WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1999

Street sweeping nightmare

It is 5 a.m. on Thursday and I wake up with a nervous yearning in the pit of my stomach.

What day is it?

Did I move my car to the right side of the street so as not to get a street sweeping ticket? My thoughts fail me as I jump out of bed, head down the stairs, fumble around in the dark for my keys, and blindly head towards the gate to reach my fate.

Yep, they got me again, only this time the fine has gone up to $30. Thirty bucks! I can't believe this!

Every Thursday and Friday morning a select number of unsuspecting Long Beach residents walk out to their cars only to find a white ticket stuck on their windshields. If you find yourself a victim of this same nightmare, then chances are, you are a member of what I call the Long Beach Society of Street Sweep Victims.

The City of Long Beach insists on cleaning the streets every week. Why? Don't get me wrong, keeping the street clean is a big part of keeping the city clean, but every week is just too often.

LaTreisha Gee is a public relations major.