Thursday, June 23, 2011

Some Bond Amounts Set In "Operation Uptown Girl"

You'll have to click it to read the full-size press release from the office of State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, but you can see the names and the bond amounts of the people who were taken into custody yesterday as part of "Operation Uptown Girl."  Three others were charged as juveniles and their names do not appear on this press release.  It's easy to see who the big guns are from the relative bond amounts.  Thanks to Welles Park Bulldog for making this available to Uptown Update readers.

10 comments:

  1. The problem is the community tolerates the little quality of life issues. Littering, jaywalking, foul language & loitering/drinking beer in public gives a foundation to bigger crimes. SanFrancisco has a no standing/laying down on sidewalks and it has cracked down on the chronic vagrant problem. They also banned malt beverages in certain "undesirable" areas. Why can't we do that??

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  2. not in agreement. more arrests over drugs and/or "chronic vagrancy" will never solve our community's problems. this is a simplistic way of delaying and ignoring the larger issues of economic disparity and continued race-based injustices which still characterize american society

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  3. I think I agree about perception.
    There is a perception of high crime and grittiness of Uptown that really degrades quality of life, and, quite frankly, probably drives many of us out of our own community for leisure and commerce.

    If we collectively choose not to take action such as repeated operations like "Uptown Girl," the perception will never change and it will be no deal for a lot of improvements the community wants to see.

    Yes, I am slightly worried about being shot walking down certain streets, but I am no fool. I stay away...

    What I am more referring to is how nasty parts of Uptown are. I am sure there are today(or will be) some great restaurants and shops east of Broadway or even along Broadway between Target and Lawrence, but why bother when there are so many more inviting options so very close?

    It's still dirty, people are rude, selfish and disrespectful of others on the streets, drug dealing occurs in the open, the businesses are uninviting with their metal cages on the windows, etc.

    Being immediately panhandled for money when exiting the Wilson Stop, called derogatory names for not complying, and then enjoying the smell of urine all the way down the stairs...sign me up!

    I understand there are reasons for a lot of this stuff and a lot of complex issues here in the community. I don't want to forget the needs of others as I try to get what I want.

    Getting a better balance of cleaning up the perception and quality of life in Uptown while maintaining some of the attributes of service, uniqueness, history, and diversity are really what will improve my perception and draw me over to "Downtown Uptown." The same things that are inviting to me are surprisingly uninviting to the criminals etc.

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  4. New York City cracked down on the little things and now it is a much nicer city. The MTA in NewYork is much safer than our CTA. The Wilson stop is one of the most dangerous. The police need to crack down on the loud "boom boxes" in the cars that drive by. Some cities blast classical music outside their business to chase the vagrants away. Why can't we try that in Uptown?

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  5. I would also add cracking down on loud MP3 players on the CTA, as well as people who insist on singing either along with their music or just by themselves.

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  6. A bit of background regarding SF's ban on "no laying down" on sidewalks.

    Back in the 60s Summer of Love, hippies would put money in a parking meter, then lay down by the meter and nap for the paid-for amount of time.

    Seriously! Oh for the good old days...

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  7. Just to play devil's advocate....

    There is a bit of a difference between people who annoy you and people who are breaking the law. Remember, it's not against the law to be an a-hole. Otherwise, i might not have internet access. =]

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  8. Ray, it is illegal to blast the loud boom music. My police neighbor told me they use to impound cars for this offense. Not anymore. It rattles my windows. Jaywalkers could be issued tickets. Panhandling should be raised to a felony. They are especially bad on Wilson in between Subway & the liquor store. The booze store seems to specialize in the 40oz bottles that they seem to guzzle all day.

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  9. Joshua,

    classic liberal statement, what are solutions then that on an individual level could be effective? Say for instance you or me? What can I do instead of having people arrested to alleviate our racist societal issues?

    Do you believe that American racism sustains the drug trade in Uptown? Do you think minorities are being unfairly targeted by police in Uptown? Who sells drugs here?

    I'm not arguing so don't get offended, this is an attempt to spark debate, I want to know what you honestly think

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  10. Here are some more "classic liberal statements"

    Write or call your Congressional representatives and urge them to support House Bill 2306, the Ending Federal Prohibition of Marijuana Act of 2011. It's a start!

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