Police
to fire noisemakers
to rid Mayfair of birds
[SEPT.
6, 2000] A
program to disperse the large flocks of birds that have become a
nuisance and a health hazard in Mayfair may begin as early as this
evening, with the firing of "bird-bangers" that explode
with a loud noise, according to Lincoln Police Chief Richard Ludolph.
The noise-making devices will be fired approximately every five
minutes from about 6:40 to 7:20 p.m. to discourage the birds from
roosting in trees in Mayfair and send them out into the countryside.
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The
area in which police will be working is from Regent Street to Mayfair
Drive and south of Northgate, Ludolph said. Police officers will
conduct all the firings. The cartridges will be fired above the trees
and will not injure or kill the birds.
![](../../images/090600pics/birds1.jpg)
[Hardly a lawn is spared the leftovers as evidenced by
feathers sticking up in most lawns]
The
police chief said he had contacted the USDA and was told using the
bird-bangers "in an orderly and planned way over time" was
the most effective way of getting rid of the birds. He said it may
take a week or two of regular firings to keep the large flocks of
starlings and grackles from coming back.
The
problem was brought to the attention of the City Council last week,
when Mayfair residents spoke before a council work session. The
residents themselves had been firing the bird-bangers but had learned
that the devices violated a city noise ordinance. The City Council
amended the ordinance Tuesday evening to allow the police department
to fire the pyrotechnic devices in the city.
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Ludolph
said he had visited the area and seen thousands of birds coming in to
roost and the leaves of the trees white with bird droppings. He told
the council the police department would assume the expense of
purchasing the "bangers" and the launchers. Several Mayfair
residents who attended the meeting said they would be happy to give
the police department the launchers and cartridges they have already
purchased so the program can start immediately.
(To top of second
column in this article)
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The
council’s action amends the ordinance so that the police department
may use the noise-making devices whenever they determine the birds are
a health hazard. The public is to be notified ahead of time whenever
possible. Some residents have complained that the noise frightens pets
and prevents them from sitting outside.
Mayfair
resident John Brown said the bird situation has become worse over the
years and residents can no longer handle it alone. Patricia Birk, who
spoke last week, said she and her husband had to use masks and rubber
gloves to clean up the leaves in their yard. She suggested residents
be allowed to use the bird-bangers if the police department did not
have enough manpower to carry out the program.
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One
Mayfair resident, Mary Gupton, objected to the program. "It’s
very annoying to sit outside in the evening and hear shotgun shells. I
think this is unnecessary. They should either cut the trees down so
the birds don’t have a place to roost, or move out."
[Joan
Crabb]
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Mayor
Joan Ritter
seeks second term
[SEPT.
6, 2000] Lincoln’s
current mayor, Joan C. Ritter, announced this morning she will run
for a second four-year term in the upcoming election Feb. 27, 2001.
She made the formal announcement at a brief press conference at 8:30
a.m. under the arch at the newly restored Scully Park.
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Ms.
Ritter introduced her re-election committee: Judy Awe, chairman; Fuzz
Werth, publicity director; Gary Beaver Newman, field operator; and
John Beard, treasurer. About a dozen supporters also turned out for
the announcement.
![](../../images/090600pics/mayor1.jpg)
[Mayor
Joan Ritter presented a plaque to Dave Campbell at Tuesday’s City
Council meeting to thank him for his 12 years as chairman of the
annual Balloon Fest.
Campbell said he and his wife (right) were not natives but had
chosen to live in Lincoln and wanted to help “showcase the place we
are proud of.” ]
Ms.
Ritter said she has found it "an honor and a privilege"
serving as mayor and called Lincoln "a great place to live and
raise a family."
She said
she would run on her record and cited several projects she had enjoyed
being part of, such as working to bring in new businesses to the
community and helping current ones expand and progress.
She said
she had enjoyed working with community-based organizations like the
Healthy Communities Partnership "to help improve the quality of
life for all Lincoln’s citizens" as well as "helping to
complete much needed infrastructure projects," such as the
current road construction program.
(To top of second
column in this article)
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She also
said she had enjoyed "being part of the process to advance and
upgrade our city police, fire, street and alley, sewer treatment
plant, engineering and zoning departments." She pointed out that
the city had received several grants for police equipment and for the
violence prevention program sponsored by the police department, as
well as grants for fire department equipment and street improvements.
She
cited helping with "efforts to expand our local colleges"
and noted that the city had assisted Lincoln College in getting
revenue bonds to finance its current building projects.
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"But
most of all, it is the enjoyment of working with the greatest people
around as we strive to reach common goals," she told the group.
At a
recent Lincoln City Council meeting, Ritter said she believed Lincoln
was "large enough to have a full-time mayor" and might need
one in the future. The position is currently considered part time and
carries a salary of $10,000 a year, although the City Council is
considering raising that figure to $12,000.
"I
think the people in this community know that I am a full-time
mayor," she said. "I will do that no matter what the salary
is. If the hours happen to be 10 to12 a day, that’s what I will put
in."
The only other mayoral
candidate who has announced as of now is Stephen Mesner, second ward
alderman.
[Joan
Crabb]
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Sen.
Dick Durbin
stops to visit Lincoln
[SEPT.
2, 2000] Lincoln
had yet another distinguished
guest stop in Friday. Lincoln Woman's Club played host to Sen. Dick Durbin as he stopped for a short visit about 2 p.m. on
the warm afternoon. This
was just one stop during his three-day visit to central Illinois.
Nancy Amberg, president of LWC and chair of the Woman’s Club
Legislative Committee, has been planning this afternoon tea with the
senator for just over a year.
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The
Lincoln Woman’s Club works hard to be proactive against woman and
child abuse, because they believe that there’s "a safe place for
every child."
During
the brief meeting, Durbin briefly discussed the convention and
campaign, and then focused on campaign issues. He ended the
meeting by answering questions, and chatting with the attendees.
Durbin flew to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.
He said that in only four days, he and his companions put 900 miles on
the rental car simply by driving back and forth between the different
events! Since then, he has spent at least three days with the
Gore/Leiberman campaign in Illinois. He believes that Illinois
will see a lot of both presidential candidates, because Illinois is a
key state. Every president that has won has had the state of
Illinois.
![](../../images/090200pics/Mvc-001s.jpg)
The
senator then discussed four main issues that he stands for.
First, he said that we need a new farm bill. Many farmers are
struggling because they must compete with farmers in Brazil and
Argentina. These foreign farmers are keeping the prices of corn
and soybeans low. As a side note, the senator said that Peoria,
Decatur and Springfield have observed that the Illinois River is
silting up.
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Next, Durbin focused on prescription drugs and Medicare, stating
that one-third of seniors do not have drug coverage and another
one-third do not have enough coverage. If seniors are unable to
get their medications and have to go to the emergency room, the
taxpayer pays for the treatment—so why not prevent the emergency
room bills by just paying for the senior’s drugs.
Durbin’s third issue concerned a patient’s bill of rights.
He cited two stories where the insurance company refused the
doctor’s orders. One doctor ignored the insurance company, and
the other doctor sent a patient home, telling him to return in a month
if there was trouble.
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The
last issue concerned how to spend the tax surplus. Durbin does not believe in returning these monies to the
taxpayer
but rather using these monies for other projects. The primary
goal should be to pay off the national debt. In addition to the
debt, Durbin wants the surplus to help fund Medicare, Social Security and college educations. He also believes in tax
breaks for parents who use day care, stay-at-home moms and for older
children who care for their senior parents.
(To top of second
column in this article)
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The
first question fielded by Durbin concerned the death tax.
Durbin answered that family farms and small businesses
should be exempt from the tax.
One
woman asked about the government pension upset where a couple that
receiving two federal government pensions is penalized.
Durbin emphatically agreed that the system needs to be
changed.
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Another
individual asked the senator to what degree the public should hold
drug companies accountable. The
senator mentioned an interesting fact concerning the price of a drug
if it is prescribed for a person or an animal. There
are some instances in which a prescription for an animal is only 10
percent of what it would cost if it were for a human. The
senator does
believe that the drug companies deserve to make a profit, but he also
believes that they spend too much on advertising,
implying that if those costs were reduced, so could the cost of
their drugs. He said that
some drugs which at one time increased prices one time a year, now
increase prices every six weeks.
Durbin believes that price caps need to be set on
drugs, and then the government should negotiate prices with the drug
companies for Medicare patients.
One
man asked the senator if he believes in working with Cuba.
Durbin said yes. He
has noticed that our unwillingness to sell food and medicine to Cuba
has never forced Castro to go hungry.
It is the people that suffer.
Durbin reasons that if we lift the embargo on Cuba, the
people will see America and her blessings.
When Cubans see what their country could be, they will want to
change their government.
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The
last question concerned the farm bill.
The senator claimed that he did vote for the bill originally,
“but I didn’t think I was voting for the Ten Commandments.”
He said that if it needs changed, it should be changed.
![](../../images/090200pics/Mvc-004s.jpg)
On
his way out of town, Durbin planned to stop by and visit the
high school football team. He
wanted to encourage them in their game tonight against Southeast.
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