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- thedbk DBK WEDNESDAY | 7 members of Zeta Phi Beta sorority face assault charges stemming from October incident http://bit.ly/gNaYH2
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- CollegePrkPatch This evening we'll be reporting live from the county admin. building in Upper Marlboro, where the BOA will discuss the Comfort Zone. (See full report below the jump)
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CollegePrkPatch This evening we'll be reporting live from the county admin. building in Upper Marlboro, where the BOA will discuss the Comfort Zone.
- CollegePrkPatch This evening we'll be reporting live from the county admin. building in Upper Marlboro, where the BOA will discuss the Comfort Zone.
- Seems like all 5 people in this room are from CP. We should've carpooled. Fun fact: Upper Marlboro is REALLY far.
- A bit of background: Comfort Zone sells "adult products." Its property use agreement specifically prohibits that. Hence, this hearing.
- Everyone associated with Comfort Zone hearing was asked to come forward. Sort of a comical crush of people surrounding a rather small table.
- Robert Carl, Comfort Zone owner, forgot his address.
- Apparently a computer crash wiped out all of Comfort Zone's itemized sales info, which was information requested by the city.
- CZ's attorney said that requesting a subpoena for sales information 2 days prior to today's hearing is an attempt to "sandbag" the business
- Board is not buying the computer crash as a reason for no sales data.
- 1.5 hours later, the board has decided not to dismiss the case, based on preliminary proceedings. I'm going to die here.
- Code enforcement manager Jeannie Ripley was asked to describe what she saw in Comfort Zone when she visited in October.
- Owner Robert Carl agreed that Ripley's description of the contents of his store is accurate.
- Board is going through a series of photos of store's products. CZ lawyer Levi Zaslow objects.
- I'm wondering how much of this hearing will be appropriate to quote. Right now discussion is centered on pumps.
- "That row at the top there...the 'spinning sex swing?' Does that fall into the definition of sexual conduct?" Ripley agrees that it does.
- Poor Jeanne Ripley has been asked to describe in cringing detail almost every item sold in Comfort Zone. It's been uncomfortable.
- Ripley's description of Comfort Zone products, cont.: "We have an actual..lady's...rear end." This is what you're missing, College Park.
- OK I'm done, I promise.
- Ripley has been describing Comfort Zone's sex toys for upwards of an hour. This must be the biggest store ever.
- Ripley has been describing Comfort Zone's sex toys for upwards of an hour. This must be the biggest store ever.
- Correction: Half an hour. This conversation has scrambled my sense of time.
- @KevinWaskelis It really is. It took great personal restraint not to transcribe every one of the last 30 minutes. via web in to KevinWaskeli
- RT @matt_byrd: @CollegePrkPatch : Can we order DVD copies of this meeting? Maybe CZ can add them to their inventory
- A new stack of vivid color photographs of CZ's inventory has been produced. Are we about to do this again?
- It has been declared that there will be 2-3 hours more of testimony. Stay tuned.
- Appx.13 residents of a condo nearby signed a petition in opposition to Comfort Zone.
- Resident (who brought petition) has not been in CZ. "I definitely choose not to enter that establishment," he said
- Other CP resident present - speaking against CZ as well - has not entered the store either.
- A customer has taken the stand. Does consider CZ to be a variety store: has gag gifts, baseball cards, DVDs and yes, some sex toys, he said.
- Customer, a Bethesda resident, compares CZ to a store called Night Dreams in MoCo. Anyone been there? Apt comparison?
- Some debate as to what is an adult product and what is not. Suellen is readying one of the pictorial exhibits.
- City attorney Suellen Ferguson showing customer a picture of "people looking like they're having a sex act here."
- Customer said he can't tell what the picture is of; needs bifocals. Quote.
- @mafzali I'm glad. I hope it's as interesting to read as it is to report on
- FYI, a store does not need a special use and occupancy permit if adult items comprise less than 10 percent of the store’s stock.
- Over a minute spent on whether a picture of two women is sexual in nature. Ripley says yes, Zaslow says no.
- Zaslow is asking Ripley to go through the number of non-adult (or family) DVDs in her pictures, individiually. So far, 1,571.
- Board seems skeptical that counting individual "family" DVDs and baseball cards makes it a variety store, v. an adult store.
- The question is: does a baseball card = a dildo when it comes to type "stock on display."
- Zaslow has two main points: 1) What is being sold has no relevance. Only stock on the floor is relevant.
- Zaslow's other main point: Ripley took inventory Oct 18, 2006. Violation was filed on Oct. 12, so she cannot speak to stock on that day.
- FYI: During Ripley's visit, she saw: 7 leashes, 16 leg cuffs, 30 handcuffs, 20 whips and paddles, 10 love ropes, 5 golden rings...
- 5 golden rings was my own addition. Apologies.
- We have entered hour 5 of the Comfort Zone proceedings.
- Talk of love ropes has been put aside as board members contemplate their Blackberrys, searching for a date to pick discussions up again.
- Trying to coordinate the schedules of 11 people is harder than proving the existence of God. Fact.
- Yahtzee! See you all on Wed., May 11 to continue this discussion. Good night!
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