Drinking Party
Nipped in Bud
School has now been in session for two
weeks and already there have been a number of
situations involving resident students in the
new Capital Village residence community.
Since move-in day on Sunday, August 25, there
have been numerous warnings issued about
open alcohol containers and little over a half
dozen noise complaints have been issued.
Though infringements such as these bring on a
mere verbal warning, the consequences can be
much more severe.
On Thursday, August 29, at 10:45 p.m.
police services responded to a noise complaint
in the 5000 building of The Village. Upon
entering the scene, officer Jarbeck observed
open containers of alcohol. As a result, the fol
lowing IST majors were issued citations for CC
6308 a (the purchase, consumption, possession
or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed
beverages): Edwin Miller, age 19 of 6169
Glenn Court, Harrisburg and Matthew
J. Miller, age 19 of 60 Geisel Road, Harrisburg.
Also involved in this situation was IST major
Brian Ostella, age 21 of 217 Aldean Drive,
Effert, PA. On Thursday, September 5, Ostella
was brought up on criminal charges for furnish
ing liquor or malt or brewed beverages to
minors. The charges were filed with District
Justice Yanich’s office.
When asked to comment, officer Jarbeck and
Kevin Stoehr, director of safety and police
services, were more than willing to comply. At
the time of questioning, Ostella’s name had not
yet been released and no charges were formally
filed. The incident was, as far as they could
tell, a drinking party. When the noise complaint
was received, police services responded.
“Officers became aware and acted. They
nipped it in the bud,” said Stoehr
Penn State Harrisburg campus is one of the
very few Penn State campuses that is not a dry
campus, which means alcohol is permitted.
Though, as one would expect, the same rules
apply here as do everywhere else in
Students learn about PSH alcohol policies from
KevinStoehr (standing left) and Office Jarbeck (right)
By Stacy De Angelo
Capital Times Editor in Chief
Pennsylvania and are enforced by the Lower
Swatara Township police department. To make
sure students are aware of the alcohol policy,
PSH Police Services, in cooperation with
Resident Life and Student Affairs, held an
Information Night at the Village Community
Center on Thursday, September 6th.
Representatives from the three organizations
“Officers became aware and acted...
You must be aware of what will
be tolerated and what won’t.”
included Officer Jarbeck, chief Stoehr, officers
Young and Hughes from the Lower Swatara
PD, Dr. Janet Widolf of Student Affairs and
George Young of Residence Life.
The discussion included information on both
PSH and Lower Swatara’s alcohol policies.
Students were informed of the fines that they
would endure in cases of underage drinking,
public drunkenness and furnishing alcohol to
minors. Officer Jarbeck stressed that the fine
for getting caught drinking under the age of
21 was punishable by a $6OO fine, whereas
the fine for furnishing to a minor could be as
high as $lOOO and may even include jail time.
She also discussed ways of avoiding penalties
and stressed the idea that “impairment starts
with the first drink. We can’t stop you from
having a drink if you are over 21, but please
drink responsibly,” said Jarbeck. When Stoehr
addressed the audience, he touched on issues
such as the liabilities associated with underage
drinking and furnishing to minors.
“You need to be aware of who you are let
ting in your door and you are responsible,”
said Stoehr. “You must be aware of what will
be tolerated and what won’t.” Jarbeck added
that there are many ways to drink responsibly
and you need to enforce PSH and Lower
Swatara alcohol policies so that police
officers are not “knocking on your door
and putting you in cuffs.”
There were few questions left to be
asked after Jarbeck and Stoehr were
through with the abundant amount of
info that was given. Student Brian
Seaman asked why drinking was not
allowed outside of the apartment and
why the notion of “your back porch”
doesn’t apply to the balcony, hall and
stairwells of each building. In response
Jarbeck informed the students that “the
stairwells present a hazard in the case of
a fire. If we see it, we have to enforce
it.” Stressing that if a student is seen walking or
hanging about outside their apartment in pos
session of alcohol, whether it be in a can, bot
tle, or cup, they stand the chance of being
warned and even cited for the offence. Jarbeck
continued addressing the issue of the common
area and ways to prevent problems. “You guys
got really good at partying and put many of the
safety methods dis
cussed to good use
at Meade Heights,”
siad Jarbeck. These
safety methods
included-being
aware of who is
entering your apart
ment, checking a person’s ID if you are not
sure of their age, having someone at the door to
keep things from getting out of hand, being
aware of who is under 21 and making sure they
are not consuming alcohol, and keeping your
party out of the common areas.
For more information go to Police Services in the
Swatara Building or visit:
httP://www.hbg.PSu/hbg/alcoholdrug,html.
ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT CHART
APPROXIMATE BLOOD ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE
I\M'M W 03 .03 .03 .02 02-,.02 j "555"
2 .10 » m m m mjmth&m JUS
3 15 .14 11 10 m^’WSBP
4 20 18 15 13 11 \t« Mlg. mfe*
5 |.25 23 ,A 9 14 13 .11 10 M jflK
6. i .3Ct -,2? Ha '.HI, .17. 15 14 12 11
7 -.21. ’ .20 .18 16 .14 13: unmuv
' MTOttCfTtO
8 i .40r'.36 v ,J0" .26 .23 20 18 .17 .IS!
9 .453 41 .34 .29 .26 .23 20 .19 .17 j SSSSm
10 51 .45 .38 .32 .28 .25 .23 .21 ' . Ifij
«iar My «m 9* iM tt era 4rtn» m* Mr.
Ml* 1* M. tt M pM MOT «1 w. «f Mr «r I m. at MM> a*w • 1 *«*,
ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT CHART
APPROXIMATE BLOOD ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE
a*.—^t—* - —*-
lfl PMJV9QV
1100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240
1 nisi" .03 .03 .02 .02 02 .02 .02 i -----
2 os ' .ob -jot m .04 .03 .03 "**
3 11 .88- .08 .07 ,06 06 tS5*
4 .15 12 n jBB ''JMB 111
5 .19 16 13 12 11 .08 [ fMM*
6 .23 .19 16 14 .13 11 .10 .09 ! WBtk
7 .26 .22 ,19 .16 15 13 12 11 1
8 30 25 21 19 .17 .15 14 13:»no£piK»
9 : .34 .28 .24 .21 .19 .17 .15 .14 emmuu.
: MMALtIKt
10 38 ,31 27 .23 .21 .19 ,17 16 i.
My cam frt rtd of on* drtnk par Dm*
Officeer Jarbeck handed out Alcohol
Impairment Charts (above) geared towards
both men and women. Remember that the
only safe driving limit is zero.