BUSINESSES GET CITED FOR LIQUOR SALES.

Byline: Amy Collins Daily News Staff Writer

The Red Robin restaurant had some unwelcome decoys drop in on its grand opening celebration this week in Valencia.

The decoys were two 18-year-old women working with the Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Red Robin was among five restaurants and bars hit Thursday night for serving alcohol to minors.

``We've only been here two days. We just want to get along,'' said the manager at Red Robin, who would give his name only as Scott.

Sheriff's Sgt. Bruce Sonnenblick said Friday that the monthly sweeps have been successful in reminding businesses to carefully check their patrons' identification.

``Our objective is to eliminate the simple and uncomplicated access minors currently have to alcoholic beverages within the Santa Clarita Valley. With proms, graduation and summertime approaching, we want to establish a law enforcement presence at all of the establishments that sell alcohol,'' Sonnenblick said.

The other four establishments where servers were cited are TGI Friday's in Valencia, and Winston's Pub, Fundango's and Shakey's Pizza, all in Saugus.

ABC investigator Jim Biscailuz said bars typically face a 10-day suspension of their alcohol licenses on their first violation of selling to a minor and also could receive fines ranging from $750 to $6,000.

The individual servers each face a misdemeanor charge of furnishing an alcoholic beverage to a minor - in each case, it was draft beer, Sonnenblick said.

Biscailuz said the bars might face other charges since he also found contaminated liquor bottles, with insects or debris in them, but he would not say at which bars.

The decoys tried to buy beer at 10 bars Thursday night. When asked, they produced identification stating they were both 18, Sonnenblick said. Although servers at Friday's, Red Robin and Fundango's checked the decoys' identification, they still gave them the beer, he said.