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Coalition Pushes For Checks on Alcohol Sales in Port Chester

PORT CHESTER, N.Y. -- A local nonprofit organization has offered to provide funds to the Port Chester police department to conduct a series of compliance checks on alcohol sales within the village.

"We're not trying to put anyone out of business," said Joan Thomas, co-chair of the Port Chester Cares Community Coalition. "We just want to make sure that merchants are being responsible members of the community."

The coalition will be contributing more than $2,300 to cover the cost of conducting the checks, which test to see if merchants are selling alcohol to persons under the legal age limit of 21.

Thomas said the checks require a police officer and a person under the legal limit, who will enter a store and attempt to purchase alcohol using a valid ID that displays his or her actual birthdate.

Stores found not to be in compliance are typically given warning citations before liquor licenses are revoked.

According to the coalition’s estimates, there are currently 105 active liquor licenses in Port Chester, many of which include bars and restaurants. The organization is only interested in looking at off-premise retailers, and intends to check 38 locations.

Thomas recently came before the mayor and village board to propose funding the compliance checks. The board plans to officially accept the funding at its next meeting.

Mayor Dennis Pilla said he couldn’t say enough about the importance of the coalition’s task.

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