Friday Follies...

And what a Friday it's become, and I mean that from several points of view, all of which will be made clear as you read along.
Today's Heartland weather is starting to get a bit familiar, which would translate to being repetitious.
Sunny today, with a high near 80...seems like DejaVu...all over again.
If we do get any rain, I'll be damn surprised.
But, it will be a good day...to be someplace ELSE, as evidenced by the stories that surfaced in Ft. Wayne in the last 24 hours.
So sit back, take a load off your feet, and let's get rolling.
*** First out the door today is a story brought to my attention by fellow blogger MsN (Waiting for God), or as I now like to call her..."Scoop", because she beat me to the story...lol.

It concerns a house on Fort Wayne's...(...all together, gang...)...SOUTHEAST side that was peppered with over THIRTY rounds in the early morning hours.

Here's the link with video:

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/crime/bullets-riddle-home-on-gaywood-dr-in-overnight-shooting
It's kinda WEIRD that it took well over TWELVE HOURS to break this story...wonder WHY that was?
This happened yesterday morning around 0120 hrs at 5212 Gaywood St near Fairfax - less than a 1/2 mile from our "Fortress".
Now the landlord doesn't look like the "usual" ones I see around here (he seems to give a damn), and obviously has rented out a nice house (new appliances), but for some thugs to go and shoot the hell out of the house is just more proof that this city IS a dangerous place, especially on the SOUTH side.
In the video, the landlord points out the bullet holes, which tore THROUGH the house, fortunately NOT striking the grandmother and her two grandchildren that were there at the time OF the shooting. The SIZE of the bullet holes (to me) would seem as if it's from a smaller caliber weapon, like an AK or SKS. That would account for the "thirty" rounds expended. The holes in the walls seem consistent with such weapons and a high-cap mag.
It wouldn't be the FIRST time such weapons were shot off down here. Last year there was a police pursuit that ended one street over and those perps also had an AK-style weapon, capping off over 20 rounds, striking a house.
There are no suspects, but people in the area stated to WANE that they thought the shooters were THREE men in a red "older model" Chevy Impala.
Now, to any FWPD LEOs reading this, there IS such a car that frequents our area - It's an early 1970s convertible (candy-apple red) with a white interior and was driven by a black male.

It has styled rims on it (not huge ones) and has a loud stereo...just so you know.

Sorta kinda looks something like the one above.
So maybe a comprehensive sweep of Sector 45 is in order.
Moving on...
*** Yes, we finally made it to HOMICIDE NUMBER EIGHTEEN...after a brief "lull" in the action, and once again, it's on the...(three guesses, and the first TWO don't count)...SOUTHEAST side of town.

Here's THAT story link:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/crime/bullets-riddle-home-on-gaywood-dr-in-overnight-shooting
When I heard this story break, I asked Wifey which block of Oliver St she thought this happened. I thought it was the 3500 block, while she said the 3900 block.

Well, it was the 3200 block of Oliver St., but I guessed the closest. You just KNOW the area and the "people" that infest such a place.
This happened around 1623 hrs yesterday afternoon...after school had let out, so there COULD have been children playing around the area.
The vic was pronounced dead at the scene by EMTs, and no ID has been forthcoming to date.
Three men were seen fleeing from the scene after neighbors reported hearing gunshots...in the MIDDLE of the damn AFTERNOON, for God's sake.
Two fled northbound, while the third fled southbound.
It doesn't appear that any witnesses are being talkative at this time, either.
(typical)
But one friend, De'Angela Waller stated to a news crew that the victim "...was a good person.. He never, he didn't hurt nobody..."
(nice double-negative...you learn that in SCHOOL?)
-- Now, if you noticed, last week, there was a huge drug ring that was busted up in Fort Wayne, largely HISPANIC, with ties to Mexico, but nowhere was there any mention about BLACKS in the whole cocaine distribution ring.

My take on this is that the Latinos are the MAJOR suppliers to the local GANGS, who in turn, are the street-level dealers causing all this sh*t.
It makes sense, because when the cocaine gets here, it's doled out to the black gangs who will "cut" the product to make it go farther on the street, thereby increasing THEIR cut of the moolah when they get paid and forward the majority of the money back to the Latinos.

It wasn't that long ago when the FBI made a bust ON Oliver St (9 May 2013). 

Last week, in fact.

It also opens the doors for the sale of illegal firearms, that could be ALSO supplied by the Latinos to the blacks. There just HAS to be a connection between the two groups. It just adds the hell up.
*** Now here's a story that makes me smile.
It's about PUNISHMENT befitting a crime.
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/kids-hold-signs-as-punishments-for-smoking-pot

Well, there's at least ONE set of parents that "get it", when it comes to their kids smoking weed...and at TWELVE YEARS OLD!

They had to hold signs on the CORNER where their FWCS bus picks them up...for ALL to see.

Humiliation can be a VERY good disciplinary tool...wish that FWCS would follow suit here in the classrooms.

The two cousins say they've learned their lesson, and that they won't smoke weed again...we shall see, right?

*** Lastly today, a personal loss.
My nephew Erik (the LT fireman) from VA called me yesterday afternoon to tell me that my Father-In-Law (first marriage) passed away.

Lewis W. MacClain (03/21/1931 - 05/15/2013)
It was really ODD to hear that, because I was thinking about "Pop" since this was National Police Memorial Week, and was wondering how he was getting along. It was like some sort of premonition...crazy how that works out sometimes.
Now, Lew MacClain was a good man, a good Catholic, and we always jokingly said there was a SAINTHOOD waiting for him, as he had to deal with a wife that suffered OCD and was a hoarder for decades.
But, that's not the ONLY reason he was a good man.
He was a Korean war vet (USN - U.S.S. Kula Gulf), a 35 year veteran of the Philly PD, and a damn good mentor.
He was part of the pilot program the PPD had when the Glock pistol first came there back in the mid-80s, and I was probably one of the first to handle one when he brought it over to the house.
Lew was a past commander for American Legion Post 925 -Richard White Memorial - (Mt Vernon St.), sponsored me there , and we had some good times at that hall.
And while he was a patient man (especially with Joan, his wife), he was also a man who spoke plain, never minced words, and through reason and common sense could sell ice to an Eskimo.

He served on the Philly Highway Patrol division and later was the desk officer at the Philly "Roundhouse" (lockup and HQ), and I stopped by to see him whenever I was in the area.

Lew was also a godsend to my Mom, and the two of them always enjoyed one another's company. And that's why every holiday, we invited my wife's family over...it was nice to have a full table at our house again, and I always gave Lew my Father's seat at our table (at the head)...yeah, I respected him that much.

He was a good cop, a good father-in-law, and a good person to have known in life. And I WILL miss him as much as my own father.
Rest in Peace, "Pop"...your tour of duty is over.
We have you 10-19 - returning to station.
-- The loss of someone in your life who truly WAS a good and decent person is something we ALL have to face sooner or later. Some of us sooner than expected, and often all too frequently.
And in times like these, such losses cannot pass without each of US losing a part of ourselves.
Thankfully, it's incremental in nature, and not all-at-once.
But the passing of family...or friends, or even acquaintances serves as a reminder of our OWN mortality.

I also believe it's God's way of tapping us on the shoulder, and letting us know that ALL things must pass, and that how we live our life is very often how we are remembered by those who follow us.
We don't have to perform feats of daring or heroism, or make some fantastic discovery, or be wealthy beyond avarice.
We DO have to live as good a life as the Lord intended.
We have to grow as individuals, and we have to LEARN, then INSTRUCT.
Every one of us impacts others daily, and we don't even know it...the "fruits of our labors" as it were.
What we say, what we do, and how we act or react makes subtle changes to not only us, but to others, without our knowledge.
Life is both simple AND complex...that's the way it's meant to be.
It if were easy, we'd stagnate as a species.
Let it never be said that any of us would ever settle for that either today or for the rest of our tomorrows.
Do have yourselves a great weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.