Wednesday, October 7, 2009
{The Blue Banner}
Asheville Police debunk Grove crime rumors
Page 7
By Heather McGaha
Staff Writer
HMMCGAHA@UNCA.EDU '
Kara Hubbard started keeping her win
dows locked in her apartment at the Grove
after she heard rumors of intoxicated men
climbing through women’s windows at the
complex.
“The bottom floors are where most
people are experiencing crime. I feel safe
because I live on the third floor and lock all
my doors,” the senior environmental sci
ence student said.
Hubbard said she was aware of men
breaking and entering in first floor apart
ments, and residents should remember to
lock their windows and doors.
The Grove apartment complex has ex
perienced crirnes such as breaking and
entering into apartments and cars, as well
as fights, according to Shannon King, real
estate manager for the Campus Crest de
velopment.
The incidents that happen at the Grove
are not unusual for a complex located in a
city setting, she said.
According to a, call summary for 2009,
Ihe Asheville Police Department is most
often called to Bulldog Drive for loud
music and civil disturbances, according to
APD Community Relations Manager Me
lissa Williams.
“About two years ago, there was a spell
where a few people 1 knew had their cars
broken into, or left their apartment un
locked and a few things were taken, but
nothing big,” said John Williams, a ju
nior basketball player and resident of the
Grove.
This year, there have been eight police
reports regarding larceny from motor ve
hicles, according to Melissa Williarris.
Most of these reports are a result of win
dows left rolled down, unlocked car doors
and even keys in the ignition, she said.
According to King, fights that occur at
the Grove usually involve people who do
not live in the complex.
She said properties around the complex
occasionally need additional security su
pervision, but the Grove does not have
full-time security guards on the premises.
According to Hubbard, there is a low-in
come housing complex behind the Grove,
which residents refer to as The Klond
ike.”
“I don’t go out at night by myself, that’s
for sure. I just keep aware of my surround
ings and don’t give anyone a reason to ap
proach me,” she said.
The Grove does have security cameras
in and around the clubhouse area in order
to prevent electronics from theft, but the
complex does not intend to put any other
surveillance cameras on the premises in
the future, according to King.
“Privacy is a factor, as well as cost. We
want to still provide an affordable housing
option and do not want to live our lives on
camera,” she said.
The Grove ensures residents are aware
of ways to keep themselves safe.
Management publishes .common safety
tips for the complex community, as well as
a phone number for 24-hour on-call per
sonnel.
“If something does happen on our
grounds, we have the capability to evict
people if they break the law,” King said.
Melissa Williams said a Grove resident
can not guarantee he or she will never be
a victim of crime, but there are things resi-
Zeis
Continued from Page 6
dents can do to try to avoid it.
Impaired judgment from drugs and alco
hol has a lot to do with crime at the Grove,
she said.
Safety tips include awareness of emer
gency telephone numbers, traveling in
groups and planning a traveling route in
cluding well-lit paths.
“Stay alert to your surroundings and the
people around you. Don’t text and chat on
a cell phone instead of paying attention to
your surroundings. Share your class sched
ule with your parents and trusted friends,
and give them your telephone numbers,”
Melissa Williams said.
Hubbard said she called the Grove per
sonnel when an odd solicitor came to her
door, and they dealt with the man right
away.
According to Banks, there is no reason
not to live at the Grove due to crime.
Hubbard and John Williams said they
agree.
“If safety is a concern when moving to
the Grove, you can rest easy with your de
cision. It is safe,” John Williams said.
He said he knows his neighbors and
roommates well and feels they would help
him in any potentially dangerous situa
tion.
An advantage to living at the Grove is
24-hour access to an on-call management
team that can help in an emergency. Banks
said.
“Crime does not appear to be excep
tional for the Grove. The calls the police
department gets regarding loud music and
fights are typical of apartments that cater to
college-age clients who are generally liv
ing on their own for the first time,” Melissa
Williams said.
had more stuff,” he said. “We are working
with the development office to enhance the
equipment budget.”
Renovations are now planned for
Rhoades-Robinson Hall. Construction
should begin this winter, Krumpe said.
“Representatives from the General As
sembly came up and toured Rhoades Hall
and Rhoades tower and saw that it was not
appropriate square footage,” Krumpe said.
“It was old and in need of repair. It was not
the place where we wanted students learn
ing about cutting edge science.”
The chemistry and biology departments,
along with MMAS, will move to Zeis. The
departments left in Rhoades-Robinson
Hall will expand and take up the space,
Krumpe said.
“During that time Wilma Sherrill, who
was in the General Assembly and became
special assistant to the Chancellor here at
UNCA, was instrumental in getting the $9
million that we got from the state to reno
vate Rhoades Hall and Rhoades tower,”
Krumpe said.
Fees
Continued from Page 3
McBee said. “I’m not in athletics, I don’t
attend, games and I don’t use the gym or
anything because I commute.”
The sociology student said the open fo
rum interests her, and she wants to attend to
hear the justification for these expenses.
‘Since I’m not participating I want to
know why I’m paying for this,” McBee
said.
Jenna Dover, student president of the
Student Athlete Advisory Committee, dis
agreed with McBee’s view.
“I think the student fee increases are
needed, and it’s not too much,” Dover said.
“They asked for the smallest increase this
year, only like 2.5 percent.”
Dover said UNCA’s teams help earn
money for the school.
“A lot of college sports programs are
losing money right now and we’re not,”
the SAAC president said. “We are proud
of our school and I wish some students
showed more school spirit.”
Another student contributed her opinion,
but requested anonymity in order to speak
candidly.
“UNCA is not really an athletic kind of
school and the majority of students aren’t
athletes, so do they need $605 from each
of us,” she said. “Not that I would say that
to my peers. Since I have class with sev
eral of them, it might create an embarrass
ing situation.”
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