Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 1978)
Buyer held responsible New OlCC law requires keg information By Cyndi Bacon Of The Print In theory, the new Oregon keg law sounds like a good solu tion to the state's number one killer -- drunken-driving -- but according to some local tavern owners, to implement it may be a horse of a different color. The new law concerns the sale and distribution of any brewery - sealed individual container of malt beverage having a liquid capacity of more than seven gallons. Beginning Jan. 1, individuals must fill out a receipt when they buy bulk beer, according to Don Rielly, assistant director of the special investigation divisionof the Oregon Liquor Control Commis sion (OLCC). The law applies to individuals other than licensed groups like distributors and tavern owners. A pre-numbered label with three numbers is affixed to the keg so that the seller of the keg and the purchaser can be traced if the keg is found abandoned, according to Rielly. Removel of this label is punishable by law. Keg identification numbers are recorded by the seller as are the purchaser's name, address and driv ers number. The year, make, type color and palet number of the ve hicle in which the keg will be transported is also recorded. And finally, the law requires the loca tion, time and date of consump tion be recorded. "We would often come up with a keg of beer and not know where it came from," Reilly said. "We were also concerned with the dis tributors and taverns selling to minors or it somehow getting into minors' hands." "Every law is intended to be a common sense approach to a prob lem," said Paul McAllister, Clack amas County Deputy. "Basically it was intended to stop some of these keggers that were causing fatal traffic accidents. You have to use your head on some of these things. We're certainly not going to go breaking down doors acting like gang-busters, if we just hea some noises, but we'll enforce the law to the best of our ability." Some of the local tavern own ers are pro and others are con. "It's a fantastic law and I was all for it," said Barbara Holiday, owner of Doc Holiday's in Oregon City. "It takes some of the lia bility off of the tavern owners and puts it on the adults that are mis using the law." "It also makes the adult think about what's going to happen if they do buy the keg," Holiday, who is also a member of the Clack amas County Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Problems, said. "Like if a mother of a minor buys a keg for 20 or so kids and those 20 kids go out and drive, she's respon sible. They have a definite respon sibility now. It makes them stop and think that if anything did happen, they could have a law suit pending." Another Clackamas County tav ern owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, is not quite so opt imistic about the new keg law. "It's time-consuming for our bartenders," he said. "It's also a waste of time and money for the commission. The kids have already found ways to beat it." "We sold 18 kegs over the week end and only two of the returned kegs had the stickers still left on them," her said. "Sure its against the law to take the stickers off, but it's also against the law to drink if you're a minor, smoke marijuana, or park your car on main street for more than an hour. That still doesn't stop them from breaking the law. "It's not going to work and I think they've created a monster," he said. "A person can still buy 20 cases of beer or hard liquor and not sign anything." The Oregon Traffic Commis sion was instrumental in the pass ing of the legislative law, accord ing to Gil Bellamy, Safety Com- mision administrator. "The new law tells the over- 21 person flat-out that you are responsible," Bellamy said. "This is higher than a traffic violation— you are civally libel. You now know that you are putting every thing you own, or hope to ever have on the line by furnishing a minor with intoxicants." The worst weekend in 1976 for traffic deaths — including hol idays with three- and four-day weekends — was the two-day week end following graduation, accord ing to Bellamy. Eleven people were killed on the highway, ten of which were minors with four of those ten directly traced to official graduation parties. The new keg law is I infant in the law enfoij books. Time is the facte will tell if the law will act help stop minors from consu alcohol and lessen the drOii driving accidents and fatali Oregon highways. Board nixes f( The recommendation to elimi nate the football program at the College was passed by the College's Board of Education with only two "no" votes at its Dec. 15 meeting. After hearing the final report of the Athletic $tudy Committee, board members agreed that this controversial issue had been dis- cussed and studied enough and that it was time to vote on the matter. Gary Cornelius moved to re place only intercollegiate football at the College (leaving other inter collegiate sports intact) with an overall sports program stressing intramural sports and sports where individuals may develop life-long learning skills and enjoyment. Ralph Groenerand Bonnie Jones were the only two members of the board who voted against the mea- sure. In other business, the board: -Heard a report from the plan ning committee and discussed the merits of building general class rooms rather than specialized fa- / ciiities. Dr. John Hakansol dent of the College, suggest! perhaps the teaching day coul extended to make better use] ciiities available until newifai ties could be built. It would t 10 to 12 years to complete plan construction, Hakanson said. I -Directed the administrate move ahead with constructij the science building and the] tional facility within theneffl to six years. -Voted to support the m uation of the Handicapper source Center project, and auth ¡zed the transfer of from $18,i to $22,000 from the conti™ account of the capital pro fund to be used for this purpol - Decided to have arc™ draw up a request for a prffl to be submitted to appropriate] keting firms to study the feasal lity of a large auditorium-^ cility. There are several openings for writers, photographers and account executives on the staff of The Print. Besides earning valuable credits and experience, you can be paid for your work. There are commission jobs available, tuition waiv ers, bonuses and free dinners. Some openings are limited, so come in today to Trailer B and see Randy Clark, adviser; Paul Byers, business manager; or Happie Thacker, editor. Clackamas Community College