This entry on Sunday's "Uptown Crime Blotter" made us chuckle:1:00pm 3838 N Broadway, Hotel Chateau
Woman beating a man with a baseball bat for selling "bad crack." Police respond and as far as they can tell the crack is good.
Sadly, this establishment is having its business license renewed through 2010, so we are stuck with it till then.
Every time I've stayed there I've always received good crack. She must be crazy.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Clearly we should take pride in our neighborhood entrepreneurs and their dedication to selling quality drugs. Shop Local!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what was nicer for crack...my old place near the Hotel Chateau or my new place near the Wilson Men's Hotel? It's a close race...
ReplyDeleteThis place is technically in Lakeview, so good, they can experience a small reality of life that we deal with everyday.
ReplyDeleteIf that place closes, Helen will have another reason to open more SRO's in the heart of Uptown.
I didn't know Whitney and Bobby were having their custody trial here in Chicago?
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that place is even in existence! Did you know it was actually listed as a hotel? Some poor tourists have fallen victim to staying there. Check out their reviews on trip advisor: http://chicago-hotels.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35805-d123209-Reviews-Chateau_Hotel-Chicago_Illinois.html
ReplyDeleteI am confused...the site says: "On June 16, 2008, CHATEAU HOTEL was issued a business license of type "Single Room Occupancy Class II." As far as I know June 16th 2008 has not occured yet!!
ReplyDeleteHere is link that some people here may find helpful.
ReplyDeletehttp://morsehellhole.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-sue-city.html
From what I glanced at the article this is an alternative to get your wards attention.
I have noticed on EveryBlock that most of the city licenses are post-dated for whatever reason. They renew them well in advance of the expiration. Maybe someone else knows better?
ReplyDeletecrew dude, thanks for the link. Who in their right mind would stay there?? Wouldn't one look at the place deter you just a bit? I also wonder how these people arranged reservations....
ReplyDeleteOk that's a fu**ing riot! A woman beating the crap out of a guy who sold her bad crack, too too funny.
ReplyDeleteNow if only the American public can do that to Bush administration for "selling" us an unjust war.
LOL!!!
awww. edward2nd. You can't say that on this blog! Everyone wants to paint all of us as ignorant Bushies! Of course the real truth is the many of us will be voting for Obama and are excited about some change at the national level and are in awe of the possibility of having a bi-racial president, etc., etc.
ReplyDelete**Disclaimer to all the decent readers who are Republicans. There is nothing wrong with being a Republican in Uptown. We all have a right to vote the way we want. That is what is so great about living in a Democracy! And, I know you folks are with the rest of us who would like to bring some semblance of freedom from tyranny to Uptown. I am offended for you every time they try to play up the Republican stereotypes. That is not right either.
But back to the issue at hand, Crack is Whack.
I have voted for Repulicans' in the past and just might in the future as well.(depending on who they are and what they stand for)
ReplyDeleteSo I wasn't trying to make a stereotype of Republicans' at all.
I don't get you people. On the one hand you spew all the platitudes about "diversity"...and on the other you find disdain in a hotel that caters to whacked out "diverse" losers.
ReplyDeleteWhich is it? Do you want diversity or do you want everyone to be just like you?
Oops. Not saying you were. I was saying the trolls often come out and try to make everyone look like all of the worst Republican stereotypes. I have no issue with you or your post whatsoever. Peace.
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty simple anonymous 10:52. I love all people but I want to live with law abiding people. I welcome anyone who can keep it together and not cause harm to anyone else. Peace.
ReplyDeleteHey 10:52, what about REALITY? This doesn't have much to do with diversity. Why don't YOU stay a few nights at the lovely Chateau Hotel and report back to us on your enlightening experiences bonding with the crack hos, pimps and junkies that hang out there?
ReplyDelete"Check out their reviews on trip advisor: http://chicago-hotels.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35805-d123209-Reviews-Chateau_Hotel-Chicago_Illinois.html"
ReplyDeleteAnyone who thinks a $62/night hotel room in Chicago is going to be like an evening at the Drake is just retarded and deserves what they get.
Cheap people make me puke.
"Hey 10:52, what about REALITY? This doesn't have much to do with diversity. Why don't YOU stay a few nights at the lovely Chateau Hotel and report back to us on your enlightening experiences bonding with the crack hos, pimps and junkies that hang out there?"
ReplyDeleteExactly WHERE are the crack hos, pimps and junkies supposed to hang out???????????
What is going on with the comments in the past few days?!?! The number of dumbheaded racist sentiments has increased dramatically. I'd like to place the blame squarely at the feet of disingenuous shiller supporters who are here solely to disrupt and discredit this blog's community posing as racist yuppies from outer space, but am not sure...
ReplyDeleteFolks, we have been deleting a lot of comments lately. We have no patience for those whose goal is to derail conversations. If you have a differing opinion, please state that opinion in a civilized manner and it will remain. If not, it will be deleted. Simple, huh?
ReplyDeleteBE SURE, 11:12. The only other instance this blog has EVER had was when "BillyJoe" appeared trolling his racist crap. We all shut him down. Then a few weeks later he offered a sensitive portrayal of the effects of recent CHA decisions. Clearly the two sentiments didn't gel and we caught him on it. "BillyJoe" was not an avid racist Uptown Update reader but a troll. He hasn't been back since but wouldn't it have been nice if that person had come back civilly and talked about their issues in a considerate way. Who knows? Maybe he would have gotten some people to come around to his viewpoint.
ReplyDeletePeople who support Shiller are highly offended that a rally was held at her doorstep. GET OVER IT! Stop acting like imbeciles! Listen to the constituents of this neighborhood and set a tone for public discussion that befits the office that one of you holds. What a disgrace!
Hey, 11:23. Sorry if my post was unclear. I am not a Shiller apologist. Anyone who has read my posts over the past almost year knows that I am far from that. My point was that pro-Shiller people should stop being offended that a rally was held in front of her office. People protest. People criticize politicians. But that is no reason to descend into the muck as they have since the rally. Best, Saskia
ReplyDeletesaskia...all the posts that are critical of the rally are being deleted. How is that any better than Shiller stifling free exchange of ideas?
ReplyDeleteThat is not entirely true 11:50. Although I am not affiliated with this blog in any way, I have noticed what is being taken off. It is usually one liners meant to provoke and make others look bad. (And witness that 11:52 right above me is still here even though it reiterates the trite theory that this is all about losing an election.) Whoever wrote to me at 11:23 was taken off but I would guess that was an accident because they were all about how great the rally was. Also, a few of my posts were taken off under the rally heading because I let my anger get the better of me and I went on about how a particular commenter (troll) should polish up his act and make his fake posts a little more realistic.
ReplyDeleteBut I have no hard feelings. You try managing this thing, why don't you. It's got to be pretty hard trying to prevent this thing from spinning out of control thanks to some local activists who are pretending like they never knew from something called freedom of speech and assembly.
saskia...if "freedom of speech" is the issue, why is the freedom of speech of bloggers being curtailed?
ReplyDelete"all the posts that are critical of the rally are being deleted."
ReplyDeleteAnd, your offer of proof is ... what?
A lot of posts critical of the rally are still up for all to see - unless, of course, it also contains something UU has previously stated would not be tolerated.
Didn't your mother tell you that it was not nice to lie?
"Everybody, including Shiller, knows that this blog is run by the same fools who backed the gay guy in the last election and they are suffering from a severe case of sour grapes and bad sportsmanship."
And, there's the tolerance so prevalent in the pro-Shiller camp.
Wouldn't it have been as effective to state: "backed the guy in the last election"?
The reason for stating his orientation is ... what?
To out yourself as an intolerant, close-minded dill-weed?
Or am I missing the nuance of your point?
I didn't say it was a derogatory term.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I was calling out the anon poster (you?) who was using it in a manner that could be perceived as derogatory.
Now, unless you're going to offer substance to the dialog, why don't you just run along and let the grown ups talk?
This is actually good news becuase now we can galvanize the Lakeview voting block and show them that the problems with crime are also in their neighborhood. I hope problems get worse there so that it becomes more obvious that we need to re-evaluate our low income housing philosophy in the 46th ward.
ReplyDeleteNice to see the shillerets aren't playing nice again.
ReplyDeleteSo yesterday I was playing in the yard with my son when a black SUV with two men and a woman pulled up to the cul-de-sac. One guy got out drinking his beer while talking on the cell while the other guy roled a huge blunt. Oh then they acted like I was a jerk for shooing them off. WTF?
You stay classy Uptown.
Appears that the annoymous comments are no longer an option. Please give a name (even a nickname) as there could be many annoymous and it is very hard to follow the conversation
ReplyDelete"We know what this election will be about. It will be about faith versus fear, division versus unity, lies versus truth, rhetoric versus reality.."
ReplyDeleteThis was a quote in today's Washington Post from an Obama supporter. I thought it appropriate to our little part of the world as well...I hope whomever runs next time, remembers this line as it is 100% accurate for Uptown as well...
Yes Todd S,
ReplyDeleteWe are not allowing anonymous comments on UU for the time being. Simply click "OpenID" and create a username (no password or registration required). This will make it easier to follow the comments and hopefully cut down on those comments whose sole purpose is to derail and twist constructive conversations.
Ahhh. The sun has come out and it is like a breath of fresh air in here. There haven't been any abusive posts for at least an hour. Peace to all God's creatures great and small!
ReplyDeleteIt is actually a hotel. Not everyone can afford the W. It is a place for homeless & impoverished to sleep when ever they get a few bucks. Stop being so damn racist. Affordable shelters need to be somewhere, and this hotel has never caused any problems and does just fine in this community. What is the point of this blog to point out where the poor black people live, work & stay and complain about them? I just don't get it, you are doing nothing to make the community better, and instead making racism ok, though discreet (Oh, but I am middle class, educated and politically correct, how could I be racist?). There is nothing wrong with this hotel nor the people who need it. Find something interesting and less racist to post.
ReplyDeleteSaskia - I agree, very nice to get some sort of decorum back. And sad as it is, I did have a little chuckle over the post with 'bad crack' - you just can't make this stuff up!
ReplyDeleteHey Stef,
ReplyDeleteSo, it's alright for a woman to beat a man with a baseball bat over an argument about the quality of the crack she purchased?
But, it's racist if the citizens of that neighborhood speak out against such activity?
Hm. Maybe I missed something, but I don't see anything in UU's post about the ethnic background of the man or the woman involved in this altercation.
Heck, if anything, I see the post as a stand for womens' rights (to wield a baseball bat over the head of a untrustworthy crack vendor).
Regardless - the next time I go to Taco Bell and they screw up my order, I'm taking my bat inside with me so's I can deal out some justice.
(note: it's not racism, if anything it's classism, and even then you'd still be missing the point).
Well "yo", you clearly didn't read the part about the hotel renewing it's license. Please don't be so daft as to actually take the crack bit seriously. Reading comprehension is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure I follow you, Stef. The woman beating the man with the baseball bat actually happened at the Hotel on the date and the time indicated. On the police scanner, the police reported back that "the crack was good."
ReplyDeleteThere are many of us here who understand that low-price hotels have a place in an urban environment---many times for exactly the purpose you indicate. However, it is incorrect to state that this Hotel has "never" caused any problems and does "just fine." Would you like someone to present you with some of the information on this hotel?
Reading is a problem, granted; but, I used to live around the corner from that hotel, and you're right ... other than the incessant drug dealing, the prostitution and the darned near weekly visit from the coroner's office to pull dead bodies out of there, the place has been a beacon of hope and salvation to the less fortunate.
ReplyDeletePoint being, it's a dump. The less fortunate folks deserve NOT to sleep in squalor when they do have a few bucks to spare.
Color me jaded if I'm a bit suspicious of the license renewal of this flop house and the continuation of sub-par (and quite possibly dangerous) rooming options in this ward.
Whereas you may be put off by my lack of reading comprehension skills, I'm actually offended that you choose to call this site racist.
Is it your assumption that the only people in this ward who are poor are also black?
As far as my comprehension skills go, a reread of the post and its comments indicates that you're the only one to mention ethnic backgrounds.
I'm sorry -- who is it that you are calling racist?
Sounds good Stef! I assume you will be checking in there tonight?
ReplyDeleteOr how about when your family visits you put them up there?
I love it how race wasn't even brought up but you assumed it was two black people fighting.
Stef's White condescension, party of one!
The first time i heard about this incident i just thought about a crazy woman beating a crazy man. Honestly, color didn't come into my head. i bet they were purple and orange though, with green stripes. i wonder what country of origin that would be... Stef? any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThis is the 2nd blog entry i've noticed Stef's tried to call people out for being racist...