The White S90 Volvo reappears

Well, the car and driver covered in one of my recent posts seems to have reappeared in the neighborhood on the morning of August 27th. He parked his white Volvo on the north side of Chase just east of Ridge next to the alley. From my vantage point above the trees, I watched as the doo rag dude, without doo rag, exited the car. The camera was at work.

He headed toward the apartment building at Jarvis and Ridge. He wore his signature white t-shirt, but sported swimming trunks this morning. This is the one who lingered two Saturdays ago. As if in a trance, I departed to confirm my hunch. Behold, I discovered a Winnetka city sticker on the lower corner of his windshield.

Of course, we don't know that he is really from Winnetka with the city sticker. We don't know whether lives in the building. All we know is that he is at least visiting the building that he loitered in front of at a minimum. This time, I have the license plate.

Could it be that we are graced by the presence of an African American New Trier Graduate or Student who may feel obligated to drink his Old English 800 Malt Liquor at night at the corner of Jarvis and Ridge? Maybe he went to school at Northshore Country Day? I wonder if Winnetka's Finest would tolerate open alcohol in their neighborhoods? Perhaps, that is why he emigrates to Chicago from time to time. Illinois license plate G57 3923; look it up!

That Post Saturday Evening Post

The observations are in. The mob that decided to hang out in front of 7237-39 N. Ridge were looking for "white boy" on and off for about three hours It was unclear whether they were looking for 'a white boy' or someone named white boy. However, it seemed to be synonomous that evening. A hate crime? Perhaps!

Police were repeatedly called by many in the neighborhood. A group of neighbors claim that calls started coming in around 10:30pm. District 24 finally dispatched 5-6 police cars around 1a.m. Oh, one notable; a squad car stopped at the northeast corner of Ridge, Rogers and Touhy for about two seconds and drove off at about 10:15 p.m. It seemed to ignore the teens sharing the pint of brandy in front of 7237 N. Ridge acting as lookouts. Hmmm.

Residents report that the 25 to 30 visitors were on the property, in the alley or on its roof; allegedly an overstaying tenant is the cause celebre. Long Kogen Realty Strikes again with its impeccable management skills. L-K also gets the gardening award for the most decorated greenscape (I can't really call it a lawn, since there is no grass). The rye bread ornaments on the parkway sidewalk were a real treat last week!

So what is the deal with open alcohol. Should the law be repealed? What I noticed is that Police try to discourage 911 calls by what seems to me to be the intentional refusal to enforce the laws that need the most enforcement.

E-Town residents like to use Rogers Park for a stomping ground, when their Police Department is 'on to' them. Also, there are fewer abandoned and unsupervised apartments, among other distractions to frolic in, perhaps. I hope that Long Kogen has the brain power to change the locks on that apartment when the tenant finally departs. The written consensus on the Beat 2424 Board is that District 24 needs dedicated Beat cops walking the Beat, not just Beat cops doing mop up jobs and dispatching ambulances to St. Francis at 1:30 a.m.

DWB - Probable Cause to Frisk?

I appreciate that speeding and blowing stoplights present 'probable cause to stop and issue a traffic citation.' Yes, 'vocal belligerence' to Chicago's Finest is often a piss poor move. Okay, showing disrespect to a peace officer challenges that authority with few compromises to save face. Police are trained to take control of a situation. Yet, showing unnecessary disrespect to a disappointed African American by spreading his arms on the hood of a cruiser is overkill and unneeded theatrics.

'Driving while black' is not probable cause to frisk. I don't care how low the pants go or how long the t-shirt hangs. It is demeaning to get Chicago' Finest feeling you up. African Americans are forced more often to take the position. Why? We hear about the idea of questioning authority, but everything has a place and purpose. Discretion and grace sometimes pass in the night. Common Sense and education are not always in sync, when each needs to surface.

We view situations, but need to be objective. Respect and restraint are reciprocal virtues. Encouraging those virtues to kids and to adults makes sense. That is what those CAPs meetings are for. Otherwise, those who take the position of peace officer can breach the peace with disrespect just as easily as the teenager intent on expressing his frustration. Whether it was a stale green or a fire red light is best discussed in front of a Judge. Random acts of kindness in the form of a delayed warning, or two, rather than citations; think about it.

Just some objective thoughts on an observation this evening.

Ridge Incident Last Night

Other than the chatter on the Beat 2424, what really happened on Ridge Boulevard last night. We observed some groups of teens prowling and some idiots cussing, but I heard that Police did a mop up at about 1:30a.m. with an Ambulance. Does anyone have any information to share?

RP - Babies having Babies Abusing Babies, Who Abuse Babies; Role Models Welcome.

The endless cycle seems to unfold decade after decade. The child who you see being yelled at, impaled with fingernails, or dragged by the t-shirt collar on the sidewalk too often grows up to have a child as a youngster. As I watched the TiVo-ed 20/20 from last Friday entitled "Babyland." I earlier observed two African American teens walking side by side sharing a pint served up by a local mom and pop grocer. This afternoon another African American teen drove his bicycle on the sidewalk while cooking up a joint. What is known is that teens are more likely to get pregnant, when they are depressed. Seems like common sense.

Will those two teens find feasible fur this evening on Ridge Boulevard? Will she be a tween or teen ingenue? Will she be assaulted or inviting? Will her pastor push her to post-partum? In what type of condition will the fetus be born? What life will the infant lead? For how long? How much will hospitals financially bear before they go bankrupt? We know that fewer abusive mothers part with their kids unless DCFS intervenes. For those of us who have witnessed a DCFS baby farm, we also know that some foster parents (not all) abuse the privilege and also abuse the kids. How will this evening 'eventually end?'

Tonight, the inebriated teen boys cavort in front of 7241 N. Ridge at 10:30p.m. They may look for hispanic pelo de gatito. Perhaps, they are looking for an excuse to release some adrenalin with more proof than the police care to smell in one night. Maybe, there is hope that the metal love seat gets full antes de huele mal. Then, the opportunity to walk, put an arm around her, and pull out a few of those lifestyle condoms that may be tucked inside a jean pocket. More often, kids seem not to appreciate two words: "child support."

The cycle must be broken! Someone should begins to take control at Gale or Sullivan High School, among other places. Kids should not have kids. This is a cycle that breeds poverty, not privilege. For every second generation kid of a kid who makes it, there must be at least 500 who really don't. Where do those kids go?

Are the babies abused due to ignorance, end up ill, and on a stainless steel shelf at St. Francis or Childrens Memorial? Do they eventually end up at Audi Home or CCJ? Do they end up bleeding on a sidewalk, selling crack in tiny ziplocs, flipping burgers, or packing crates? Will they end up with some overwhelming student loan from some questionably uncompetitive college whose degree is as valuable as the mentality that leaves it? Where do the United Negro College Fund Scholarships go? Where could the funds go?

The rhetoric simultaneously struggles with reality; there are unmet needs in Rogers Park. Yes, there are kids with desires. They need our attention. The children of children need long term mentors in public places to fill the void. Short term 'feel good solutions' melt in less than one year and a spring thaw. I appreciate that I experience the spring thaw, myself.

It is easy to criticize those who push childbirth, when there are no mentors presenting all solutions to challenged youth. For those suburbanites who push these kids to postpartum; the pius also parade around and ignore why there is poverty. It may seem lofty to push an orthodox pro-life/abstenance agenda, but there are consequences for poorly planned parenthood.

Many of the lofty encourage, but refuse to welcome enough teen families in Glencoe, among other North Shore communities. Such shunning perpetuates a system of will nots. That system puts its full weight on urban neighborhoods. Premature teen pregnancies can cost urban hospitals upwards of $500,000 or more. Many pregnant kids are African Americans or Hispanics. Perhaps, the suburbs can only deal with about three to five percent African American before each fear real estate depreciation and white flight. Segregating poverty is no solution.

I appreciate scattered site housing as long as it is scattered across metropolitan Chicago, not simply concentrated in urban Chicago and Evanston. Affordable housing concentrated in urban Chicago and other appropriate solutions weighs down on the children of children. This also perpetuates a dense population of ignorance in need of attention and role models.

The suburbs should look to programs like One Milwaukee for guidance. One Milwaukee should advocate for more scatter site housing in its Milwaukee suburbs. Volunteer support must welcome the ignorant and stigmatized. I can only wish that the teenagers drinking the pint had packs of Lifestyles in their jeans. Usually, they don't.

Nuts at Hoyne and Fargo?

Does anyone know if the nuts that drop from this tree at the north east corner Hoyne and Fargo are edible? There are two of these trees. The green husks with prickles that drop look unique. I have yet to identify the tree.

How about the huge plant with the orange flowers that look like daisies?

How many really take the time to look around? Walking the dog can be an adventure!

Applauding the Pick Up Your Dog Poop Signs

The signs may be viewed as crass, but for those who know, dog poop attracts hungry rats and creates stinking footgear. I appreciate the wisdom of the signs, even if it seems a given to most dog owners. The rat food claim comes directly from Streets and Sanitation Investigators. They were dispatched to our alley after repeated complaints. There are at least two neighbors who seem to noticeably forget their bags at home to put it, politely.

I heard from another dog owner about someone who actually wrote on sidewalk cement that people should keep dogs off their lawn. Our home gets periodically hit by distracted, insensitive, or negligent dog owners. Who wants to step in dog &h*t?

One homeowner posts a copy of the Chicago Dog poop Ordinance in the alley running west of the 7200 block of Damen. This plastic encased sign on the telephone pole is getting old. Yet, despite the valiant effort, we still experience the callous wrath. What brain trust finds the signs embarrassing and a challenge to their insensitivity? What is so challenging about using a Dominicks bag. The rolls of small Petsmart poop bags are cheap compared to rat abatement! Why entice a local rat pack to evantually raid your kitchen pantry?

There is a rational basis to issue citations to those who refuse to pick up their dog's poop. However, with no Beat cops on foot patrols, there's no enforcement of the poop-scoop ordinance. How can District 24 reasonably deal with routine open alcohol drinking, sidewalk gambling, littering, street mechanic, and dog poop scoflaws. Have you ever given your local Beat Officer a cup of coffee, lately? Have you ever seen one? Will Caluris send us a few good peace officers? Will ignorant neighbors be offended?

Fred, the Alley Guy, in a Coma at St. Francis

For those who know him, he is a saint, sentinel and sinner all wrapped in one. A teller of tall tales, Fred, the Alley guy was known to pass out peppermint sticks to neighborhood kids in December. He occasionally rejected gifts from neighbors, as well.

Fred watched the garages when they accidentally remained open, while smoking his signature Swisher Sweets. His wife, Carol, walks the streets exercising and helps out with the neighbors animals, when they are unable, as well.

I heard that Fred suffered a fall last week. I also heard that Fred is currently in St. Francis Hospital in Evanston in a Coma. He had been battling with his diabetes, among other maladies that he liked to boast about. He is a teller of tall and straight tales as well as some ridiculous ones. Perhaps, somewhere in the muck was the truth.

Fred was like a member of the family for a while, but when he stopped coming out to the back, we stopped. When he unpredictably returned, I was too anxious to get into the house. Although I know that Fred cannot read this, I wished that he would wake up from his desire to expire. Although Fred could be the quintescential B.S. Artist, he always had something to say and he was worth a listen from time to time.

Snap out of it Fred and I promise to stop by the fence.

Abandoned Stroller, Day 4

Attention, a neighbor has moved this abandoned or lost stroller to the parkway. If this is yours, move it! If not, do you recognize it? Will the Police deal with abandoned items before the junk dealer picks it up, among others?

Who leaves and forgets a stroller? I guess that embarrassment and pessimism sets in, but it still costs money. Well, we actually found a stroller in our parkway, but it had a luggage tag on it. We were able to call the owners. They returned for it. Any thoughts? Do Police ever take the time to collect and inventory abandoned or lost items? Why not?

We called 911 on a bike left on our sidewalk about five years ago. After two calls to Police and the District along with repeated promises to pick up the bike, we left it on our cement front porch, as instructed by CPD. After two weeks, we realized it was not going to be picked up, but the bike was just functional. What to do?

Well, the bike became a social science project, not another piece of crap in our garage. On day 17, the bike disappeared. Who took it? Anybodies guess? We should have installed a security camera.. That would have been interesting.

It was Old English! -- Transient Rant, Part II

Last nights piece; this mornings trash. Yes, it was fiction based upon speculation. If only, I had taken down the license plate, then the subject's residence would be verified. What happens if some fool of a suburban kid attracts flies and gets shot on the parkway in front of your apartment building? Who needs the hassle!

Loitering with open alcohol is an issue. I realize, as a kid, you have to find a place to drink with the under 21 prohibition. However, screaming at crazy drivers in moving cars on a residential street takes things up a notch. What ever happened to the concept of "Beat Cops?" Why not drain the bottle in front of 'junior' like they do in the suburbs?

What is the real deal? Do Police really cruise or simply pick up the pieces and ship them to Saint Francis? Does periodically cruising and walking the neighborhood Beat create conflicts of interest, hostility, or foster respect?

If Steve Caluris suggests to the Tribune that negative loitering is a challenge, among other crimes that evolve from it (e.g. mob violence, open alcohol, drug sale/use), then what is his plan to address it? The most obvious violations are not innocuous (e.g. littering, loitering, and public alcohol/drug use). Each need to be discouraged with meaningfully productive enforcement or intervention.

The air show ends on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. A days pay for a days work or a days pay for an hour of work? When will 'some' members of the Local FOP anointed by 'hizz honor da Second' start appreciating the community? When will they do their tour of duty? They don't even have to smell Napalm or inhale subsaharan dust in the morning! Maybe they can learn about us at something other than a CAPs Meeting or a mop up expedition!

Does 911 really work?

Does this Sign Mean Anything to Chicago's Finest or is it Just an Antique?

This rusty sign regurgitates Chicago's prohibition on open alcohol. It is perched high on Chase and Damen and has historic symbolism. It is rises on a street just north from where local bums used to congregate with impunity.

A once popular Chinese Banquet Hall was demolished. The space made way for the Dubin Development just west of Summit Grocery.

The Hall had built-in tile shelves for plants or other displays. My recollection was that the local drunks, who liked to hang out here, planted themselves in these shelves as a convenient place to sit.

The buzzed would guzzle their brownbagged Colt 45 or Old English 40s within the cubicles. I don't recall if Police found the need to ruffle the feathers of these pissing human pidgeons. However, I did not miss the stench from the west side of Damen before the first owner's son sold the Banquet Hall to developers.

Now, we are left with this perched sign, little enforcement, and wandering alcoholics. Summit Grocery persists from its ancestral predecessors as does the Pantry. Our local Otis, or Otises, still occasionally waltzes through. As they dip, empty cans of Ice, Malt Liquor quarts and pints of Schmirnoff appear on the lawns and sidewalks.

Yet, this is an ongoing issue that has persisted for decades. What if Police reasonably cited with better discretion? How about all of those minor things like disturbing the peace, verbal assault, open liquor, underage drinking, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, not picking up the dog poop, and littering?

Would Otis Campbell and company actually begin to care and not escalate their insensitivity to 'deaf con 5?'

He's Just a Dude. . . Doo Rag Rage?

He’s just the dude with the black doo rag sitting on the hood of an immaculate, almost antique, well polished White Volvo S90 at Ridge and Jarvis. He arrives complete with designer white t-shirt and jeans. Maybe he is from Evanston or lives up north, glamorously, but just can't accept it.

Perhaps, he wants to be in the hood, so he drove Daddy's birthday present south to picturesque Rogers Park. Maybe he is hanging out with a cousin or some internet acquaintance. He cops a call perhaps to one of his Chicago girlfriends with a cell phone thin enough to sport the letter ‘i.”

The brown paper bag sits on the curb 'possibly' waiting for the next swig from that liter. He seems to be standing sentinel. Tonight’s assignment is just Rogers Park. The idea is to facilitate action and upset some locals, even if it kills him or them. Is it a game of chicken? Does his mother know where he is at 10:00 p.m.? Where are the Police?

This wholesome player of soul may have hung with the homies on a romp back northbound past the local convenient store. He may have bought Old English or Miller GD, from the Pakistani. The brown bag conceals all but the clear glass upper neck of the malt liquor bottle. The bag with bottle is strategically placed within within three and a half feet of his right toes on the narrow cement curb sidewalk.

The almost feng shui placement of the bottle in bag looks like it may avoid a citation. It appears poised to look like someone else's trash rather than open alcohol. Perhaps, it is not his, but the bag looks too convenient to think otherwise.

Earlier, the dude and his foot patrol; all 'less than magnificent seven' of them . . . may have moved some fingers up and down on the corner of Jarvis and Ridge. Apparently, the driver to which the fingers or vocals twitched was less than pleased with the communication. She let out linguistics, which were returned by useless chatter. She screeched her tires, then sped south and west towards Western Avenue. From my vantage point, these folks have a death wish; thanatos, anyone?

The others, well, they went upstairs at that point. Perhaps, they were freshening up. Maybe, they simply wanted to get away from the dude or in need of supplies to head out to some party. Are they are watching from above while what appears like a fool become a 'target' in spite of Alderman Joe Moore's opposition to Big Box.

Meanwhile, back in the hood, some folks in a fire red pick up truck circle the hood cussing out their open window. This seems like an effort to provoke action from others with profanity. Did their dear mother encourage such civility? Was the profanity deemed chic and edgy after a trip to an unsupervised playground? Where are they from, anyway? Evanston?

Now Cochise hangs out on the hood of his Volvo. He aches for action, IMHO. He looks to me like he is humming Carly Simon’s Anticipation while simultaneously sucking on a Heinz ketchup bottle for attention. He wants to ‘sit watch;’ perhaps others may end up sitting at his wake. Not ‘how’ Cochise . . . ‘why?!’ Is this copacetic or pathetic? Maybe, its just an adrenalin dream that tempts stupidity. Get a life, take the horse north Cochise, hang out on the links with Kemo Sabe; they subsidize those greens just for you! Cooley High is gone.

Politics and Hypocrisy: Inconsistent, International, and Subtle, So Get Used to It

I am not sure whether this rant falls into the Murphy's Law or the arguable Facts of Life Blog. We, like this YouTube video, view hypocrisy in our families, friends, journalists, politicians, and ourselves. The trash compacter of life looks for the least consistent hypocrites. We crown the virtuous few, but nearly all eventually lose their way in the fog causing the abuse of power and privilege. Some are unable or unwilling to wait for the fog to evaporate, so mistakes are made. Too few will admit to error.

Lessons in life: (1) everyone will eventually become a hypocrite, but not as consistently as others; (2) those in power with privileges often hoard it and become gluttons, fearing other alternatives in life; (3) the haves and those who seek economic interdependence support the status quo and democratic options; (4) those who envy the power or productivity of others often criticize those in power until they too become powerful and are themselves, criticized; (5) exaggerations and irresponsible posturing within the body politique nauseate moderates.

The concern of these journalists is, why now? The answer: Congressional ‘posturing’ and ‘tolerance,’ pure and simple. Posturing and expending money for a ‘cause delayed’ turns off voters. The above CNN video is an example of Congress spending our money on political partisanship. This is a commercial for the Democratic Party that offends most except for an exceptionally devoted niche of political storm troopers.

Nevertheless, the ‘alleged’ CNN Clip fails to get the political parties correct! We can talk of the virtues of politics; yet, it is the reality of politics that counts. Politburo or Congress; man is an imperfect leader, but so is HAL! [Reference to movie “2001 – A Space Odyssey”]

On the “We” so fondly brought up in local Rogers Park Political Discourse?

We the people "try to form a ‘more perfect’ union." Perfection is a pipedream for those with personal agenda's or OCD. One may prevail more, but in politics, compromise and tolerance is what should carpe diem. Sometimes, people neglect to appreciate peace and reasonable opportunities for prosperity until it evaporates.

Partisanship is not an issue like slavery. Yet, people should demonstrate and struggle. Fewer seem to rally for causes that they are more content writing about. Congress is postures in an era of arm chair complacency, despair, and frustration; call it laziness. If someone wants to publicize their POV, then more tools are available than ever. However, most of us need to appreciate the most effective routes. We also must learn how to separate the wheat from the chaf and reality from the rasp.

Annual RP Butterfly Month

From experience, we see the most butterflies around now. This is the season when Phlox, milkweed, butterfly bushes, and coneflowers seem irresistable. It is strange for me to see Yellow tails beyond tame, but the food supply in Beat 2424 will not repulse.

Monarchs are a common sight. Yellowtails are becoming more of the same. Now, morning cloak varieties seem much more majestic than last year. Perhaps, we were not around or forgot without photographs.

While walking the dog, Fargo and Damen had one yellowtail that just wanted to sit in the grass, but flew around when it felt disturbed. I wanted to bring it to the garden, but noticed ample food in nearby yards.

The above flowers, among others, will work. However, butterflies are creatures of habit and education, perhaps. This year, we saw more Yellowtails and Morning Cloaks, but Monarchs are now daily and often bi-hourly visitors in August.

Last years' photo makes this years experiences seem overwhelming. I can only hope for a group of four or five yellowtails to return en masse next year, perhaps sooner.

Bernie Mac 1957-2008

For those of us reaching fifty who listened, watched and witnessed this Big Mac of a Chicagoan grow onto the silver screen, we will remain numb and in shock for a while.

Bernie Mac struck a chord and stuck with what he wanted to do. In his persistence, he proved that hard work as well as getting into the right place at the right time pays off. His success should serve as inspiration to every teacher who chooses to work at Chicago Vocational. Some of us can only hope for a wife like Rhonda to tolerate our efforts and challenges.

The trade offs of any career may unintentionally hurt. The hope is that when you are struggling, all will be forgiven, when life hits the mark. I share that mutual desire to find time in my fifties, perhaps sooner, before my time runs out. Balance is a vital brass ring to reach for. Everyone wants to get home, but the detours toward success in any career can drive us away.

It does not matter what you do, but how you do it. Bernie had his own candid style. He could not hold back. At times, he made statements that had to be made where too few were willing to make them. All of us want to reach that pinnacle in our careers and some of us take longer than others.

Of course, like anyone, B-M- had his moments, but those blips were totally overwhelmed. Those who paid attention, recognized his remorse and the efforts made to give his gay nephew the respect that he deserved. Sometimes, the only way to learn is to make a mistake, reckon with it, and ask for forgiveness. At times, some of us are too busy, ignorant, or overwhelmed to appreciate remorse.

Some might have found some of those comedic or personal moments crass and over the top. Nevertheless, Shecky Green, among others, were much more racy, IMHO. The Mac Man was sensitive and had a heart. His career turned the corner and humor persisted to those who paid attention.

Bernie was on a run and did not stop until pre-mature illness took his lungs from him and those of us who wanted to hear and see him one more time.

We are fortunate that Bernie's grace, skill and timing will remain digitally ingrained on America's memory. We can only hope that others with such discipline, grace and talent learn, persist, and grow, rather than ignore the challenge. We can ill afford to allow the talented that we know to become the litter of lost dreams.

Those who experience the wrath of sarcoidosis deserve attention. Perhaps, other incredible talents are in our midst who also need our support to keep them going for years to come. Apparently, some of us were unaware of Bernie's challenge.

Let's hope that his wife Rhonda, daughter Je'Niece and grandaughter Jasmine look forward to the future. They should cherish good memories and encourage more of the same among those who care. Chicago has much more talent to share with the world. Let's cheerish it and put it on a pedestal for public consumption.

7200 N. Damen Near Daily Drinking Fiesta

Has anyone seen 7227 North crowded with underaged drinkers? It seems like the grand daddy neighbor at 7223 N. Damen kicked off the public binge. This may be old news, since I have seen less action in recent days.

The old man drinks from his paper bag. This seasoned senior citizen sets a bold example for neighboring teens. There seems to be a twenty-something resident who hosts a perpetual drinking party. He looks like a Hispanic guy around 5' 5" to 5' 10" from a distance. I was in the area on the morning of August 10, 2008 in front of 7227 N. Damen hanging out with a neighbor. For those who drive, walk, or ride the bus by, 7227 N. Damen often had a crowd on the east side of the street just south of N. Rogers.

The groups tend to get obnoxious with loud and abusive language which intimidates and offends some neighbors. At least three other neighbors observed the group on this recent borachero.

On the tenth, when the four revelers left, they carried their Modelo beer cans with them. Sometimes, they drop the empties. Today, they were drunk enough to urinate on their SUV's bumper in public or pretend to. I didn't bother to check, but the act looked convincing. Another teen looked out his second floor window with disgust within 10 feet of the Black Chevy Blazer with Illinois license plate 848 1188.

If Chicago will not enforce its litter laws or open alcohol ordinances and State Statutes in some meaningful way, even inconsistently, then we will continue to experience regular and routine violations in our neighborhood.

Non-enforcement encourages contempt for police, where police don’t first warn and then come back to see if these whether the drinkers think Police are actually serious. Most ignore the warnings. If they see that they can get away with open and obvious beer drinking and public pissing, then what's next? Will it turn to drug sales, where it has not, already. My belief is that one from the party at 7227 N. Damen networked and picked up a drug seller who periodically vends in front of Summit Grocery.

The challenge of reasonable enforcement is not that extreme. A little enforcement can encourage compliance; the drinking party will move indoors or into the backyard, where it belongs. To drink in front on a public sidewalk is an advertisement. It encourages party crashers or those who might be acquainted with a few, but have no business being at 7227 N. Damen.

Again, I am not against a good party, but the uninvited may get frustrated. Some recruit for gangs with open drinking. Why does CPD encourage delinquency, open alcohol uses, and public urination with its 'mop up and pick up the pieces 20 minutes later tactical unit?' Is it understaffing or the desire to avoid confrontation? Is it really the best practice to let the situation fizzle out?

National Night Out Attracts Neighbors/Group Home Spurs Crime?

Beat 2424 and Brummel Park Community conduct walks to encourage concerned neighbors to pay attention and get to know each other. Walk numbers vary, but the Beat 2424 website can be reached at the Police links from http://www.cityofchicago.com/ for more information . Last Tuesday's Walk for National Night Out attracted about 30 Evanston and RP walkers. The group trapsed up and down Howard. Walkers passed out flyers and met local police. The Chicago Police provided a cruiser, while Evanston Police had at least four officers on foot. The walk culminated at Brummel Park, where tables were set up and a buffet dinner was served courtesy of a local restaurant. A few Evanstonians filmed participants.

No, Joe Moore was not in attendance. He doesn't need to be at every event that graces our shores. Those who are concerned about the 2424, amoung other Beats may want to lend their eyes and ears as well as their pens. Perhaps, the walks will introduce them to places that they may not know and neighbors that they did not understand. Sometimes, spontaneous walks with neighbors are worth the effort, as well.


A Delinquent Dumping Ground Spurs Delinquency Wave Among Group Residents?

Each of us has perceptions, others witness, and a few report what they hear on police scanners. Sometimes a few who cause a mess need Audi Home after parental and group home malfunction. What do you do when you see parental malfunction on RP sidewalks? Have you ever called DCFS? Do you do a double take to decide the right thing to do? Is Rogers Park, like Uptown, being used as a dumping ground for dilapidating delinquents? Perhaps, this needs to be re-evaluated. Perhaps, our Alderman should pay attention to these important concerns that foster crime, not children. Some agencies are ill-suited to handle some of societies challenges.

Group homes are better placed in isolation rather than dense neighborhoods. There is merit to the concept behind Military Academies, Secret Harbors and Boy Towns. Inadequate and fuzzy supervision in dense neighborhoods incubates delinquency. Chicago's Northside should not be an MSI chickhouse for gang recruitment. Less aggitated suburbs can provide options for some emotionally challenged youth. Inadequate supervision in group homes spawn criminals. Suburbs are better suited to apply pressure for appropriate supervision.

Those who write should map the locations of densely packed problem group homes and their related organizations. Placing homes in claimed gang territory is flirting with recklessness. Those with licenses to treat should be cited for inept supervision that leads to crime. Those without licenses should be subject to closure by State of Illinois authorities. Illinois Agencies can assert control! We cannot depend upon Chicago, alone, where Federal and Illinois laws are ready to be enforced upon persistent request. Simply reporting to a kvetching blog crowd does little to wake up the regulators.

Periodic follow up to report on inept regulation until the message is understood, sanctions issued, or major media awakened makes moral sense. Simply hitting the crimes of a few and moving on does little to identify suspects. Justice may be overlooked when sensationalism takes center stage. The accolades of a badge of blog fame does not, in itself, cure laissez faire neighbors.

There were about six locals who walked in Beat 2424 on National Night Out. Where were you, when neighbors were attacked?