ALL-NIGHT LONG

At least one New Hampshire community is taking steps to end all-night dance
parties - parties that are more commonly known as "raves."

Nashua Mayor Bernie Streeter has asked the city's legal department to draft
an ordinance that would ban public dancing between 2 a.m. and noon.

Streeter, formerly a long-time member of the Executive Council, is not
approaching public dancing as some kind of 17th century prude. What he is
looking to do is shut down noisy activity at times when it is most likely
to be a public nuisance.

"If it was a contained activity that shielded the public from the noise,
that would be one thing: said Streeter last week, "but that's not the case.
I think people are entitled to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep

Streeter's point was well taken - at least as it relates to noise being a
public nuisance.

Lt. Doug Hayes of the Nashua Police Department takes it one step further.
According to a news report, he sees it as a way to curb some of the
southern Merrimack River valley's illicit drug activity. Hayes says drugs
such as Ecstasy, Ketamine, LSD and methamphetamines go hand in hand with
after-hour raves.

Not surprisingly, there are promoters and club owners in Nashua who are
less than supportive of the mayor's position. They see themselves as
targets and say that his proposal is discriminatory.

The nuisance that Streeter is trying to eradicate is not one that is
limited to Nashua. Police have found it necessary to rid clubs in other New
Hampshire communities in effort to minimize drug use and trafficking.

Streeter's proposal has been tabled twice but comes up again this week
before the Nashua Board of Aldermen.

Communities throughout New Hampshire ought to keep an eye on what happens
in Nashua, keeping in mind that the proposed restrictions on clubs, if
enacted, will most certainly face appeals in court. Nevertheless, it is
conceivable that the state's cities and towns - especially the cities - may
soon have at their disposal something that will allow them to better combat
noise pollution and - more importantly - drug abuse and trafficking.