State Street Tailgate Daily Article

Submitted by goldandapager on

http://www.michigandaily.com/content/city-attorneys-office-threatens-bo…

As a resident of Hoover and tailgate thrower, this is surprising and upsetting. Our house has been the target of a few party trash violations but this seems little over the top. I think like the guy quoted in the article, many of us moved here specifically for Saturday atmosphere.

UMAmaizinBlue

September 24th, 2009 at 9:41 AM ^

A couple of years ago AA decided to go on a witch hunt for places with "excessive trash" in their yards and began fining people upwards of $150 for a couple of pong cups on their lawns.

However, it is a bit surprising when there are AA city police and DPS officers all over that intersection directing traffic and what-not that could easily bust people for the mentioned infractions, but choose not to. Perhaps they realize this is a college town on a football Saturday, just like city ordinance against parking cars on lawns was changed to exclude football Saturdays. I hope nothing serious comes of this.

MCT

September 24th, 2009 at 11:30 AM ^

We came back to our house on state and McKinley after the ND game with a trash ticket that ended up being $530 (2nd one at the house.) The trash wasn't too bad, but I believe they should give us a chance to clean it up after the game. Or in that case if we pay $530 they should clean it up themselves.

jcgold

September 24th, 2009 at 9:49 AM ^

The AA police and DPS are realistic about what goes on on a college campus, and don't try to prosecute every drinker because they know the task is impossible.

City council is different. They aren't with us because they represent the wishes of the residents who pass by houses like the box and view it as Wormer viewed Delta Tau Chi (Animal House). However, without police backing, there really isn't much the city attorney can do. This just hot air, which will disappear within a week.

Sven_Da_M

September 24th, 2009 at 10:57 AM ^

Dean Wormer: Well, well, well. Looks like somebody forgot there's a rule against alcoholic beverages in fraternities on probation!

Otter: What a tool.

Dean Wormer: I didn't get that, son, what was that?

Otter: Uh, I said, "What a shame that a few bad apples have to spoil a good time for everyone by breaking the rules."

Dean Wormer: Put a sock in it, boy, or else you'll be outta here like shit through a goose.

Blazefire

September 24th, 2009 at 9:52 AM ^

Not too much to worry about. Sounds like they want people off the roof where they could be hurt or killed, and they want the houses being careful to card people.

That said, no publicly elected official is going to come down hard on M football tradition in AA.

Seth

September 24th, 2009 at 10:02 AM ^

We used to have a house on E William. Traffic would get backed up in front of our house every football Saturday. So we put a sign out that said "U Honk, We Drink."

We stole that idea from some guys who used to inhabit that State Street/Hoover block (I think they graduated in like 2000 -- any of those guys still around?).

Over two seasons, this became a tradition, and we'd have parties most games. Some guests added other signs (like "Will bong 4 boobs"). As you can imagine, East William residents trying to sleep in on many a fall Saturday were awoken by a plethora of honking.

So this one time, the AA cops show up (this was the one and only time the "bong for boobs" sign was up as well) and tell us we can finish up, but we can't do this anymore.

So I ask,

"What about for Ohio State? Can we do it for Ohio State?"

And he's like "Well, of course for Ohio State!"

I've had my fair share of cause to bitch about AA cops. They don't care if a bum walks into your house and steals crap. They'll arbitrarily bust up a party just to enjoy giving out M.I.P.'s. They'll ticket you the second your meter runs out while you're running toward them holding a quarter. But if there's anything that can bring AA Cops and students together, it's Michigan football.

hackattack13

September 24th, 2009 at 10:59 AM ^

I have a house on State Street in between Bells and Hoover. Last weekend there was a ticket issued to us for "excessive partying and general nuisance" when there were 7 or 8 of us relaxing on the porch eating pancakes at 8. The cops drove by and told us to turn down our music so we complied, but a few minutes later a cop came up to our porch and issued us this ticket. As he was writing this ticket he was saying things like "sorry guys my lieutenant is making me do this" "you guys arent even bad" "she's just out on a power trip and issuing tickets". Normally we do deserve a ticket for excessive partying as State Street is a mad house but we feel like this one was unjust seeing as how we complied with their request and were just relaxing on the porch at the time so were going to fight it on monday. State street will still be crazy no matter how many tickets they issue because nothing can stop college kids from tailgating and celebrating the 8 most glorious days of the year that are football saturdays in the Big House

Blazefire

September 24th, 2009 at 11:11 AM ^

Cops are handing out tickets like candy right now, because department budgets are getting the life squeezed out of them. It pays to know all of the laws really, really well.

My family has a cabin on a lake out by Reading, MI. Lake cops there have started giving out tickets like crazy. We've been on that lake about 18 years, and had never gotten a ticket on the lake till last fall. This summer, we got three. They've been for things like "throwing a wake within 100' to shore", etc. Everybody has been getting them.

Anyway, I looked up the law. ALL lake officers are issued digital range finders, radar guns, and the like, and must use them, but our lake officer is on a jet ski, so he can't carry them. The last time, when he stopped us and told us we were throwing a wake within 100' of shore, I stood right up and said, "Show me the reading on your range finder." He kind of stuttered, grumbled something, gave my ID back and sped off.

Look up the SPECIFIC provisions for excessive noise, partying, etc. If a law is vague, write the local sheriff for specific clarification. Keep his notes with you. Make SURE you stay within that, but only just. You can destroy cops like that.

HermosaBlue

September 24th, 2009 at 11:54 AM ^

Tight budgets equal more tickets issued.

When I was a senior in Ann Arbor, the city was forecasting a $1.3mm revenue shortfall. The city solved that problem by hiring 3 more meter maids and another traffic cop and telling them to issue $1.7mm in tickets.

This is standard practice in Ann Arbor. Revenue shortfalls are solved by taxing students via parking tickets, noise violations, etc.

In 1995, our house got 9 noise violations, which meant that everyone but one of my housemates got tagged with one. Gotta love a tax increase without a vote of city residents.

BlueBulls

September 24th, 2009 at 12:26 PM ^

My friends live in one of the houses mentioned in the article, and have a rowdy pregame every Saturday (I assume, I graduated). It inevitably gets broken up, but they always comply with the police officers.

Last week they were given a $700 noise violation ticket without warning.

They continued the preparty without music, which is better than MIPing everyone there, but is still stupid. Let people have fun.

I saw a 40 year old guy, that wasn't an alumni so didn't know, get a ticket bc a portion of his foot was on the sidewalk.

These policies are out of control.

BlueBulls

September 24th, 2009 at 2:59 PM ^

but if you've ever been drinking outside in Ann Arbor you'll know that you are safe as long as you remain on private property. This applies to both MIP and open container laws.

Maybe you're older and aren't aware, but they follow this very closely. Example:

My freshman year I was at a house party on State St. and was waiting for a friend to meet me out front to walk to the game. A cop was standing next to me, but I was fine because, although I was drunk, I didn't have any drinks on me.

One of my friends, red cup in hand, starts to take a step onto the sidewalk. I quickly pushed him so he wouldn't step on the sidewalk (public property) and he fell back onto the lawn. The cop turns to me and says, "Your friend isn't too smart is he?"

He couldn't do anything bc my friend was still on private property, but I have seen them arrest and ticket tons of people because just a portion of their foot was on the sidewalk.

So I'm not sure what your point is, but I wasn't exaggerating. Any current or recent student knows what I'm talking about.

EDIT: So I reread my post and didn't say that he had a drink in his hand, but c'mon, at least give me the benefit of the doubt.

hailtothevictors08

September 24th, 2009 at 12:49 PM ^

because of rosh hashanah (sic?), Jewish new yrs sorry on the spelling. My house was given a noise violation very early and were told we were disturbing the peace on a religous holiday. I find this funny because I thought umich football was religon.

Seth

September 24th, 2009 at 2:18 PM ^

Umm...the cops said that? Our holiday is our holiday -- I can't see how it has anything to do with someone else's revelry. It's not like you were next door to the Hillel or something?

Not to mention, if you were Jewish and the holiday applied to you, it's, ummm NEW YEARS! It's supposed to be joyous and raucous and rowdy...and involve drinking. The holiday's about getting crazy -- like dipping apples in honey (I mean, who does that?) and baking your bread round instead of loaf-shaped (scandalous!).

(if you think that's nuts, we got one where we dress up like Persian kings and queens)

Next time, tell the cops that Jews don't ask anyone non-Jewish to change their lives around us. In return, we ask only that you keep leavinbg the movie theaters and Chinese restaurants open on Christmas, 'cause that day gets really fucking boring otherwise.

We have another big holiday coming up on Monday. That one's actually supposed to be reserved and respectful and solemn. Still, if you just so happen to set up a tailgate next door to our synagogue, I probably wouldn't mind, though I'm sure the blue hairs would.

Beavis

September 24th, 2009 at 2:42 PM ^

Perhaps the Daily thought BOX was a real fraternity house. It would be in line with their articles "neg banging" fraternity houses since the dawn of its existence.

Seth

September 24th, 2009 at 5:07 PM ^

I tried to find the "In Passing" editorial I did with Cortney Konner in the Daily (c. 2001?) that did a pretty good job of picking apart the annual "What's the Rush?" anti-Greek editorial the Ed Board wrote every year.

Except the archivists didn't put it on the Web.

Grrrr.

Anyway, I was both Greek and Daily staff for four years, and while there were some strong frat-haters around, and the editorial board's general sentiment was against us. However, this was not everybody.

There was one guy on the news staff who was profoundly anti-Greek. And he and I got into it on this subject, on Sept. 11 (That 9/11) of all days. Long before that, though, he was taken off coverage of anything remotely Greek Letter related.

A lot of the coverage around fallout from the Courtney Cantor tragedy was done by Dave Enders, who was a friend of mine, and was not a frat-hater at all. At a time when fraternities feared a major crackdown and fallout, he was writing articles about arbitrary crackdowns on student underage drinking. He also got to the root of several Greek incidents (like the hazing scandal at ZBT) and provided fair coverage when a lot of other fraternities had already written those whole houses off.

If you polled members of the Daily from that time (1998-2002), it would be overwhelmingly anti-Greek. But except for the unsigned editorials, which are just opinion, I thought the coverage was, overall, pretty fair.

Though a LOT of people disagree I'm sure.

Tacopants

September 24th, 2009 at 4:54 PM ^

People have talked to SLS about it. There's nothing the City Attorney can do if people aren't on roofs, bringing drinks onto sidewalks and the music isn't excessively loud.

Also, apparently the word (from SLS) is that City Attorney Kristen Larcom is basically incompetent. Any info from the Mgoblog legal community?