I've told you before that Easton's west ward, which incidentally includes the courthouse, has been subjected this summer to an unusually large number of shootings. According to DA Terry Houck, this is NOT the product of gang activity. He has instead called these shooters "thugs and punks" out to settle scores. "What is ultimately going to happen here is a child is going to be killed in the cross-fire," he warned.
What is happening in the West Ward appears to be part of a nationwide trend in US cities. At last week's debate, President Donald Trump blamed "Democrat cities." It's certainly true that Democrats tend to run city governments. But according to The New York Times, violent crime has been increasing in Republican strongholds as well.
On Wednesday, at 4:45 pm, there will be a community event concerning these shootings at Centennial Park, located at 1216 Ferry Street. Elected officials will pontificate. Nothing will happen.
This happens to be precisely where a friend of mine named Thich Huynh was shot four years ago. He was out for an early evening walk, and was shot when a group of four teens ran through the park, blasting away. Only one of these four was ever apprehended. Huynh never received notice when this punk pleaded to some bargained down offense. Huynh was never compensated in any way. To this day, he is afraid to walk in Easton.
Four years ago, Lance Wheeler, a long-time West Ward activist and local constable, asked why there were no cameras in the park.
"The Mayor wants to ban guns in parks. How about installing cameras? If there were cameras, police would already have the shooters."
Noting that the City recently received a grant from the County for things like landlord training, Wheeler thinks a better use of that money would have been for cameras.
"They have cameras everywhere downtown. Why not the West Ward?"
Four years later, are there any cameras? Of course not. But there will be plenty of hot air. Mayor Sal Panto is listed as one of the speakers. He probably thinks West Ward is in Bethlehem.
8 comments:
Philly had 6 murders yesterday! 6! On a Monday LOL. They are now at 357 which is the most since 2007, with a quarter of the year to go yet. Shootings are up all over, including the Lehigh Valley, Why? It's a combination of emptying the jails, not allowing Parole Agents to do their job, prosecutors like Larry Krasner, who would rather vilify cops than put criminals in jail. Said cops being demoralized with a sense of dread because they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. Talk to any Probation and Parole officer out there, the parolees can basically do whatever they want until they get a new criminal arrest. Criminals are now considered victims, and the cops are perceived as criminals at this point. What makes me laugh is then you have these so called "criminal justice experts" trying to figure out why shootings are up all over. It's not rocket science, when people are not held accountable for their actions, this is what happens. Take a look at Portland, they let people destroy that city night after night, it's a joke.
Oh I was wrong, it's actually 7 murders in 24 hours, and they are up to 363 murders in Philly. I look at the Philly Inquirer and they don't even mention it LOL.
9:40 am: I couldn’t agree with you more. We are in an era that may be very hard to undo. Not everyone is deserving of a second chance, not everyone can be rehabilitated, yet restorative justice is the current cry. Society-wide, discipline, courtesy, and respect are history, which allows a breeding ground for malcontents. The gentleman Bernie describes had his life forever altered, yet the wanna-be thugs barely experienced a hiccup in their lives.
Policing minority communities has become much more difficult this year. I think Easton's downtown redevelopment plans have long been based upon pushing problem populations to the Wild West Ward, with a goal of keeping problems out of downtown and off College Hill. It's mostly worked, although you may still be assaulted on Cattel Street or stabbed within a few blocks of the Peace Candle. This isn't an unintended consequence. I think it was expected. The push west has also affected Wilson and Palmer, which aren't the neighborhoods they used to be, either.
It's just "thugs and punks" undermining the Covid-19 response.
Allentown made the top 20 list. Easton has a way to go.
Time for the so called leaders of this once nice town to get rid of slum lords and rental properties. Bring back the single family homes and the crime will disappear. It is that simple. They changed the zoning before, they can CHANGE IT BACK .
2:46 pm. Easton has 1/5th the population than Allentown. can't compare the 2 .
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