The Dade County commissioners met Wednesday afternoon at 5:00 PM and by 5:02 were adjourned after approving the 2008 budget for the county with no changes from the final public hearing.  The budget was set at 8.75 million dollars. The budget motion was made by David Young and seconded by Scottie Pittman.  It then was passed unanimously 5-0 by the commissioners.

On New Year’s Eve, the Dade County Sheriff’s Department conducted an undercover, underage alcohol sting at the county’s convenience stores that sell alcohol.

The sting resulted in 6 clerks being arrested from 5 different convenience stores in the county.

The stores where the arrests were made were: Hartline’s Grocery on Hwy 301 N on Sand Mtn, Fast Food and Fuel on Hwy 299, The Pilot Service Center on Hwy 299, The Pilot Travel Center on Deer Head Cove Rd., and The Expressway Convenient Store located on Hwy 136 W.

According to Dade County Detective Adam Reyes, 6 individual clerks at the above stores sold alcoholic beverages to minors during the investigation. The final arrests took place on New Year’s Day.

Charged in the sting were Karen Taylor, Crystal Delay, Sara Frazier, and Alex Hartline.  These 4 were charged with Providing Alcohol to Minors. Also charged in the investigation were Gary Patel and Kayla Gauna who were charged with Sale of Alcohol to Minors. All have made bond and been released from the Dade County Jail.