WA-Witnesses detail the horrific aftermath of a drive-by shooting in downtown Spokane that left two critically injured

Two people were critically injured and a third is seriously hurt after a drive-by shooting outside a downtown Spokane bar early Saturday that sent patrons fleeing.

A suspect has been arrested, but police wouldn’t identify the person. When asked whether there are additional suspects, SPD said the agency is investigating.

Spokane police spokesperson Julie Humphreys said it was too early in the investigation to tell whether the shooting was gang related. Lt. Terry Preuninger said there was nothing to indicate the victims had any connection to the shooter.

Saturday’s shootings were the latest in a growing pattern of violence in Spokane. Drive-by shootings in the city were down 2.4% in 2021, but that was after going up 30.9% compared to the three-year average of 2018 to 2020, according to Spokane police data. Total shootings were up 60.6% in 2021 and spiked 148.9% last year compared to the average of the three previous years.

The shooting started just before 1:30 a.m., when police were called to Lucky’s Irish Pub, 408 W. Sprague Ave.

Officers found three victims and began providing medical treatment as bar patrons ran, police said.

“It was pretty chaotic,” said Preuninger, who said he was the second officer on scene.

The victims were a man and woman who were standing outside the bar, and a female taxi driver who was parked east of Lucky’s, police said. It isn’t clear which of the three were critically injured .

NE-25 Omaha area businesses cited for selling alcohol to minors

With prom season underway for many high schoolers, law enforcement is cracking down on underage drinking.

Over the weekend, a series of compliance checks were carried out at restaurants and convenience stores, to make sure these places are not selling alcohol to minors.

According to the report released by Project Extra Mile, 25 metro area businesses were cited for selling to minors. 40% of those shops didn’t even check the minors’ I.D. Out of all the businesses checked, 90% did comply with the law.

ME-Three dozen teens charged with underage drinking at party

Three dozen teenagers were charged with possession of alcohol by a minor after police broke up a party Saturday. An 18-year-old man was taken to the hospital for treatment of possible alcohol poisoning.

According to Hancock County Sheriff’s Lt. Tim Cote, police responded to a report of an underage drinking party at a residence in Fletchers Landing Township.

“Upon investigation, the information provided was confirmed and there was a party involving several individuals ranging in age from 18 to 14 years of age who had been drinking,” according to the report.

Thirty-six individuals were charged with possession of alcohol by a minor by consumption.

Iowa club shooting that left 2 dead, 10 injured was a 'targeted incident,' police say

A weekend shooting at an Iowa nightclub that left two people dead and 10 others injured was a "targeted incident," police said.

Cedar Rapids police Chief Wayne Jerman said in a news conference Sunday that evidence indicates there was more than one shooter and a dozen to two dozen shots were fired at the Taboo Nightclub and Lounge around 1:27 a.m. Sunday. 

About 100 to 150 people were inside the club when gunfire rang out, prompting patrons to rush out of the building. At the same time, police received dispatch calls about a shooting at the club, according to Jerman.

Officers were already outside of the club, responding to a separate incident, and rushed in to find people dead and injured, he said.

The two people killed were a man and a woman, according to the chief. Their names were not released.

Jerman said the wounded suffered injuries spanning from life-threatening to minor, noting one person is in critical condition.

A motive is not known in the shooting, but police believe it was an isolated incident. There is no threat to the public, according to the chief.

What are skill games, and why are they at the center of a multimillion-dollar fight

Skill games have the look and feel of a slot machine, but their makers say that unlike slots in casinos, these games do not rely purely on chance. Rather, they require a level of human skill or ability for players to win and earn a payout.

Skill games — which are now common in restaurants, taverns, convenience stores, and other establishments in Pennsylvania — are unique in another way, too: Unlike casino slot machines, they aren’t regulated under the state’s gambling law or subject to the same high taxes.

That status has made them a prime target. The casino industry has complained that skill games operate with little to no financial or social accountability, and the State Police view them as tantamount to illegal gambling. Troopers have seized machines from bars and other venues over the past few years, leading to extensive litigation. There is a case now before Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court to determine whether skill games are legal.

TABC and the Texas Restaurant Association Work Together To Promote Safe Alcohol Delivery, To-Go Sales

The Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) have announced a new effort to promote TABC’s certification course on alcohol delivery safety. The Texas Responsible Alcohol Delivery Course (TRAD), much like the TABC Seller-Server Certification, shares with delivery drivers and foodservice establishment operators the necessary information to safely conduct alcohol-to-go deliveries.

To facilitate the ease of accessing the TRAD training course and certification, the TRA has added the course to its catalog of training resources available for members across the state. The course is designed for persons who deliver alcoholic beverages to consumers on behalf of a retail business or for a delivery company that holds a Consumer Delivery Permit issued by TABC. 

PA-LCE: Businesses cited for selling alcohol to minors, other violations

Several establishments in NE PA were charged after liquor control enforcement operations were performed in multiple counties.

The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (LCE) released details Wednesday on recently performed compliance checks. LCE officers are responsible for enforcing liquor laws and related provisions at over 1,989 establishments in the northeast region of the state licensed by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

Comprehensive alcohol reform will help all Alaskans

The Title 4 Review project, modernizing Alaska’s confusing and antiquated alcohol laws, began in 2012. This comprehensive rewrite will replace a piecemeal approach of passing minor tweaks over the years, attempting to make state policy reflect the needs and practices of today. Senate Bill 9, the latest integration of Title 4 reform, will benefit consumers, businesses, law enforcement, and the public at large. This bill is necessary to address the many issues surrounding alcohol, which is unlike any other product in our society.

The bill unanimously passed the Senate, because for the first time, the bill is supported by the alcohol and hospitality industries, the Brewers Guild of Alaska, retail stores, municipalities, and the public health and public safety communities. SB 9 is the result of thousands of hours of effort by more than 120 stakeholders. It is carefully crafted to bring everyone to the table.

SB 9 has critical public health measures, such as mandatory keg registration, regulation of internet sales, and other tools for law enforcement to limit overserving or serving minors, which will reduce underage drinking. Most importantly, it has purposeful changes to population limits, which is one of the most effective strategies for reducing excessive alcohol consumption and its related harms, specifically violent crime. This will ensure there isn’t an oversaturation of bars and other alcohol outlets while accommodating flexibility and allowing for responsible business growth.

SB 9 is full of positive, research-based policy changes that will address current loopholes and disparities and result in a safer and healthier environment. It is a win for all Alaskans.

Uber bought Drizly for $1 billion, but who will deliver the alcohol?

When Uber completed its billion-dollar acquisition of Boston-based Drizly nearly six months ago, it played up the notion that the companies go together like pizza and beer.

In fact, ask anyone why they think Uber bought Drizly, and you’ll likely get the same answer: Uber can use its fleet of drivers to deliver White Claws and IPAs from liquor stores.

But some observers have said that because of laws that govern the tightly regulated alcohol industry, this is more complicated than it seems.

Drizly is an online marketplace that allows people to purchase beer, wine, and spirits from liquor stores on-demand, but it doesn’t deliver the booze. The reason dates back to the end of Prohibition, when the US government created the “three-tier system,” which requires that alcohol be sold from producers to distributors to retailers before reaching consumers.

Drizly skirts the three-tier issue by simply facilitating e-commerce sales to licensed retailers and never being involved in the delivery process. So how will Uber, Drizly’s new owner, be able to deliver the alcohol?

DEA Warns of Increase in Mass-Overdose Events Involving Deadly Fentanyl

Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration sent a letter to federal, state, and local law enforcement partners warning of a nationwide spike in fentanyl-related mass-overdose events. Administrator Anne Milgram outlined the current threat and offered DEA support to law enforcement officers responding to these tragic incidents.

“Fentanyl is killing Americans at an unprecedented rate,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Already this year, numerous mass-overdose events have resulted in dozens of overdoses and deaths. Drug traffickers are driving addiction, and increasing their profits, by mixing fentanyl with other illicit drugs. Tragically, many overdose victims have no idea they are ingesting deadly fentanyl, until it’s too late.”

Fentanyl-related mass-overdose events, characterized as three or more overdoses occurring close in time and at the same location, have happened in at least seven American cities in recent months, resulting in 58 overdoses and 29 deaths. Cities impacted include Wilton Manors, Florida; Austin, Texas; Cortez, Colorado; Commerce City, Colorado; Omaha, Nebraska; St. Louis, Missouri; and Washington, D.C.