There have been recent news stories about a couple of popular Texarkana bars allegedly allowing an intoxicated customer to continue drinking. That customer was involved in a tragic 2013 road accident that left two dead.
The perpetrator is in prison. Lawsuits have been filed. The matter is still in litigation so we won't make any judgment about which side is right. That's better left to the court.
This isn't the first time such allegations have surfaced about bars in Texarkana. The two places linked to the 2013 deaths are both in Arkansas. But serving intoxicated customers and allowing underage drinking are two accusations commonly aimed at places that serve alcohol on both sides of the state line.
And surely some of the charges are true.
Breaking the law is easy in such cases. Catching those who do is a lot more difficult.
The state of Texas may have come up with a way to narrow the odds, though.
Last week the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission launched an app called TABC: Mobile that allows anyone to find nearby locations where alcohol is legally served. But it also lets users report suspected violations in real time.
That may make things a bit easier for the 260 TABC agents who must cover more than 128,000 locations with alcohol permits.
The bar and club industry isn't too thrilled. That's to be expected. They worry about false complaints, as you would expect; but we imagine they also worry about the real ones. An occasional false alarm is to be expected. But if an establishment consistently draws user heat, then TABC knows to keep an eye out and possibly take action.
Having an alcohol permit is a privilege and usually a lucrative one. It's up to bar owners to follow the law and protect their livelihood. If they don't, then the state must step in.
Hopefully Arkansas will follow Texas' lead and come out with a similar app of its own.