Comment

Comment by Mark Sweetland on October 25, 2009 at 1:04am

All good ideas, Shawn. Let's see if we can start with one ... police enforcing no parking rules. By the end of Enterprise, people are parked illegally on all corners most of the time. When it's club time, always.

I had a new car that was one year old totallaled because I was coming out of Enterprise in the afternoon around 2:30 PM. It was impossible to see traffic with all of the illegally parked cars around the street corners. This was across from the post office. There is no enforcement of the existing laws. Let's pick one place to begin, and how about this?

Comment by Shawn on October 25, 2009 at 12:51am

There is a general state of lawlessness that exists on Thurston Road. We seriously need to get in control of things out there. As Anthony said in an earlier post, how are we expected to win at this game, if the other team is not playing by the rules? Even worst, creating the rules, and then changing them when we figure what they!

There needs to be an orchestrated effort that combines all aspects of Community, City, County, State, and Federal resources. This would be in the form of:

1. An organized group of citizens, which we have.

2. Aggressive enforcement of zero tolerance: NO parking on the side walks, NO parking in no parking zones, NO parking in bus stops, etc.

3. Aggressive "Notice and Order" code enforcement: NO littering, NO unregistered vehicles, NO parking on lawns, etc.

4. Small Business support: Foster Thurston Road Business Association involvement, Enhancement of building facades, Signage, proper lighting, and marketing.

5. Business Development: Incentives to locate or expand to Thurston Road

6. Encourage owner occupied housing.

7. Complete final phase of the Thurston Road design project.

8...

Comment by Mark Sweetland on October 25, 2009 at 12:28am

Adam,

I agree. The bar owners are simply trying to make a living. The man who owns the Thurston Grill is retired from Kodak, and he and his wife are former homeowners from here. They have little control over what happens in the street outside. I am not sure this even counts as points against that bar, as it happened in the street.

Comment by Adam McFadden on October 25, 2009 at 12:12am

The conversation was not quickly shut down when it came to bars my aim was to focus on one thing and grow from there. Too many times we attempt to tackle everything and end up doing nothing.

The bar the shooting happened at last night was Double Days. I have seen fights first hand and I am concerned about what damage they do to they community. We currently don't have anything but the point system and the ability to pull the entertainment liscence. That system has not worked and it leaves both sides frustrated. Police Presence is the best solution because it prevents things like shootings from happening. We are addressing that in the StreetWatch effort with RPD. But please understand we can not legislate bad behavior bars aren't to blame the people who decide to fight, sell drugs, shoot and kill are.

Comment by Mark Sweetland on October 25, 2009 at 12:10am

I certainly would never visit again at the one across from Enterprise, which was once a friendly neighborhood bar about 20 years ago. The last time I was there, a while back, I was assaulted in the back parking lot when I went out for a smoke. Lost part of a tooth, thanks to the two men who did not seem to want me there. Or they just enjoyed punching somebody. It was an issue related to who I am, and they were not tolerant.

Comment by Margy Meath on October 24, 2009 at 8:17pm

I know that when this issue was brought up at the first Thurston Street watch meeting that discussion related to concerns about 'the clubs' was very quickly closed down in terms of any conversation, yet it was clear to me from people in the room that the concerns are far bigger than I had previously known. I have yet to meet anyone who actually goes to these 'clubs' and the only people that I have heard about who have 'visited' have had a terrible experience..... so, WHY do they exist and WHO do they serve??

Comment by Anthony Fasolo on October 24, 2009 at 7:04pm

That was a thought that I've had all day but was holding back from words. I do know that when it comes to bars, that points get assessed against those buildings for being problems. I believe this happens when the police are called continuously and what not. How these points are assigned and what the governing body is that does this I'm unsure of. I do know that once a building reaches it's max of points, it can no longer be used as a bar location regardless of who owns it. The points are assigned to the building and not the owner. The reason being is that a site will often continue to attract it's previous problems regardless of who closes it and reopens it and this is a good thing. With all the garbage that I've heard about these bars taking place I'm really shocked that they are even open at all? I work at Muther's and if we had this kind of nonsense going on, we'd have been closed a long time ago. So I tend to believe in what you have stated, that it might be a case of connections.

Comment by Anthony Fasolo on October 24, 2009 at 5:57pm

I am so frustrated Margy. You always say exactly what I feel and I feel that as citizens we have no real power and that is what frustrates me. How do win a game playing by the rules, when your opponent cheats because they know they can.

Comment by Margy Meath on October 24, 2009 at 3:06pm

It's an idea Ant but I think it's probably dangerous given what seems to be regular happenings at these bars..... One neighbor just told me about a friend who was a patron and got 'held up' IN the bar. Another neighbor who came to the first street watch meeting spoke of seeing 'fights' almost every weekend - she called the police many times and got a 'slow' response. She also reported seeing 'women walking around in BIKINI's and HEELS soliciting men for sex'. We know that there are other shootings that have taken place in or just outside of the bars. The owner of Rite Aid has also complained of broken bottles, etc due to weekend activity...... on ANY given Friday or Saturday evening I've seen plenty of illegally parked cars on Thurston (i.e. on sidewalks, etc). and, take a ride down Thurston any Sunday/Monday morning and you're bound to see the TRASH that has been littered by people who congregate at the clubs on the weekends.
These kinds of issues on Thurston require a CITY/POLICE response - they are well beyond what a law abiding citizen can/should handle! I'd rather picket city hall, the mayors office or NSC and demand that something be done!

Comment by Anthony Fasolo on October 24, 2009 at 2:17pm

I know this may border on the line of ridiculous but I was wondering if actually picketing/demonstrating on a Friday night in front and around one of those places would wake up the owners a bit. I suppose this would only work if the amount of demonstrators was sizeable. If I could get a Friday off from work, I would definitely be there. I really think the residents of the ward need to start being much more vocal and visible en masse in response to these things but focus on the sources that we often complain about. An idea born from frustration.

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