Getting Control Back

We're back from a extended away from the keyboard. We see a lot of comments, and simply don't have the time to read all of them. We skimmed through, and the general tone seemed -- shockingly -- negative when it comes to the "Liberty Walk."

But, there were some positives that came out of this. We got a nice e-mail from Councilor Ted DeSalvatore over the weekend. He's energized, has some ideas, and thanks everyone for coming out. To have a councilor focused on this issue is a good thing for the city.

Other good news: 300 people came out to walk. That's a very, very strong number, and a sign that the community is paying attention and folks are looking for some small ways to have an impact. A motivated community is a valuable asset.

It's also good that people got to see the bad side of this neighborhood. There's certainly some "tough on the outside but scared on the inside" posturing going on in that neighborhood, but now people have a better understanding of what the city is upagainst. It's certainly not illegal to heckle someone walking down the street, but a total crackdown in that neighborhood -- on everything from drugs to jaywalking -- would likely help.

Hopefully, the city uses the "Liberty Walk" as an impetus to scrub down that neighborhood and start turning it around. It will take manpower and dedication. DeSalvatore has clearly latched on to the issue, however, and often end results start with one councilor demanding action.