"A trip to Whiteclay in March by two state senators, the attorney general and a state liquor control commissioner has led to hearings on whether more should be done to address alcohol sales and use there.

Two hearings to be conducted by the Legislature's judiciary and general affairs committees will constitute a legislative study on the issue.

The first will begin Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the state Capitol. The second will be in Rushville in November.

"The problem didn't occur overnight," said Sen. Russ Karpisek of Wilber, who worked on a resolution that called for the study.

"We're not going to fix it overnight. Hopefully, we can do something."

Whiteclay, population 14, rests on the Nebraska border near the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where alcohol is barred but alcoholism is rampant.

Four stores in Whiteclay sell about 4 million cans of alcohol a year, mostly to Natives from the reservation."

Get the Story:
Kevin Abourezk: Nebraska officials' trip to Whiteclay spurs legislative study (The Lincoln Journal Star 9/23)

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