SALEM A recent undercover operation in Eastern Oregon found most business wont sell alcohol to minors.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission ran the minor decoy operation June 25 in Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam and Sherman counties. Decoys tried to buy alcohol at 15 businesses in all in Umatilla, Hermiston, Stanfield, Arlington, Boardman, Ione, Grass Valley, Wasco and Rufus.

Only one failed: The J & J Mini Mart & Gas in Rufus, OLCC reported.

That comes out to a 93 percent compliance rate, the news release said.

The OLCC did not say what sanctions, if any, the failing establishment has or will face.

Last July the OLCC ran a decoy operation in Umatilla County. Undercover minors tried to buy alcohol at 17 businessess in Pendleton, Milton-Freewater, Helix Ukiah and Echo. That time, the results werent quite as good as this year.

Three of the 17 established failed the test that year: Sams Stop & Shop in Milton-Freewater, Bare Bones in Pendleton and the Ukiah Thicket Cafe & Bar in Ukiah.

OLCC then came back with another undercover operation in October in Umatilla County. That time just one out of nine businesses sold to the decoy, resulting in an 89 percent compliance rate. That one, though, was the Hermiston Liquor Store.

Phil Wright