Mayor Rahm is on a roll! And we can't agree with him more. Getting rid of havens for gangbangers is aces with us. Frankly, we're not as concerned about the gangbangers' right to be comfortable as we are our own right to walk around our neighborhood without seeing shootings and drug transactions. From the Sun-Times:With Chicago’s murder rate up 60 percent over last year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday launched a coordinated crackdown aimed at shutting down liquor and convenience stores that serve as magnets for crime.
“These locations often harbor drug dealers and street gang members and become a cancer on the community,” the mayor told the first graduating class of police recruits since he took office. “By taking aggressive enforcement action, we can send a clear message that the streets of Chicago belong to the children and the law-abiding residents of Chicago — not drug dealers and gang bangers.”
Until now, Emanuel said the city has relied on consumer complaints before moving to suspend or revoke the licenses of liquor and convenient stores. Under the new and coordinated approach, City Hall will no longer wait for a major incident, such as a shooting, to trigger enforcement action. Read the entire story here.
We can think of at least one place, and more like three, that could easily be shut down in Uptown using the new guidelines, and the community would be much better for it.
I know personally that I fought like hell to get the gangs out of the golden mini mart of Rogers Park.
ReplyDeleteYou have to fight like hell to get the gangs out and to tell the convenience stores that you will not tolerate them with them letting the bangers hang out there. It doesnt matter if the bangers intimidate or threaten them, because ultimately they should be shut down if they dont comply.
If this is happening why isnt anyone talking about it? If you dont stop them the violence will never ever ever ever end. You guys have to stop the loitering.
I heard about this new law as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Morway Laundrymat is one place I have told about this new law. That place is still a problem.
I would tell these bad minimarts or whatever that if they dont clean up their act they will be shut down.
Wow. I actually like the guys that run the store in this picture.
ReplyDeleteSimple rules:
ReplyDelete1) If you live in or are recieving any type of housing subsidy, minor children need to be in school or you are out.
2) If you live in or are receiving any type of housing subsidy, any criminal activity committed at the property you live at or other subsidized property you are out.
3) If you have people living in your subsidized housing and they are not listed on the lease, you are out.
4) Can't control your children or friends, too bad.
I find the people that run the store in the picture disgusting. They should try out so e of the deodorant that they sell. Further the amount of gang loitering they tolerate in and around their store is detrimental to the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI used to go to the store pictured but don't anymore due to all the gang bangers who loiter, block the door and generally intimidate others with their presence. Clearly, the guys who run the store are unhappy about it. I have seen them complain and act upset, but they refuse to do anything about it. On a side note, I also stopped going there to buy smokes because they charge a different price every time I go in and they charge my husband less than they charge me. Strange.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear this. I've always known that Uptown was on it's way "UP!"
ReplyDeleteThe chronic loitering in front of that mini-market pictured is the worst in Uptown. Lots of littering on Magnolia with all the 25cent bag chips they sell.
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely love for this law to work as intended, and I hope it does not lead to empty storefronts. However, those gangbangers are not sweet, polite teatotalers who quickly excuse themselves when asked to leave. It's not any easier for shop owners to confront gangbangers than a homeowner, who is encouraged to call the police on gangbangers, but only once he's out of sight. Store owners can call the police, but the police aren't guarding them 24/7. So how do the store owners stand up to the armed thugs without endangering themselves and their families? I hope the authorities have a practical answer to that question as well.
ReplyDeleteCurious to see how the store owners will be judged on their efforts to end loitering before they are shut down. Obviously only the use of or threat of force can ensure that the bangers don't hang out in front of a place. Will store owners be expected to use firearms or clubs to force the gang bangers to move on if their verbal requests are ignored? Or will the store owners be judged to be in compliance if they just consistently call the police everytime a group of two or more minority youth are hanging out in front of their place? Seems like this could give a lot of power to the gangs. Is it possible that if some store owner refuses to sell the underage kids cigarettes, they could just make a point of hanging out in front of the store, harrassing passing citizens, to get the place shut down in revenge?
ReplyDeleteI understand why the city wants to shut down these gang havens, but this won't stop the gangbangers from loitering.
ReplyDeleteThey will just congregate in front empty storefronts or move to another store. Pretty soon they will have every liquor or convenience store on the northside closed. In some ways, closing the stores down only empowers the gangs.
Well if there is chronic loitering at this minimart and it was around the corner from where I lived. I would incessantly call 911 anytime I saw loitering there. Zero Tolerance is the only thing that works. That is picking up the litter every single day.
ReplyDeleteWho wants it more? Right now the bangers want this minimart more. But we dont realize is, the bangers are outnumbered and more people want them out of there and then want them there. So whats going on?
There are many spots on the West & South side where they enforce the gang and/or narcotic zones. The police ask them to leave & if seen there again that day, they are arrested. Uptown does not do this. Loitering/vagrancy seems to be accepted. My son-in-law is a detective.
ReplyDeleteI just walk right through those punks if they don't get out of the way they get knocked down. It works. They move.
ReplyDeleteIP I dont walk by them, I call 911 and make sure the coast is clear before going into any store like that. Zero tolerance. Who is to say they dont attack you, you are outnumbered. I dont put myself in that position.
ReplyDeleteAlso isnt this across the street from Starbucks? Why would starbucks not call 911 to report loitering. Not reporting illegal loitering is the same as putting up with it and supporting it. Its just bad for business. If I had to call 911 100 times a day for loitering I would do it. It doesnt matter. The bangers are just trying to wait you guys out. And it looks like what they are doing is working.
ReplyDeleteWhy would they report its not their property make sense
Deleteenc said "Why would they report its not their property make sense"
ReplyDeleteAHA!!! Yes enc its not their property, I suppose the starbucks is safe since the bangers' bullets will never invade their airspace then as they are very careful where the guns are aimed.
Enc I assume is talking about Starbucks. Well I can tell you that Actone Cafe in Rogers Park doesnt take such a provincial/smallminded view to their street and they help out and call 911 anytime bangers are loitering about (even across the street on land not owned by them GASP). Thats the problem with alot of the city, its always someone else's problem. Until the bullets start flying and then its everyone's problem. So please stop complaining about the violence if you arent calling 911 when you see bangers loitering at your local minimall. And Starbucks also better not complain because they are tolerating the bangers presence.
I love this Food Mart. I stop there all the time. The folks are super nice and it's real convenient. I hope they don't shut it down.
ReplyDeleteWell I think they should shut down any business that knowingly tolerates gangs period.
ReplyDeleteWhat loitering there has been is out of view of Starbucks. Zero tolerence for small business owners.......nice.
ReplyDeleteLittleton said "What loitering there has been is out of view of Starbucks. Zero tolerence for small business owners.......nice."
ReplyDeleteOkay I guess the bullets will be out of view too, whatever the issue someone has a view of this loitering and they arent calling it in everytime like they should be. Yes zero tolerance for small businesses who harbor gangs is NICE.
Its actually been pretty quiet over there recently.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear it Littleton.
ReplyDelete