Newark residents express discontent

Newark residents expressed their concerns with students and homeless people at Monday night’s city council meeting.

Three people from Sunset Road, the street perpendicular to South College Avenue and behind the Hugh M. Morris Library, said students walk and park near their homes. They said students have been parking on the street, blocking residents’ driveways. 

The residents brought a petition signed by the majority of their neighbors asking for a law that would prohibit all students from parking there. This problem has been specifically troublesome during exam times, as well as weekends and evenings, according to 18-year resident Amy Roe.

Georgia Shrover, another Sunset Road resident, said students returning from the library or social events create unnecessary disturbances for residents. She said it has been a problem for the seven years she has lived there.

“[The university students] are noisy, they slam car doors at two in the morning,” Shrover said. “They disturb the neighborhood. It’s been a nightmare for us.”

The city council members said they would discuss the issue in private session.

District 3 Councilman Douglas Tuttle said he has witnessed misconduct in crosswalks since students arrived on campus. He said because students walk at a leisurely pace and loiter on Main Street, drivers have been forced to accelerate before students pass the midpoint of the crosswalk, creating a danger for students.

Despite recent loitering, the councilmen agreed that move-in day went smoothly. District 5 Councilman Luke Chapman said traffic did not seem to be a problem.

“Things look relatively calm without being over-clogged,” Chapman said. “Freshmen look lost and scared in the median cone area by Rodney.” 

When Edward Streets, another Newark resident, spoke in front of the council, he also expressed concern for student safety. He said the increasing homeless population on Main Street is potentially harmful to students. 

“The police let them run wild all summer,” Streets said. “They will steal anything you lay down. These people are just bums. They have addictions and petty things. They can’t live in society because they choose to be trash and like it.” 

Streets said while waiting for his 5:30 a.m. bus, riders were unable to find shelter from the morning rain because all of the seats were already taken by homeless people. 

District 1 Councilman Mark Morehead reminded residents about National Take-Back Day at the Newark Senior Center on Sept. 29.  He said the event was created by the Drug Enforcement Administration to provide the public with a safe method to dispose of their unused or expired prescription medication. 

Morehead said the event is a way to take these substances off the street.

“If you are a drug dealer, you can drop off your cocaine and walk away,” Morehead said.