Believe It...Or Else...
Here in the Heartland of America we're still enjoying the springlike temperatures, but rain IS on the way (April showers a tad early?), and then we'll be back to more normal and seasonal conditions.
In the meantime, let's take a look and see what's been happening as we peer into our Crimewatcher's Notebook.
*** (( Cocaine, guns seized across street from elementary school / The Journal Gazette
Crack cocaine, guns, cash and drug-related items were confiscated in a drug raid this week across the street from an Allen County elementary school, the sheriff's department said.
The county drug task force and SWAT team searched the home of Gregory L. White of 4616 Werling Drive in Fort Wayne on Monday after an eight-month investigation, according to a written statement issued today.
Detectives reported finding 27 grams of crack, three hidden handguns, scales, plastic bags and a large amount of cash inside the home, the statement said. The sheriff's department said one of the guns had been listed as stolen.
White, 39, who lives across the street from Village Elementary School, was charged with dealing cocaine, theft-receiving stolen property, possession of marijuana, maintaining a common nuisance and driving while suspended.
His bond was set at $55,000, according to the statement from Steve Stone, sheriff's department spokesman.
More arrests are expected, the statement said. ))
Well, that sure doesn't bode well for Mr. White now, does it? Selling within 1000 feet of a school is a REAL no-no.
And if I didn't know better, this man sure looks one of the twice-monthly people I have seen dealing curbside last year in MY area, but hey, after a while, one drug dealer kinda starts looking like all the rest. Be nice to see what kind of car(s) he drove. I'd betcha his vehicle is on my "suspicious activity" list.
But wait, there's more...
*** (( Officer injured as traffic stop escalates to violence
Patrolman attacked by boy not involved in stop. / Aaron Organ of The News-Sentinel
A Fort Wayne Police officer was beaten by a "mouthy" juvenile Monday during a traffic stop.
Officer Stephen Ealing, a patrolman of just over a year, was admitted to Parkview Hospital for upper-body injuries sustained when he was allegedly attacked by a boy during a traffic stop on the city's southeast side.
Ealing had pulled over two youths on a moped near the intersection of Hessen Cassel Road and Ashcroft Drive just before 5 p.m. when a group of four approached and began talking to the suspects, according to Officer Deborah Joyner's incident report. When Ealing told the group to back away until he was finished with the stop, a juvenile in the group yelled at him, "(expletive) you!," Joyner wrote.
Ealing told Joyner the boy was "mouthy" as Ealing turned his attention toward him and demanded identification.
The boy refused, Ealing said, and Ealing instructed the boy to put his hands on the car, Joyner wrote.
As Ealing was patting the boy down, Ealing told Joyner the boy elbowed him in the mouth, the report said.
Ealing then called for backup and pepper-sprayed the boy, sending him face-down to the ground, the report said.
As Ealing was attempting to handcuff the boy, however, he rose with Ealing on his back. The boy then lifted Ealing over his head and tossed him head-first onto the road, the report said.
The group fled, leaving Ealing struggling to breathe and bleeding from the back of his head, Joyner wrote.
One of the boys on the moped told police it was his brother who assaulted Ealing and provided officers with his home address.
As Ealing was being transported to Parkview Hospital, police went to a home on Sherrill Drive, two blocks east of the incident. The boy's mother told officers she did not know her son's whereabouts, but officers found the boy inside the home.
The boy ran from officers but was apprehended quickly. Officers did use a Taser on the boy twice before he could be handcuffed and arrested, a report said.
The News-Sentinel is not identifying the boy because he is a juvenile. He was taken to the Allen County Juvenile Center on unknown charges.
Ealing was released Monday from Parkview Hospital. Police spokeswoman Raquel Foster said Tuesday that Ealing
suffered injuries to his shoulder and ribs during the incident, but could not comment on the severity of the injuries.
On Ealing's Facebook page, though, the officer said he had a broken clavicle and four broken ribs.
On Tuesday, Ealing expressed gratitude to his fellow officers for coming to his aid and for arresting the suspect.
"Thanks to my great co-workers for their quick response to my call for help and for finding the young man who left me in the street with a broken clavicle and four broken ribs," Ealing wrote. "You guys really are the best in the business!" ))
Okay, a few things with this story.
-First off, I wish Officer Ealing a speedy recovery, and kudos to those arriving in a timely manner to his code 15 (assist).
-Second, had I been the officer on scene, I would have not instructed such a "tall" lad to merely place his hands on the car, but tell him to turn around, kneel down and cross his legs and place his hands clasped (palms UP) on top of his head. That would have made it a lot easier to cuff him and maintain control of the scene (I'm only 5'7" as it is, so I need to be "taller" ASAP). At that point, the young man would NOT have been under arrest...and my TASER would have already been in hand.
-Third, no one else (civilian) on the block came to Officer Ealing's assistance, which goes to show the level of disrespect these particular people have for the police. The area is not sparsely populated by any means, and someone could have come from their house to help the fallen officer.
-Fourth, the mother said she did not know WHERE her boy was, BUT, he was found IN HER HOUSE...
What did I just say about blatant disrespect for the police in my part of town, hmm?
Seems that if this boy (with more "blacktitude" than brains) spent MORE time with his primate nose in a damn schoolbook, he'd have had a lot LESS time to become a public nuisance, and a danger to the community, don'cha think?
Have a nice stay at the ACJC, boy...you certainly EARNED it.
We're not quite finished yet, folks...
*** (( Bar fight leads to shooting - Victim and suspect had on-going feud
Updated: Thursday, 11 Mar 2010, 6:31 AM EST
Published : Thursday, 11 Mar 2010, 5:31 AM EST
Annie Ilnicki -WANE
One person has been taken to the hospital after being shot in the Canterbury Green apartment complex just after 3:00 a.m. Thursday morning.
Police say the two people involved had an on-going feud over the past week. That led to a verbal fight at a local bar.
Those two people were then asked to leave the bar and agreed to meet at a parking lot near the 5200 block of Stonehedge Blvd.
Police say that is were the shooting occurred among several witnesses.
Police say the victim is an adult male and was found on a nearby sidewalk. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition (where he later died).
The suspect fled the scene.
Police say at least one of the two people involved lived at the apartment complex.
So far, investigators haven't released any names.
Police are questioning witnesses and continue to investigate. ))
(( editor's note: An arrest has been made in connection with this murder - Matthew Pufahl, 25, address undisclosed, was located by detectives in an office of a local attorney, where he was placed under arrest without incident. ))
Again with the Canterbury Green Apartments...seems we may have some undesirables there, hmm?
(Maybe they lived there, maybe not...perhaps it was "neutral turf"...I can only speculate)
Well, that's what CAN happen when the management doesn't PROPERLY conduct background checks for the prospective renters.
Seen it all before at Willow Creek (read CRACK) Crossing apartments, also on the south side (west, though).
But, I suppose it COULD be worse...(and by summer, It just might be).
We ARE up to HOMICIDE # 7 in Fort Wayne, (EIGHT for the county this year), now, are we not?
(at least it was the FIRST homicide NOT in the SOUTH part of town)
I mean I've chronicled the problems we've "enjoyed" down here for the past three years at this blog, and been privy to for over a DECADE...and very little actually changes for the better, unless you consider the high rate of tenant turnovers in all the rentals a good thing. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
With such people comes litter, drugs, gun play, rapes, burglaries, robberies, vandalism, code violations, condemnation of properties, suspicious fires, and all the other "fun" stuff we've come to know and "love" (to get rid of).
Like I always state...it comes down to the PEOPLE...it always has, and it always will.
The PEOPLE make the choices, good or bad.
No one MAKES the choices for them.
They CHOOSE to live in squalor.
They CHOOSE to continually make BAD choices.
They CHOOSE the lifestyle that's most "comfortable" for them, when all it would really take is a bit of cajones to do something RIGHT for a change. Hell, they may even come to LIKE doing that, and come to appreciate it.
Like I say...I suppose it could be WORSE.
(but not by very much these days, by the looks of things)
When you decide to demand a level of accountability FROM such people (by taking away all their entitlements, for example), you'll find that many WILL own up and begin doing more of the RIGHT things in life. Some will simply be unreachable, but the majority will get in step with the program. That's just human nature.
All it takes is the proper "motivation" to see this happen. THAT is how real change (for the better) takes place...not by "giving" everything to people who expect it and want only more, as they do nothing to earn what they're given.
Hopefully, we DO have the capacity to get this train back on the right track.
Hopefully, each of us that gives a damn will be able to hand off to subsequent generations a city, state or nation that is wanting and needing of such people...and can appreciate them as well.
Enjoy the nice weather, make a difference somewhere today, and...
Stay safe out there, America.