Street gatherings become cause for city concern

Cape Girardeau's south-side streets often serve as late-night party rooms for residents whose gatherings block traffic and create a nuisance, police and city council members say.

Police chief Steve Strong told the council at its study session Monday night that his officers are trying to address the problem and the related situation of people walking in the middle of the road rather than on sidewalks. Both actions violate city ordinances and violators can be issued summons to appear in municipal court where they face fines, the police chief said.

Strong said the department also is ticketing people who have loud parties.

Councilman Jay Purcell said he's seen people congregating on south-side streets or walking in the middle of the road. He said they don't move out of the way for motorists.

At Monday night's study session, he urged police to try to get residents off the streets before the heat of the summer leads to more serious confrontations.

"I still believe the larger things stem from the smaller things," he said.

Strong said south-side residents often view the street as a place to socialize. "A lot of times they visit on the street instead of going to a house," he told the council.

The police chief said that many of the problems occur late at night after local bars close when officers already are busy responding to other incidents. Strong said his manpower is stretched thin at such times.

As to noise complaints, Strong said his officers have written 27 tickets for noise violations within the past three weeks. Many involve stereos being played loudly in homes and cars.

A summons was issued at one house last weekend where the loud party could be heard a block and a half away, Strong said.

At the regular council meeting Monday night, the council voted unanimously to spend $42,000 in motel and restaurant tax money to pay for a tourism marketing study to help the Convention and Visitors Bureau better sell Cape Girardeau to tourists and convention goers.

The six-month study will be done by Northstar Destination Strategies of Nashville, Tenn.

In other business, Herb Nance, a veteran who operates a flag business in Cape Girardeau, presented a proposal to erect a giant American flag on city or Southeast Missouri State University riverfront property next to the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.

Nance estimated it would cost $10,000 to erect the flag memorial if the land is donated. He said he hopes to obtain private funding for the project. Nance is a member of the National Flag Foundation which is promoting such flag memorials nationwide.

The council took no action on the request. Mayor Jay Knudtson welcomed the project, but said the city government doesn't have any money available to fund the project.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123