By Jacob Moon

For a city trying to boast a welcoming, small-town atmosphere, Logan is definitely lacking in a few critical areas.

I'm not one for clubbing and parties, but even I can see a problem in the nightlife around Logan. It's as if the city has decided on a curfew and enforces it on everyone. Even the local radio station boasts a segment every evening starting at 7 called "Lights Out Cache Valley." Is this really the time to start turning out the lights? Most people are just getting home from work or eating dinner at this time.

It stands to reason then, that this is the same time many businesses in Logan lock up shop. Try walking down Main Street after 7 or 8 p.m. The only place that looks somewhat inviting is the tattoo parlor/lingerie shop, and maybe the Bluebird.

If the Downtown Alliance really wants to liven things up downtown, it needs to let people know that downtown is available for business during the evening, when people have time to shop. How about adding a theater worth going to or a popular restaurant like Café Rio.

Maybe Loganians just get crankier at night.

According to city code, parking is prohibited on the side of the street between the hours of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. from Nov. 15 through the end of February. City officials claim this is to aid in snow removal during the winter, but I just think it is to tick off the community.

I called the city a few days before Nov. 15 to find out what my options were, because I my wife and I were living in a basement apartment with only one parking stall. We each have a car to get around town, which meant we needed to find somewhere to put our car at night.

The folks at the Logan Parking Authority told me the best option would be to leave my car at a nearby church parking lot overnight and to make sure it was moved periodically so people knew it is being used.

I had no problem with that and did exactly what they told me without any problems until the beginning of February. Then things really changed. I found a note on my car one morning saying if I continued parking there, I would be towed. I eventually got in touch with the bishop in charge of the parking lot.

He told me the city wouldn't let him allow people to park there because he would lose his rights to private property.

If you ask me, something doesn't match up. The city told me parking there is the best option and then told the church I couldn't. So I'm stuck. Now, I move my car to a different lot every night and walk a block or so home when I get home from work at 1 a.m.

Isn't there a better option? Many co-workers have told me they have had similar problems, and no one sees any real logic in the policy. If it actually snowed every night and piled up during the winter, I could understand needing cars out of the way to plow. But this rarely happens, and most nights when cars are ticketed the skies are clear and forecast doesn't indicate any chance ofsnow.

While it is ultimately my responsibility to find spot for my car, the city is blatantly creating an inconvenience for everyone.

I can't help but think the city relies on $15 parking tickets to fund its various services. Other absurd incidents with the parking office have helped me conclude that this is true.

Is this uninviting image what Logan is trying to portray? Many city residents are college students and don't plan on being around forever. They already have to deal with less than desirable living conditions and the parking issues just add to the stress.

A better option would be to act like most other cities and cater to the people who live there. I suggest better dining and entertainment options downtown and more reasonable city codes. It's just a start.