Tobacco Compliance Check Nabs 7 Offenders

Source from:  Nov 21, 2007 By JENNY MICHAEL Bismarck Tribune 11/22/2007

Bismarck police say seven businesses sold tobacco to minors during a compliance check. Sgt. Dwight Offerman said teenagers accompanied three school resource officers and three youth workers to all 41 Bismarck tobacco retailers Monday night. Seven of the 41 businesses failed the check. All of the employees who sold to the teens were adults, Offerman said. An employee at Central Market did not check a teenager's identification before selling a tobacco product, Offerman said. He said Central Market, 1190 W. Turnpike Ave., also failed a check on May 23. Assistant City Attorney Paul Fraase said the fine for a second offense is $500. John Lofberg, the owner of Central Market, said he was not aware the store had failed a compliance check in May. The manager of the store at that time is no longer working there, he said. The cashier who sold to the teen Monday night was a longtime employee who thought the buyer was old enough. "It was a mistake on everybody's part," he said. Lofberg said more training will be in the works for employees. "Things will be changing dramatically," he said. "It's not going to happen again." The business also failed a check during a June 15, 2006, check when the grocery store was known as Miracle Mart, Offerman said. Fraase said he does not believe violations that occurred under former ownership can be included to determine a punishment for a business, but he said that is still being explored. Lofberg did not own the business when it was called Miracle Mart. Abusiness with a third offense would be taken before the city commission for possible loss or suspension of a tobacco license. Employees of six other businesses checked identification Monday night and still sold to teens, Offerman said. Those businesses were Unistop, 2901 N. 19th St.; Kmart, 2625 State St.; Interstate Tesoro, 1304 Interchange Ave.; Loaf N' Jug, 2835 N. Washington St.; Red Carpet Carwash, 2921 N. 11th St.; and Wal-Mart, 1400 Skyline Blvd., All passed the May compliance check, he said. Fraase said he had not finished reviewing police reports into the compliance checks and was not sure if those six businesses have prior offenses. Enditem