Horosho,

I'm not really sure what you're getting at with the letters to the editor

I was posting the letters to the editors as simple follow ups to the both stories (not just the one about pot).  I was not trying to get at anything.

 

but probably not since pot is pretty readily available without resorting to the corner in OTR/Pendleton).

Well I wouldn't know, I haven't seen the map to any of these on any business cards yet.

 

Let me ask you a question.  Since you can currently make this call about a crack deal, which the UC study indicated was the prevalent drug in these markets and which is a felony to possess, how has this affected the flow of drugs in your neighborhood

Well you don't see my sector on that list.  So I guess our increased attention to the the "drug" problem is making a difference.  That being said, we did call in approx 6 months ago on a person who was at 88 Mulberry, across from the Frintz St steps purchasing crack from a dealer who lived at 93 Mulberry.  Street Corner was called and they showed up and arrested the 21 year old, white male from Ind and did find a crack rock in the seat of his car.  He was released.  The prosecutor said it was not worth the time to prosecute someone with that small of an amount of crack.  He was released, and somehow so was the name of myself and my neighbor who called, his attorney came to my home and spoke face to face with my wife.  The dealer dissapeared that day, he was on his way to get more for this buyer while he waited. He was in possesion of crack and was let go, this simply adds to the frustration.  Now was I looking to ruin the life of a guy with an Indiana University sticker in the window of his Jeep Grand Cherokee?  No, but he ruined mine and my neighbors for a while.  The law was in place, the enforcement was exercised, but the penalty was non existant.  What message does this send?

 

the neighborhood to coordinate with Street Corner, documenting times, license plates, locations, etc, and street corner conduct a reverse sting.

Already done, in my sector we have regular reverse stings at Rothenburg.  Don does surveillance on buildings and we send in undercover buyers.  Street corner and neighborhood officers are on speed dial of most residents.  We turn in reports the last Wed of every month to Captain Jones documenting license plates, individual descriptions, hot spot locations, addresses of known drug houses, we have watch list of released drug buyers and sellers who frequent our sector, we have had in the past three months increased police presence due to death threats against residents by dealers.  We have begun an inventory of all pay phones in our sector to have them removed.  We are trying now to get cameras in the sector, several houses, including mine, are already equipped. Drugs, whatever kind, and which ever side of the buy/sell equation has forced a pseudo police state in my community, and yes, it is frustrating.

 

I would be curious how many times a car has been stopped from this sort of call.

 

We have stopped many cars after calls like this.  When the call is placed the question is never asked, nor can we confirm what drug is being purchased.  I never walk up to a dealer and ask what products he is pushing.  All I know is that there is a "drug" deal on the street.  I assume you live in OTR (and even if you don't) you must realize that we are in a situation here that can not afford to split hairs.  If a drug, whatever drug it is, is being bought or sold in our community it must be stopped.  I would like to see a zero tolerance policy across the board that stands strong against sales or possesion because I have learned my lessons in the past on being in support of dismissing one thing while criminalizing another.  For example, if Nate Livingston is lurking around on these boards the first thing he would say to this separation in the law is that it is racist, with the dealers predominantly black, the purchasers predominantly white, you are holding the two races to two different standards. (please do not take that statement as legitimatizing Nate Livingston)

Should a 65 year old grandmother with Glaucoma be subject to jail for using the best relief she has been able to find?

I am willing to make you a deal, the next time I see a glaucoma patient swerving down Mulberry to buy pot, I will not call on them.  But the fact is, that isn't who is buying.  I do not care if you purchase your pot in another community, I do not care if you consume it in your home, but do not come to OTR to buy and then smoke it in the car down the street from where you purchased it.  The frustration is high and getting higher, the consequence will not be an ordinance but a confrontation, this is what I would like to avoid.

We as a community will not let the thugs and dealers win; we will outfox them; we will brute-force them; and we will move them on

This is not my quote, but a sentiment that is echoed throughout our community.

 

 

I appreciate the debate on this, and it is interesting to hear both sides and how it may have unintended consequences in the future for some, however I and the OTR community are hip deep into this and live in a community that has been ravaged by the drug trade.  I realize that I may have an extreme position, but we are in an extreme situation.

Welcome to Corryville, the flavor of the week:

 

 

PHOTO: Dominic Berardi, University of Cincinnati student body vice president, was across the street from a shooting early Sunday. UC has the second-highest rate of serious crime among nine Ohio and Kentucky schools.  The Enquirer/Craig Ruttle

 

Just how safe are students at UC?

Weekend shootings leave many upset, scared

BY EILEEN KELLEY AND LORI KURTZMAN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITERS

 

University of Cincinnati police recently applauded a drop in crime on campus and in nearby neighborhoods, citing neighborhood initiatives and campus leaders who have made the issue a top priority.

 

But a drive-by shooting early Sunday that wounded two men after a student dance - just hours after a teen was shot to death at an off-campus bar a few blocks away - raises new questions about how safe students are here.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/NEWS01/603080362/1056/rss02

 

What do they mean by on-campus? They own the street?

Just how safe are students at UC?  None of this weekend's victims were UC students.

What do they mean by on-campus? They own the street?

 

McMicken Circle, they probably do...I mean, if "they" is U.C. - not sure if I misunderstood you...

--------

 

"A gunman fired about a dozen shots at the two, identified as Jahmon Borders, 19, and Whitney Morrissette, 21. The gunman got into his car, drove about 50 feet and fired another dozen times."

 

Damn...

The Enquirer chose to exploit two unfortunate crimes when crime statistics around UC have been down over the year and to push the knife in even further they put it on the front page with the caption, “How safe are students at UC?” Seems like Eileen Kelley, Lori Kurtzman and the rest of the Enquirer staff writers have an agenda. Our media loves to play “scare journalism”.

 

When I lived in St. Louis a city similar in size, they were proud when crime dropped under 200 murders and in Cincinnati you will get front page articles like, “CINCINNATI STILL DANGEROUS”. The Enquirer picks Kentucky & Indiana to compare when the last time I checked Kentucky & Indiana don’t have anything close to Cincinnati in terms of urban infrastructure and environment and yes that includes Indy & Louisville. I would be interested to see how UC compares to an urban campus like St. Louis University in terms of crime in the surrounding area. Both campuses are urban, both cities have extensive urban infrastructure and the city population of both cities hover around 320K.

 

The media and lack of quality journalism in this city is the real story. You wonder why Cincinnatians are a cynical bunch? Lack faith and pride in their city? It is because the shitty newspapers of the region have been filling people’s heads with this trash.

 

I moved to Cincinnati because I loved the city, loved the grit, loved the urban environment and walkable businesses districts. I have strolled these districts with my young daughter without fear. Yet I am continually reminded how negative people in this city can be about the city as a whole. The reactions I get when people find out that my daughter was walking in Over-the-Rhine this weekend or the look on kids faces during a field trip to the City Museum when they see Carew Tower for the first time and you hear “wow” from their mouths throughout the bus. That is the real tragedy, the lack of culture that kids are growing up with while their parents instill fear into them like a disease then come home with the morning newspaper with big captions like “How safe are UC students”.

 

Monte,

 

I agree. It is unfortunate that this happened, however tremendous progress is being made, not only at UC but throughout downtown and OTR. People seem to have a greater comfort level in maintaining their long opinions of the area vs accepting the fact that things are changing. I feel that a lot of people have moved out of the city and want to be reassured they made the right decision and therefor jump on every negative story that comes out of downtown.

 

It is funny that we not only make news about the crime that happens down here but are accused of exporting the crime also.  Monte, we are only going to win this fight with time.  Eventually people will have to come to terms with the fact these historically stigmatized communities are coming back.

Monte...did you copy and paste from your Cincinnati Blog post?  ;)

 

---

Here's the follow-up on the meeting:

 

 

PHOTO: University of Cincinnati students Jared Brandyberry (left) and Jeremy Gault listen to resident John James talk about how Clifton Heights has changed.  The Enquirer/ Sarah Conard

 

Neighbors gather for a safer UC

Shootings spur interest in six-month-old group

BY LORI KURTZMAN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

The shooting had happened days ago, just down the street. Now Peter Block was in the cafeteria at Hughes High School, standing in front of a group of about 80 college students and area residents who wanted to know how to make this a safer place.

 

"Ultimately," said Block, an author and consultant, "what prevents crime is a neighborhood where people know and care about the place and each other."

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/NEWS01/603090361/1056/rss02

 

From the 3/11/06 Enquirer:

 

 

PHOTO: Floyd Robinson, 11, was one of two children shot Thursday on Reading Road near Hutchins in Avondale. He was recovering at home Friday.  The Enquirer/Glenn Hartong

 

Neighbors decry shootings

2 young victims had been sent to store for soap and bleach

BY WILLIAM A. WEATHERS | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

AVONDALE - Police weren't discussing any motive Friday for a shooting the evening before that wounded two young children on the way home from the store.

 

But 59-year-old Avondale resident Earl Foley said he had a good guess what the motive was.

 

"It's just about drugs," Foley said as he stood on Reading Road near where the shooting occurred.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060311/NEWS01/603110440/1056/rss02

 

Monte - AMEN

 

MichaelRedmon - you know how I feel about what you guys are doing

 

Everyone else - support downtown and OTR - mostly, get down there, there is something to do almost every week, many activities over the year for all age groups and interests.  (I know I'm preaching to the UrbanOhio choir)

 

 

the problem seems simple and complicated, all at the same time.....

From the 3/11/06 Enquirer:

But 59-year-old Avondale resident Earl Foley said he had a good guess what the motive was.

 

"It's just about drugs," Foley said as he stood on Reading Road near where the shooting occurred.

 

Unruly youths being watched

Court opening substations

 

BY KIMBALL PERRY

 

Tashia Earley, snipping and weaving the hair of the customer in her chair, admits she's tired of the groups of teens hanging around her College Hill business.

 

"They stand in front of the salon, which intimidates some of my clients," the owner of T's Signature Styles on Cedar Avenue said. "Their mouths are so foul."

 

Earley dreads summer because with no school she fears more teens will "post up" - slang for stand around - in front of her salon mouthing off and causing problems.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060313/NEWS01/603130345

Borgman's cartoon yesterday was REALLY helpful to the cause of people trying to promote Cincinnati living:

 

 

:roll:

 

Unfortunately, exaggerating Cincinnati's crime problem doesn't make more people want to get involved and figure out solutions, it just makes more people complain and move out...or never move here in the first place.

Well the pot ordinance appears to be a done deal.  Luckily Berding added 2 things that make sense, a sunset clause and a pretty comprehensive study of the effects of this change.  I still think that it's terrible ordinance and that lives will be changed for the worse by convictions over the year that the ordinance is in effect but I'm glad somebody had the good sense to try to use actual <b>facts</b> to decide policy.  What a novel concept....

I am happy with the one year, if I am wrong, I will be more than happy to admit it after that year is up.  However I am happy to see that the counsil is moving in the right direction (in my opinion at least).

good grief...that cartoon. 

 

 

^Yeah, really...I mean, that's pretty overtly racist stuff...

my monthly invitation to anyone who would like to attend (you do not have to live in the sector to attend and we all generally go down to Main St for dinner afterwards so at least come for the food.)

 

The Mulberry & McMicken Safety Sector Meeting is held on the 4th Wednesday of the Month.

 

The next Mulberry & McMicken Safety Sector is this Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at Milton’s Tavern 301 Milton Street.

Representatives from District One Police, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and the OTR Chamber will be present.

 

Remember this is your opportunity to continue to share concerns, and accomplishments as we all work together to make OTR a safe and clean community.

 

So mark your calendars for this important Neighborhood Meeting and bring a neighbor.

 

 

M. R. - what is the meeting time?

This appeared in the 3/19/06 Enquirer:

 

 

PHOTO: Lakeisha Thompson appeared at an anti-violence community forum at Carmel Presbyterian Church.  The Enquirer/Tony Jones

 

PHOTO: Lakeisha's mother, Zondia Mace, urged the shooter to come forward Saturday.  The Enquirer/Tony Jones

 

Shooting victim, 12, at forum

BY FEOSHIA HENDERSON | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

AVONDALE - A bullet is still lodged in 12-year-old Lakeisha Thompson's upper thigh where she was hit during an apparent drive-by shooting last week.

 

But Saturday, she was well enough to sit with her mother Zondia Mace in the front row of an anti-violence community forum at Carmel Presbyterian Church. She'll be going back to school Monday.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060319/NEWS01/603190397/1077

 

I don't know if it will result in a whole lot of action but the fact that 60 people came together to discuss the problems and solutions, shows that there are some people that really care. "You need to turn yourself in" ...what a pointlesss comment lol.

From the 3/26/06 Enquirer:

 

 

Kennedy Heights rally opposes crime

BY LORI KURTZMAN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

KENNEDY HEIGHTS - They pause at the corner convenience store, a few feet from where the stabbing happened. They've stopped singing. Rain begins to fall. Pastor Eric White grabs a megaphone.

 

"As everyone knows, this is the location," White shouts to the group of 40 people who've joined him for a demonstration along Kennedy Avenue.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060326/NEWS01/603260417/1056/rss02

 

^ I think that's cool as hell. It's about time people stand up and fight for their homes and neighborhood. They could sit back and watch the news and complain, or they could move ... but the people are doing what they feel like will work and they do it with hope! God bless people like this! ;)

Hey look the guy who killed the guy in the Walnut Hills shootout has an ear growing on his neck.  :argue: :argue:

From the 3/30/06 Cincinnati Post:

 

 

Council OKs tougher pot penalty

By Joe Wessels

Post contributor

 

In a move that supporters claimed would give police more crime-fighting powers, City Council passed an ordinance Wednesday to make possession of small amounts of marijuana punishable by fines and jail time.

 

For first-time offenders, the measure makes the possession of less than 200 grams a fourth-degree misdemeanor, with maximum penalties of 30 days in jail and a $250 fine. Subsequent offenses would be a first-degree misdemeanor, with maximum penalties of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060330/NEWS01/603300353/1010/RSS01

 

Thomas' reasoning is idiotic & the legislation is poor and sloppy.

and

How will we ever be able to measure the effectiveness in 1 year ?

and

Where the hell is Streicher finding 100 gram cigarettes ?

At the risk of re-opening the whole can of worms, I don't think the marijuana ordinance is targeted at busting people smoking weed in their homes.  People are too worried that this is gonna mess up their having a little fun.  I seriously doubt this ordinance will ruin the casual weedsmoker's life unless he's smoking out on the street or carelessly displaying weed in public. 

 

I see this ordinance as more of an end around to take guns and harder drugs off the street, as well as a way to raise the water mark for drug laws in the area.  Making marijuana possession an arrestable offense gives police a very potent weapon called search incident to arrest.  This allows them to search people they could not search before without probable cause. 

 

Now whether this is right or wrong is arguable and I will not get into it.  Whether or not the police will use this for good or to harass is another issue as well.  But we will know this legislation's effect in a year.  Under the Collaborative Agreement, Cincinnati police have to fill out paperwork detailing each arrest.  So we will plenty of empirical data to test whether goals are met.

how many murders in cincy so far this year?

 

Louisville isn't doing so good either.

 

(warning) the video is disturbing

http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=4712980

how many murders in cincy so far this year?

 

Louisville isn't doing so good either.

 

(warning) the video is disturbing

http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=4712980

Ten murders so far this year.. only one in OTR though surprisingly, and none in West End.

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/police/downloads/police_pdf13364.pdf heres a list of neighborhoods and number of crimes

Close Call For Officers In Alley

Reported by: 9News

Web produced by: Mark Sickmiller

Photographed by: 9News

First posted: 4/5/2006 5:47:48 PM

 

Two Cincinnati Police officers had a close call with an armed suspect Tuesday night.

 

------------------------

 

So our officers have to use tasers when the suspects are using guns? Christ, at least one of them should have had a real weapon out to shoot the motherf$&ker the second he pulled the gun.

POLICE BRUTALITY! lol

how many murders in cincy so far this year?

 

Louisville isn't doing so good either.

 

(warning) the video is disturbing

http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=4712980

Wait it said the guy grabbed the passenger door, that's when the driver took off. A good lawyer can get him off. I would have took off too in such a bad area.

This appeared in the 3/19/06 Enquirer:

 

 

PHOTO: Lakeisha Thompson appeared at an anti-violence community forum at Carmel Presbyterian Church.  The Enquirer/Tony Jones

 

PHOTO: Lakeisha's mother, Zondia Mace, urged the shooter to come forward Saturday.  The Enquirer/Tony Jones

 

Shooting victim, 12, at forum

BY FEOSHIA HENDERSON | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

AVONDALE - A bullet is still lodged in 12-year-old Lakeisha Thompson's upper thigh where she was hit during an apparent drive-by shooting last week.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060319/NEWS01/603190397/1077

 

 

and they get even younger...sad 3-Year-Old Boy Recovering After Shooting, Police Looking For Suspects

 

 

Second Suburban Resident Killed In Over The Rhine

 

 

 

Police are warning people who live in the suburbs that coming to Cincinnati to buy drugs is a "bad move" after another suburban resident was shot to death in Over The Rhine Wednesday night.

 

 

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/04/06/murders.html

 

Something upsets me here. Wtf a warning for someone from the suburbs? Do they think people are stupid? Why not warn your own residents first??????????????

Police are warning people who live in the suburbs that coming to Cincinnati to buy drugs is a "bad move"

 

WTF?  How about people don't buy drugs anywhere.  How about people from the city stop buying drugs in West Chester.  That is such an asinine comment.

I think the phrasing of that statement is just a response to this week's killings - both victims were from the 'burbs.

You know what the funny thing is, they are telling everyone else what's going on, yet the thugs don't watch the news and read the newspapers. They need to patrol the streets. Cincinnati had 12 murders in 2000. Something has changed since then.

Cincinnati had 12 murders in 2000. Something has changed since them.

umm..that's pretty strange. Even relatively safe cities the same size would have a lot more murders than that.

12?? how sure are you of that number unusualfire? I knew the number was low but I seem to remember somewhere in the 30's or 40's...I could be completely wrong, however.

12?? how sure are you of that number unusualfire? I knew the number was low but I seem to remember somewhere in the 30's or 40's...I could be completely wrong, however.

I looked it up. Cincinnati police don't have records on their website further back than 3 years but I found 2 sites, one said 15 for that year (city-data.com) and another said 20 something. Both are really hard to believe and I don't understand why different sites would be inconsistent like that. Maybe they're hiding a lot of data to look like they're doing a better job? Is that possible? I guess it would hard to get away with that though. It seems to me that if a city suddenly sees their murder rate quadruple in a matter of a few years, they would launch a huge investigation to find out what caused the sudden influx of crime. What I find strange though, is if you look at the number of assaults each year, they are pretty consistent while everything else increases, especially murders.

I never thought the 71 murders was that much anyway, compared to other cities.

""If you are from the suburbs and coming downtown to buy drugs or anything of that nature you need to rethink your actions. That's a bad move," said Captain Kimberly Frey of Cincinnati Police."

 

I thought the increased penalties for pot possesion were supposed to take care of this.

12?? how sure are you of that number unusualfire? I knew the number was low but I seem to remember somewhere in the 30's or 40's...I could be completely wrong, however.

I looked it up. Cincinnati police don't have records on their website further back than 3 years but I found 2 sites, one said 15 for that year (city-data.com) and another said 20 something. Both are really hard to believe and I don't understand why different sites would be inconsistent like that. Maybe they're hiding a lot of data to look like they're doing a better job? Is that possible? I guess it would hard to get away with that though. It seems to me that if a city suddenly sees their murder rate quadruple in a matter of a few years, they would launch a huge investigation to find out what caused the sudden influx of crime. What I find strange though, is if you look at the number of assaults each year, they are pretty consistent while everything else increases, especially murders.

I never thought the 71 murders was that much anyway, compared to other cities.

 

wow, thats damn near seattle status.

Since the riots the murders has SKYROCKETED. I wonder different policy's they are using now than they did in 2000.

<i>What's the harm with a little drug dealing, no one is getting hurt, oh wait . . I think the dealers need to starting opening satellite offices in suburbs - one in West Chester, Mason, another in Florence - their profits would soar.</i>

 

<b>Dopers warned: OTR deadly</b>

 

By Peggy Kreimer

Post staff reporters

ADVERTISEMENT

 

Cincinnati police have a warning for people who come to the city's toughest neighborhood to buy drugs: You could wind up dead.

 

In three days this week, three people who drove to Race Street to buy drugs have been shot, two fatally.

 

Two of the victims were from Northern Kentucky, including Matthew Cox, 20, of Florence, who was shot in his car at 1415 Race shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday. He was the city's 23rd homicide this year.

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060407/NEWS01/604070342

"People say it's dangerous to go to downtown Cincinnati, but this isn't happening in downtown, it's happening in Over-the-Rhine," said Frey.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

She said descriptions of the shooters could point to the same man.

 

The descriptions are vague: a black man, between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall, 120 pounds, average build, dark skinned, age 23 to 25, with a thin line of beard around his jaw line.

 

 

 

This almost sounds like some kind of Jack the Ripper type of thing - targeting drug users instead of prostitutes.

She said descriptions of the shooters could point to the same man.

 

The descriptions are vague: a black man, between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall, 120 pounds, average build, dark skinned, age 23 to 25, with a thin line of beard around his jaw line.

 

 

 

This almost sounds like some kind of Jack the Ripper type of thing - targeting drug users instead of prostitutes.

 

That's what I find interesting too. It sounds like another guy did the shooting while a deal was in progress. Granted, it could be someone working for the dealer, but that would be poor business sense.

I was on Main street aroun 7:15 PM parked by Donatos, I looked up and saw a string of cars, about 7 cars deep --pimped out Impalas, Monte Carlos, typical gangster whips and the first car was swerving through all the lanes and had his horn beeping continuously while the other cars were following close behind him and they all ran the redlights without even slowing down. It looked reeeeaally interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk8Jz7F4fXg&search=swang