
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 11, 1990                   TAG: 9003112530
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.                                 LENGTH: Medium

DAYTONA WARY OF SPRING BREAK

Ah, spring: When young folks' fancies lightly turn to thoughts of suds, sex, sunburn, loud music, wet T-shirt and belly flop contests at this, "The World's Most Famous Beach."

A local task force, hoping this year to minimize the bacchanalian havoc wrought by 400,000 booze-guzzling collegians, is trying to slow down the fast times with a campaign to "Party Smart" in Daytona.

"The theme means enjoy yourself, have a great time, be safe, go home safe and having had a wonderful time, come back in 1991," said Ray Eddy, chairman of the task force.

Police Chief John Kirvan said laws barring alcohol on the beach will be strictly enforced, and his officers will take a "no-nonsense approach to drinking and rowdyism."

Little else has changed in this year's student pilgrimage, which began in early March and continues through mid-April.

MTV, the cable TV music channel which helped establish the area as a spring break mecca, is returning. So is Playboy magazine, National Lampoon and the rock concerts, product displays, beauty pageants and sporting events. Breweries, automakers and sun product companies will vie for student attention. This year, condom manufacturer Carter-Wallace Inc. will introduce "Trojan Man" to promote the need for safe sex.

And there's 28 miles of hard-packed beach, where each year the swimsuits of men and women get a little more daring and ogling is a popular pastime for both sexes.

Daytona Beach has been the spring break mecca for sun-starved Northern college students for about three years, since Fort Lauderdale let it be known that spring breakers were no longer welcome.

Last year, some Daytonans grew tired of drunken excesses, property destruction, under-age drinking, gridlocked traffic and public urination. They urged officials to pull in the welcome mat.

Hoping to keep the economic boon that will put an estimated $120 million into the local economy this year, the Daytona Beach Spring Break Festival Task Force was formed to make the partying more bearable for the locals.

by CNB