Wednesday, September 9, 2009
{The Blue Banner}
Woodfin poKce and ALE issue
25 citations at student party
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By Dannielle Elms
Staff Writer
DAELMS@UNCA.EDU
Woodfin County police said they issued
25 citations at a UNC Asheville student-
held party last weekend.
Students received citations for underage
drinking and supplying alcohol to minors.
There was one arrest for provisional driv
ing while impaired.
“Our concern is the
safety of everyone, in
cluding the motoring pub
lic. Our aim was to ensure
the safety of our roads so
that we don’t have people
drinking and driving, or
underage drinking,” said
Sgt. Mike Dykes of the
Woodfin Police Depart
ment.
Dykes said the high “
number of citations is an unusual occur
rence in Woodfin. It is not unusual for the
Alcohol Law Enforcement to be called on
the spot to issue citations. ALE said the
underage drinking did not alarm them.
We realize it’s the first couple of weeks
back, and these things are going to happen.
ale is not going to hand out names of stu
dents to the university or parents for people
over 18. There’s no need to get the students
into trouble,” an ALE spokesperson said.
Police said they first became aware of
the party after receiving a phone call about
a suspicious car in a neighbor’s driveway.
Further investigation revealed the presence
of minors at the house where the party was
held.
Students said police blocked off the
driveway and entered the house at approxi
mately 1;30 a.m.
The officers checked the students’ iden
tification and gave breathalyzers to those
who lacked ID. The police did not leave
until after 3 a.m., students said.
Refusing to take an breathalyzer test,
along with the alcohol odor on the breath
IS sufficient evidence to convict an under
age user, according to police.
Junior Stephanie Foran, said the police
Were at the end of the driveway by 12:30
a.m. and told her there was a traffic issue
since some people had parked over the
ueifrhbnr’s driveway.
“They were just normal
guys trying to do their
jobs without unnecessarily
screwing us over.”
-Michael Szymczyk,
senior.
Police would not allow any of the ap
proximately 150 guests leave until they
had checked all IDs.
According to the police, for the first of
fense, a person convicted of selling or pro
viding alcohol to someone under the age
of 21 must pay a $250 fine plus in court
costs and complete 25 hours of community
service.
“There were a large
number of people at the
party, some of whom
seemed to just show up
out of nowhere. There
were around six offi
cers I saw, and I talked
to a couple of them
for a little bit and they
were just normal guys
trying to do their job
without unnecessarily
screwing us over,” said
Michael Szymczyk, senior rriusic technol
ogy student.
Other attendees said they were not
pleased with the police response, saying
it was a lockdown situation which made
them feel uncomfortable.
Joe McMurray, a 21-year-old visiting
student from Duke University, said he felt
like a hostage at the party since the police
wouldn’t let anyone leave until they had is
sued all citations.
“Many people had done nothing wrong,
but because of the officers’ inefficient
and poorly-communicated plan, we were
forced to sit on the porch under guard of
two officers,” McMurray said. “The offi
cer in charge was so busy trying to catch
wrongdoers that he didn’t have the de
cency to allow the 21-year-olds and non
drinkers to leave until after 2:30 a.m.”
The owners of the house, were issued
citations. They said it was unfortunate the
party had ended that way, saying it was in
vite only, with the aim to celebrate the 21st
birthday of two close friends.
“We just wanted everyone to have fun
and were not out to put anyone in harm.
It got to a point where we couldn’t know
who was doing what because there were
too many people,” one of the owners of the
house said.
Police issued eight citations and ALE
issued 17.
Pack
“Well I was the last in my family to take
the plunge. First it was the two youngest,
then my husband and then I had no choice.
I just had to partake. We were having way
too much fun,” Dickinson said.
Although her family enjoys the new
fountain, Dickinson said she has mixed
feelings about the construction in Pack
Square Park.
“I think it is nice to see some of the
buildings that are dilapidated revitalized,
where you have the smashed windows
and the vacant feeling. But some of the
new construction is a little troublesome
watching,” the Asheville resident said.
The design of the new city park worries
Dickinson, she said.
“I think they are trying to push the enve
lope in height and other things, but most
people would say it would be nice to keep
the character of downtown and not have
the developers come in and ruin that. I
think they’re constantly trying to push it,”
she said.
Cheney said she agrees.
“I know there is interesting design work
that’s been done, but to me it is not cool
looking,” she said.
Waiter Jayson Landers at the Col
lege Street restaurant, Fiore’s Resortante
Toscana said the Pack Square Park con
struction reduced business.
“Initially it was kind of difficult. We def
initely saw a reduction in walk-by traffic
and we think it made it difficult for people
driving by to try and find us because there
were often barriers up and men working
and things like that. So, people tended
to be focused on the road itself instead of
looking around,” Landers said.
Landers hopes the new construction,
once complete, will bring in more custom
ers, he said.
“We will certainly be glad when it’s fi
nally done. We’re hoping it’ll be a draw
for people on this side of town, because
right now there’s not a whole lot,” he
said.
Cheney, said she hopes the new Pack
Square Park won’t disappoint.
“I’ve been to peace demonstrations in
front of the Vance memorial. And, I’ve
been to the old theater that used to be a
picture show up on the square. I brought
my child there,” Cheney said. “But, I have
an open mind. I will see how this turns out
and if it’s as nice as the old snuare was.”
Health
sions such as commencement, conferences,
and men and women’s basketball.
The Wellness Cafe will be a restaurant
where the campus community can choose
from a menu on which every item is healthy
and nutritious, according to Ray.
“Behind the Wellness Cafd will be a
teaching kitchen where we will be able to
teach students, faculty, staff and groups
from the community how to cook healthy
meals. We will be able to do research in
that facility and have telecommunications
capabilities, but this will not be a culinary
program,” Ray said.
There will be three biometric labs de
signed for the promotion of childhood,
workplace and senior wellness, Ray said.
The meditation room will teach stress
management, and the fitness training area
will have all new equipment. It will be
possible for the room to be shut off so
classes can be taught on strength and fit
ness, he said.
The tennis court parking lot will be a
double-decker parking garage, which will
make more spaces available during the day
for commuter students.
“There are not plans in the construction
contract to close access to Campus Drive.
However, there will certainly be intenuit-
tent occasions where access is closed due
to construction-related issues. But for the
most part these will be temporary,” Facili
ties Engineer Randy Williams said.
The old health and wellness building and
the Justice Center will still be in use after
the new center opens, according to Ray.
“The only athletic thing that will be
leaving the facility is men and women’s
basketball. I believe volleyball and other
sports will keep their facilities over in the
current facility,” Ray said.
UNCA’s health and wellness department
needs as much space as it can get for class
rooms and even office space, according to
Ray.
“The overall cost for the project is around
$42 million dollars,” Ray said.
Maser said the cost of the project doesn’t
bother her as long as the new center will be
functional and useful to students.
The contract schedule completion date is
April 21,2011, according to Williams.
“The project is proceeding very satis
factorily, in large part due to the general
contractor performing in an expeditious
and nrofessionai manner.” he said.