February 16, 201411 yr Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers. -Plato, like 2000 years ago
February 17, 201411 yr We may hear about another incident near the Xecutive Lounge again. I live around the corner, heard what sounded like a gunshot about 15 mins ago. The police arrived shortly after and started to block traffic. Time to close down that toilet. This address (1222 Prospect Ave) and all those on either side of it including to the point at Bolivar are owned by RTN Ltd. which in in turn lists to Robert T. George. http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/reports/rwservlet?imgc&Din=201014401070 The company has its offices at 18605 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH, which is the same address as Harry Buffalo, a restaurant chain owned by convicted felon Tony George. Tony gives LOTS of campaign contributions to politicians which has kept him out of trouble, including at a reggae club in the Flats called Splash where his partner, Blaise Brucato, went to prison in the 1990s because Jamaicans were dealing drugs from the club. George wasn't touched. Sounds like the Xecutive Lounge is his or his family's latest contribution to the quality of life in Greater Cleveland. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 17, 201411 yr We may hear about another incident near the Xecutive Lounge again. I live around the corner, heard what sounded like a gunshot about 15 mins ago. The police arrived shortly after and started to block traffic. Time to close down that toilet. This address (1222 Prospect Ave) and all those on either side of it including to the point at Bolivar are owned by RTN Ltd. which in in turn lists to Robert T. George. http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/reports/rwservlet?imgc&Din=201014401070 The company has its offices at 18605 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH, which is the same address as Harry Buffalo, a restaurant chain owned by convicted felon Tony George. Tony gives LOTS of campaign contributions to politicians which has kept him out of trouble, including at a reggae club in the Flats called Splash where his partner, Blaise Brucato, went to prison in the 1990s because Jamaicans were dealing drugs from the club. George wasn't touched. Sounds like the Xecutive Lounge is his or his family's latest contribution to the quality of life in Greater Cleveland. I didn't see any ambulances called before the police dispersed, so luckily no one seemed to be hurt. Probably just someone showing off their gun after the club closed. It does seem like this place keeps the police busy though. We'll probably see more details in the blotter. EDIT: Fixed quote, apparently I'm bad at using the mobile app.
February 17, 201411 yr So I took the kids down to the GLSC today and while on the way back to E9th, I saw two cop cars in front of the RRHOF. One was a Mentor squad car. The other was from Strongsville. There was a guy getting cuffed. I thought WTF is going on before realizing they are likely doing a prisoner exchange..... which made me say WTF. C'mon... they can't find a better place than right outside our top tourist attraction to do that?
February 17, 201411 yr Call City of Cleveland, I would think they could/should call the two police depts in question.
February 17, 201411 yr ^^ Talk to any law enforcement officer and they will most likely tell you that today the youth is much more confident and not afraid of punishment. It's the juvenile justice system that's unaccountable. We need to come up with a way to make case dispositions public record, even if the identity of perps is kept confidential. Judges now can talk tough and do the opposite. The only people who know about case dispositions are the family and friends of defendants.
February 17, 201411 yr So I took the kids down to the GLSC today and while on the way back to E9th, I saw two cop cars in front of the RRHOF. One was a Mentor squad car. The other was from Strongsville. There was a guy getting cuffed. I thought WTF is going on before realizing they are likely doing a prisoner exchange..... which made me say WTF. C'mon... they can't find a better place than right outside our top tourist attraction to do that? That's BIZARRE! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 17, 201411 yr So I took the kids down to the GLSC today and while on the way back to E9th, I saw two cop cars in front of the RRHOF. One was a Mentor squad car. The other was from Strongsville. There was a guy getting cuffed. I thought WTF is going on before realizing they are likely doing a prisoner exchange..... which made me say WTF. C'mon... they can't find a better place than right outside our top tourist attraction to do that? That's BIZARRE! That is bizarre and ridiculous also. It's obvious that the Mentor cop wanted to meet near a parking lot by the Shoreway exit ramp, but C'mon people. Like Hts said, this is our top tourist attraction in the city.
February 17, 201411 yr Again, I'm assuming it was a transfer, but that is a safe bet. It wasn't a parking lot. It was right there on Erieside Ave.... about 100ft west of E9th, right in front of the RRHOF courtyard
February 18, 201411 yr Again, I'm assuming it was a transfer, but that is a safe bet. It wasn't a parking lot. It was right there on Erieside Ave.... about 100ft west of E9th, right in front of the RRHOF courtyard Could you tell who was delivering vs. receiving the prisoner? At what time did this occur? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 18, 201411 yr No, I couldn't tell. It was right before 5pm, when the museums were closing and people were flowing out, which made it worse. I've put in a call to someone I know at City Hall, which is closed today
February 19, 201411 yr I suppose this could go in the "Local Media" thread, but since we've been discussing it here, might as well close it off here. Good for him. Too bad the damage is already done and largely irreversible. You're not going to see this follow up on 99% of the outlets that engaged in their own special brand of sensationalism.... Cleveland veteran assaulted downtown calls media portrayal of incident 'disgusting' http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/02/cleveland_veteran_attacked_in.html
March 17, 201411 yr http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/03/crime_in_urban_neighborhoods_t.html#incart_river
March 17, 201411 yr Looks like near east is safer than near west! :-P Cleveland police: 66 rapes, 13 homicides in city since Jan. 1 Second District officers responded to the most rapes, 21, and the most homicides, 5, according to police. The Fourth District logged the most robberies, 113, the most felonious assaults, 65, and the most burglaries, 277. Third District officers responded to the fewest rapes, 9, and no homicides. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/03/cleveland_police.html
March 21, 201411 yr I'm surprised no mention of this horrific beating right on the edge of downtown.... especially considering all the media attention and discussion generated from the other incident (discussed above) with the veteran that resulted in no significant injuries. http://fox8.com/2014/03/19/father-thanks-good-samaritan-for-helping-son-after-bus-stop-beating/
March 21, 201411 yr The vet hate crime got absolutely no Cleveland.com/PD publicity for over a week other than the commenters protesting the news blackout. And when they did write an article, it was considerably muted.
March 21, 201411 yr But it got plenty of run on here and by the news stations, as well as plenty of national coverage....... and even the vet was dismayed at the coverage it did get. I think you are making an incorrect assumption. Were the assailants charged with a hate crime? I know one of the girls who was filming it allegedly yelled something which could be considered racial, but that doesn't mean it was a 'hate crime'..... i.e. motivated by race. Just because the combatants were of a different race does not mean that the crime was a hate crime. Regardless, the grown vet jogged away from that incident. This kid is (or at least was) in ICU.
March 21, 201411 yr Didn't see this story until now, but I don't watch the news and haven't kept up on internet news lately either. Terrible though. This did happen at East 18th and St Clair though, which is not as surprising as Euclid and East 6th. This quote from the article seems like a stretch. "The downtown area where the student was attacked is a bustling business district during the day."
March 21, 201411 yr It's on the edge of a bustling business district, and apparently very near a school. I find it appaling that a kid went to school, walked to the bus stop, and then this happened and now he's in the ICU. It's just completely unacceptable to me.
March 22, 201411 yr I'm glad to hear somebody say its unacceptable. If only it came across as unacceptable to the Mayor, but you will never hear a peep out of him regarding such crime. There is a lot of this around CSU though. Lots of people getting beaten up by goupes of young thugs for their phones.
March 22, 201411 yr ^No, there's really not a lot of it. I went to CSU for 3 years at night for grad school and walked pretty far back & forth to my car. Never felt unsafe or like I was being watched. Barely ever saw a panhandler and never heard of any other grad students getting mugged. Yes, it happens, but not a lot
March 22, 201411 yr I'm glad to hear somebody say its unacceptable. If only it came across as unacceptable to the Mayor, but you will never hear a peep out of him regarding such crime. There is a lot of this around CSU though. Lots of people getting beaten up by goupes of young thugs for their phones. WTF does the Mayor getting his face on camera do to help anything? This line of argument makes no sense to me. If the Mayor had to make a statement every time someone got killed or assaulted, he wouldn't have time for much else. Does this one matter more because YOU heard about it?
March 22, 201411 yr I think we can fairly assume that a group of people beating a minor to a pulp and putting him in ICU is "unacceptable" to everyone. What's becoming increasingly unacceptable to me is how the cell phone companies are making out better than thee thieves in these incidents. It can't be that hard to build in some kind of remote kill-switch on the phones which would essentially make them worthless if stolen.
March 24, 201411 yr I think we can fairly assume that a group of people beating a minor to a pulp and putting him in ICU is "unacceptable" to everyone. What's becoming increasingly unacceptable to me is how the cell phone companies are making out better than thee thieves in these incidents. It can't be that hard to build in some kind of remote kill-switch on the phones which would essentially make them worthless if stolen. Or better yet, a tracker of some kind so that even if the phone is "wiped" it broadcasts an "I'm stolen" signal. I agree that Jackson getting his face on TV doesn't do much, but how about the cops getting a little bit proactive? Have some particularly young looking recruit wander around tapping away on his/her (specially equipped) phone, looking oblivious and clueless. The predators strike, and the hammer comes down. Make sure the little miscreants do some serious time, and the word spreads. The deterrent value could exceed the "clean up" value.
March 25, 201411 yr You would need a very young and vulnerable looking 'recruit'.... and even then, you would have to get 'lucky'. In years and years of walking around downtown tapping away at my cellphone, I've never felt the slightest bit threatened or approached in any way Killing the secondary market value is the much more cost effective and practical deterrent method
March 25, 201411 yr I'm surprised no mention of this horrific beating right on the edge of downtown.... especially considering all the media attention and discussion generated from the other incident (discussed above) with the veteran that resulted in no significant injuries. http://fox8.com/2014/03/19/father-thanks-good-samaritan-for-helping-son-after-bus-stop-beating/ My heart goes out to this kid (thankfully it appears he'll be OK), and thank goodness for the Good Samaritan, but it's irresponsible to report this area "downtown" because it's not.
March 25, 201411 yr St. Clair and E. 18th is on every map of Downtown Cleveland. Anyone going somewhere in the general area would call that downtown. When we go to Slymans, we go downtown.
March 25, 201411 yr You would need a very young and vulnerable looking 'recruit'.... and even then, you would have to get 'lucky'. In years and years of walking around downtown tapping away at my cellphone, I've never felt the slightest bit threatened or approached in any way Killing the secondary market value is the much more cost effective and practical deterrent method They're not mutually exclusive approaches, and by "recruit" I mean a police recruit, in the academy or just out.
March 29, 201411 yr Cleveland crime statistics show uptick in homicides, armed robberies, drop in other crimes: interactive graph CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Homicides and robberies with a gun in Cleveland are at longtime highs so far this year, but all other crimes are down, according to police. A little more than a week after City Councilman Zack Reed publicly decried the city's homicide totals as "out of control," Cleveland Police Thursday released statistics comparing several categories of crimes spanning through March 15 in each of the last seven years. According to the numbers, Cleveland police tallied 19 homicides through March 15, a 29 percent jump over the six-year average of 14.1. The uptick surpassed the 16 homicides in the same time period each of the last two years, and the highest since 2009's 21 killings. Robberies with a gun are up with more than 56 percent - 191 times this year, compared to 126 last year and a six-year average of 122. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/03/cleveland_crime_statistics_sho.html
May 2, 201411 yr http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/11/off-duty_cleveland_firefighter_1.html http://fox8.com/2014/05/02/firefighters-death-investigated-as-homicide/ Two department veterans killed in the last seven months.
May 3, 201411 yr About 10 minutes ago I got an automated phone call from CWRU security about a vague security situation on campus and to be alert. Just a few minutes ago I received an email that says shots have been fired and to barricade yourself in a secure location. At the very end of the message it says "TEST This is an exercise". I sure hope this is a screw up and not an actual situation.
May 3, 201411 yr I don't know the details but apparently there were shot(s) fired at Wade Park & E118. There was no threat to campus, I guess it was just close enough they wanted to be sure. Originally they thought it was in the North Residential Village nearby. EDIT: Apparently it was a group of juveniles. One of them pulled out a gun and shot it in the air to intimidate another group walking by, then as he was sticking it back into his waist, he accidentally shot one of his buddies in the thigh.
May 3, 201411 yr I'm honestly a little alarmed that the message ended with "TEST This is an exercise" if there were shots actually fired.
May 3, 201411 yr Not really sure where to put this, but here goes ... Police raid Friday opening at artist Loren Naji's Ohio City gallery; confiscate beer and wine By Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer May 3, 2014 Cleveland artist Loren Naji was seeking legal advice Saturday after state liquor agents raided an opening at his storefront gallery in Ohio City Friday night. He said in a telephone interview that agents confiscated roughly $600 worth of beer and $100 of wine from his gallery opening, which continued as a dry party after the authorities left. Naji said he had been charged with a first-degree misdemeanor for giving away beer, and that several lawyers had offered to defend him pro bono. “All I’m doing is trying to make the community vibrant and exciting, and I got this thrown at me,” he said ... ... More available at http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2014/05/police_raid_friday_night_openi.html
May 4, 201411 yr ^ The world is safer now. /s An Open Letter to Loren Naji Dear Loren: Please know that Cleveland's community of artists, musicians, writers, dancers, and actors, (who are also servers, bartenders, caterers, valets, teachers, caregivers & social workers); and the many local gallery operators, bar & restaurant owners, live music producers, art festival promoters, urban farmers, and small business owners (who also live in the neighborhood, take care of their property, support our schools, and don't benefit from tax breaks, tax funding, backroom land deals & code variances), are 100% behind you! You have done a wonderful job of renovating an aging building, providing an anchoring business on a neglected block, opening your studio and your gallery to the neighborhood, and simultaneously promoting established and emerging artists along with singers, songwriters and local bands. Your skill at using social networking, word of mouth, exceptional regular events, high quality print materials, and your own prowess as an artist, has attracted a growing cadre of regular attendees, interested visitors and potential patrons/investors from the outer ring suburbs and beyond. You have also used all of these many resources to support multiple nonprofit organizations by offering your space, and gifts of your own work, for fundraisers in support of important local, national and international causes. You, and the people that you have surrounded yourself with, are part of the true renaissance of Cleveland. Something that is, contrary to popular understanding, not based on chandeliers, but actual light; not coming from famous people visiting expensive hotels, but emerging from places where people have always lived and worked, and periodically invited others to visit. Together, we are the vibrancy, excitement, opportunity, sustainability, renovation, rehabilitation, and rebirth that everyone keeps talking about. When they say, "This is Cleveland," they mean places like Loren Naji Studio Gallery. Eventually folks will get this. Eventually the police, politicians, community development corporations, real estate developers, financial investors, and their legions of lawyers, will come to understand that the part of the community that is real, that changes lives, that is life, are folks like you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for the strength, tenacity, and open heart, that will allow you to continue your work despite the idiocy that wrecked a perfectly good community gathering, for no legitimate reason. Thank you for bringing together art, music, dance, poetry, photography, local food, fresh water, and some beer and wine to get the party started. Thank for being the artist, the entrepreneur and the good neighbor that you are. I'm looking forward to your next event, and the one after that... Jeffrey Bowen
May 5, 201411 yr ^Hahaha I'm sorry but I find that hilarious. You're not the only one. Karma, of sorts....
May 5, 201411 yr Not really sure where to put this, but here goes ... Police raid Friday opening at artist Loren Naji's Ohio City gallery; confiscate beer and wine By Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer May 3, 2014 Cleveland artist Loren Naji was seeking legal advice Saturday after state liquor agents raided an opening at his storefront gallery in Ohio City Friday night. He said in a telephone interview that agents confiscated roughly $600 worth of beer and $100 of wine from his gallery opening, which continued as a dry party after the authorities left. Naji said he had been charged with a first-degree misdemeanor for giving away beer, and that several lawyers had offered to defend him pro bono. “All I’m doing is trying to make the community vibrant and exciting, and I got this thrown at me,” he said ... ... More available at http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2014/05/police_raid_friday_night_openi.html This one actually showed up strong on my Facebook page, on a very bipartisan basis. (Tripartisan, really) First. one wonders who he failed to pay off. Then one remembers the existence of the "Ohio Investigative Unit", a state police division that focuses solely on alchohol related issues and like other agencies with narrow mandates, tends to get overzealous.
May 5, 201411 yr Again at a station (?).... http://fox8.com/2014/05/05/police-investigating-fatal-shooting-2/
May 5, 201411 yr First. one wonders who he failed to pay off. My bet is one of the neighboring watering holes reported him...
May 5, 201411 yr Again at a station (?).... http://fox8.com/2014/05/05/police-investigating-fatal-shooting-2/ That is awful news. Shot right in the head by an RTA station. That area is supposed to be on the rise too. What are the chances any arrests are made on this or anyone is charged....
May 5, 201411 yr Not really sure where to put this, but here goes ... Police raid Friday opening at artist Loren Naji's Ohio City gallery; confiscate beer and wine By Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer May 3, 2014 Cleveland artist Loren Naji was seeking legal advice Saturday after state liquor agents raided an opening at his storefront gallery in Ohio City Friday night. He said in a telephone interview that agents confiscated roughly $600 worth of beer and $100 of wine from his gallery opening, which continued as a dry party after the authorities left. Naji said he had been charged with a first-degree misdemeanor for giving away beer, and that several lawyers had offered to defend him pro bono. “All I’m doing is trying to make the community vibrant and exciting, and I got this thrown at me,” he said ... ... More available at http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2014/05/police_raid_friday_night_openi.html This one actually showed up strong on my Facebook page, on a very bipartisan basis. (Tripartisan, really) First. one wonders who he failed to pay off. Then one remembers the existence of the "Ohio Investigative Unit", a state police division that focuses solely on alchohol related issues and like other agencies with narrow mandates, tends to get overzealous. I hope he beats this. As we try to build our community and attract young people, the last thing we need is police raiding art gallery shows! If there was noise in the neighborhood I'm sure it could have been dealt with in a much different way.
May 5, 201411 yr Again at a station (?).... http://fox8.com/2014/05/05/police-investigating-fatal-shooting-2/ That is awful news. Shot right in the head by an RTA station. That area is supposed to be on the rise too. What are the chances any arrests are made on this or anyone is charged.... Checked his name and he has no criminal record in Cuyahoga County nor any civil cases. I was expecting some drug charges or frivolous tort claims, etc. But nothing. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 5, 201411 yr Not really sure where to put this, but here goes ... Police raid Friday opening at artist Loren Naji's Ohio City gallery; confiscate beer and wine By Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer May 3, 2014 Cleveland artist Loren Naji was seeking legal advice Saturday after state liquor agents raided an opening at his storefront gallery in Ohio City Friday night. He said in a telephone interview that agents confiscated roughly $600 worth of beer and $100 of wine from his gallery opening, which continued as a dry party after the authorities left. Naji said he had been charged with a first-degree misdemeanor for giving away beer, and that several lawyers had offered to defend him pro bono. “All I’m doing is trying to make the community vibrant and exciting, and I got this thrown at me,” he said ... ... More available at http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2014/05/police_raid_friday_night_openi.html This one actually showed up strong on my Facebook page, on a very bipartisan basis. (Tripartisan, really) First. one wonders who he failed to pay off. Then one remembers the existence of the "Ohio Investigative Unit", a state police division that focuses solely on alchohol related issues and like other agencies with narrow mandates, tends to get overzealous. I hope he beats this. As we try to build our community and attract young people, the last thing we need is police raiding art gallery shows! If there was noise in the neighborhood I'm sure it could have been dealt with in a much different way. I guess I just don't understand what he was doing wrong. Are you not allowed to throw an event with alcohol? Did he not get a permit he was supposed to obtain? He wasn't selling the booze, just offering it as part of an event. Are we going to raid CMA's solstice event now too? I'm missing something important to the story.
May 5, 201411 yr What I read from the story was that it was the surrounding neighbors complaining. But these are art gallery patrons, not 18 year old party animals. I'm sure there would have been some solution had he been given warning.
May 5, 201411 yr ^^I think there is a gray area when you are "giving away" beer at a business establishment. It sounds like the police stopped by, probably in response to a complaint, and told him not to accept tips for the beer. Then the state unit showed up an hour later. Despite the insinuations otherwise, let's not pretend this state unit would be out there solving murders and stopping robberies if they were not engaged in this raid. That's the type of knee-jerk commentary reaction which really distracts from the issues. Apparently, like I suspected, some neighbors called the police. It seems like this type of event is becoming more and more common in OC and Tremont and not everybody (for whatever grumpy-pants reason) is very fond of the scene.
May 5, 201411 yr Man found dead with trauma inside West Side apartment, Cleveland police investigate as homicide CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Homicide detectives are investigating the Sunday death of a 45-year-old man on the city's West Side. A resident in the Taris Square apartment complex at 3511 Bosworth Rd. called police about 3 p.m., after finding a neighbor dead inside his fourth-floor apartment, police said. Paramedics found the man unresponsive and pronounced him dead at the scene, police said. They also noticed evidence of trauma on his body and called Cleveland police's homicide unit, who have launched an investigation. The victim was identified as 45-year-old Michael A. Robinson, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office website. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/05/man_found_dead_with_trauma_ins.html
May 5, 201411 yr I guess I just don't understand what he was doing wrong. Are you not allowed to throw an event with alcohol? Did he not get a permit he was supposed to obtain? He wasn't selling the booze, just offering it as part of an event. Are we going to raid CMA's solstice event now too? I'm missing something important to the story. The first Cleveland.com article mentioned the lack of an F-2 permit: http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/05/state_agents_raid_west_side_ar.html However, based on a quick look at state law, I think that permit is only for non-profits (like museum events). As far as I can tell there's a gap in the permit menu, and if the state really wants to enforce things consistently, there needs to be a new class of permit for art galleries/salons/retail (i.e., where alcohol service is free and incidental to the sale of other products). http://www.com.ohio.gov/liqr/permitclasses.aspx
May 5, 201411 yr It sounds like this was the work of the “Ohio Investigative Unit”, a semi-obscure Department of Public Safety unit that focuses solely on issues involving alcohol or cigarettes. It was founded at approximately the minute Prohibition was repealed, which suggests it’s the legacy of downstate inspired efforts to enforce same in the face of the lakeshore area’s antipathy for the law and access to Canadian alcohol. Like most police units with narrow areas of jurisdiction, OIU zealously pushes the edges of the law in order to expand its power and profile. It should be disbanded, with those law enforcement issues truly requiring state government involvement being absorbed by the OHP. Hell, it sounds like the cops might have known about the raid in advance and were trying to look out for the gallery. So of course they are being crapt on by the ignorant.
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