News Stories for The Lumberjack

 

News-Feature Writing Sample: Fake ID culture on college campuses

Fake IDs have been a staple of college campuses across the United States since the ‘80s. As real driver licenses evolved, so did the legitimacy of fakes. 

While it may look genuine to the untrained eye, a fraudulent ID is not guaranteed to fool bouncers, restaurant staff, scanners or law enforcement. 

A rise in fake IDs began with the passing of the 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act. Former New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg alongside Mothers Against Drunk Driving proposed the act to reduce drunk driving by prohibiting people under 21 from purchasing or possessing alcohol. This law does not require states to adhere to the national minimum age, but if states do not comply, they lose 10% of federal highway funding. 

Before the act was passed in 1984, the drinking age varied from state to state, with Arizona’s minimum age set at 19.

The 2005 REAL ID Act required physical security features for state IDs to discourage fakes and protect national security after 9/11. 

Holograms, microprinting, laser perforation, UV images, magnetic stripes and raised text are all features used to distinguish fakes from genuine state IDs. However, this security standardization pushed fake IDs to replicate those same security features.

Eddie Karner, managing partner for Collins Irish Pub and Grill, has checked IDs for 20 years and said they have gotten more realistic. When he started, he said it was comical how bad fake IDs were.

“The holographic technology, view-through technology, all those types of things have come a long way,” Karner said. “So, the fake IDs have had to get more sophisticated.”

Since the beginning of the fall semester, Collins has confiscated more than 300 fraudulent IDs — both fake and real of-age IDs used by someone underage — which Karner said is average for the bar. Collins seized 15 fakes during Tequila Sunrise alone, and Karner said most of the IDs Collins confiscates are from local students. 

Nightclubs, dispensaries, bars and restaurants use ID scanners to detect fakes, but the technology is not foolproof. 

“They are a good extra layer of security, but nothing, in my opinion, is ever going to take away from seeing and smelling and tasting the sort of situation and having it in your hand,” Karner said.

Scanners read information from a barcode or magnetic stripe on an ID. Fakes replicate the process used with real IDs, which is how they can trick a scanner. Machines load scannable information into a magnetic stripe, and printers create high-resolution barcodes that can go undetected by a scanner. 

Besides fakes, underage people also use real IDs from people with their likeness, which is another reason why scanners are not a reliable way to detect an underage patron. 

DMVs are not required to have up-to-date cameras, and photos can be distorted. Weight, height or hair color are also liable to change after the ID is administered. Both real and fake ID photos could look shoddy, although some fakes may appear poorly cut out if the photo is doctored. 

As realistic as some fakes are, there are still many ways to tell if an ID is fraudulent. 

Fakes are not always made from the same plastic as government-issued cards. The material should be opaque and smooth around the edges, while a flashlight could shine through the plastic of a fake ID. 

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News Writing Sample: Coconino County proposes changes to lighting ordinance

A news flash from Coconino County on Sept. 14 announced proposed changes to the county’s Outdoor Lighting Standards Zoning Ordinance, also known as the Dark Sky Ordinance. 

The most prominent changes are reducing the number of lighting zones from three to two and updating the preferred lighting source from low-pressure sodium lights to narrow-spectrum amber LEDs. These changes require lumens on existing residential property, new development or any 25% increase in use to adhere to the new ordinance. 

The ordinance aims to regulate outdoor lighting with light output restrictions, light fixture standards and time limits. Proposed changes are modifying standards that have evolved since the ordinance was established in the early 1980s.

No costs are associated with the updated county ordinance beyond purchasing a lighting permit, which is required to install, modify or replace an outdoor light fixture except for single-family residential use. Lighting permits were required in the previous ordinance as well.

These amendments will conserve energy while minimizing light pollution, light trespass and negative impacts on wildlife. They also ensure proper operation of Lowell Observatory and The United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS), located within Coconino County. 

Jess McNeely, assistant director and planning manager for the Coconino County Planning and Zoning Division, was part of the team that created the new ordinance.

McNeely said it is good practice to keep development codes updated with current technology and community needs. The outdated technology McNeely refers to is low-pressure sodium lights, which are no longer produced and have been phased out by narrow-spectrum amber LEDs throughout the county.

Low-pressure sodium lights and narrow-spectrum amber LEDs have a similar warm yellow-orange tone, but LEDs last longer, do not dim over time and are more energy efficient.  

“These updated regulations will affect homeowners and business owners by giving them better and more clear guidelines for outdoor lighting,” McNeely said. “Business owners, homeowners and community members, it gives us all the benefits of enjoying our dark skies.”

Other Stories:

Prescribed burns scheduled for the fall in Flagstaff

Coconino National Forest modifies prescribed burn dates and acreage

Former Navajo Nation president announces run for Congress

Two Flagites appointed to ACA Governing Commission

Police Beat Nov. 27-Dec. 3: Medical requests and snowballs