Now
Fair
71.0°
High
87°
Low
64°
Full Forecast

Coupon

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > News > Local
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

Deena Winter: Couch debate prompts free furniture offer

Comments 16 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 - 12:09:16 am CDT

If you have an old couch on your porch you bought for $5 at a garage sale and can’t afford to buy outdoor furniture, a neighborhood group is here to help.

NeighborWorks’ reply to those who cried “But what if they can’t afford anything but an old couch?” is, “We’ll give free plastic outdoor furniture to the first 50 households who need it.”

The City Council has not yet decided whether it will support a ban of couches on porches, but if it does, people in need of replacement furniture can sign up for new plastic furniture by calling NeighborWorks at 477-7181.

Story Photo

24-pack to the first guy who…

Ed Patterson really didn’t like the Journal Star’s editorial opposing an ordinance that would ban couches from porches in Lincoln.

So much so that the Lincoln man said he darn near brought a “24-pack” (of what, he didn’t say) to the Lincoln City Council meeting Monday night, so he could offer it up to the first person willing to drag a couch to the Journal Star and plop it down in front of the door.

(After all, the headline on the Journal Star editorial did say “We like couches on porches.”)

Strong words from Assurity head

The head of Assurity recently made it clear how his company feels about having design standards in Antelope Valley.

Thomas Henning said Assurity’s board of directors “must have some assurances the area will develop in a way we will be proud to call this site our corporate headquarters for many years.”

“We are very concerned that this area develops as a true research and development corridor,” he wrote. (Is an insurance company headquarters R&D?)

Henning didn’t like Councilwoman Robin Eschliman’s attempts to pass “last-minute amendments” in late August, after a “thoughtful, thorough, community-wide process” had produced the proposed standards.

Eschliman did not succeed in removing a ban on car washes and auto repair shops.

“I don’t believe it is realistic for the city of Lincoln to expect a corporation to expend $55 million to build a new corporate headquarters facility only to find the character of the area not developing as originally intended,” Henning wrote.

After words of warning like that, it’s no surprise two weeks later the council passed the design standards without alteration.

City nears drug testing deal

The city is negotiating a new drug and alcohol testing agreement with the firefighters union, and is “very close” to a deal, according to the city personnel director.

The feds require drug and alcohol testing for city employees who are required to maintain commercial driver’s licenses (like heavy equipment operators) and most StarTran employees. The city also has a “reasonable suspicion” testing policy for all other employees.

But after two fire/ambulance employees were charged this summer with drug violations, the city began negotiating with the firefighters union to implement a new policy for fire employees.

A new labor contract — with a testing policy — goes to the union for a vote next week. If passed by the union, it then goes to the City Council for approval.

Police union approves contract

The police union approved a new labor contract last week, and legislation is being prepared for the City Council’s consideration, possibly as soon as Monday. Personnel Director Don Taute declined to disclose provisions of the contract until then.

Core survey coming

Residents of Lincoln’s core are getting letters in their mailboxes alerting them to an upcoming survey.

Doane College and Wake Forest University are conducting research on “the challenges facing residents of central city neighborhoods.” The letter says the study will help community leaders, public officials and the private sector address concerns in core neighborhoods.

“We are particularly interested in understanding your concerns about housing, employment and public safety,” the letter to residents said.

Arena-related amenities

During the recent open house about the arena, Lincolnites were asked to rank the importance of a long list of possible amenities to a new arena.

 The list offers an idea of what kind of things supporters are thinking about building — or displacing — in the area north and west of the proposed new arena.

Among the possibilities offered: Legion/high school baseball; youth baseball; baseball practice fields; soccer; indoor ice; dog run; radio control car track; BMX track; adventure/challenge course; interpretive/nature center; hiking trails; bike trails; fireworks viewing area; spray park; playground; kayaking; rollerblading; wetlands trails and education areas; basketball courts; multi-purpose fields.

She said it

“I’ll come down from my spaceship long enough to tell you ‘Thank you.’”

— Councilwoman Robin Eschliman, after Ed Patterson thanked her for introducing an ordinance banning indoor furniture from being used outdoors. Eschliman was skewered by Journal Star cartoonist Neal Obermeyer for her spacey idea.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Local > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
RUkidding wrote on September 17, 2008 2:16 am:
" plastic patio furniture is CRAPPIER than old couches and chairs..you know whats worse for home sales than old couches? busy-body neighbors that do little more than pass judgement and throw stones ! "
Councilwoman Robin Eschliman must go wrote on September 17, 2008 5:15 am:
" is out of touch, much like being in a spaceship. she wants poor lincolnites to adopt her values, which i'm sure she believes are superior to their own.earth to robin, we don't all own real estate companies. "
Yup wrote on September 17, 2008 7:42 am:
" It's sad that Lincoln has turned into a controlled city. No one is free to express their style. Buildings must all look similar, houses painted the same, doors only a certain color. Got to agree with some, plastic furniture is crappy. If you drive past the new housing areas, everything looks the same. Way to stiffle creativity. "
Creataive thinking wrote on September 17, 2008 8:32 am:
" Prohibiting cheap sofas on porches does not stifle creativity. I've never seen a "creative" stuffed piece of furniture on someone's porch. The people who sold them for $5.00 at a garage sale were just getting someone to haul off their trash. I've seen too many trash sofas piled by trash cans when the students leave at the end of the year. Many of the trashy couches sit until the neighborhood clean-ups when neighborhood homeowners have to haul them away. Maybe college students could do the yearly clean-up. Hey, that's creative.

Amnesty is correct in saying that the area should be developed properly since they might be making an investment (with TIF no doubt), but Deena's comment is right on. Those who had actual equity investment in the area had no such insurance. Pun intended. "
mike wrote on September 17, 2008 8:44 am:
" While i beleive that a ratty couch on a porch is an eyesore, i am very hesitant to allow government to take away our rights....unless its infringing on someone else's rights. "
Robot wrote on September 17, 2008 9:05 am:
" "Little Boxes, Little Boxes, Little Boxes Made of Tickey-Tackey. Little Boxes on the Hillside, Little Boxes all the same. There's a Pink one and a green one and a blue one and a yellow one and they're all made out of Tickey-Tackey and they all look just the same."
Except here in Lincoln, we'd probably prefer a beige one and a tan one and a white one and a grey-ish one. "
People vs business wrote on September 17, 2008 9:29 am:
" It is disappointing that a business (which is apparently not R & D) can hold the City Council hostage. Why are they so afraid of car washes and autobody shops? Why do the buildings all have to look like they were dipped in the same frosting, if not cookie cutter? It is true, our city and society is afraid of creativity and differences. "
Chris wrote on September 17, 2008 10:23 am:
" I totally agree with Thomas Henning about design standards in Antelope Valley. We spent way too much money in this area for auto service related industries. We want this to be a nice area for high tech/high service businesses and professionals to work and live. The design standards are crucial to put potential investors at ease.

Couches on porches. Eyesore, yes. Public Health Hazard, yes. Ban, good. If you really want to put a couch on your porch, as the ordinance says, wrap some screen around your covered porch to hide the couch from the neighbors and to keep the vermin out. "
Oh Brother wrote on September 17, 2008 11:47 am:
" Who wants to live by someone who has a raggedy old couch on their porch! I can't afford a super nice house in a nice neighborhood so I live in a poorer part of town. I want our neighborhood to look better and inside furniture outside just looks trashy! "
Frank wrote on September 17, 2008 12:41 pm:
" Hopefully, we can expand the list of eyesores that the city can ban:
Smoking on the front porch or in public view
Inflatable yard "decorations"
Junky wreaths that hang on doors
Those incessant wind chimes that keep neighbors awake at night
Christmas lights that shine at 1.21 jigawatts when you are trying to sleep
Non-Huskers, non-USA, or non-Christian flags and decorations
Paint that isn't a shade of white, gray, or brown
Foreign cars
Cars with rust
Plastic lawn furniture
Anything else that I declare to be an eyesore
Who wouldn't want to trade away their rights for a few bucks? "
Natalie wrote on September 17, 2008 1:07 pm:
" Maybe the council could pass a "name change" for Lincoln. How about Stepford City?? Remember the Stepford Wives? They all looked the same, their houses were the same, and were controlled by "someone, somewhere" on a council.
I guess people will think Lincoln is classy if there are no couches on porches but "environmentally incorrect" plastic furniture!! "
Social Worker wrote on September 17, 2008 1:28 pm:
" Why do people even NEED anything on their porch- first of all how can you sit on a ratty old couch that has been rained/snowed on. ICK Secondly, why do we need to spend money on chairs for these folks. Can't this money go to help people with meds or food or something relevant???? We have more self pay pts come into our hospitals with very little means of paying for medications or food and our city is worried about couches and PLASTIC CHAIRS! COME ON! "
JR wrote on September 17, 2008 1:29 pm:
" For those of you who do not believe in structural standards, look at what Cornhusker Hiway used to look like and in some areas, still does. Is that the kind of hodge podge you want downtown? No one has said anything about cookie cutter styles, but there has to be some control otherwise you end up with garbage. Too much money has been spent on this area to let it go down the drain before it even has a chance. "
Wise up. wrote on September 17, 2008 4:02 pm:
" This ordinance is about improving neighborhoods and quality of life. Unfortunately its turned into an argument about government control and their attack on poor people...guess what?

It doesn't cost a lot of money to clean up a piece of property. Volunteer trees, trash, broken appliances, etc. all should be removed from property.

I can walk through my neighborhood and see the change over the last 5, 10 and now 20 years. People simply don't try, I know because I see healthy young people who put no effort into maintaining property they own, yet they can afford all the latest home entertainment and multiple vehicles. People make choices how to spend their time and whether to take care of things and unfortunately they put a lot of priorities ahead of taking care of property.

Its hard work to maintain a house and yard, but anymore, it seems like people just let it go, then they try to sell it when it decays to the point they want out.

This whole "who cares" attitude is part of the reason our economy is in the shape its in. Its time for people wise up and take care of their personal property and finances or things will get a lot worse. Take care of your stuff and pay as you go!

Our City Council is stepping in because that is what government has to do when people don't choose to do the right thing. "
To Wise Up wrote on September 17, 2008 7:51 pm:
" In response to your last sentence. Who decides what the right thing is?? This issue is all about control and invasion of privacy. People don't do the right thing on ALOT of things in this life. Do you REALLY want the government stepping in each and everytime something upsets you?? This may seem like a small issue but it's these little things that lead to bigger things. It started with the smoking ban, and now couches. This is all about your rights and privacy being stripped away. If you own a buisness you should decide if there should be smoking or not. If you own a home you should be able to have a couch on your front porch or not. Plain and Simple! "
RealNeighbor wrote on September 21, 2008 5:42 pm:
" NeighborWorks is a useless organization. If they wanted to help the neighborhood, they would offer to haul things away that violated codes, or actually communicate door to door in the neighborhoods they lived in to see what people feel or want. Instead, they're imposing their own view on us via the City Council. Plastic furniture is tackier than couches, people! "

Ads by Yahoo!