It’s not the kids, it’s the parents.
Well, now I know. It’s 11pm that the kids are supposed to be inside by.
At 10:15 or so- there was a racket outside of my office. I walked out and there were 20 kids milling around the corner. I advised them in my best command voice to find their way home and their parents. They dispersed, although there seemed to be some confusion on the ownership of a bike that seemed more expensive than what these kids could afford. It was left in the street- so I moved it onto the sidewalk- before a small girl came back to claim it.
A nice couple on a motorcycle asked what was going on, and I told them that these kids seemed to be out past their bedtime.
Here is the curfew law- from the City site:
2.5 Curfew (Hours: 11:00 pm to 5:00 am)
No minor under 18 years of age shall be on a street, highway, park, alley or other public place between the hours specified unless:
(a) The minor is accompanied by a parent, guardian or other person 21 years of age or over and authorized by the parent or by law to have custody of the minor; or
(b) The minor is traveling to or from a place of employment, or is responding to an emergency, or is acting under direction of a parent or guardian; or
(c) The minor is emancipated under ORS 109.550 to 109.565.
2.5.2 Curfew Hours. The hours between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. are the hours of juvenile curfew.
2.5.3 Police Custody. Peace officers are authorized to take minors violating curfew into custody as provided by ORS 419.569.
2.5.4 Penalty for Violation. A violation of any provision of section 2.5 of the Dayton Municipal Code is a Class B violation and is subject to a $250.00 fine per each violation.
Leaving the office at 11:40 or so- I still heard kids making noise from midway down the next block. I went home, dropped off my gear and went back out with a flashlight to find out why kids are in the street this close to midnight.
As I get down around 31 Bonner where there are literally kids spilling off the porch, the same couple pulls back up on the bike. This time, they aren’t so nice in asking me what I’m doing.
I explain that kids should be in bed by this hour. To which I’m told to mind my own business and who the duck do I think I am. The kids are running their mouths too- in between smoking. I point out to one that he’s not old enough to smoke- and he says “I’m seventeen.” BINGO.
The guy on the bike wants to pick a fight, the wife wants to call the cops on me- and supposedly does. I tell them I’ll wait till the cops show up. This isn’t good enough for “Dad” who wants to throw down in the worst way to show off his manhood to the “children.” This is how we teach our children in the summertime- when school isn’t in session- “and they can be up till 4:30 in the morning if they want Mother Trucker” as “mom” pipes in.
The pressure becomes too much for “Dad”- and he decides he has to protect his brood. Off comes the sweatshirt to reveal the blue “wife beater t”- and then he’s an inch in front of me. I continue to say, I’m just waiting for the police. In the meantime, “mom” is telling me about how her kids were “molested by Mexican’s just last week” and that I must be a molester too. She screams for her man to hit me- but, he can’t quite bring himself too- although I’m supposed to be shaking in my shoes. He grabs my shirt, and starts twisting me around to push me to my knees- the shirt rips, my glasses start to come off- and he starts to reach for my flashlight- as if he want’s to pull it up and choke me- then thinks better of it when he sees I’m not going to get into it with him.
I stand back up, dust off- and call 911. “I’ve been assaulted, please send an officer to 37 Bonner.” The “wife” yells- “Tell them 31, since I’ve already called them”- “OK 31” I say- the dispatcher asks me who assaulted me, to which I reply I don’t know his name- and he proudly says “Dan Bowen Jr.”
Dispatch advises me to walk home, lock the doors and wait. The “posse” behind me hears me say 113 Bonner as my address and start repeating it as if they’d been given the combination to Ft. Knox.
The crews show up a little slow- it’s shift change in the Second District- and they were coming from the First. The officer says he was amazed to find it- of course, no GPS in the cruiser.
I give my side of it, another cruiser appears- and he tells him to head down to the lynch mob down the street.
We exchange some shared confusion about the state of East Dayton parenting, and he heads down the street.
I sit down and write. I’m still feel the adrenalin that comes with the fight or flee reflex that I seem to have learned to ignore to my own detriment. I wonder how confrontations affected Gandhi and King when they preached non-violence and held their ground and their principles.
More than anything, this convinces me that for all the “progress” we’ve made in South Park among the “neighborly”- we’ve failed to engage and provide for all the kids in the neighborhood. Had we had programs for the kids to play baseball, soccer, or basketball- had we had scout troops, and after school activities, maybe these kids would not only know me, but know better.
As the years have gone by, I’ve become less connected to the kids that walk the streets down here. I used to know many more of them, when I was working on the houses and the office.
I think it bothers me even more that Dan who lives down the street, and I, hadn’t met at a block party, or in a neighborhood meeting. He saw me as the enemy in this, when in fact, I was concerned about my neighbors.
We both live in Dayton, on the same street, yet in different worlds.
How do we fix this? I know that fighting isn’t the answer. Hopefully, he’ll learn too. I’m tempted to send some of Pizza Bill’s pizza tomorrow- because with pizza, all things are possible.
[Update 5:30 am] the left hip hurts like hell, bad day to have to go to the doctor too from a work standpoint.
Really sorry to hear about your hip, David.
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
How often we are faced with a choice about how to react to each day’s challenges. Do we rail at the outrageous winds of “fate” that pound us from time to time, falling into the pit of self-pity; or do we look upon these moments as opportunities to learn and grow, and broaden the humanity within us?
The good news is that we do have a choice. We can choose to feed the wolf of envy and resentment, or feed the wolf of humility, benevolence and compassion. We can choose to be happy or to be miserable. The choice we make colors our days, our work and our relationships to those around us.
Which wolf do you choose to feed today?
You’re kidding, right? Send pizza? Send the police is a better idea. You have no reason to appease them. Call 333-COPS every single time one of the little bastards is out past eleven. Every time that the lovely mother or father drinks and drives. Every time. Perhaps their parenting style needs to be examined as well. This city actually has a number of summer programs for kids, but none of them are functioning at midnight. The problem is not what we as a society are able to provide, but what we as a society require from these sorry excuses that call themselves parents.
I hope you are soon on the mend.
This is typical of a lot of East siders. Pure ignorance and patheticism to the nth degree.
But then again, this is really an outcome of class. We treat the lower-rung so horrifically in many ways in this country that our lower-run (socio-economically) are now part of a culture (a huge culture too), of disrespect.
Wonder if kids were out past 11pm in Centerville or Oakwood. An adult would do the same thing, the difference is the kids would either go home or take their party elsewhere.
Dayton kids are the future leaders of this great town. No wonder we are in such wonderful shape.
Or this class of people are just……………… losers?
I suppose, that is, if you view life as some sort of board game.
The real question is how do you protect yourself and your property from these kinds of hooligans? I wish I knew the answer. So much for the Neighborhood of the Year. Burglary AND assault in less than a month. I wonder if they’re connected. Perhaps the PD should look at the Bowens brood for b & e. Stolen game system, anyone? What must be particularly heartbreaking is all the effort and care and attention that David has invested in his corner of the world.
Drexel Dave, it seems that really we cater to the lower rung, as if every part of society has been reduced to the lowest common denominator. Who would be on Jerry Springer if not for these folks? Who would keep the registers merrily ringing at Family Dollar if not for them? Who would keep Basic cigarettes and cheap wine and budget line beer companies in the black otherwise? Seriously, we’ve not only accepted this level of existence, we’ve marketed right to it. Look at the movies, the television, food, alcohol, and entertainment that are being produced precisely for this segment of society. It’s like homage to the low-brow and self-indulgent.
My grandmother was widowed very young, and worked in the cotton mills to keep her six children fed– and those children grew up right and their children grew up right . . . poverty is no excuse for this culture of chaos and disrespect. I have neighbors who are poor. Their houses are spotless, their children are polite and respectful, and they definitely know right from wrong. They sure aren’t hanging on the street corner at midnight.
I called the police 2 or 3 times a night all summer on the same bunch that lived at 30/31 Perrine before they moved to Bonner. I warned Lotney but he said Dan was a fine man (enough money for rent) children services has a file on them. The kids were out playing on the sidewalk at 4:00 AM one night. It’s a mess. Justin Poe knows the situation pretty well. I am just glad they aren’t on my street anymore. Between her and him I think they have 7 or 8 kids. The school sent them home because of lice. The woman simply does not watch them at all.
I say the world “loser” bc I know it gets people all pissed off.
I have said this before. My Grandparents lived in Dayton all their lives, they were “poor.” But they managed to cut their lawn, throw trash in an actual can, paint the house, not curse, wash their clothes, and send their kids to school who went on to become successful. No excuses from them. Ever.
There are people from this “group” who manage to grow up and act like adults, living productive lives. They manage to get employed and even raise a nice little family. No, they are not discovering cures for cancer. Neither am I. But they manage to live in such a way that they don’t commit crime, they are nice to their neighbors, and they actually live what we may call a “healthy and productive” life. A lot of those kids, as well with their parents, are content with being losers.
Larkin, thanks for the laugh. DD, life isn’t a board game – there still can be losers without a game. Winners behave.
And it is always the parents fault.
Maybe the problem with kids is not parents, but both parents too often are not even in the picture. In 1960, 5% of children were born to unwed mothers, today 40% (skyrocketing to 60% in the African American community). From Slate: Some researchers identify out-of-wedlock births as the chief cause for the increasing stratification and inequality of American life, the first step that casts children into an ever more rigid caste system. Studies have found that children born to single mothers are vastly more likely to be poor, have behavioral and psychological problems, drop out of high school, and themselves go on to have out-of-wedlock children.
Read the entire article here: http://www.slate.com/id/2185944/
I’m sorry you got assaulted, David. But approaching derelicts like this is insane. Next time call the cops first and then the landlord. Are the Lotneys the landlords? I make landlords as responsible as the parents are. I tell everyone that neighbors a bad tenant is to get a hold of the landlord’s home phone number and call them when their tenants become a disturance. You can do this by writing down the number when For Rent sign is up. If the landlord uses a screening company, then typically the tenant will be tolerable.
David you don’t really remind me of a Charles Bronson type but your actions on the street last week to report the kid with the rifle and now sweeping the streets of curfew violators are making me worry about your continued well being. I don’t want to see you ending up getting hurt. I know you are veteran and could handle yourself if needed but please don’t push your luck. Get the police involved as soon as you realize a few soft words will not diffuse the situation.
If you havn’t already done so I would encourage you to ask the police chief if you could do a ride along one evening with a patrol officer. They usually make that available to comission candidates. It will give you a good sampling of what these guys go through each evening.
Nicholas Kristof just wrote about a “difference in learning trajectory between rich and poor students” caused by poor kids’ families not encouraging them to read over summer break:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/opinion/05kristof.html
And Dan Savage has tons of blog entries entitled “Every Child Deserves a Mother and a Father,” the point of which is to counter right wing nutjobs who say queers shouldn’t raise kids but which is apropos to this discussion in that it’s not so much the sexual orientation of parents that matters as much as it is their involvement and background (often class, but not always):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=all&esrch=BetaShortcuts&q=site%3Aslog.thestranger.com%20%22Every%20Child%20Deserves%20a%20Mother%20and%20a%20Father%22
@Kevin Moran- yep, Lotneys. I’ll be having a talk with Ken after I talk to the neighborhood police officer.
And, @ David Lauri- I think it’s time to start calling the cops first.
lessons learned slowly.
These losers will trip up again, and soon. They most likely have drugs around, underage drinking is the norm, and I am sure some of these folks have criminal background. Losers, yes, in the game of life.
Dan Bowen, Jr., and his baby mama are the problem, not the lack of scouting or basketball courts.
I own 2 single-family rentals in Vandalia. I let them sit empty before I’ll put someone in them that I wouldn’t want as a neighbor of my own.
As long as the neighbors defer all of their problems to the police, you will never have a safe neighborhood.
If you are willing to let the cretins take over the street, then guess what? They own the street.
Nobody said this life would be easy.
You did the right thing David. Where were your neighbors?
Cowering in fear I bet.
I’m waiting for the kids to vandalize Esratis house and office.
Looking up Mr. Dan Bowens Jr. on http://www.daytonwejis.com/ which is the municipal court site, you can find quite a history, including “comestic violence” multiple traffic stops, petty burglary, soliciting prostitution, CURFEW, etc.10 cases from 1992 to 2009.
Another part of the problem is the transient nature of some families. When they can’t make the rent, they pack up and move to another cheaper place. There is no time to build community, if they don’t become a part of one.
Hey Dave; you’ve been on a roll as of recent. Between rifle totin’ hombres on the west side to the east side sociopathia all-stars; you’ve had a pretty full dance the last week. In all actuality, Dave, you’ve been lucky; either one of the encounters you have described could have quickly turned dire. But luck is like money; no matter how much you have it will eventually run out. You may want to do what thousands of satisfied Ohioans have done recently; purchase a weapon and devote a weekend to a ccw class. The old axiom is true, better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it. The old Bandito is partial to the .45 automatic; it never failed while the Bandit in the combat zone known as Vietnam and it has not failed me in the combat zone known as Dayton……..
Drexel Dave, the police are PAID to handle this kind of incident. It’s their job. Community building comes doesn’t stem from mano a mano confrontations with sociopaths, but rather from like minded people banding together and saying that they’re not going to put up with this kind of crap anymore, with neighbors working together to take back their streets. Long time residents will tell you that this neighborhood (Jane Reece, Lower Dayton View) used to be pretty awful, but with conscientious effort of homeowners AND the efforts of the police they’ve done much to turn it around. It’s one thing to be right, it’s another thing entirely to be dead right.
Apparently this “bad actor” hasn’t done anything bad enough yet to be put in jail.
Community building comes doesn’t stem from mano a mano confrontations with sociopaths, but rather from like minded people banding together and saying that they’re not going to put up with this kind of crap anymore, with neighbors working together to take back their streets.
In another day and time like-minded people would abduct this guy one night, take hm out, tie him to a tree, and horsewhip him, with stern warnings to shape up or ship out.
David, No matter how much military training you’ve have, those east end sociopaths have nothing to do all day and night but to think of ways to “get even”. That’s why I moved. I spent 10 years trying to right wrongs, it just destroyed my insurance rating and my health. I agree with Ice Bandit, check out http://www.sim-trainer.com/, the wife and I are going to sign up for the ccw class , whata’ join us?
Because I had nothing better to do – On the Montgomery County PRO site, we find that Cynthia and Danny Jr. , parents of 4 children, were divorced as of June 24, 2009. Maybe they were just having an extended celebration? Danny Jr. may be self-employed as Entriprise Hood Cleaning (the “Payroll Dept.” address is the same as his home address at 31 Bonner Street). I suspect Danny Jr. is not strong in spelling skills.
The State of Ohio Dept. of Taxation filed a large number of lawsuits against Danny Jr. in 2005, listing an apartment address in Centerville. Each of the 4 cases I opened were for approximately $4000 each. There are 35 State of Ohio cases listed.
Danny Lee Bowen Jr. also has a trail of offenses in Kettering and Vandalia Municipal Courts. There’s nothing in the higher court (though plenty regarding his dear old dad) except for a fairly recent divorce. Weird that the name comes up with both the “s” and without the “s.” (Clearly same guy, though. Same address, same dob) Some prosecutor needs to look at this guy for habitual offender and stop letting him off with a smack on the hand.
And Dan Foley is claiming his big accomplishment is tying together all the clerk of courts sites databases. It’s pretty obvious, our judicial system is being overwhelmed with this guy- yet, their record keeping sucks. If you can’t even spell the name right, you have a problem.
Thanks for everyone digging the data out- I did some of it- but, unfortunately- you can’t just link to the data, a fundamental flaw in data management that I talked about here: http://esrati.com/?p=2193
The knee jerk reaction of a neighbor is to talk to the landlord and get the problem to move. I think we need to work on educating the problem- so that he stops being a problem. I honestly don’t think this guy is worthy of being locked up- but he does need some coping skills- and an lesson that you can’t bully your way through life.
As to the CCW- shooting him wouldn’t have solved the problem, it would have caused more problems.
I called Lotney last year (when I learned that Lotney had rented to them) and warned him about Danny, his kids and sleezy live in girlfriend but he told me Dan was a fine upstanding Father etc etc. If a drug dealing purple gorilla has the rent money it’s a fine upstanding person according to Lotney. That part of Bonner has drug problems as well in another Lotney property according to some of the other neighbors, but that’s just hear say.
South Park has enough muckety mucks who work for the city that this should be able to be dealt with a lot faster than is done in other hoods.
I would think a protest outside of said neighbor’s house with about 20 or 30 people shouting “Take Care of Your Kids! Take Care of Your Kids” would do it.
But, as for people who are worse than the typical neglectful toxic wastebag in Dayton, trust me, crooks know where they are likely to get beaten and shot, and where they are not. Little Italy has always been a safe place to walk the streets.
As we all know Dave, the three most recognizable sounds in the world are the twack of horsehide off an ash bat, the last stanza of Handel’s Halleleujah Chorus and the chambering of a round in a pump shotgun or a .45 auto. While the first two of the aforementioned generally induce a sense of aural delight, that third sound generally inspires instant sobriety, propriety and humility. My guess, El Davido, is that your protagonist is a shallow, frightened man who knows just where the line in the sand is drawn. Just like spending a few hours in the bakery will give you some ideas about how donuts come about, ya’ can’t spend as much time in the slammers and courts as this hombre has without some handy legal knowledge. But street justice is a different type of jurisprudence, and not even John Rion Esquire can save him in a clear cut case of self-defense, as yours was. But the idea is not to fire the weapon, but use it as a tool of deterance. He did after all, amigo, attacked you!!! Take Shannon’s advice and sign up now. Operators are standing by………………
What Ice Bandit said. Although veterans should get a pass on taking the class. I have fired and took apart and put together and cleaned and took apart more weapons than most could ever dream of, if that’s your thing.
I don’t CC precisely because I know I would use it against some moron, seeing my level of tolerance for cretinous morons.
I find minding my own business and being polite to be about the best self-defense there is in life.
..or, “speak swiftly and carry a big soft”, as Ken Kesey once said.
(& pretty good call by the Icebandit on why Junior thought better about pounding you).
….called Lotney last year (when I learned that Lotney had rented to them) and warned him about Danny, his kids and sleezy live in girlfriend but he told me Dan was a fine upstanding Father etc etc. If a drug dealing purple gorilla has the rent money it’s a fine upstanding person according to Lotney.
So, is Lotney y’alls local slumlord?
To all of you who seem to enjoy watching South Park fall from Neighborhood of the Year to this, I personally thank you your support. We are trying like crazy to turn things around and we’ve done well. You can sit there and mock us, but we’re the one paying higher insurance premiums and dealing with a few bad apples. A little support would go a long way – like if you live in Mont County, please do not vote for Mat Heck in the future. A big part of this problem is that we have a prosecutor who will only take cases he believes to be a slam dunk. Heaven forbid he screw up his batting average. So people like this guy and others who are repeat offenders continue to terrorize those around them. Each individual offense is petty or minor, but collectively they wear on the people who have to deal with them on a daily basis. And they waste city resources like Police services. I’m lucky, at the end of the day, I go home to my place in Beavercreek. David, you’re taking a lot of risks lately, I wish you wouldn’t continue to put yourself in personal danger – but I also give you credit for being willing to take them. I appreciate that you’re willing to stand up and speak your mind to these families. The difference between urban and suburban neighborhoods is what the residents are willing to tolerate, what their police are willing to respond to and what the Prosecutor’s office is willing to pursue and punish. As long as we have people like Esrati standing up and saying “ENOUGH” the better our chances of winning more awards in the future. Kevin is right – contact the landlord at the time of the infraction. Why shouldn’t they lose sleep too? Share the pain with them and they’ll make better leasing decisions next time around. The Lotneys are getting up there in years, but their decision making process is hurting their neighbors. Allison is in the minority as an investor who is willing to let… Read more »
It’s pretty rich to call South Park “our” neighborhood and say in the next breath “I’m lucky, at the end of the day I go home to my place in Beavercreek.”
And then to pass judgment on who landlords should rent to — many can’t afford to have properties empty, leaving them subject to squatters and the like. Are you saying that people like the Bowens should be homeless? That’s a whole lot worse than mocking them.
Perhaps you should not be so quick to make pronouncements on city living until you actually live in the city. Just sayin’.
It is what it is……… it’s Dayton for God’s sake. You will have winners and losers, dirty people and r’necks and professionals and race car drivers and slum lords and athletes and politicians and business owners and bartenders…… it is a mixed bag.
The suburbs actually have the same, but with less extremes and people agreeing to be somewhat polite, but not always.
Dayton is just like every other city in the USA, with winners and losers. No, it ain’t a board game, but some how I can point out who the winners and losers are. Most of us are neither, just cogs in the machine.
Larkin – I’m frustrated ok?! I’m the 4th generation of my family to live in South Park, in my heart it will always be “our” neighborhood. And for the record, I lived in Dayton the first 35 years of my life, and have wanted to move back ever since we left. There is so much about the City that I love – starting with the water! I and others are pouring our heart & soul into stabilizing this neighborhood so we can move on to the next one. Mostly I love the people of South Park and all the represent and all they’re trying to do. But I’m tired of a few bad apples ruining it for everyone. As many have mentioned here, being poor doesn’t mean you have to be a criminal. Yet poverty is so overwhelming. David’s headline says it all – it’s the parents, not the kids. When they grow up watching Mama encourage the Dad/boyfriend/baby Daddy to kick someone’s butt just for suggesting it’s not appropriate for the kids to be running the streets at midnight, they think that is just normal behavior and another generation perpetuates the cycle. What overwhelms me is trying to figure out HOW to break the cycle. I’m involved in Dayton Circles, part of a national movement to break the cycle of poverty. And it takes middle class mentors to become allies to families trying to break the cycle. Yet there is such a divide between those that need help and those that could help. I feel for this family and others like them, but their actions make me nuts! It takes so much time and money to do the right thing, and just a couple of minutes to destroy it. I’m tired of people stealing my stuff, dropping their trash in my yards, showing their a**es when we try to hold an open house. Yet I also “get” that they feel left behind, insignificant and overwhelmed as well. I try to remember at the end of the day what Gene said – we’re no different than anywhere else – and… Read more »
TG- These kids held up an older woman in Trotwood, got caught, and now the prosecutor’s office won’t press charges? I assume this is what you are referring to in your earlier post.
I can understand prosecutors not wanting to waste time on something they definitly cannot win. But from the surface this case looks pretty clear. They have the kids, they have the weapon, let’s git er done!
From DDN
TROTWOOD — Prosecutors have declined armed robbery charges against three men involved in a 30-minute chase June 30 through Trotwood and Dayton.
Trotwood police Capt. Eric Wilson said Tuesday, July 7, that failure to comply charges had been OK’d by Montgomery County prosecutors and other charges were possible in the chase.
Wilson said prosecutors raised questions about witness statements involved in an earlier armed robbery that led to the chase. more…
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/prosecutors-decline-to-charge-chase-suspects-for-robbery-193850.html
Bruce – hadn’t heard about that one, but it’s just part of the same song. We’ve got a couple of repeat offenders in South Park who have been getting away with crap for decades. They never get more than credit for time served. Last one to get off was for assaulting an officer – was given five years probation and ordered to go to rehab, get a job and pay child support – and that was after he failed to appear for his hearing (released on OR) and having to be arrested and dragged back in to court. Yeah, right – and who is going to hire a drug addict with a record a mile long??? The one before that was grand theft auto and burglary in an occupied house.
It’s a multifaceted problem. Supposedly the jail is full and it’s nothing “serious” so the judges let him go. And they only see him IF the prosecutor doesn’t throw things out. And many times it’s not even the prosecutor’s fault because the victims of the crime won’t press charges and show up for court hearings because the idiots are threatening them. You can track garage B&Es to whether or not they’re in jail.
His father has a record, he & his brother and baby Mama have records, and so does his 15 year old son. The son was put in foster care, but is home every weekend to visit grandma who is nothing more than the family punching bag.
So I ask again, how do you break the cycle??? There’s something to be said for forced sterilization.
Got a call from a detective this morning. The claim is I shoved him first. Without a witness- no pressing of charges. So, now I need to go door to door and ask if anyone saw it.
He’s got his whole brood to say the opposite.
So much for the record or the officials.
I can assure you I didn’t touch him. I think the records speak for themselves.
Suggestions?
Gotta love the system.
I didn’t see you touch him!
Of course I didn’t see him touch you either. Revenge is a dish best served cold ……
A video recorder would be a nice addition to the flashlight you had.
@”The claim is I shoved him first.” If you were aggressive I have bets that the flashlight would of been a part of his skull.
Well Dave, I’d suggest you walk up to Tanks’ for a brewski or three, but that fine old Wayne Avenue establishment was the victim of armed and masked robbers. Seems like South Park is going down faster than Jenna Jameson in a porno flick. This is nothing new; 25 years ago two neighborhood 15 year olds kicked open my door at 18 Perrine in broad daylight and proceeded up to my bedroom. Unfortunately for them, I was in the middle of my (then) Sunday ritual of cleaning my guns. Terrible career choice for both, and despite it being a quarter-century past, I guarantee there has not been one day day they have not thought of me. However, my wife and two daughters were in the bedroom at the same time; what horrors would have transpired had my body and weapon not been there? Nobody has the cajones to say this, so the Bandito will; the city will not protect you. The DPD is too busy writing tickets enhancing revenue for a bankrupt city to care about the safety of its citizenry. Furthermore, jailing deadbeats is revenue negative; why do you think they closed the workhouse? And between the neighborhood sociopath and you, the guy most likely to get cited is David Esarati because they think you would have the money to pay the fine. It’s every man for himself David, and the responsibility for your safety rests on your shoulders. Not the disinterested police, not the irresponsible prosecutor and not Mayor McHat who is too busy walking point at the Gay Pride Parade. Please do as everyone is suggesting; arm yourself, get your ccw permit, and live your life unafraid and unimpeded………
I like the way Gary thinks.
I can’t afford for my rental houses to sit empty. In Vandalia, I don’t necessarily need to worry about squatters, but the neighbors don’t need empty houses sitting around, either. We didn’t buy them as investments, they are me and my husband’s former residences. We have mortgages on both, and simply refuse to pay to put a roof over a deadbeat strangers head, or subject former neighbors to a 24-hour freak show.
I had a recent applicant tell me I was “uptight” after telling her my applicant criteria. I told her I preferred the term “smart”. I have had exactly one bad unfortunate tenant, a young couple that I had the good sense to require a co-signer on. The wife’s mother, a perfectly nice woman and county politician, co-signed. And then this perfectly nice woman paid me a few thousand dollars when her daughter and son-in-law left town owing me a couple months rent and damages.
I would be all for a cooperative local tenant screening service. Put simply, if you and your kids can’t act human, you better have a big cardboard box.
tg wrote a pretty good description of Bobby Keen and his cousin Becraft. The two of them have been ripping off people in this neighborhood since before I moved in, in fact my neighbors warned me about them when I first moved in. Lets go picket Lotneys till he does something about HIS renters. Doesn’t the detective take into consideration that you called in to report being attacked? If you were the assailant would you be calling the police to report it?
….and not Mayor McHat who is too busy walking point at the Gay Pride Parade
At least someone is.
So I ask again, how do you break the cycle??? There’s something to be said for forced sterilization.
Yeah, it does seem like the Bowen Crime Family. I’ve read that this stuff does run from generation to generation, too. Maybe you put the kids in boarding schools or something? I also don’t think anyone was really pointing fingers at South Park, rather that there is this one bunch of yahoos causing trouble.
I’m still thinking about this- but, a lot of it ties back to if people are willing to stand-up and speak-up. It’s the same problem where the drug dealers have made it dangerous to “snitch” when in fact, they are the ones making it dangerous in the first place.
People can’t be complacent and sit back. They have to speak up and stand up.
In the meantime- our brilliant City Manager and FOP chief are having a pissing contest- and we’re the ones downwind. See new post.
David- sorry to hear about this incident….. I hope you are OK. I would talk with Ken and Barbara. In the early Days of McPherson Town, we had the declare war on absentee landlords because all our problems were from within the neighborhood. Mcpherson is smaller but we did an inventory of all housing stock and ownership. No internet search then only public records. Do a house by house walk thru with your code inspector. demand it if they do not respond. It will take a few days and you will piss off alot of people but you will establish a base line and create an expectation for all. This will be the line in the sand. The city used to rate the housing stock 1-5 with 5 being the lowest. Start with the 5.s. Find new residents or tenants who care and get them as neighbors. Work though all housing levels. It will be a long term project. It will take alot of work but from what i have read, you have a good core group already. It was much easier in our 20’s than our 40’s. South Park is in the best position to capitalize on what is happening with UD, the valley and yes, a future redevelopment of the NCR site.
Loni – I don’t think picketing the Lotney’s is the right approach. They are getting up there in years and some say may be slipping a bit. This is the time to pull some well meaning neighbors together and figure out how to help them. They have mulitple rentals and are having a hard time keeping them up. A friend suggested we should organize some volunteers and go fix up their properties and help them screen tenants so that it becomes a win-win for all involved. They need help, either to keep what they have or to find someone to take it off their hands for them. The older any of us get, the more likely we are to take the path of least resistance.
Allison – I use OBIS for my tenant screening – they do past landlord, credit and background reports – the fee for which I pass along to the potential tenants. It’s saved my bacon a few times as people I thought were great turned out to have some troubling arrests. I don’t take anyone with an arrest or drug history. And I do a check for everyone on the lease, not just the primary.
Larkin – my rule of thumb for rentals is 1) I’d be willing to live in them long term if needed, 2) I’d be willing to have the tenants live next door to me in B’Creek and 3) I’m excited to introduce them to the neighbors. I believe if I own a property in any neighborhood, I have a responsibility to that neighborhood and need to be a good neighbor, even if I don’t live there. I don’t think that’s too much to ask of any landlord.
Does that mean people like the Bowen’s should be homeless? Absolutely not. It means they need to clean up their act if they want to live in a decent neighborhood. It’s called consequences for one’s actions.
tg you’re the voice of reason. you are of course right. I get frustrated with Ken because he pays no attention when you try to talk to him about his tenants. You are right about them getting older, everyone at our synagogue is worried about Barbara. Ken said he would like to sell out but I don’t know if he was serious. Any suggestions?