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Walmart will have to pay a $1,350 fee or suspend alcohol sales at its northeast Lincoln location for nearly a month after a teenaged employee sold liquor there in November.
The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission voted unanimously earlier this month to suspend the Walmart near 84th and Adams streets from selling alcohol for 27 days after investigators found a 16-year-old had completed an alcohol sale there Nov. 18.
Hobie Rupe, the executive director of the commission, said a customer who purchased alcohol at the store’s self-checkout kiosk called Lincoln Police that day after noticing the employee who approved the sale used credentials belonging to a different employee to do so.
Police determined an employee working at the store’s customer service counter had loaned their credentials to a 16-year-old who was monitoring the self-checkout bay alone amid a staffing shortfall, Rupe said.
Even at self checkouts, store employees who sell or approve the sale of alcohol in Nebraska must be at least 19 years old.
Rupe indicated the commission took particular issue with the store’s first-time violation — which Walmart pleaded guilty to — in part because commissioners were upset about the self-created nature of the incident.
“We’ve all been to a Walmart lately,” he said. “There are no cashiers anymore.
“I mean, if you’re gonna default to using these self checkouts, you better make sure they’re policed appropriately.”
Rupe said self checkouts present concerns to regulators, since employees tasked with monitoring numerous transactions at once are less likely to detect whether a customer is intoxicated, for instance.
He said the 27-day suspension that commissioners levied against the retailer is the maximum penalty for a first-time violator. The Walmart at 3400 N. 85th St. has been selling alcohol since October 2008 without a previous violation.
“The severity of the penalty was, I think, a warning shot not only to Walmart but to other places which are utilizing self checkouts to make sure that you’ve got age-appropriate and appropriately trained clerks managing those stations,” Rupe said.
The commission suspended the Walmart location from alcohol sales for 27 days beginning May 22. The commission cannot impose fines, but first-time violators are allowed to pay a sum of $50 per day to avoid serving the suspension.
If Walmart chooses to pay the penalty fee in lieu of suspension — which Rupe predicted it would — the retailer must pay the commission $1,350 by May 15.
Lincoln’s best ice cream experiences
Scoops
Scoops, 2840 S. 70th St., is a locally owned ice cream shop featuring Ashbys premium ice creams, Snowflakes shaved ice, Dole pineapple whip and homemade edible cookie dough.
Scoops Facebook page
402 Creamery
402 Creamery
311 N. Eighth St. and 7101 Kentwell Lane
What I had : Cinnamon snickerdoodle
Owner Tyler Mannix said he was working in finance when he decided he wanted to do something he was passionate about. “I started on a $50 ice cream machine and fell in love.”
After my first visit to his shop, I’m in love, too. I’m going to say it’s possibly the best ice cream I’ve ever had.
The store’s most popular flavor is monster cookie, which is one of eight signature flavors. Popular with families is the four-scoop flight for $8.80.
When I asked for his secret, Mannix said it’s all homemade, including ingredients he’s made from scratch working to ensure they mix with the ice cream and keep their flavor and texture. So, for instance, rather than hard balls of snickerdoodle cookie dough, the experience is soft and chewy, like the cookie.
In addition to the signature flavors, you can enjoy seasonal flavors, like banana bread, key lime, blueberry muffin and strawberry lemonade.
— Shelly Kulhanek
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star file photo
Ivanna Cone
Ivanna Cone
701 P St., No. 101
What we had : Dutch chocolate and lemon cake
The dutch chocolate was very sweet and thick, almost gooey. You get stalagmites when you pull the spoon out of it. But if you’re into that sort of thing, I wouldn’t talk anybody out of it.
Sarah said the lemon cake was the perfect balance of sweet and tart and had the added bonus of cake pieces. It was the equivalent of having a brownie in your chocolate ice cream, without being boring chocolate ice cream. The flavors change daily.
The first thing you notice when you walk into the building is the smell of fresh waffle cones. The second thing you notice is the rabbit statue that acts as the door stop, which Sarah said she remembers from when she and her dad visited when she was young.
There are also disco lights, bright-colored walls, the massive ice-cream makers in the entryway, and when we went, the Jackson 5’s “ABC” was playing in the background.
It’s a great excuse to go for a walk in the Haymarket and an A+ option for dessert to wrap up a hot date on a hot day.
— Alex Lantz
Journal Star file photo
UNL Dairy Store
UNL Dairy Store
114 Food Industry Complex (East Campus)
What I had : Cherry almond
For someone who grew up on a dairy farm in Nebraska, the UNL Dairy Store is a treasured piece of the state’s agricultural history. The store opened in 1917 as Varsity Dairy, serving as much milk as you could drink for a nickel (you just had to bring your own cup.)
The modern-day Dairy Store remains a test kitchen of sorts for food science students, who work to research and create products while managing the business. Over the years, the store’s focus shifted to ice cream.
I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon and found the 16-flavor dip cabinet devoid of Scarlet & Cream, the so-called fan favorite, so I went with a seasonal choice, cherry almond. Good stuff.
Inside, the Dairy Store doesn’t serve a heaping helping of nostalgia. Other than a few photos on the wall, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference from a food court.
But exploring East Campus with your ice cream, you’re reminded of agriculture’s role in the state. And the Dairy Store’s role in reminding visitors of that vital link.
— Todd Henrichs
Courtesy photo
Zesto
Zesto
1100 South St.
What I had : Hot fudge sundae
Since the 1950s, the ice cream shop on South Street has been a summer tradition in Lincoln. The city was much smaller then, but returning to the Zesto’s drive-in always takes me back to a small town, with families stopping for ice cream as a treat to end the day.
In Nebraska, Zesto has always maintained a special link to the College World Series in Omaha, with fans walking across the street to enjoy a cone or a malt for decades at Rosenblatt Stadium and now at the new stadium downtown.
Perhaps that is why the ice cream from Zesto just seems to have a more nostalgic feel than what you might enjoy elsewhere. And though the ice cream is the same, there’s something extra special about the treats from the drive-in location, versus a more strip mall setting.
Lincoln lost a similar drive-in when a tornado wiped out C & L Dairy Sweet near Pioneers Park a few years back. Let’s hope the Zesto tradition lives on.
— Todd Henrichs
TODD HENRICHS, Journal Star
Neveria Arcoiris
Nevería Arcoiris
1035 G St. and 1317 N. 10th St.
What I had : Mangonada made with mango ice cream
I’ve seen a tourism slogan urging people to be a tourist in their own hometown. I felt like one when I stepped into Nevería Arcoiris, which translates to rainbow ice cream.
Bright colors, lots of Spanish-speaking neighbors and about 16 homemade ice creams in freezer cases with names like chicle rosa (pink gum), menta (mint), fresa ague (strawberry water), rompope (eggnog) and maracuya (passion fruit).
Owners Adela Sanchez and her husband, Lucio, were among those behind the counter scooping and creating colorful concoctions.
Adela said they make nearly all the ice cream for their shop on G Street and another restaurant that shares the same name in the North Bottoms, although they sold the second location because they were too busy to run both.
She said the most popular flavor is mango, which is water-based and reminded me of a sorbet. I had my mango ice cream in a manganado, a spicy Mexican fruit treat with chamoy sauce, mangoes, lime juice, chili powder and decorated with a tamarind straw. It was as tasty as it was pretty.
I also tried the horchata-flavored ice cream, their newest creation, and the queso flavor, which is far better than it sounds.
— Shelly Kulhanek
Shelly Kulhanek, Journal Star
Freezing Thai
Freezing Thai
210 N. 14th St. No. 6
What I had : S’mores Galore
A treat from Freezing Thai will cost you a little more, but after all, ice cream is a treat. And watching servers whip up the frozen treat by hand makes Freezing Thai a unique experience.
Seeing it all come together is unlike other sweet shops in town.
Freezing Thai is more than ice cream. Every serving comes with something extra. Like the graham cracker and marshmallows roasted with a hand-held torch as part of my S’mores Galore.
Other choices? Morning Latte ice cream. Key Lime Pie. Mango Tango. The cigar-shaped ice cream rolls and toppings are a ready-made Instagram post.
Freezing Thai’s downtown location is convenient to campus, and because servings are huge, two people can share a treat, minimizing some of the sticker shock.
— Todd Henrichs
TODD HENRICHS, Journal Star
Cold Stone Creamery
Cold Stone Creamery
2910 Pine Lake Road Suite P
What we had : Chocolate with Oreos in a waffle bowl and Chocolate with graham cracker pie crust and Snickers.
You’re encouraged to choose from a variety of add-ins, and I appreciated the build-your-own concept. The waffle bowl, however, was stale and didn’t add to the experience like I hoped it would.
Sarah was initially excited about the possibility of graham crackers in her ice cream — she thinks they are an under-appreciated dessert option — but the chocolate ice cream was not rich enough for her taste. The Snickers bits were good, though, because you can’t go wrong with Snickers.
Its location at SouthPointe Pavilions is super convenient if you’re looking for a snack between shopping stops or desert after pizza at Old Chicago, which is a stone’s throw from the front door.
— Alex Lantz
Cold Stone Creamery Facebook page
Dairy Joe’s ice cream
Dairy Joe’s
8235 W. O St., Emerald
What I had : Dulce de leche
If you’re looking for Joe at Dairy Joe’s in nearby Emerald, you’re going to be disappointed. But you won’t be disappointed with the quality of ice cream or the friendly service.
In addition to ice cream, you can get a cup of joe and you might meet the owner of the building, JoAnn Benes, if she’s in at her adjacent small antique shop, Emerald Hen’s Nest.
Benes’ daughter, Kathryn Benes-Pierce, and her husband, David Pierce, who live in Denton, run the ice cream/coffee shop, which has an old-style malt shop vibe. They get their ice cream from Hiland Dairy and try and source other products locally, like the Dogurt (yogurt for dogs) from Omaha.
I brought my niece and nephew with me and both gave Dairy Joe’s a thumbs-up.
When asked to describe his chocolate ice cream, 7-year-old Cam said it had “a deep flavor.” Syndee, 9, declared her chocolate chip cookie dough “the best ice cream ever.” Both may have been taking their jobs as reviewers a bit too seriously, but I also thought my dulce de leche-flavored cone was top-rate.
— Shelly Kulhanek
Shelly Kulhanek, Lincoln Journal Star
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen
3835 South St. (several Lincoln locations)
What I had : Zero Gravity Blizzard
For a limited time, DQ is offering a Zero Gravity Blizzard to celebrate the moon landing’s 50th anniversary. The blue-colored treat is made with Oreo cookie pieces, chocolate swirls, sweet cotton candy crunch topping and glittery star sprinkles. Yep, glitter in ice cream.
This Blizzard was probably more appropriate for smurfs and 6-year-old girls, but it did share one ingredient with the South Street DQ’s most popular Blizzard — Oreo.
I quizzed the server about why they serve Blizzards upside down, and she stated the obvious “so you know it’s not runny,” but I did a little research and found out the trademark move had its beginnings with an obnoxious 14-year-old.
In 1959, the owner of a custard stand in St. Louis had a boy who biked to his stand nearly every day for a malt. The boy kept challenging the owner to make it thicker. Finally to shut the kid up, he served it upside down.
The custard stand owner had a competitor who owned a Dairy Queen franchise, and he copied the gimmick and also came up with the idea to put fruit or broken-up candy bar chunks in DQ’s soft serve ice cream. At first Mars, which owned M&Ms and Snickers candy brands, refused to ship broken pieces to DQs, as did Oreo. But they finally relented.
— Shelly Kulhanek
Shelly Kulhanek, Lincoln Journal Star
Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or [email protected] . On Twitter @andrewwegley
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