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Highlands Today
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Town Hall Meeting To Address Underage Drinking
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Published: March 10, 2009
SEBRING - Blue Lagoon owner Rob McDarby said there are any number of tricks out there underage patrons will try to get alcohol.
A common approach is two friends will walk in together, one taking a seat and the other going to the bathroom. The person sitting down, who is over 21, will order a pitcher of beer and request two mugs. The friend, often under age, will return from the bathroom and have a fresh, cold glass waiting.
It is because of tricks like this that McDarby has his serving staff checks all IDs at the table when alcohol is ordered and more than one glass is requested.
"It's basically being a responsible server," McDarby said.
He added that underage customers are "absolutely" an issue. To combat the problem, the establishment uses a third-party company out of Orlando to implement the Responsible Vendor Training Program.
This training teaches servers, among other things, when to stop serving a customer alcohol and how to spot a fake ID, according to McDarby.
"Our girls are really, really good about taking their time to look at the IDs," he said.
If someone is caught using a fake ID, most will simply accept their losses and leave.
Capt. Paul Blackman, with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office's Road Patrol division, said most of the complaints they get for underage drinking come in from the backwoods areas, or "mud holes."
"They're usually at different parties," Blackman said.
Members of the public are encouraged to join in the discussion of how to deal with local underage drinking at a town hall meeting scheduled for March 26 at the Sebring Civic Center.
Parents and concerned residents are asked to join professionals from law enforcement and the education and judicial systems to talk about the risks associated with underage drinking. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
WHAT: Town hall meeting on underage drinking.
WHEN: March 26 at the Sebring Civic Center at 7 p.m.
Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com
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