Beer retailers to join EASY

OREM — The City Council unanimously agreed to require those retailers in the community who sell beer to send their salesclerks to the county's EASY program for training.

The program — dubbed EASY for Eliminate Alcohol Sales to Youth — has effectively curbed sales and tickets to minors in other areas by as much as 50 percent, said Orem Director of Public Safety Mike Larsen.

Pat Bird, EASY's program manager, was worried that Orem might resist joining, especially since Orem has the most retailers with Class A beer licenses in the county.

Orem, along with American Fork, Cedar Fort, Goshen and Santaquin, had not signed on until Tuesday though the program has been available for nearly a year.

"To be the most effective, EASY needs county-wide buy-in," said Richard Nance, Utah County's substance abuse division director.