Keene City Counselor Arrested

[Kat Kanning]

City councilor arrested
Bendzinski charged with selling alcohol to a 19-year-old

Jake Berry
Sentinel Staff

Keene City Councilor Joseph W. Bendzinski turned himself in to police Wednesday, on a charge of selling alcohol to a minor.

Bendzinski, 66, a Ward 5 councilor and owner of Romy?s Market sold alcohol to a 19-year-old Keene State student on July 28 at his Marlboro Street grocery store, police allege.

The student was arrested and a warrant was issued for Bendzinski?s arrest, according to police. Bendzinski was unavailable for comment this morning, and no further details were available from authorities.

The alleged sale marks the second such incident in six months for Romy?s Market. A previous offense of prohibited sale of alcohol to minors was alleged to have occurred on Feb. 26, according to the N.H. Liquor Commission. A $250 fine was issued, and a representative from the market was required to attend a management training class by the Liquor Commission, a Commission spokeswoman said.

Bendzinski is scheduled to appear in Keene District Court on Aug. 24.

[AlanM]

Free Councilor Bendzinski!!!!!!!! 

[Kat Kanning]

If someone wants to work on lowering the drinking age, this would be a good one to latch onto and make some noise about.

[JonM]

Old enough to die, too young to drink.

[Dave Ridley]

Ack i can't write a Keene LTE till about the 5th of september b/c the last one just printed...

[Chester Lapointe]

Ive known Joe for a long time, he and I have been friends for years. I suspect there is somthing we dont know here. He is a very responsible person. He is one of the few good City councilors in Keene and even with this I would recommend him to any voter.

[Kat Kanning]

We didn't think he'd done anything bad....were wanting to support him.

[mikefam]

He is one of the few good City councilors in Keene and even with this I would recommend him to any voter.

maybe thats why he is in the situation hes is in.
P.S. i'm sayin he did anything wrong or anything right  i was just making a point about the dark side of how politics can sometimes work.

[jgmaynard]

Joe is a great guy, I've known him for years, and he's also one of the best councilors we have.

As soon as I heard about it, I wondered if this was politically motivated.........

JM

[Kat Kanning]

Well then, we should be outside the courthouse protesting his arrest on the 24th.

[mikefam]

Well then, we should be outside the courthouse protesting his arrest on the 24th.

i'd say no to a public protest outside where mass media couldget ahold of a story like that. I could see headlines something like,"FSP supports underage drinking" or  "those outof state FSP'ers support selling booze to minors" if there was some sort of silent protest inside the court room  like having tones of people sit in the court room with the same color shirts i could support something like that.
Minors and drinking is always a very touchy subject and i wouldnt want to give the enemy's of liberty any undue ammunition.

[Fluff and Stuff]

Well then, we should be outside the courthouse protesting his arrest on the 24th.

i'd say no to a public protest outside where mass media couldget ahold of a story like that. I could see headlines something like,"FSP supports underage drinking" or? "those outof state FSP'ers support selling booze to minors" if there was some sort of silent protest inside the court room? like having tones of people sit in the court room with the same color shirts i could support something like that.
Minors and drinking is always a very touchy subject and i wouldnt want to give the enemy's of liberty any undue ammunition.

I see your point but when did 19 become the age of a minor?  At 18, or earlier if you sue your parents, you stop becoming a minor according to the law.

[AlanM]

It could be framed as opposition to stores performing the duties of law enforcement.
I work every day with this. Why should I be the one to enforce laws at pain of fines, possible imprisonment, and loss of job?

[Russell Kanning]

  sounds like a good person to support ... and we love 19 year-olds drinking

[JonM]

If you really want to muddy the waters, turn it into an anti-Iraq protest with some variation of the slogan I mentioned above, "Old enough to die, too young to drink."  That would probably get more media attention, but I don't know if the original point might get lost.