LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Advocates who want to end beer sales in Whiteclay are calling on state officials to enforce liquor laws in the Nebraska town or revoke the licenses of its four beer stores.
The group said in a statement Tuesday that Nebraska needs to provide adequate law enforcement if the stores are allowed to remain open.
The stores sold the equivalent of 3.5 million beer cans last year despite having a dozen residents. It’s located on the border of South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where alcohol is banned but alcohol-related problems run rampant.
A task force formed at Gov. Pete Ricketts’ urging has suggested possible solutions, including more law enforcement.
Whiteclay activist John Maisch, who produced a documentary about the town, says closing the stores is the cheapest option for taxpayers.