BETHEL, Alaska (AP) — Tribal members who live near Bethel are asking the City Council to require Bethel liquor stores to only sell alcohol to customers with Bethel IDs.
KYUK-AM reports that representatives from more than a dozen tribes in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta met in Bethel this week to discuss the impact Bethel’s alcohol sales are having on their villages.
Many tribal members say they have seen an uptick in domestic violence, drunken driving and other alcohol-related offenses since Bethel began selling alcohol for the first time in more than 40 years last year.
The tribal group plans to ask Bethel officials to limit alcohol sales to city residents. They also encouraged each Yukon Kuskokwim Delta to create a safety plan to deal with alcohol impacts in their communities.
