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Topic: Get off my lawn

Topic: Get off my lawn

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The Optimist
General User

Member Since: 3/16/2007
Location: CLE
Post Count: 5,552

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Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/21/2015 5:06:33 PM

http://tinyurl.com/py25xmn

I found this excerpt the most telling:
"Fahl said council was doing its “due diligence,” though it comes down to county authorities and event organizers to take the helm on amending Number Fest to fit Athens residents’ wishes."
Seems to me "Athens residents" is a term that many old-timers don't believe includes students. Kudos to the potential city-councilman quoted in the article for his mention to students in the discussions.

Last Edited: 4/21/2015 6:27:28 PM by The Optimist

I've seen crazier things happen.

ts1227
General User

Member Since: 2/28/2006
Location: Tallmadge, OH
Post Count: 853

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/22/2015 1:27:40 PM

I enjoyed reading the people complaining about people riding in the back of trucks through town every year, which is COMPLETELY LEGAL in Ohio. Only stipulation is you can't sit on the side of the bed, and the tailgate must be up.

Now once you accept money from people it gets a little murkier since now it can be claimed that you're not a legal taxi service, but being in the back of a truck in general is completely fine

Alan Swank
General User

Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,022

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/22/2015 5:26:21 PM

The Optimist wrote:

Optimist - this is what I wrote to the Athens News almost three weeks ago. Any discussion without giving students a real seat at the table serves no one.

http://www.athensnews.com/ohio/article-44703-letrss-break...

And here is one of the reasons why:

http://www.thepostathens.com/opinion/community-members-th...

Last Edited: 4/22/2015 5:28:58 PM by Alan Swank

Ohio69
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 2,992

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/23/2015 11:36:24 AM

The link isn't working. Here's what Alan wrote:

To the Editor:

Another neighborhood fest season has come and gone, and scores of Ohio University students and their friends are lighter in the pockets because of the fines that they have paid for violating various local laws. Many permanent residents are equally lighter in the patience category because of the perceived irresponsible behavior and lack of respect for local laws and private property practiced by some OU students.

In less than a month, the vast majority of students will leave town for the summer, and the fest problem will fade into the background only to resurrect itself in the fall as the city makes plans for the annual Halloween block party. The cycle of fest and forget will have played out again for the umpteenth time. What is our community to do?

As evidenced by the numerous letters to the editor, Facebook posts, and calls to the various call-in radio shows, something needs to be done. Let me be perfectly clear on one thing. The blatant disrespect for democratically passed laws that are enforced in a legal and responsible manner is never an OK thing. As a candidate for Athens City Council, I believe that elected officials, community members and students have a civic responsibility to address this troubling and expensive issue today rather than after a tragic or fatal incident occurs during the next round of fests.

An appropriate first step would be formation of a combined task force of students including some of those arrested during the last round of fests; property owners including some of those on whose property a significant number of citations were issued; law-enforcement officials including some of those who actually issued the most recent citations; and city and university officials.

The task force's charge would be simple - to determine how we as a community got ourselves into this mess and what as a community we are willing to do to get ourselves out of it.

Four weeks from this Saturday, Ohio University will hold its annual commencement ceremonies and another school year will have passed. Now is the time to start the process of truly making this the number four best college town in America.

Alan Swank
Townsend Place
Athens

Last Edited: 4/23/2015 11:40:20 AM by Ohio69

Can somebody hit a pull up jumper for me?.....

Ohio69
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 2,992

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/23/2015 11:54:17 AM

Now my thoughts:

How did we get here? OU's Spring Fest went dry and students created their own. Now it is a 20+ year tradition that simply will not go away.

What to do we do about the OU Student fests? Embrace them. Combine Mill and Palmer fest into one fest by closing some streets for them. Deal with it once. Eliminate the silly belief that Palmer Street and even Mill Street need to be clear and open to traffic. They don't - for a Saturday at least. Let the kids get a little wild. Exchange some police officers for some ambulances/first aid for the dummies who drink too much. Visit Columbus and ask Liquor Control to stop trying so hard to save a 19 year old from a Miller Light (as the A-News recently joked). (Honestly, the first place Ohio should look to cut government spending is Liquor Control. Waste of resources.)

What to do about Number Fest: I'm guessing I could use cones and create 3 lanes of traffic on the road to number fest. Cars both ways and the walkers. Let 'em walk. Set up buses only at the fairgrounds. Nowhere else. OR, somehow convince them to hold this thing at the Fairgrounds. But, I think part of the allure is the secluded setting. And, the Fair Board is notoriously difficult to deal with.

Lastly, if Athens can tax alcohol sales and is not, it needs to do so. Anyone know?

Can somebody hit a pull up jumper for me?.....

Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,022

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/23/2015 12:40:50 PM

Ohio69 wrote:

Not only Spring Fest which was on the intramural fields but also each of the residential greens had there own weekends. In 1981, South Green Weekend alone went through 100 kegs of beer. It was a monitored and regulated event - mainly by residence life. When the drinking age went to 21, OU got out of the fest/party/green weekend business and it reemerged off campus in an unregulated environment. Perhaps a music event in Peden could be tried. Everyone could walk there, beer sales could be controlled and if the stage was set up in the north endzone, the sound would be "killed" by the hill on the south side of 682 thus sparing the south side residents of noise complaints. If the wind happened to be blowing from the south or southeast that would further deaden the sound. I was serious when I wrote that letter and called for a task force to address the opportunity. Fests aren't going away but as long as the continue in their present form, we're just one straw from breaking the camels back and having a disaster or tragedy on our hands.

Kinggeorge4
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Member Since: 12/22/2004
Location: Guysville, OH
Post Count: 964

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/23/2015 2:40:55 PM

I have t agree with Alan There needs to be some major conversations including all groups that could be affected. The other issue is the drinking age. If it as lowered, we may see these things move back on campus. With the current laws, too many are underage on campus.

GO BOBCATS
GEORGE

OhioCatFan
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 14,016

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/23/2015 3:39:47 PM

I also agree with Alan. I admire him for having the courage to address this issue. I believe he is correct that we are in danger of having a very serious incident or even a tragic death take place at one of these #Fests in the not too distant future if we are not very careful. The Task Force that Alan suggests is a good first step in the direction of trying to be proactive in dealing with this matter. Alan's courage in addressing issues which others would like to wish away or sweep under the rug is the one reason that this Republican and member of the GOP Central Committee has an Alan Swank for City Council sign in my yard. I've already received a "raised eyebrow" from our party chairman for this action, but I'm going to stand with Alan because he's not afraid to call 'em as he sees 'em. We need more of that around here, IMHO.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

OhioStunter
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Member Since: 2/18/2005
Location: Chicago
Post Count: 2,516

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/24/2015 12:30:56 PM

Ohio69 wrote:

Visit Columbus and ask Liquor Control to stop trying so hard to save a 19 year old from a Miller Light (as the A-News recently joked). (Honestly, the first place Ohio should look to cut government spending is Liquor Control. Waste of resources.)

A quick aside on this. Wanted to post something I found and posted back in September:

---
Guess which city in Ohio has the most citations from the Ohio Investigative Unit for alcohol-related offenses so far this year?

Athens.

By a mile.

These Under 21 offenses include: Under 21 Knowingly Consume Beer; Consume Intoxicating Liquor, Order Intoxicating Liquor; Possess Beer; Possess Intoxicating Liquor; Purchase Beer; Purchase Intoxicating Liquor; Share in Cost of Beer; Under the Influence in a Public Place

Here's the list of the top 10 Ohio cities (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Ohio), their populations and their citations for alcohol offenses by the Ohio Investigative Unit:

1. Columbus (787,033) -- 135 citations (1 per every 5,829 citizens)
2. Cleveland (396,815) -- 139 citations (1:2,660)
3. Cincinnati (296,943) -- 102 citations (1:2,911)
4. Toledo (287,208) -- 22 citations (1:13,055)
5. Akron (199,110) -- 93 citations (1:2,140)
6. Dayton (141,527) -- 16 citations (1:8,845)
7. Parma (81,601) -- 2 citations (1:40,800)
8. Canton (73,007) -- 5 citations (1:14,601)
9. Youngstown (66,982) -- 4 citations (1:16,745)
10. Lorain (64,097) -- 1 citation (1:64,097)

So Ohio's top 10 cities comprise 2,394,323 people and total 519 alcohol citations for a ratio of 1:4,613

The City of Athens (not county) so far this year has...

...341 citations

For a ratio of 1:70 cited in that city.

Other key stats:
-Athens is the #1 cited city in the state
-Athens has 2.5 times the citations of either Columbus and Cleveland
-Athens has more than 200 citations than the next highest city cited -- Cleveland (139 vs. 341)
-If you combine the citations of 8 of the top 10 most populated cities in Ohio, they have 96 LESS citations combined than the city of Athens
-There are listing by counties, but there is NO listing for Butler county (no citations in OXFORD?)
-All Ohio MAC college towns combined: 148 citations vs. Athens' 341
-Athens averages more than 38 citations a month. Cleveland, Columbus or Cincinnati? Less than 15.

And the report I ran is from 1/1/14 through 9/18/2014 -- this doesn't even count Halloween, folks.

Profile much?

Source: http://www.dps.ohio.gov/LFSWebReports/Display_Report.aspx
or http://www.dps.ohio.gov/LFSWebReports/

Edit: A quick look at full-year 2013 stats shows Athens with 510 citations. Cleveland with 86 and Cincinnati with 60.

Ohio69
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 2,992

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/24/2015 7:16:41 PM

OhioStunter -- We all know Athens is easy pickens. Bars. Parties. All within a few blocks. Easy way to make money for Liquor Control. Or, to prove they need to exist. "Look at all the underage drinkers! We need more funding!"

The problem with an event in Peden or the Fairgrounds is men and women under age 21 will not be able to drink. They can drink at Numberfest or PalmerFest or etc. because their friends who are a few months or 1-2 years older than them will hand them a beer. That will always make it tough to replace those fests with something "official".

Can somebody hit a pull up jumper for me?.....

TheBobcatBandit
General User

Member Since: 8/25/2013
Post Count: 611

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/29/2015 1:05:57 AM

That was an awful walk. What I don't get is why the police would think shutting down the busses and than having thousands of drunk people walk miles back to town is safer then just policing the line for the buses. It pisses off the students and the locals who's yards and privacy is getting destroyed. Why not just take the time to police the boarding of buses which would be way easier than policing miles of road. not to mention making drunk people walk miles back to town isn't safe at all. also out of curiosity could someone file a lawsuit against the fest for false advertising since they promised transportation to and from the fest and for many people there wasn't any.

Last Edited: 4/29/2015 1:06:56 AM by TheBobcatBandit

OhioCatFan
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 14,016

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/30/2015 11:03:03 PM

Well, the Athens News has endorsed our very own legendary BA poster, the one and only Swankester: http://www.athensnews.com/ohio/article-44899-vote-cochran...

I urge all BA Democrats who live in Athens to remember to vote on Tuesday and to vote for Swank. In fact, I'll go one step further and ask that you vote only for Swank in the at-large City Council race because that improves his chances of being one of the top three who will advance to the general election. If he makes it to the general election I fully plan to vote for him. We need his independent thinking and his integrity on City Council.

Last Edited: 4/30/2015 11:03:52 PM by OhioCatFan

Mike Johnson
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Member Since: 11/11/2004
Location: North Canton, OH
Post Count: 1,706

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 4/30/2015 11:11:46 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

Conservative thought I am, Carl, vote for Alan twice, once for me.

http://www.facebook.com/mikejohnson.author

ts1227
General User

Member Since: 2/28/2006
Location: Tallmadge, OH
Post Count: 853

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/2/2015 9:29:28 PM

TheBobcatBandit wrote:

It's arguably more safe to keep the mob of people moving (somewhat) orderly than it is to try to manage them in one spot trying to control bus loading. It's not THAT long of a walk, and everyone is going to go the exact same way so it's a pretty controlled situation all things considered.

Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,022

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/6/2015 9:06:51 AM

Thanks to all the Bobcatattackers who emailed and messaged me over the last few weeks with their best wishes for a successful campaign and election. Unfortunately I came up 38 votes from qualifying for the November general election. You learn a great deal when you run for political office. The most important lesson is that you can never knock on enough doors. The sad lesson is that very few people in this country exercise their right to vote. Only 5.77% of the registered voters in Athens County voted yesterday. In the city council at large race, only 968 people voted. To garner 35% of that vote was encouraging. What was discouraging was driving by the VFW and thinking how many men and women at home and abroad have given their lives so that we have the opportunity to vote today. So my final comment on this topic is simply this - whether you live in Athens or Ohio or anywhere in this country, get out and vote. Your vote and certainly a few votes can make a vast difference.

OhioCatFan
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 14,016

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/6/2015 1:28:14 PM

I was sad to see the results, Alan, but keep trying. Your name recognition goes up each time your name is on the ballot. The turnout yesterday was very poor even by off-year primary standards. I think having the university on fake semesters now, with that very early graduation time is going to mean these kind of turnouts will continue for May primaries.

BillyTheCat
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Member Since: 10/6/2012
Post Count: 9,454

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/7/2015 9:47:06 AM

Alan Swank wrote:

Couldn't agree more, and must add, how many of those same people who served still do not participate, though higher than the general population, they still are under represented.

Last Edited: 5/7/2015 9:48:57 AM by BillyTheCat

bobcatsquared
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 5,034

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/7/2015 1:15:06 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

I think having the university on fake semesters now, with that very early graduation time is going to mean these kind of turnouts will continue for May primaries.

Don't disagree OCF. However, if your boys in Columbus get their way, college students in Ohio will no longer be allowed to vote in their college town.

The Optimist
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Member Since: 3/16/2007
Location: CLE
Post Count: 5,552

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/7/2015 1:31:21 PM

bobcatsquared wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

I think having the university on fake semesters now, with that very early graduation time is going to mean these kind of turnouts will continue for May primaries.

Don't disagree OCF. However, if your boys in Columbus get their way, college students in Ohio will no longer be allowed to vote in their college town.

I would imagine the Democratic establishment in Athens would actually get behind this. I cannot think of something Paul Wiehl would love more than to have absolutely no accountability to students at Ohio University. Double fines for noise ordinance violations! Triple them! Make it a felony!

I've seen crazier things happen.

rpbobcat
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Location: Rochelle Park, NJ
Post Count: 3,503

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/7/2015 3:58:13 PM

The Optimist wrote:

bobcatsquared wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

I think having the university on fake semesters now, with that very early graduation time is going to mean these kind of turnouts will continue for May primaries.

Don't disagree OCF. However, if your boys in Columbus get their way, college students in Ohio will no longer be allowed to vote in their college town.

Guess I'm in the minority here.
Let me start out by saying that I pushed for the right for 18 year olds to vote when I was in high school and have voted in every general election since I turned 18.
I'm a registered independent so I can't vote in primaries.

Most students are in Athens for what,16 - 18 weeks a year,for 4-5 years.
Yes,I know people move all the time,but students have built in transiency.
To me,as a "part time" resdent you shouldn't be allowed to make decisions that can affect people for years after you've left Athens.
Yes vote,but vote in your home town.

OhioCatFan
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 14,016

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/7/2015 4:28:39 PM

bobcatsquared wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

I think having the university on fake semesters now, with that very early graduation time is going to mean these kind of turnouts will continue for May primaries.

Don't disagree OCF. However, if your boys in Columbus get their way, college students in Ohio will no longer be allowed to vote in their college town.

As one who once lost a city council race by something like 35 votes when I lost the student precinct 45-3 as my opponent, a political science professor, literally marched these student down to the polls fifteen minutes before they closed, I'm not sure I'd be against such a move. This professor also gave his students extra credit for working on his campaign. I was teaching a class that same quarter and never once thought about using my students as campaigners. Students are too easily manipulated in such situations. Also, students tend to only look ahead a few years in making decisions, they don't usually care all that much about the longterm ramifications of their votes.

cc-cat
General User

Member Since: 4/5/2006
Location: matthews, NC
Post Count: 3,820

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RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/8/2015 1:40:47 AM

OhioCatFan wrote:

bobcatsquared wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

I think having the university on fake semesters now, with that very early graduation time is going to mean these kind of turnouts will continue for May primaries.

Don't disagree OCF. However, if your boys in Columbus get their way, college students in Ohio will no longer be allowed to vote in their college town.

Also, students tend to only look ahead a few years in making decisions, they don't usually care all that much about the longterm ramifications of their votes.

That describes most voters, not just student voters. Also, since students bring an extraordinary amount of dollars to the community I think it is right that they be allowed to vote in that community. Finally, Republicans don't want students to be able to vote where they live and go to school because they would be unlikely to absantee vote where their parents live and most college students tend to vote democrat.

bobcatsquared
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 5,034

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/8/2015 4:44:28 AM

Not only that cc-cat, but the boys in charge in Columbus already have a reputation of voter suppression, for obvious reasons and directed at certain demographics. That reputation only leads some to believe that this is just another attempt at suppressing the student population from voting in Ohio.

rpbobcat
General User

Member Since: 4/28/2006
Location: Rochelle Park, NJ
Post Count: 3,503

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/8/2015 6:48:39 AM

bobcatsquared wrote:

Was just wondering,what are you refering to when you say "voter suppression" ?

bobcatsquared
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 5,034

Status: Offline

RE: Get off my lawn

Posted: 5/8/2015 8:18:10 AM

voter suppression: a strategy to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing people from exercising the right to vote.

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