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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1987)
Porky’s attracts kids, ■ ■■!!■■ I ■ Wtt I I ■■ 111 Brian Barbar/DaHy Nabraakan Arcade closes after complaints from neighbors Analysis by Kevin Cowan Senior Reporter For the past four months. Porky’s Family Fun Center, 2021 O St., has been the scene of varied disturbances, arrests and citations. At the end of September, Porky’s closed. The “Porky’s controversy” in volves more than enforcement and violation, the police, the media, the mayor’s office and the Lincoln population in general. It was a business, trying to con form with the authorities’ requests just as any law-abiding business would have. But there was some thing more than city code confor maney. The Porky’s phenomena started several years ago as a parking prob lem in the neighborhoods of the Near South District Jerry Dabrusky, owner of Ne braska Coin-Op Distributers, maintained a video arcade on 23rd and D streets. “We were the only commercial business in that area," he said. “People would call in and com plain that the refrigeration unit on our Tombstone Pizza truck was too loud” and that parked cars were clogging the streets. “Well, I run a business and employ a sizeable number of people that have to have a place to park.” The arcade had toclose its doors “because of neighborhood pres sure,” he said. After the business closed, Dabrusky continued to feel heat from city officials. The more the business tried to conform, he said, the more visits it received from police, and health code and hu mane society officials. “When someone wants you gone,” he said, “they use all the means at their disposal. And when people keep calling in complaints, eventually they (the city) just do something about it.” Forexample,a $600 health code violation was issued because Ne braska Coin -Op didn ’ t ha ve 1 ids on garbage cans, he said. “I pointed out the other resi dences who were also in violation of that health code,” he said, but it didn’t do any good. At the height of the confronta tion, he said, “there was a cop outside inspecting parked can for defective mufflen and tail lights and all that, just to see what he, could get us for,” he said, thumbing a stack of tickets. Dabrusky said his problems were the result of efforts made by City Council member Jo Gutgscll. Gutgscll was a resident of the Near South District and president of the Near South Neighborhood Asso ciation. Gutgsell, Dabrusky said, was the person primarily involved with closing his arcade. “1 was receiving a lot of com plaints about them from the resi dences in the neighborhood," Gutgsell said,“and he was in viola tion” of the codes in question. “You can find violations of city code in any building,” Dabrusky sard. “I mean, if they want to get you for something, they can.” Despite the problems with the first arcade, Dabrusky decided to open Porky’s Family Fun Center on June 1. “The disturbances started two weeks later,” said Lincoln Police Chief Dean Leitner. The disturbances, he said, in cluded vandalism, larceny and lit tering. “Porky’s had little control over what people do off their premises,” said Boo Creager, counsel for Porky’s. “If you put a bar in that same location, an increase in dis tyrbanccs would occur as well.” In July, two youths were in a pushing match and one pushed the other through a window. Gutgscll and Leitner both said the problem arose from a lack of security. “We had an attendant behind the counter who saw it,” Dabrusky said, “and he was going over to take care of it. We also had another employee 20 feet away” who was on his way to break up the fight. “Wc also had two security guards out in the back lot.” But when people get together to “have fun,” he said, “you’re going to have that kind of problem sometimes.” “I’ve seen fights at church pic nics,” Dabrusky said. Porky’s met with the police and w i th the May or’s Counc i 1 on Youth to attempt to find a solution to the problem. Many solutions were proposed, but none could make the “disturbances” stop. Dabrusky said he had contact with at least four police officers to try tosolvetheproblem.Hesaidhe asked one if the business could do anything to help the problem, and the officer “said one word: Close.’ In August, four nearby busi nesses filed suit against Porky’s. The businesses, Williamson Old smobile Honda, 21 st and N streets; McVicker Auto Trim and Tops, 2043 O St.; Big A Auto Parts, 1955 O St.; and Road and Track Motors Service, 2045 O St., represented by Thom Cope, planned to file a dis trict petition to close.Porky’s. The petition alleged that Porky’s created a public nuisance because it attracted people of all ages who arc disorderly and dam age the plaintiff’s property and the property of their customers. Creager said Porky’s was “mis characterized.” “If you live next door to a feed ' lot that stinks or a grain elevator whose fans are making noise con stantly, then it’s a nuisance. If there’s illegal activity associated with the business, then it’s a nui sance. But it’s not the role of soci ety to punish people who aren’t breaking the law. You’re supposed to arrest the people who are violat ing the law.’’ Since the suit was filed, the owners have not had any more trouble. Now, before next Tuesday’s court date, the two par See PORKY’S on 12 Photos clockwise from middle: A Lincoln youth is arrested behind Porkey’s. Porkys clientele hang out in the back parking lot. Porky’s Family Fun Center, 2021 O St. Photos by: Eric Gregory Andrea Hoy