Lake in the Hills businesses cited in liquor sting

For Lake in the Hills Village President Ed Plaza, eight is more than enough.

This week, the village's Liquor Control Commission, headed by Plaza, issued fines - some of them severe - to eight businesses that police say served alcohol to underage drinkers.

In his eight years as village president, Plaza can't remember another time so many establishments appeared before the commission on these accusations.

"I was deeply disturbed by the fact that in all the years I've been here, I've never seen this situation," Plaza said. "Is it endemic of the times or what?"

The charges stemmed from surprise compliance checks police ran on 17 businesses March 13.

The panel cut three first-time offenders some slack, while handing down stiff penalties to the five repeat offenders, which included heavy fines and, in one case, a suspended liquor license.

"When you're back two and three times, something is wrong with the system and that needs to be corrected," Plaza said. "I explained to them having a liquor license is not a right, it's a privilege. If it is abused, the privilege will be revoked."

These establishments face the following sanctions:

• The Convenient Food Mart on Algonquin Road was sacked with $11,000 in fines and court costs, after having appeared in front of the panel twice before.

•Mobil on the Run was ordered to pay $7,500 in fines, court costs and has agreed to surrender its license if it commits another violation within the year.

•Noodles & Company was ordered to pay $4,000, court costs and the commission suspended its alcohol license for two weeks. Plaza said this marks the third time the eatery has faced sanctions.

•Bistro Wasabi will pay a $3,000 fine, court costs and hold mandatory alcohol training for its employees.

•The American Legion will pay a $500 fine, court costs and hold mandatory alcohol training for its employees.

• WineStyles, La Trattoria and Love's Liquors, all first time offenders, were told to pay $300 fines, to complete mandatory alcohol training for its employees and to pay for related court costs.