M a r c h 3 1 , 2 0 2 2 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 2 5 , N o . 1 3
Crossover Day sets final agenda for ’22 legislation By JEFFREY ALBERTSON newsroom@appenmedia.com
JAKE DRUKMAN/APPEN MEDIA
County commissioners deliberate on a measure to suspend the alcohol sales permit for Red Barn Package Store March 17.
County cracks down on alcohol retailer Store cited twice for sale to minors
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners suspended Red Barn Package Store’s alcohol permit for 30 days March 17 after the store sold alcohol to minors twice in six months. The suspension means that the store on Settingdown Road must have its alcohol stock removed from the premises. For the second underage sale violation in a two-year period, county code
allows a permit suspension of seven to 60 days and a $750 fine. A third violation requires a $1,000 fine and a permit revocation, unless the owner shows “sufficient” efforts to mitigate underage sales. Both violations resulted from undercover operations by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. The first was in June of 2021 and the second was in December. Robert Russell, the owner of the store, said there was no excuse for the underage sales occurring, but he said he would take steps to prevent it happening again. He said he would implement software at the point of sale that required IDs to be swiped with no way to override the requirement. Commissioners seemed unconvinced that he
had attempted to prevent underage sales. Russell said he immediately terminated the employee who sold to the undercover enforcement officer in June, and that his wife made the illegal sale in December. A deputy from the sheriff’s office told commissioners that during the December sting, Russell’s wife jokingly asked the undercover officer if they were undercover before making the sale. County Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills, whose district the store lies in, said she was concerned about alcohol sellers profiting from underage consumption. She said it’s possible the
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By JAKE DRUKMAN jake@appenmedia.com
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ATLANTA — With the passing of “Crossover Day,” the roster of remaining legislation before the 2022 Georgia General Assembly is clear. Crossover Day, the 28th day of the legislative session on March 15, marked the deadline by which legislation can pass between the House and Senate. The bicameral body will adjourn on April 4, called Sine Die. One issue of shared support is H.B. 1013, called “The Mental Health Parity Act,” which would require healthcare plans to treat mental health and substance abuse disorder the same as a broken bone or heart attack. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Todd Jones (R-Cumming) and Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur). A Senate Health and Services subcommittee is reviewing the bill. “Not any one bill is going to fix everything, but in terms of taking a good first bite of the apple, this is an ambitious and laudable piece of legislation,” Sen. Michelle Au (D-Johns
See LEGISLATION, Page 7