HOLD OFF ON THE THIRSTY THURSDAY
Why it might not pay to study on the weekend at all if you’re hitting the bottle University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Thursday, February 26, 2009
Officer dismissed Ald. Verveer incident By Rachel Holzman THE DAILY CARDINAL
The police officer that reportedly saw Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, in a room smelling of marijuana at a downtown sports bar acknowledged her mistake reporting the incident, according to documents released Wednesday. Officer Carrie Hemming of the Madison Police Department allegedly saw Verveer, District 4, in a dimly lit room of Zander’s restaurant and sports bar February 8 around 1 a.m. with five to seven other people. Hemming was conducting a routine tavern check when she smelled marijuana and went to the upper deck of the establishment to see where the smell was coming from. Central District Captain Mary Schauf said in a memo that after Hemming saw Verveer, “she was concerned about proceeding further and chose to disengage.” Schauf was contacted about the incident “as soon as possible during work hours the following week,” Schauf wrote in the memo. Schauf also wrote that she counseled Hemming and her partner “that if a situation such as this arose in the future that they should enter the space if it can be done legally.” According to Hemming’s police report of the incident, she said she was halfway up the stairs leading to the dark upper deck of the restaurant when owner Mohamed Barketallah got up quickly from a table, walked quickly over to the stairs, and said something along the lines of, “We’re just relaxing up here.” Hemming reported smelling the distinct smell of burnt marijuana, but did not see any smoke in the darkness. Hemming then reported seeing Verveer and wrote in the police report, “he said nothing, nor did I.” Hemming then turned around and left the area. According to her police report, Hemming told her partner of what she saw and smelled after they had left the sports bar. Schauf’s memo said the two discussed the incident “and the decision was made to not return to Zander’s.” Verveer and Barketallah have denied doing anything wrong or illegal, verveer page 3
TODAY ON THE WEB8 Choosing an international job Stephen Holloway of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization advised students on how to obtain an international job after graduation.
PHOTOS BY KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Jin’s Chicken & Fish is located on North Frances Street, but the cart could move to Library Mall under proposed ordinance changes.
Combating the vending problem By Abby Sears THE DAILY CARDINAL
It’s bar time on Frances Street in downtown Madison. One more drink at last call and there’s only one thing on the minds of patrons at nearby watering holes—getting the food they crave. But when alcohol mixes with the competition for food, Frances Street can get chaotic, which is why the city is making strides to improve this end-of-the-night affair. Last month, Madison’s Vending Oversight Committee spent hours revising late-night vending ordinances to move large carts from Frances Street to assigned spots on Library Mall. Smaller carts, such as hot dog stands, will be allowed to stay and the price of vending licenses will go up, but officials hope the proposed
changes will alleviate problems associated with rowdy customers and difficult vendors. Jin’s Chicken & Fish is one of the most successful large vending carts on North Frances Street, boasting long lines of dedicated customers night after night. However, the cart is also a source of controversy among neighbors and police, and often the topic of discussion at VOC meetings. At Wednesday’s VOC meeting, Rebecca Anderson, owner of the Eleanor Apartments at 405 N. Frances St., said she had received numerous complaints from tenants ranging from the smell and noise level of the adjacent vending carts to safety concerns. One cart stood out in Anderson’s mind: Jin’s. A complaint filed with the VOC
in July said Jin’s operator Jeff Okafo amassed 29 parking tickets and became confrontational with parking enforcement officers. As a result, the Common Council suspended Okafo’s vending license for six months in September. Despite Okafo’s suspension, other employees are still allowed to run the cart—and they continue to do so every weekend. Last week, Jin’s employee Tevis O’Hare was working at the cart when he took a few moments to exchange pleasantries with a particular customer. “He comes here almost every night, and every night he gets the same thing,” O’Hare said of the man. This kind of loyalty is common among Jin’s customers, according to O’Hare. UW-Madison junior Greg Bostrom can attest to late-night cravings for Jin’s cuisine. Bostrom said he and his friends once paid $50 for five sandwiches using Jin’s “VIP back door,” where customers can buy sandwiches on the other side of the cart for double the price and no line. “Jin’s is so damn delicious,” Bostrom said, adding he would definitely walk an extra block or two to get his favorite chicken sandwich. O’Hare said he isn’t worried about dedicated patrons finding the cart if it moves to a new location. “Moving to Library Mall just makes people walk a little farther,” he said. Although devoted customers are a
staple at Jin’s, there are also inevitable problems that come with catering to bar crowds. O’Hare said it can get “a little rough with people fighting in line,” and safety is his primary concern about moving to Library Mall. Street Vending Coordinator Warren Hansen said new light fixtures should be up in Library Mall this spring by the start of the new vending season, April 15. VOC member Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said there would be noticeable law enforcement presence in the area, with officers from the UW and Madison Police Departments patrolling the area. Currently, Insomnia Cookies is typically the lone cart stationed on Library Mall during the late-night hours. Employee Kevin Schiesser said the area is an ideal place for vending, ushering in everyone from families to crowds from nearby bars. When it comes to more businesses moving to Library Mall, competition isn’t a concern at Insomnia Cookies—for Schiesser, it’s the more, the merrier. “As far as business is concerned, we sell dessert … so you’re going to throw in some chicken, throw in some cookies, I think it could work out pretty well together,” he said. The proposed late-night vending ordinance changes will now go to the Board of Estimates for discussion and will likely be voted on at the March 17 Common Council meeting so the changes can be implemented in time for the new vending season.
ASM attempts to stay resilient in face of constitution failure While the proposed reform to the Associated Students of Madison constitution was not passed after the two-day election Monday and Tuesday, officials said there is still a chance to change the student government. “I’m sure that ASM will try to reform in any way they can because it’s very well understood that reform needs to happen,” Election
Commission chair Katherine Tondrowski said. Constitutional Committee chair Jeff Wright said he was hopeful that because the majority wants to see reform happen, meaningful discussions would be possible in the future. “While students believe ASM needs reform, it’s clear that the majority wants to see reform happen within the current structure,”
he said in a statement. “I respect the election’s outcome.” Fifteen percent of students voted in the election, which is an unusually high turnout among student voters. “I was very, very excited to see that 15 percent of the student body voted,” Tondrowski said. “That is much bigger than I expected, or anyone expected.” Tondrowski also said the elec-
tion process as a whole ran relatively efficiently. “Everything went smoothly, so that was a success in my mind,” she said. ASM members remain hopeful despite the failure of the constitution. However, no leaders have publicized an alternative course of action for reform. —Caitlin Gath
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”