workshop designed to educate them on the proper format and requirements to sell alcohol. In turn, they must educate their employees…if their employees even bother to check ID in the first place.
Alcohol is so prevalent among youth due to accessibility and acceptability….as evidenced by many of the comments. Law Enforcement is aware of the dangers of underage alcohol use and is being proactive to reduce youth access. As a community, we should be cheering MPD and their effort to keep our youth safe, keep our neighboorhood safe, reduce the crime that goes hand in hand with underage alcohol use, and ultimately save tax dollars. Shame on you for worrying about the minimum wage employee violating the law rather than the youth in our community.
nomaj
May 22nd, 2012
5:15 pm
Holy Smoke, that’s similar to how I remember scouting as well: we had a good time, and we DID learn how to get along with each other, and the basic social courtesies. But we never engaged in any Hitler Youth type activity.
Ralph
May 22nd, 2012
6:52 pm
Responsible businesses that sell alcohol train their employees to check ID whenever there is the slightest doubt of age. I’m over 50 with wrinkles, jowls and graying hair but still get a chuckle when a Kroger clerk checks my ID.
If you see no problem with selling alcohol to underage teens, consider:
Research indicates that the human brain continues to develop into a person’s early 20’s, and that exposure of the developing brain to alcohol may have long-lasting effects on intellectual capabilities and may increase the likelihood of alcohol addiction.
The age when drinking starts affects future drinking problems. For each year that the start of drinking is delayed, the risk of later alcohol dependence is reduced by 14 percent.
Car crashes are the leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 20. About 1,900 people under 21 die every year from car crashes involving underage drinking.
Young people are more susceptible to alcohol-induced impairment of their driving skills. Drinking drivers aged 16 to 20 are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash as drinking drivers who are 21 or older.
Kudos to the Marietta PD and the Marietta Law Enforcement Explorer Post.
RUTH
May 22nd, 2012
8:09 pm
Good for the Scouts. Have done their good deed for the day!!
bigjakeice
May 22nd, 2012
8:35 pm
Did I read that right? Thirsty-seven businesses asked for ID’s – is that a Freudian slip – thirty-seven is now thirsty-seven? Man, those pretzels are making me thirsty!
A.B. Normal
May 22nd, 2012
8:53 pm
Were the “boozer” Scouts in uniform? Duh!
WAR EAGLE
May 23rd, 2012
1:27 pm
My question is 37 businesses asked for id’s. did they sell them the beer or not? it appears not since they were not cited.
boozemaster
May 23rd, 2012
3:28 pm
at age 20 1/2, you can’t handle your alcohol. At age 21, you can.
CobbAT
May 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
Cobb Alcohol Taskforce appreciates Marietta Police conducting compliance checks to help prevent alcohol sales to minors and all of the businesses that passed the compliance checks. Thank you, also, to the Boy Scouts for taking part in these compliance checks and keeping our city safe! For the six businesses that failed, here are some business practices that will help keep your business in compliance and prevent underage alcohol sales.
- Hire, train and supervise responsible staff to keep business in compliance with alcohol sales laws
- Learn and use business best practices for responsible alcohol sales & service by attending a RASS Workshop Evindi 2012.pdf / Stumpe and Associates 2012.pdf /Traning Institute 2012.pdf
- Develop comprehensive written policies; include requirement to ID everyone or at a minimum ID anyone under age 40
- Use comprehensive and effective employee training programs
- Ensure all sellers/servers know how to properly verify a customer’s age and refuse sale/service to minors and intoxicated patrons
- Supervise and monitor employee compliance with company policies and state and local laws
For further information, visit the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce website.
Bobby
May 26th, 2012
8:33 am
Cobb Alcohol Taskforce needs to stop supporting Cobb pigs using non officers for their dirty work.
Raiderbeater
May 26th, 2012
8:46 am
We all know kids…..especially US kids that drink do so responsibly and never would do something stupid or dangerous like drive ….right?
This isn’t Europe were kids are used to drinking a glass of dark beer with each meal….US kids drink to get drunk and have no public transit like Europe…they go straight to their cars….hundreds of kids a year get killed because they are irresponsible and are given something they prove they can’t handle. Trying to make comparisons to the rest of the world is stupid.
Willy
May 26th, 2012
9:38 am
I’m pretty sure all this undercover work is taking the scouts away from the circle jerk they would rather be doing.