News & Announcements

A Special Note About Little 500 Weekend

The local Court system has devised a special process to deal with people charged with alcohol offenses over the weekend of Little Five Hundred. Those cited will receive a flyer with the summons and complaint explaining the process

Here's how it will work:

1. If you are cited over the weekend of Little Five for an alcohol offense, you will be ordered to appear for an initial hearing on Sunday, April 22 at 8:30 a.m.
2. Those who are DAP-eligible will receive information on DAP, and be given the opportunity to sign up for the program. (Visit this link for an explanation of the Defendant Accountability Program (DAP) )
3. If you are offered DAP, and decide to take it, you will be required to pay a flat fine of $419.00 to be paid on 4/22 in cash (no personal checks, credit cards or debit cards will be accepted).
4. In addition to paying the fine, you will be required to complete a ½ day of road crew, to be completed on Sunday, 4/22/07—wear appropriate clothing!! You will also be required to attend an Alcohol education class to be completed on 4/22 from 5:00-9:00 p.m.
5. If you complete the road crew and attend the class on Sunday, you will not be required to complete any additional community service, or attend any other classes during the DAP period.
6. If you are offered DAP, the charges against you will be dismissed without prejudice, and will be dismissed WITH PREJUDICE upon completion of all requirements and no additional charges being entered against you during the 12 month period following the date of the charge.
7. If you aren't offered DAP, or decide not to accept it, you will have to attend the initial hearing and enter a plea of NOT GUILTY. You then need to retain defense counsel.(NOTE: Even if you know that you are guilty of the charge, it is almost always a good idea to plead "not guilty" at the initial hearing to give yourself, and your lawyer, a chance to work out a deal with the prosecutor.)
8. Failure to appear will result in a warrant for your arrest being issued!

Winterizing Your Apartment (December 6, 2006)

Ah, semester ends in just a few days. It is 65 degrees outside and all you can think about is finishing the semester and heading home for four weeks of rest and relaxation. But wait, who is going to take care of your apartment while you are gone?

Strange as it may seem, Bloomington weather has a history of going from 50 degrees one day to at or below freezing the next, especially around December 25th. If you have not made some kind of arrangements for someone to check on the heat in your apartment, you may come back in January to find that you forgot to leave the heat on and it did get very cold, causing the pipes in the apartment to freeze and then burst. You might be responsible to the landlord for replacement of the damaged pipes and any other damages caused by the ensuing flood of water from the frozen pipes. So, what do you do?

Read your lease. Is there a provision in which winterization is discussed? Normally the lease will require you to take appropriate measures during the wintertime. Common things are: leave the heat set at 65 degrees or above; open all cabinets so that warm air may circulate around the pipes; leave the water running on at least one faucet (about the size of a pencil lead); and make sure all windows are closed and the storm windows are in place. Just because there is nothing in your lease which specifically mentions winterization, you could still be responsible for any damage caused to your apartment by frozen pipes.

If you do not have renter's insurance, you should get some. You can call around town to get estimates. Be sure to ask the insurance agent whether their policy will cover acts of negligence. Yes, your negligence. Renter's insurance will also come in handy should something else go wrong in the unit. Most leases have a clause which releases the landlord from any liability for accidents which occur on the premises. You would want some insurance to protect you in the event of a claim.

Before you leave town, you should check with your landlord about winterizing the unit. If possible, put whatever you and the landlord agree to in writing which should also be signed by both parties. Many leases will have a clause which limits what the landlord can be held responsible to those items which have been reduced to writing and signed by both parties. If your landlord has few units, they may be more inclined to check on the unit for you. Make sure you report any maintenance issues!

You should also check with a trusted friend who will be staying in town. Make sure that they have a key to the unit and that the landlord knows who the person is and where they can be reached in case of an emergency. Then periodically check back with the friend to make sure everything is okay.