Rome’s Alcohol Control Commission will have hearings tonight on 17 stores cited for selling to minors in an undercover city police operation in April.

Additionally, La Scala restaurant at 413 Broad St. is slated to respond to an underage sales citation issued in a state sting this month.

Local officials said on May 21 they were unaware of the state action, but a hearing is scheduled on the ACC’s agenda posted Friday. No local citations were issued and details of the state operation were not immediately available.

The board’s meeting at 5 p.m. in City Hall, 601 Broad St., is open to the public.

The ACC also is expected to grant a new beer package license to Jay’s Salvage, 1301 Shorter Ave., and new beer, wine and liquor package license at Southern Pride Liquor, 2875 New Calhoun Hwy.

Buenavista Mexican Cantina, at 707 Turner McCall Blvd., also is asking for permits to serve beer, wine and liquor.

Suspensions possible

Tonight will be the second offense for two of the stores caught up in the city sting.

The ACC issued a letter of warning in August 2010 to Kroger at 1476 Turner McCall Blvd. A two-day suspension was levied against Super Food Mart, 304 S. Broad St., at the same time.

Penalties for first offenses can range from a warning to a three-day suspension of sales.

Repeated offenses could possibly result in penalties as high as a 10-day suspension or revocation of the license.

The Rome City Commission, however, has been divided about sanctions for businesses whose employees violate the city ordinance.

A December 2010 debate about penalties — the most recent regarding a sting operation — lasted three hours and ended without consensus.

In the latest sting, conducted April 25, Rome police detectives sent three underage agents into 63 stores to try to buy alcohol.

Clerks who did not ask for identification were issued separate citations to appear in Rome Municipal Court. Fines for the violations are $405 each, and the ACC has typically been more lenient with owners who fire the employees involved.

Stores cited for first offenses

ACC hearings deal only with the ability to hold an alcohol sales permit. The stores cited for first offenses are:

CVS Pharmacy, 1201 Turner McCall Blvd.

Kmart and Kmart Express, 102 Hicks Dr.

Kangaroo Express, 1501 Martha Berry Blvd.

Kangaroo Express, 910 N. Broad St.

Kangaroo Express, 1425 Turner McCall Blvd.

Rick’s Food Mart, 2000 N. Broad St.

Market on 2nd, 401 E. Second St.

Maple Street Quick Stop, 1912 Maple Ave.

Tazo Food Mart, 618 Calhoun Ave.

Coastal Food Mart, 1701 Turner McCall Blvd.

Calhoun Ave. Quick Stop, 1120 Calhoun Ave.

Texaco, 507 Turner McCall Blvd.

Ark’s Liquor, 432 Shorter Ave.

Chastain’s Beverage, 1416 N. Broad St.