Halloween cancelled in Chico, CA!
Mar. 14th, 2002 11:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elionwyrMarch 13, 2002
Lights out for Halloween, council says
By ELEANOR CAMERON - Staff Writer
Attention, Chico: Halloween has been canceled. Would the last person to leave downtown please turn off the lights?
The Chico City Council adopted a motion that will leave Halloween revelers in the dark and without the convenience of Port-a-Potties at Tuesday night's meeting - a meeting that had only one agenda item: Halloween.
Halloween has been a sore spot with the community for several years. Educational campaigns, strict enforcement of laws and measures to contain the event have been taken to try to keep crowds and incidents to a manageable level.
Halloween 2002, police responded to four confirmed stabbings, three of which were gang related. One of the stabbing victims was a student from Japan. In addition there were two sexual assaults, 34 assaults and fights, 55 drunk-in-public arrests, 27 vehicle accidents, 23 acts of vandalism, 21 disturbances and 14 noise complaints.
Chico Police Chief Mike Efford told the council first about measures taken in the past to educate the public, enforce glass bans and the effect of street closures before going in to new efforts.
His department contacted other university communities - Isla Vista, San Luis Obispo and Ashland, Ore., among others - to find out what they do to control alcohol-fueled events. The response, with one exception, was strict enforcement, said Efford.
That one exception was Davis.
"We got a tongue in cheek response: 'They all go to Chico for Halloween'," reported Efford.
Whether or not the police can respond to calls also was questioned by the council.
"We are able to handle the most serious calls," said Efford. Anyone calling about a barking dog will have a significant wait.
One of the suggestions the Police Department looked into was fencing off City Plaza.
"City Plaza does present a concern for us," said Efford. All of last year's stabbing incidents occurred in or near City Plaza. The trouble with fencing the area off concerned blocking sidewalks and creating a situation where revelers could achieve a "victory" in breaching the barrier and setting up the mob mentality that could lead to more-serious problems.
As for holding an event such as a concert in City Plaza, "We have no intention of sponsoring any activity in the plaza," Efford stated forcefully.
The suggestion that caught the attention of the council and audience was the last on Efford's list: announce that the Halloween event that takes place in Chico has been canceled.
Efford added, "The late-night bacchanal that takes place is not going to happen."
Councilman RIck Keene asked the assembly, "How do you tell people this is not an event and then (set up an area for it)?"
"I would like it on the record," said Councilman Steve Bertagna, "that this event has to stop." Bertagna's comment was greeted by a lone, loud "amen" from the audience.
Keene added, "If we make provisions, we make an event. (We) need to make a concerted effort into putting an end to it. I don't think five people being stabbed and all the vandalism is worth it."
Bertagna said "the intention of this council is that this non-event that occurs ... is over."
A motion to end the "non-event" was made by Bertagna and seconded by Keene. It passed 6-1.
The lone dissenter was Councilwoman Colleen Jarvis.
"I want to make sure everyone is clear, I support the no-tolerance policy," she said. However, Jarvis felt the council was sending the message that "people cannot party responsibly."
Motions continued to flow. The council unanimously passed a motion to study the closure of parking lots and the downtown area "after a time to be determined" on Halloween night.
Another motion to no longer place barricades, portable lights, additional trash containers and Port-a-Potties passed 5-2.
Bertagna refused Councilman Dan Nguyen-Tan's request to split the motion into separate issues.
"I don't support removing lights," said Nguyen-Tan, citing public safety concerns.
A motion directing Efford to come up with a plan to fully staff the operations, fully enforce all laws - including urinating in public -
and estimate the costs of doing so passed unanimously.
So did a motion to create a public relations campaign to spread the word: the lights are out on Halloween.
Lights out for Halloween, council says
By ELEANOR CAMERON - Staff Writer
Attention, Chico: Halloween has been canceled. Would the last person to leave downtown please turn off the lights?
The Chico City Council adopted a motion that will leave Halloween revelers in the dark and without the convenience of Port-a-Potties at Tuesday night's meeting - a meeting that had only one agenda item: Halloween.
Halloween has been a sore spot with the community for several years. Educational campaigns, strict enforcement of laws and measures to contain the event have been taken to try to keep crowds and incidents to a manageable level.
Halloween 2002, police responded to four confirmed stabbings, three of which were gang related. One of the stabbing victims was a student from Japan. In addition there were two sexual assaults, 34 assaults and fights, 55 drunk-in-public arrests, 27 vehicle accidents, 23 acts of vandalism, 21 disturbances and 14 noise complaints.
Chico Police Chief Mike Efford told the council first about measures taken in the past to educate the public, enforce glass bans and the effect of street closures before going in to new efforts.
His department contacted other university communities - Isla Vista, San Luis Obispo and Ashland, Ore., among others - to find out what they do to control alcohol-fueled events. The response, with one exception, was strict enforcement, said Efford.
That one exception was Davis.
"We got a tongue in cheek response: 'They all go to Chico for Halloween'," reported Efford.
Whether or not the police can respond to calls also was questioned by the council.
"We are able to handle the most serious calls," said Efford. Anyone calling about a barking dog will have a significant wait.
One of the suggestions the Police Department looked into was fencing off City Plaza.
"City Plaza does present a concern for us," said Efford. All of last year's stabbing incidents occurred in or near City Plaza. The trouble with fencing the area off concerned blocking sidewalks and creating a situation where revelers could achieve a "victory" in breaching the barrier and setting up the mob mentality that could lead to more-serious problems.
As for holding an event such as a concert in City Plaza, "We have no intention of sponsoring any activity in the plaza," Efford stated forcefully.
The suggestion that caught the attention of the council and audience was the last on Efford's list: announce that the Halloween event that takes place in Chico has been canceled.
Efford added, "The late-night bacchanal that takes place is not going to happen."
Councilman RIck Keene asked the assembly, "How do you tell people this is not an event and then (set up an area for it)?"
"I would like it on the record," said Councilman Steve Bertagna, "that this event has to stop." Bertagna's comment was greeted by a lone, loud "amen" from the audience.
Keene added, "If we make provisions, we make an event. (We) need to make a concerted effort into putting an end to it. I don't think five people being stabbed and all the vandalism is worth it."
Bertagna said "the intention of this council is that this non-event that occurs ... is over."
A motion to end the "non-event" was made by Bertagna and seconded by Keene. It passed 6-1.
The lone dissenter was Councilwoman Colleen Jarvis.
"I want to make sure everyone is clear, I support the no-tolerance policy," she said. However, Jarvis felt the council was sending the message that "people cannot party responsibly."
Motions continued to flow. The council unanimously passed a motion to study the closure of parking lots and the downtown area "after a time to be determined" on Halloween night.
Another motion to no longer place barricades, portable lights, additional trash containers and Port-a-Potties passed 5-2.
Bertagna refused Councilman Dan Nguyen-Tan's request to split the motion into separate issues.
"I don't support removing lights," said Nguyen-Tan, citing public safety concerns.
A motion directing Efford to come up with a plan to fully staff the operations, fully enforce all laws - including urinating in public -
and estimate the costs of doing so passed unanimously.
So did a motion to create a public relations campaign to spread the word: the lights are out on Halloween.
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no subject
Date: 2002-03-14 09:03 am (UTC)frickin idots
get more police and enfore your laws
OR why don't you ahve some event to get people's intrest to AVOID the problem! if people ahve something fun to do they won't go stab people!
I'd hate to be a young kid there, because i am betting that if haloween if off that include trick or treating!
Trick or treating..
Date: 2002-03-14 10:25 am (UTC)It probably will just mean more private parties - which is safer in the long run, anyway. But it's altogether a sad thing for a holiday and industry I adore. :/
Re: Trick or treating..
Date: 2002-03-14 11:36 am (UTC)it's totaly fun
how some dense govt SOB can take it away amazes me
next will tehy take away new year because too many drunks are driving?
Oooo!
Date: 2002-03-14 11:49 am (UTC)*snicker*
Re: Oooo!
Date: 2002-03-14 12:51 pm (UTC)