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Squawk of the day - July 17, 2012

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Staff Reports (40620)

As of Monday, July 16, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Albany Herald

"Running from a problem is no way to solve it. I say let's go downtown and enjoy the new shops. Don't let anyone stop you. You pay taxes, go and do what you want to do."

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Comments

waltspecht 10 months ago

Why risk it? There are safer venues available. Let the Police clean it up first, and prove they can keep it under control. There are areas that have safe downtowns, why not see what they are doing right and Albany is doing wrong. This so called false perception of Downtown has been around since the first Circus came to the Civic Center. It has only gotten worse over all those years.

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FlunkyMonkey 10 months ago

Because the best way to take this city back is to push back....show the thugs, gangs, etc. their intimidation is over....

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VietVet1 10 months ago

So, does that mean we can bring our weapon of choice?

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bigbob 10 months ago

You go ahead just wear your bullet proof vest & take your gun because you know APD can't protect you.

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Jimboob 10 months ago

When seconds count the police are only minutes away...

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daisymae 10 months ago

At the next downtown event, the police should just ask at the gate, "do you want a gun, a knife or boxing gloves?" and that will be $10 please to enter.

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Kenny36 10 months ago

And if you don't have any of those things, they will furnish one of the above for you. Enjoy your visit to the Good Life City.

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FryarTuk 10 months ago

I know some mighty fine shop keepers downtown that would like to have you come down. I do understand the trepidation in braving the risk. Once the community begins to clean up the atmosphere created by self-serving and corrupt officials I hope the downtown area will begin to thrive more.

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alleebrin 10 months ago

Yes, I'll do what I want to do - stay away from downtown!! I never go there anymore except on important business that can't be taken care of in some other manner. .

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rightasrain 10 months ago

Downtown is simply a haven for gangs, thugs, and politicians. I take the advice of a former APD Officer when he said, "If you want protection in Albany, get your own gun." I did and I'm locked and loaded; "The Judge" always rides shotgun and its sentence is swift, just and fair!

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FryarTuk 10 months ago

"gangs, thugs, and politicians" redundancy, redundancy, redundancy. I go downtown several times a week. I eat at the restaurants - BJ and Mona (Cookie Shop) are great people. I go to Gabes, Verge and other places. I haven't had a single bad experience in daylight. The only thing that iritates me is the traffic cop blocking traffic in that expensive go-cart.

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VSU 10 months ago

I can see vendors downtown with signs reading, drinks, cigars, cigarettes, peanuts, guns, bullet proof vests.....

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KaosinAlbany 10 months ago

The shops are GREAT in downtown! You have My Sister's Place, Verge, Milestone Trading, Global Essence, etc. They are great stores with lots of unique gift ideas or a little something for yourself.

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erock 10 months ago

I was in a particular store, I won't mention any names,okay, you talked me into it, Dollar General. Shame on me I know, especially the particular store I was in downtown. All that aside, I still just as much right to be there as anyone, or so I thought. These two female thugs in front of me, you know the ones, tattoos from head to toe 100 pounds overweight and tank tops. According to their glances at me and their little quirks, I was not welcome not even in a public place. I haven't said a word to anyone and I'm treated like this. Don't waste your breath asking me to overlook things and spend money in a rat hole such as downtown. All of the legitimate business owners downtown, I would advise moving before you lose all your customers.

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VietVet1 10 months ago

Ah come on erock - they were there to spend your uh I mean THEIR welfare money. You owed them that.

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daisymae 10 months ago

The Dollar General on Broad in Brooks Plaza is no better. As I lay my things on the counter to be be rung up, the thug that was just hanin' with his buddy, the cashier, laid his things in top of mine, (as if I wouldn't notice), when I politely laid them to the side, his remark was you can buy them now so I don't have to hit you up later and the cashier just chuckled at him. I have never been back to that Dollar General.

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agirl_25 10 months ago

daiseymae...do you ever watch how they ring up stuff for their pals? It is such fun to see. I once watched a sista buy boxes of Cheerios cereal for 50 cents a box....INCREDIBLE you say.....naw.....was a special buy...hahaha..and tomato soup was only 15 cents a can.....whoopie...amazing....of course my Cheerios was not on special.....sigh.......I spose cause I was not the color of the day....ya think? Or maybe it was cause I didn't have the right kind of debit card? I do enjoy going into some of the Dollar General stores tho, and watching the checkouts......it is a learning experience. Doesn't really bother me tho...I just find it amusing. I earned my income fair and square.

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chinaberry25 10 months ago

Enlighten me, where is the Dollar General downtown?

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Cartman 10 months ago

I think this squawker also authored today's squawk about the Riverquarium being so crowded and enjoyable, and that someone needs to donate to it.

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nowinalabama 10 months ago

I'm glad I moved. We have a nice time getting out for all the events in our downtown. Tell the officials to visit Gadsden, Ala and learn some things from them.

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MisterEd 10 months ago

The demographics in Gadsden are just a BIT different than Chocolatetown.

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coachjohnson42 10 months ago

I am going back downtown...I'm no quitter!!

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guardian 10 months ago

I go downtown on a regular basis; I enjoy the restaurants and many of the shops. I have never been accosted or felt threatened.

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ConnieC 10 months ago

Downtown Albany is no more “unsafe” than any other part of Albany. If you’re afraid to go downtown, than you should also be afraid to go the mall, your neighborhood gas station, or anywhere else in Albany. Stay in your house and live in your close minded fear. Meanwhile the rest of us will be enjoying the community we live in and try to support the people in it. Change comes with effort, not a bunch of people sitting around talking about how bad it is. I support the efforts Downtown Albany!

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rock 10 months ago

Last time I was down town Albany several Groups of young blacks Male and female, wanted to play chicken on the side walk and force me and my wife to move over. They found out i do not play and slammed into 3 who wanted to play. This is the culture thats thinks we as White people even have to get out of their way on the sidewlks, in the mall, you name it. Downtown is only safe if you are black. I was in the southside wal-mart and not being familiar with the store, I asked a wal-mart employee where I could find the item I was looking and the answer I received " It be in da stow" !!!! NO SIIIT!! I will never go back in there.

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agirl_25 10 months ago

I am still laughing at the Walmart story. I have had situations in there like that one.
Thanks for a belly laugh....I needed it today......hahahahaha......^5!!

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Albanite 10 months ago

This squawker must be one of those Obama democrats who think that after you get customers, then you can build a business. It doesn't work that way in the real world. When there is something downtown that attracts people, then they'll come.

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Albanite 10 months ago

Also, in case this is news to you squawker... its a lot harder to find tax payers in East Albany. The large majority are on some form of entitlement program. If you want to find actual taxPAYERS instead of taxBURDENS, then go west of Slappey or north of the bypass.

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sue 10 months ago

Just left the Pizza Shop in downtown at 9 pm. Lovely evening, lovely dinner. NO thugs in evidence! Nights at dtown FREE music and art event - NO thugs, NO crime. Thursday evening I will be downtown until 8 pm, and again there will be no problem. get over yourselves.

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rorschach 10 months ago

I'ld bet that you will never hear B.J. Fletcher complaining about how unsafe down town is. She seems to be doing quite well in all of her endeavors.

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