State Patrols Find No Violations by State College Bars over State Patty’s Weekend

For the second consecutive State Patty’s Day weekend, state enforcement patrols found no liquor-law violations by downtown-State College establishments.

‘The licensed establishments are staying real tight on the enforcement of their policies,’ said Dennis Smolko, a district office commander for the state Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.

As in past years, his bureau sent special enforcement details into downtown State College over the State Patty’s weekend. It marked the sixth annual unsanctioned drinking holiday.

A large majority of downtown bars and other liquor licensees closed early, closed entirely or otherwise limited alcohol service on Saturday, after a written request arrived from borough police Chief Tom King. (Here’s a list of establishments that adjusted their operations.)

By early evening Saturday, Smolko estimated, only about five downtown liquor licensees remained open for alcohol service.

‘I think, overall, it felt to us like there was less activity downtown Saturday evening,’ he said. ‘It seemed to dwindle down to a lot less activity by 7 or 8 p.m. Saturday than what we had seen in previous years.’

Patrols from the state LCE bureau represented one of several law-enforcement agencies with a State College presence over the weekend. Both the State College and Penn State police departments said they saw lower call volume for State Patty’s weekend this year, though Centre LifeLink reported an uptick in alcohol-related calls.

Mount Nittany Medical Center saw 65 patients for alcohol-related issues during the weekend period, down from 69 during the State Patty’s weekend in 2011, hospital spokeswoman Nichole Monica said.

Separate of municipal police patrols, state LCE officers issued two weekend citations for alcohol possession by minors, three for disorderly conduct, and one for public drunkenness. (Those incidents did not involve bars.)

LCE officers will follow up on at least two fake identification cards that local minors tried to pass off at downtown establishments, Smolko said.

Related coverage

• Centre LifeLink Sees Increase in Alcohol-Related Calls over State Patty’s Weekend (Feb. 27, 2012)

• Police: Call Volume Declines for State Patty’s Day Weekend 2012 (Feb. 26, 2012)

• Police, Hospital Begin to Release State Patty’s Statistics (Feb. 26, 2012)
  

• Who’s Open, Closed for State Patty’s Day 2012? Bars, Restaurants Set Their Plans (Feb. 24, 2012)

• State College Bars Making ‘Very Big Sacrifice’ for State Patty’s Day, King Says (Feb. 23, 2012)

• Indigo, Zeno’s, Rathskeller Set State Patty’s Day Plans; More Details Released (Feb. 21, 2012)

• Dante’s Downtown Establishments to Shutter Bar Service for State Patty’s Day 2012 (Feb. 21, 2012)

• Lion’s Den, Shandygaff to Close for State Patty’s Day; Liquor Stores to Shorten Hours (Feb. 16, 2012)

• Community Outreach Grows as State College Awaits State Patty’s Day 2012 (Feb. 13, 2012)

• State College to Increase Parking Prices, Enforcement for State Patty’s Day Weekend (Feb. 20, 2012)