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City attorney asks for policy on handicapped-parking tickets

[AUG. 25, 2001]  City Attorney Bill Bates would like to know what to do with the growing number of $100 parking tickets sitting on his desk, and he is asking the Lincoln City Council to come up with a policy.

These are tickets issued to vehicles parked in handicapped-parking spots, and payment has been protested by vehicle owners who have placards allowing use of the spaces. The tickets are handed out by volunteers, many of whom are handicapped themselves, who say that even though the vehicle may belong to a handicapped person, the placards are not on display.

The unpaid tickets are piling up on the desks of the city attorney and the city clerk.

"Your city attorney needs direction," Bates told the board at the Aug. 20 meeting. "I have people coming into my office or calling my office on a daily basis.

"I don’t know if the city is prepared to try all these tickets [in court]," he continued. "I don’t know what I can or can’t do."

He said he had not yet filed any court complaints against those who have not paid the fines. Several tickets which were issued before he took office are on file, and those cases are continued to Sept. 17.

 

The issue, which has received media attention both in and outside of Lincoln, is whether a handicapped person who does not display the placard correctly should pay the $100 fine or whether the ticket should be voided if the person can prove he or she does have a legally issued placard permitting parking in a handicapped-designated spot.

The program began in May of last year, when the city began training citizens to issue tickets to vehicles on both public and private property. Former Mayor Joan Ritter left the question up to the discretion of the police chief, says City Clerk Juanita Josserand. The chief would check to be sure the placard was registered to the driver of the car, and if it was he would usually void the ticket, she said.

Present Mayor Beth Davis, however, has come down hard on those she believes are illegally using a handicapped-parking space. She said Monday night that she had no intention of voiding the tickets. "We should not be the jury or the judge," she said.

She is supported by the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois, whose outreach and development specialist Dan. R. Dickerson attended the council meeting. Dickerson said he commends the city leaders for their efforts in ticketing the vehicles. "I think you’re doing the right thing," he said.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

Two area taverns get fines, suspensions

[AUG. 24, 2001]  Sales of alcohol to people under age 21 brought fines and suspensions to two area businesses at the Aug. 23 meeting of the Lincoln Liquor Commission.

[Joan Crabb]

Police Reports

Community Policing Activities

Court News

Name, age, address; date, charge; sentence   

(week ending 8-24-01)

• Johnnie M. Fulton, 35, 643 Fourth St.; 11-11-00, count I – unlawful possession of a controlled substance, count II – disorderly conduct; count I – dismissed, count II – pleaded guilty, 30 months probation, 72 days Logan County Jail, drug-alcohol evaluation

• Dane W. Gessaman, 20, 12 Cloyd Drive, Decatur; 3-24-01, criminal trespass to state-supported land; pleaded guilty, $150 fine plus court costs

• Jeremy N. Hamblen, 20, 1120 Broadway St.; 6-26-01, theft; pleaded guilty, $300 fine plus court costs

• Daneil R. Jones, 18, 104 Albert, Chestnut; 5-22-01, four counts of forgery; pleaded guilty to count I – 30 months probation, 60 days Logan County Jail; counts II-IV dismissed

• Jeffery D. Jones, 32, 1518 Broadway; 6-22-01, resisting a peace officer; $200 fine plus court costs

• Tanya M. Nicholas, 20, 729 Decatur St.; 7-17-01, count I – unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor, count II – unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, count III – criminal trespass to real property; count I – dismissed, counts II-III – pleaded guilty, $1,000 fine plus court costs, 18 months conditional discharge

• Brad W. Slayton, 20, 206 Park Place; 7-1-01, count I – criminal trespass to real property, count II – unlawful consumption of alcohol by minor; count I – dismissed, count II – $200 fine court costs

Marriages

(week ending 8-24-01)

• Andrew Lee Ball, Lincoln
  Moriah Lyn Hopkins, Tremont

• Daniel Bruce Lessen, Lincoln
  Jennifer Joan Morrison, Lincoln

• Christian Bernard Skelton, Lincoln
  Nahani Lynn Wheelock, Lincoln

• Roy Everett Malone, Lincoln
  Wanda Lee Gower, Lincoln

• Kevin Michael Ray, Lincoln
  Rendi Leann Bunner, Heyworth

• Shawn Lotus Lockard, Ashland City, Tenn.
  Sara Ann Armbrust, Ashland City, Tenn.

• Eric Scott Roach, Lincoln
  Nicole Ann Harris, Lincoln

Divorces

(week ending 8-24-01)

• David Lawrence Leaser, Lincoln
  Janice Lee Leaser, Lincoln

• Steven John Hundrieser, Lincoln
  Joni Lee Hundrieser, Lincoln

• K. Scott Sickles, Lincoln
  Stacy Dawn Sickles, Lincoln

Most Wanted

Call (217) 732-4159 with any information.

Call (217) 732-4159 with any information.

ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THESE INCIDENTS OR ANY OTHER CRIME IN THE LINCOLN/LOGAN COUNTY AREA IS URGED TO CALL "CRIME STOPPERS" AT 732-3000 OR E-MAIL AT crime@ccaonline.com.  YOUR INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND YOU MAY REMAIN ANONYMOUS.  IF YOUR INFORMATION LEADS TO THE ARREST OF THE PERSON(S) INVOLVED, "CRIME STOPPERS" WILL PAY YOU A CASH REWARD UP TO $1,000.

"CRIME STOPPERS" HAS AN ANSWERING MACHINE TO ANSWER YOUR CALLS.  THIS IS TO PROTECT YOU IF YOU WISH TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS (YOUR CALLS CANNOT BE TRACED WITH THE MACHINE).  YOU NEED TO LET US KNOW HOW YOU CAN BE CONTACTED ABOUT THE INCIDENT, OR YOU MUST WATCH TO SEE IF THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN ARRESTED.  THIS IS SO WE CAN MAKE A PAYOUT.

Cases

• Sometime before 9:11 a.m. on July 21, a burglary occurred at Lincoln Junior High School, 208 Broadway St. in Lincoln. Unknown person(s) broke a window on the third floor and gained access to the building. Unknown person(s) went through the school and caused damage and vandalism to the school property.

• Late Sunday night and early Monday morning, March 18 and 19, someone stole items from five different Lincoln vehicles.
  The first vehicle was parked at a residence on the 1800 block of Pekin. A $175 radar detector was taken from the car.
  In one of the Lincoln Christian College parking lots, change was stolen from an automobile.
  On the 200 block of Mayfield, several items totaling $75 were stolen from a car parked at the owner’s residence: a book binder, school books, homework, a calculator, a learner's permit and some change.
  The next vehicle was parked inside a garage on the 900 block of N. McLean. The owner remembers locking the garage door. A portable CD player, which is worth about $100, was taken from the vehicle.
  The last theft was from a car parked at the owner’s residence. A $50 AM/FM CD player was stolen.
  There are no suspects at this time, but due to the timing of the crimes it is believed that they may be connected. If you have any information about these thefts, please contact the Lincoln Police Department at 732-2151, or Crime Stoppers at 732-3000.

• A series of thefts in the early morning hours of Thursday, March 15, is under investigation. There are no suspects yet, but police believe that one person or group is responsible for all of the crimes. 

  The first vehicle, a pickup truck, parked at the owner’s residence in the 500 block of Tremont, was entered through the rear sliding door. It is estimated that $400 worth of property was stolen: a radio, duffle bag, four clothing items, prescription sunglasses, two flashlights and a disposable camera.

  The second vehicle had an AM/FM CD player stolen. To gain entry, the suspects forced entry to the side door of the ’93 Jeep, which was parked in front of the owner’s residence in the 300 block of Tremont. The radio is worth about $100.

  Two cars were broken into in a residential parking lot on the 100 block of S. Logan St. One vehicle, a truck, had a CD player removed; the suspects removed the dash cover to take the $200 unit.

  The other vehicle, a van, had a radar detector removed. The detector is worth about $100.

  If you have any information about these crimes, please contact the Lincoln Police Department at 732-2151 or Crime Stoppers at 732-3000.

• On Feb. 19, 2001, between 6 and 8:15 p.m. unknown person(s) placed an unknown substance on a 1999 Cadillac parked at the Mount Pulaski grade school. The grade school is located at 200 N. Garden Street in Mount Pulaski. The substance caused extensive damage to the paint on the vehicle. The Mount Pulaski Police Department, (217) 792-5018, and the Lincoln/Logan County Crime Stoppers are requesting anyone with any information to contact them.

• On Jan. 16, 2001, a possible arson occurred at 127 N. Kickapoo St. (the old Scully Building) in Lincoln. The possible arson was reported at approx. 7:12 p.m. on that date. Anyone with any information about this incident who may have seen anything or anyone in the area of the building is asked to contact the Lincoln Police Department, Lincoln Fire Department or Crime Stoppers.

• On Jan. 12, 2001, sometime between 6  and 9 p.m., a burglary occurred on Mayfair Drive in Lincoln. Unknown person(s) forced open a garage door and entered the residence. Unknown person(s) looked through dresser drawers and a closet. Taken from the residence were several shotguns, a cellular phone and a camera.

• Sometime between Nov. 23 and Nov. 27, 2000, unknown person(s) entered a residence on the west side of Lincoln. Unknown person(s) forced entry to the residence and went through it. Several items of jewelry where taken, along with a laptop computer and an unknown amount of U.S. currency.

• Sometime between Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, 2000, unknown person(s) forced entry to the Plaza Wash and Lube at 2821 Woodlawn Road in Lincoln. Unknown person(s) broke a window on a door on the east side of the building. Unknown person(s) entered the office area and took an assortment of U.S. currency and some product coupons. Estimated damage to the door was around $70.

Information on payouts

Total calls received:       241

Solved cases:                   45

Arrests made:                   60

Dollar amount of drugs and merchandise recovered:    $36,200.00

Dollar amount paid out for rewards:    $9,775.00

(2000 figures)

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