Redding Police did a minor decoy alcohol sting operation on May 19th, targeting store clerks to try to get them to sell alcohol to the underage decoy without an ID. 20 different businesses were visited and only one of the store clerks allowed the illegal alcohol sales. That was at the Downtown Redding Safeway. The penalty is a minimum $250 fine and 24 to 32 hours of community service. State Alcoholic Beverage Control may take administrative action as well. When minor decoy operations began in the 1980s the violation rate was often as high as 50%. It now averages around 10% or lower.
-Steve Gibson