Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush donated a large portion of money allotted to her from the state's motor fuel tax funds to extend sidewalks near the high school to keep students from walking in the roadway. Each alderman was allotted $12,450 each in sidewalk money, Qualkinbush was allotted $30,000 and spent $17,000 on sidewalks on the south side of Pulaski Road. Qualkinbush said that although the new sidewalks on the south side of Pulaski Road went in a few weeks ago, she saw students walking in the roadway as recently as Tuesday. "We thought it would be a good thing to look for locations around the schools to address some (walking in the roadway) concerns," she said. "Youth still need to recognize that if the sidewalks are there, they need to walk on them or walk as close to the curb as possible if there is no sidewalk." After complaints from motorists, the Police Department in the spring began enforcing its 20-year-old jaywalking ordinance, forbidding residents from walking in the roadways. Motorists complained that youth were slow to move out of the street for passing traffic and intimidated drivers with obscenities and gestures, said Police Chief Pat O'Meara. More than half of the high school's 1,500 students are walkers, who in large groups find it difficult to cram themselves on sidewalks or walk close to the curb on streets where there are no sidewalks. City officials have come under fire for the ordinance, which some have said unfairly targets black youth. Sophomore Don Pennington said he was arrested in August for violating the ordinance, and alleged he was beaten by a police officer while waiting for his parents to be called. He was also charged with two counts of battery against a police officer.
- The Police Department and City Hall first came under fire for the enforcement of the ordinance when 130 students were detained in May. The law calls for minors to be taken to the police station and held until parents pick them up. Parents are also responsible for fines, which range from $25 to $500. [more]