The Nooksack Tribe of Washington won a state liquor license for its new casino despite opposition from enforcement officers, The Bellingham Herald reports.

The tribe won the license for the Northwood Crossing Casino, which is under construction. The state Liquor Control Board cited the tribe's clean record at the existing Nooksack River Casino.

But documents obtained by The Herald show that liquor enforcement officers found problems at the casino in the months before the tribe's application was approved. A casino employee failed to ask a 19-year old minor investigative aide for identification and served her beer, an e-mail stated.

The casino manager also refuses to recognize the state's ability to regulate liquor on reservations, according to an enforcement officer. No actions were taken against the casino for serving liquor to the minor, Lt. Blair Smith said.

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Nooksack liquor compliance disputed (The Bellingham Herald 6/1)