When criminals decide to attack each other in our neighborhoods, everyone suffers. What happened Wednesday on Cedar Street should have been in a TV drama only. With one young man dead, four in custody and another on the run, you'd think we were living in the Bronx. Well, surprize! You're in Kingston.
Problem is, you cant make this a case of failure on the Police force, the Administration or the neighbors. I wish it were that simple. You see, scum like this live in cities, small towns and rural homes across the state. Gangs thrive during times of severe hardship, and this is definitely a time of hardship.The victim, Charles King of Henry Street, was no angel himself. Guns, drugs, violence and prostitution are a fact of life for many in our urban stressed neighborhoods, however, an execution of this sort has no place in our city.
The Freeman and Record have done a good job of reporting the details of the murder, but the citizens of Kingston have to figure out what more we can do to discourage the gang mentality of our local youth. Because URGENT has it's limits and the taxpayers scream that they can no-longer afford to fund additional law enforcement or intervention services. So what do we do? Fingerprint everyone who enters the city? Hell, we cant even deal with the undocumented residents in our multi-family dwellings.
Two of the thr
ee youth involved in the murder, were from our midtown west area. If convicted, they'll have their whole lives thrown away as a result of getting involved with gangs and their dealings. What a waste. And where the frak are their parents?There are numerous accounts of local residents claiming they see illegal actions occur on the streets infront of their homes daily, but wont report the actions because of retaliation. Will this spur more action from the residents or push them to ignore the issue even further? I'm just saying, this retaliatory hit on the streets of Kingston will have more of an affect on our quality of life than you may initially expect.
My thanks goes to KPD, UC Sheriff, URGENT and the District Attorney for swift action in these tough times. Now how can we insure that this wont happen again?
19 comments:
URGENT, lock em up. Lock em all up, until that new jail has to board out inmates.
This city is creating its own problems. Let's talk about Ulster Hose being called in for a house fire.
A trolly with one passenger? We pay Roser, the driver, gas, etc, for one passenger? What is this department costing the city?
The mayor saying what a wonderful job the DPW did on the snowstorm? Tell that dumb ass there was no snowstorm. 2.2 inches. What did that cost the taxpayers? He looked like a fool on the Daily Freeman video.
Somebody help us.
The solution to the midtown problem? Gentrification. Get a bunch of wealthy gays from NYC to buy up houses on Henry, Van Buren, Prospect, Cedar, Franklin, etc. Beat up those properties with a pretty stick and bitch-slap the hoodlums all the way to Newburgh.
8:47, youre not far off. Is the city doing anything to draw any of the more responsible homebuyers to Kingston? When is the last time they advertised anything in a metropolitan paper?
Short sighted is an understatement.
8:47's got it right. Time to raise the rents and taxes to unaffordable heights and watch the scum move down south.
Mike, Have you made any effort to reach out to the LGBT community to invest in midtown?
Steph
Mike -
We got into this "scum" issue kind of thing once before - and I have to state again that I think that sort of terminology is counterproductive.
"Hurt people hurt people." So what we need to address is the original manner in which the youth of our city are being hurt.
Neglect? Abuse? Big time community breakdown issues? PTSD and "flight or fight" gone wild? Deprivation. Relative deprivation?
Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear?
I think those that live in Mid-town - particularly those that have children and teenagers - should be encouraged to move to a safer turf - as more than likely there are adult predators in the mix to begin this whole nasty, sad, tragic - and yes, criminal - cycle.
I'm also thankful that the police acted quickly - as the first priority in the midst of such an event is community safety.
But you / we / all of us need to get the children to safety and/or provide as much safety for them as we possibly can.
Where are the crisis intervention teams I used to hear about? How about a free Gang awareness and education / prevention workshop? How about helping the people (particularly those with children) that want to relocate find a way to do so?
Just thoughts...
Not answers.
Geesh, I can't even (when all is said and done...) figure out some of these answers (I'm just going to be planting a lot of flowers and hoping for the best...) for myself.
Things sound like they are going well for you on the Legislature - and I want to thank you for making some of what you are learning and experiencing public.
As always, you have a great blog going - and you continue to be a major asset to this community.
N
Let's give more political gang jobs out - health care and retirement if you don't shoot people anymore? Tourism should improve as trash stays by the curbside longer and longer. Bring your family where the Mayor has a jeep but the schools have no crossing guards!
Sterilization of the mentally unfit is the answer, but don't go calling for it or the profiteers of abuse will cry foul. Close all the churches would reduce this reproductive cycle dramatically.
It is more frightening to see how the gangs have managed a foothold into MidTown and the city. As always, poverty seems to breed these sick alliances. Children having babies, lack of education and a strong family unit. Parents abdicating their responsibilities. The gang task force are doing their best but I have a feeling that URGENT is starting to be out numbered. I am grateful that URGENT has a dedicated force to root out the gang members. If only criminals would stick to doing crime on other criminal elements!!!But there is always "collateral damage" to surrounding individuals and neighborhoods.
As to 8:47: doesn't have to be gays. Anybody with money who is willing to stay the course and not be an absentee landlord or homeowner would be welcomed. I would love to outlaw absentee landlords. If you don't want to live in our city than don't buy real estate in our city. Is that even possible?
How can we ENSURE that lumpy bumpy silly disrespectful wasteful fat ass SOTTILE won't use such occasions to get a VIDEO OP for himself--as if he actually IS as he wishes--ie, the great "Judge of Everything and Everyone" which is at least his avocation now--in which case if he were that, why doesn't he just work magic and clean up his city a bit better--the truth is of course he only considers himself well and while he collects 75 grand a year himself doing a half-assed job in a full time position at best---this LUMP of a man wants to bash everyone on blogs and in the paper, his latest target being perceived scum on Social Services. He should be retired to Social Services himself for his hateful spiteful treachery and while he contributes to the problem himself by laying off 14 laborers---with the help of your council of course Mike---he has time to bash everyone else on the blogs and create for himself the image of a gang member which is where his fat pig ass belongs with his pseudo-morality and sellout to the ones who keep him in gravy and to hell with everyone else. This is the kind of leadership in KINGSTOn--so what ELSE would anyone have a right to EXPECT??
Clean up the Head before any of the Tail can be attempted--which by the way was the correct philosophy of the mafia of yesteryear--an organization not unlike the presentation of Sottile of himself.
"Sterilization of the mentally unfit??" Christ!! Sottile would just become WORSE---were that POSSIBLE!!!
10:22 states to raise taxes and rents to get rid of the scum,wrong,the only ones to leave would be the working people of this fine city,we have been nothing but a dumping ground because it is so easy to get dss,section 8 etc.
If you want to stop the process you have to get to the kids when they are young and show them there are other options besides dealing guns and drugs.
The City has taken away nearly every resource the Rec department had, they are scratching their heads to find money for people to come open the rec centers on weekends so they can play basketball. If the kids have nowhere to go or people to look up to they will get sucked into the gang vortex.
Also, deadbeat landlords who don't pay attention to the dregs of humanity that they rent to is another problem that has poisoned that neighborhood. Its a damn shame. Ulster County has made it way too easy to be a deadbeat.
2:32...you can pick on the Mayor all you want. He has little to do with the demand for guns & drugs in upstate NY. The shit will always find their way up here from Nyc.
5:22...there will always be trash parents who raise trash kids no matter how many programs the tax payers offer. They wake up at noon to get their handouts and watch tv until 3am.
I like the idea of working for your check or get out of Dodge.
Is our Board of Police Commissioners doing their job - why can crime be only investigated and solved on overtime?
2:32. So I guess this means you will not be campaigning for Sottile anytime soon??
Yikes, with that tirade you are going to have a stroke.
I am no fan of Sottile but spewing that type of disgust doesn't get you anywhere. Put your money where your mouth is. In the upcoming election put your money on any opponent to his campaign.Maybe that will help you sleep at night. But if you are one of those DPW workers who was laid off, I will give you a pass.
5:35 and 4:35 ARE--how much you wanna BET---JAMES SOTTILE HIMSELF?!
I think so and have reason to think so--PLUS-and I promise THIS TOO--there's so much more to the story than 4:35 suggests(and I think, happens to KNOW!). If any of you well-informed citizens think this is a stupid notion just mosey on over to Ulster Publishing blogs and see for yourselves--ie, get a front row seat to see the Mayor in action("BlackKnight");you might gain a slightly different perspective on this man by so doing...you never know....not that he has anything to do with perpetrating crime in midtown....he's bad in many ways but isn't competent enough to do THAT if he wanted to do it....LOL
6:09 "Somebody help us"?? I agree---that somebody won't be Sottile, as his ego is helping himself and will continue to do so. He is judge and jury over everybody and finds that stance not only comfy cozy for himself but wholly within his self-image of a highly moral man. LMAO
As for the Freeman, I am no fan of Kevin Cahill but he is right about one thing:The Freeman is pathetic, and Ira "Fussyfeld's" use of this self-promoting video for the Mayor is yet another example of the stupid crap that "Fussyfeld" promotes in his predictable Jewish self. Somebody help us away from HIM also!!
5:08. I can assure you that I am not Sottile. Sorry, your theory falls flat. I am a republican and was urging 2:32 TO STOP WHINING and do something about it. support another party candidate to run against Sottile. Bloggers complain and let off steam. I say, put your money where your mouth is. Get active in local politics to make a change. Stop being an arm chair quarterback.
Have ANYONE even thought or considered the aid of the NYS POLICE in combating this problem as both NEWBURGH and MIDDLETOWN have done??
Post a Comment