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Opinion
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Wednesday, August 30, 2000
For comments, contact Ben Embry or Emily Hughey at 864-4924 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com
Editorial board: Party ordinance unwanted, unnecessary Students didn't invite Big Brother to parties
this summer, Lawrence adopted a new ordinance in an attempt to control houses with fre-
1. make an attempt to control houses with frequent parties. But the new regulations are more likely to strain the relationship between students and the city than achieve their intended effect of stopping students from partying.
On June 20, the Lawrence City Commission amended its Disorderly House Nuisance Ordinance that allow the city to shut off the utilities at houses it deems disorderly and require that the tenants be evicted from the premises.
The city defines a disorderly house as property on which city and state alcohol laws or noise laws are violated or any felony or misdemeanor arises two or more times within a 365-day period. These violations may be committed by the tenants of the property or by any person attending events sponsored by the owner. This basically places more blame on the person or persons throwing the party at the disorderly house.
The tenants and owners of such houses are required to meet with the city commission in order to make an agreement to end the nuisance. The agreement may require the tenants to move from the premises. If the tenants and owner fail to meet with the commission, the city can prosecute the tenants and owner. The penalties imposed by the city for violating its ordinance include fines and up to one year of probation.
Although this new ordinance may seem appeal to families who choose to move into mainly student-occupied areas, it is not necessary for the city to increase its watch over student parties. There are already laws that deal with issues such as excessive noise and serving alcohol to minors. These additions to the existing laws are just another way for Lawrence to play Big Brother and keep an increasingly watchful eye over everything.
If families choose to move into the area of Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky streets between 9th and 15th streets, they should realize that this area is zoned by the city for student off-campus living. Most of the houses in that area have been converted into apartment-style living for students. Knowing this, these families should not be surprised that the area may be a little louder late into the night than other outlying areas of the city.
Beyond this fact, the idea that the commission gives multiple chances to tenants and owners before a residence is deemed a nuisance shows that apparently this issue is not as important as it might like the students to think.
Although the city commission may have good inten-
The punishments for violating these laws are not very strict and may not stop people from breaking them, and they will definitely not stop students from partying.
It is true that measures must be taken to control certain people who continually violate laws and are not respecting those around them. There are already laws in place that do this, and the addition of these new regulations will only
City of Lawrence: Complaints spark change in law
cause more conflict between students and the city.
New rules will curb irresponsible behavior
Responding to neighborhood and public safety concerns, the Lawrence City Commission in June adopted an ordinance defining and regulating disorderly house nuisances.
Commissioners and citizens expressed concern about ongoing activities at specific
The ordinance, patterned after a similar one in fellow university town Manhattan, is a response to house party problems in the community.
Katie Hackett for the editorial board
sance can take place inside or outside on a particular property. Occupants, including tenants and their guests, and owners can be cited.
The focus is on habitual disorderly conduct at private homes or rental properties. Owners, occupants and their guests are subject to possible prosecution when a property is the site of repeated crimes or code violations, a combination of two or more felonies or misdemeanors, alcohol or other city code violations within 12 months.
City legal officials will determine whether a property is a habitual nuisance. Suspected property owners and occupants will be required to attend a nuisance abatement conference with city staff. The two parties will discuss the facts and attempt to agree and produce a written action plan, including deadlines, to remedy the situation. Nuisance abatement agreements, which can be amended if both parties agree, extend two years from the date of the original plan.
Abatement plan agreements may include tenant eviction, written notification to individuals who are prohibited from entering the property, written leases requiring eviction for criminal activity, property improvements such as fencing, security devices and lighting, and other conditions.
Suspected owners and occupants have two days to review abatement agreements, sign the documents and return them to the city.
Prosecution is an option for individuals who do not respond to the agreement process. Violators include those who do not attend an abatement conference, fail or refuse to sign or comply with the agreement.
With reliable information that the property remains a disorderly house nuisance, the city could evict the owner or occupant, file criminal proceedings against the owner or declare the property uninhabitable and terminate utility service.
The ordinance also allows for additional penalties for those found guilty. Under a one-year probationary period, property owners or occupants may be required to make property improvements to lessen criminal activity, use written leases that require eviction for criminal activity, submit tenant lists to the police department, post cash bonds, and meet other reasonable conditions.
Property owners and tenants with comments or questions should contact Dave Corliss, assistant city manager and director of legal services, 832-3403, city hall, docrillor@c1.lawrence.ks.us.
Gayle Martin for the city of Lawrence
Subtle stereotypes creep into Kansan coverage
Stereotypes pop up in unsuspecting places. While some can be dangerous, others are just befuddling, like the stereotype I encountered last week when I was told I didn't look like a journalist. Ironically, the stereotype couldn't tell
"Diversity" and "stereotypes" are words that get thrown around a lot these days. Even though the words tend to lose their meaning as many Americans grow weary of "political correctness," the fact of the matter is they are important.
me what exactly a journalist looked like, though.
Our story about the party at the Burge Union sparked some controversy, partially because of the picture that ran with the article. The photo showed an African-American student being swiped with a metal detector as part of increased security at Burge since a shooting last year.
Although pictures don't lie, they don't tell the whole truth, either. I don't think anyone will dispute the fact that students at the party were being checked for
Erinn R.
Barcomb
readers'
representative
readeruser@hanan.suan.com
weapons at the door. The story confirmed this. Out of context from the story, however, the picture could misrepresent African-American students — implying in some way that African-American students are more prone to carrying weapons into parties.
As readers, I encourage you to look at what you see with a critical eye. Piece together the photos, stories and captions before making assumptions about what you see — or think you see.
As journalists, we need to be more selective of the images we use, recognizing that not everyone is going to take in all the information on the page at once.
Along the same lines, last week, a column in the Kansan addressed the perception that liberal tendencies prevail at public universities. One student reminded me several days later that not all university students, and not all students at this university, have a liberal political sway.
Even though the University is home to organizations such as College Republicans and the more extreme Vietnam Veterans for Academic Reform, which criticizes liberal tendencies at the University, the image of the tie-dyed, longhaired 1960s university protester won't die.
In a way, the ideals of that image persist on the Hill through groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and Delta Force. And I think most would agree that in largely-conservative Kansas, Lawrence and the University are islands of a more left-wing outlook.
I've been reading a book about stereotypes that prevail in the media. One essay states that in journalism, laziness and stereotypical thinking go together. Travis Linn writes, "The more questions asked, the more observations made, the more concrete and particular the reporter's notes, then the more the journalist is focusing on a person, a family, or an incident, rather than taking a face and a name and plugging those into a set of assumptions."
But too often those are the only images projected by those outside the University, and sometimes those at the University as well.
So if we make incorrect assumptions or present misleading images about your views, attitudes and lifestyles as students, call us on it.
Barcomb is a Wichita sonor in journalism.
Free for All is the telephone public forum for the Kansan. Callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. The Kansan reserves the right to edit submissions, and not all of them will be published. Slanderous statements will not be printed.
Being that it was the hottest town in America (Sunday), we should have school canceled.
腹
I'm just curious. We've been here a week and it's time to do laundry for most students. And yet we can't get change on Daisy Hill. What's up with that?
What's up with Coca-Cola? ... Do they get to raise their price anytime they want? We know they got a monopoly, but somebody should have some oversight.
图
I thought about working for the new casino but decided it might be easier to kill my roommate in his sleep and
--steal all his money that way.
typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
The Robinson Center is a piece of crap. Most high school gyms put it to shame.
I think all those people who are complaining about being hot should try walking around on campus in a clown suit all day.
图
I think that Chelsea Clinton is the most beautiful woman in the entire world. No, wait ... the second most beautiful.
福
Regarding the upcoming election, I think we should forget about our differences and concentrate on what we have in common: our love for Britney Spears.
To all my friends who gave me a hard time about my Backstreet Boys action figures, back off and let me live my life.
霜
I've been at this university for three years, and if there's one things girls go crazy for, it's Star Wars.
--typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
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I know I speak for the majority of KU students when I say that zero to five drinks when we party is a big lie.
--typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
Why do my roommates fall in love with rocks?
I'd like to say in response to the fraternity party at the Burge Union ... The fact is that the picture in the UDK was news, and if they'd hold it an off-campus location, they wouldn't have had to go through all that ordeal.
图
I think I would raise my hand more in class if every time I got a correct answer,my professor would have to take off an article of clothing.
typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photographed for the column to run.
I think everyone out there should really think about one thing when they go to vote this November. If George Bush is elected, he's going to be the one who gets to decide the Supreme Court, which means no more murdering of innocent, helpless unborn babies. So just think about that for a minute.
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Guest cooler pool: Shuffle beidu-shuffen cooler pool
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