Decatur Votes To Rein in Lawless Newspaper Racks
Decatur Metro | November 2, 2009
Chain-smoking, half-hoarse “newsies” may have long disappeared from our city streets, but that doesn’t mean that paper distribution can’t still be a nuisance. Enter the “Publication Vending Device” – more commonly referred to as the newspaper rack.
Tonight, Decatur’s City Commission will vote on the recommendation of City Planner Amanda Thompson to toughen Section 86 of the city code regarding “Publication Vending Devices”.
According to Thompson there are a few major changes to the code…
The primary differences between the current and proposed ordinance include indentification of specific areas of the city where the publication vending devices will be allowed as shown on the map titled “Publication Vending Device Area”, limiting the permit to one year instead of a permit that never expires, and requiring vendors to purchase standardized devices from a list of acceptable vendors.
If the amendment passes, look for your alt-weeklies/real estate mags/dispatches at the locations in the map below and nowhere else.
I really hope that one of the “standardized devices” is a cardboard box, because otherwise my brilliant strategy of selling daily copies of DM in front of the Old Courthouse will be ruined.
Click here for tonight’s full commission meeting agenda and supporting materials, which also include votes on purchasing a new front loader & dump truck, along with awarding a bid on building two pedestrian bridges at Hidden Cove Park.
somehow that seems like a total waste of time – - – and just wrong on so many levels — – especially when you start requiring purchases from “acceptable vendors” – - – what happened to the whole freedom of the press thing? now, subscription only, i guess
This is the biggest problem facing Decatur? How about sticking with real problems??
“Reign in”? As in kingdom? Is it possible you meant “rein in”?
It’s possible I meant “rein in”, but I’d never admit it.
It’s not the biggest problem facing Decatur, but there seems to be an issue with them blocking sidewalks and creating litter. It’s not like the city devoted countless resources to the project, just updated the amendment.
Is the freedom of the press the freedom to do anything you want? If so, I feel justified in my chronic misspelling.
Man, you shouldn’t be putting up pics of those Glennwood 4th grade kids at the header for this blog without their parents’ permission..
Is this is the same blog that urged us not to lose touch with Decatur’s past? Yet there it is again….more homogenization. Soon anywhere you travel in this entire country will look like the place you just left….a giant Walmart continent punctuated with the occasional Bed Bath & Beyond (Pottery Barnes will be reserved for the more affluent townie areas, but nothing TOO different)…
And what is with the “chain-smoking , half-hoarse newsies” reference? I’d rather be that than be part of this ever-spreading corporate homogenization.
Must go, my Starbucks latte is ready. Welcome to McCatur!
I’m pretty sure the newsies are gone for good, though I for one would love to have them back. But I’m pretty certain that it wasn’t Decatur that killed the newsies. Wasn’t that Pulitzer?
I’m anti-homogenization, but gotta be honest that I’m not going to lose much sleep over a restricted list of newspaper racks. However, I do take your point (and hope to see you at my “Cardboard boxes are newspaper racks too!” rally).
Listen, there’s another issue here. Freedom of speech. I enjoy having access to these little publications, especially the ones that publish articles I’ve written! I’m against trash — but lots of things generate trash that we don’t outlaw — lottery tickets, soda bottles, potato chips, cigarettes.
Let’s contact our commissioners about this.
First they came for the newspaper racks, and I did not speak out—because I was not a newspaper rack;
Then they came for the solar trash cans, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trash can;
Then they came for those fancy parking meter thingies, and I did not speak out—because I don’t go downtown until after 6 PM;