Archive for nightlife

Safe & Sober, Party Laws and the Future of Downtown Tempe

March 10, 2015 nightlife, party, Strategy, Tempe No comments

Its 2015, I get some flack here and there for not updating this blog but in between all the other writing I am doing in multiple places EA only exists for the random posts and notes on the big piece of writing/book I am working with. So, maybe there will be more this year but Twitter and other means will more than likely suffice for now. Plus, it is dangerously annoying when my login page is constantly disabled due to bothack attacks. Thanks China/Russia!

Being away from Arizona for going on a year now has given me some time to reflect on projects, ideas and the future. Not just my personal future but where Tempe may be headed and what the immediate moment contains. It is pretty clear to me that the campaigns that have caused so much anger are ready to be nixed. I want this post to encourage the city staff to just do it and get it over with. I’d like to also offer some very basic alternate ideas for some of the actual issues Tempe has to deal with. The valley for me no matter what I am doing will always be my home. It is always important to me.

This post is going to lack context in the furtherance of saving space. With that said, Safe and Sober simply needs to go. The people who came up with the idea, and those who tacitly support it have a Tempe in mind that doesn’t serve the majority of the Downtown residents. It seems to me that it’s continued existence is now just a face saving measure. Let’s get rid of it. If we want to go above and beyond the policing tactic of DUI checkpoints and visits to our homes here are some ideas

  • Take a massive portion of the funding and use it for on campus education and empowerment programs to combat assault
  • Promote free ride and taxi systems for people who have had too much to drink.
  • Let neighborhood organizations educate new residents about the history of the Downtown Area in terms of partying, sobriety and partying responsibly
  • RELAX policing and laws so people are not afraid to have fun in Downtown Tempe 
Along with the last point we have to talk about the partying laws. These laws created by the the same people are one in the same. They have the same puritan impact of pushing what once was a thriving culture to the sidelines. This serves absolutely nobody, it certainly doesn’t make for good neighbors and it definitely makes for increasingly dangerous conditions while having fun. It might seem ridiculous that we have to argue that having fun is a good thing but clearly, one side here is out of step. It’s time to consider that it isn’t us. Here is what needs to happen, as sitting council member Corey Woods already stated; we need to give a warning first for parties. Some ideas
  • Roll back the system to include a first warning after 10 PM, the current fining system borders on harassment
  • Improve with support of the neighborhood organizations Downtown neighborhood lighting
  • Relax laws regarding outside gatherings, sound permits and other codes to encourage the unique atmosphere that has and still exists in our neighborhoods
  • Seriously consider allowing bars and other establishments to serve liquor until 4 AM

Personally, I believe that the current administration has it within their power to make these changes happen. And much, much sooner than later. With that said, there are next steps we can take as people who now have a stable base of support in neighborhoods all over Tempe. Besides encouraging the spread of our campaigns and ideas throughout Phoenix, Tempe is wide open. Some points of contention follow;

  • Develop neighborhood to neighborhood points of contact for our ideas both through social media and real life
  • Begin taking over traditional cultural mediums that we have yet to touch on
  • Use our current contacts within Tempe based companies and organizations to orient them for and against the specific initiatives
  • Fund projects through our base of support that are “difficult to attack,” spread this out into other areas if possible
  • Seriously consider running a candidate or multiple candidates in 2016 that could swing the election causing major issues within Tempe
I am looking forward to seeing my home again one day and the more of the above the better. It doesn’t have to be a constant struggle, and it seems to me that there is light at the end of the current tunnel. For now this is probably my last bit of above the scenes work regarding Tempe, this year is going to be a trying and challenging one for me. Writing, travelling, new projects and big ideas as always. And thats that.


Phoenix, AZ Nightlife

January 6, 2013 hip things, nightlife, phoenix No comments

Not going so well.