MEDIA WATCHDOG

As the self-storage industry permeates our communities, it receives increasing attention from mainstream media outletsand not always favorably. As industry professionals, we should be aware of how self-storage is presented to the public. Media Watchdog is devoted to policing and summarizing general news coverage.

Explosive in Storage Disabled 

From Pensacola News-Herald, 7.12.06 

Several items were detonated by bomb-disposal specialists at the American Mini-Storage facility, Pensacola, Fla. Deputies are looking for the last tenant to occupy the unit where a red, 5-gallon gasoline container, tackle box and cloth bag were removed by a pair of robots. The container was wired to an electric light fixture triggered to detonate when the light was turned on. An employee cleaning the unit after a tenant was evicted saw the device and called police.

From The Sentinel & Enterprise, 7.25.06 

The owner of Self-Storage in Leominster, Mass., is suing the developer of the neighboring shopping center. The lawsuit, filed in a Worcester court, claims the developer tried to prevent Self-Storage owners from constructing an office on their own property. The suit alleges the developers objective was to place obstacles in the way so Self-Storage would sell the land at a distressed price. The corporation is suing for $250,000, according to court documents.

From WHAS 11, 7.21.06 

A man convicted of arson and manslaughter for his role in a fire at a self-storage warehouse that killed a Louisville firefighter in 1994 has been denied parole by the Kentucky Parole Board. It was the second time the man has come before the board since being sentenced to 25 years in prison for taking part in the fire that led to the death of Strawn Nutter. Nutter died after he fell through the roof of the burning building and was trapped inside.

From The Times-Herald, 7.13.06 

The Newnan, Ga., planning commission recommended approving a zoning request by Prime Ventures Corp. for 8.4 acres of land on which the owners intend to build a self-storage facility. Under the conditions placed on the property, nothing but a self-storage facility could be on the property, even if the venture failed, until the owners had the land rezoned.

From The Herald-Tribune, 7.14.06 

The Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority in Florida approved a new rate schedule for its self-storage business, University Self Storage. Universitys prices had been about 4 percent below the local market average. The new schedule will keep rates for units without air-conditioning about 2 percent below market, while those with air-conditioning will be 1 percent above the local average.

From The Journal, 7.28.06 

Harrington Self-Storage, in Harrington Del., is among several business donating funds to help the police department buy a new Labrador drug K-9. The department has been looking to get a dog since January 2004. Most of the funding for the dog and equipment came through business donations and a state grant.

From Philadelphia Daily News, 7.20.06 

Self-storage units appear to be the latest hiding place for drug dealers to stash their illicit goods. Philadelphia police announced they had seized more than 100 pounds of cocaine from a unit in a Northeast storage facility. The stash had a street value of $5.4 million. A similar raid six days earlier at the same place netted almost as much of the drug.

From The Express-Times, 7.6.06 

The Williams Township, N.J., zoning board has denied a variance for a proposed self-storage facility to double as a dealer for a truck-rental company. The applicant said one to four trucks at a time would have been parked in front of the facility. He had argued the parking location would provide customers with easy access to the truck and send the message that trucks are available. The boards two objections were that the trucks would act as large billboards and that they may not be in the best condition.