WOMAN GETS TICKET FOR ALLOWING KIDS TO PLAY IN THE STREET

In Ogdensburg, New York, Tamara Graveline was recently given a ticket for letting her 12-year-old son and his friends play street hockey in the quiet residential street in front of her home, a violation of the Ogdensburg municipal code. Ms. Graveline took the issue to a City Council meeting, pointing out that in today’s world of video games, playing outside should be encouraged, not treated as a criminal activity. She quoted from the city’s ordinance itself, which reads that “no person shall play ball, or knock or kick any ball, or play any sport or game in any public street, lane or alley.” City officials, including the mayor and the police chief, expressed support for the law, which they said is needed to ensure public safety and to prevent unruliness. They said the law provides a way to limit unruliness and to ensure that children, and the public at large, remain safe.
* Sieg Heil, and Hail the Fatherland!
* City officials then went back and bought more shares in a video game company.
* I’m shocked! They only gave ONE parent a ticket? What a waste of an opportunity to suck in some more revenue.
* Prevent “unruliness”? I think they mean prevent “fun”.
* You kids should be playing street hockey somewhere other than the street.
* PHONE TOPIC: Should cities be ordering kids to not play outside?