Blindsided
Seven months and it still looks like a bomb went off in Gentilly. The Ligustrums and many Magnolias are dead along with most every hedge plant. The Oaks are deeply battered and grass is just now rebounding against the weeds. My immediate neighbors are pretty much back to stay, but travel two to three block in any direction and it's another story.
FEMA trailers litter lawns and driveways: some are occupied, most are not. The nighttime population of the third police district is 13,000 or about 11% of the Pre-K total. The grocery store is open until 9pm. Local gas stations are 20¢ higher than normal and there are no sit-down restaurants open yet. There's a Subway and some kind of fried seafood place and a Churches and that's it. Pretty much north of the I-610 from the Industrial Canal to the 17th Street Canal is bleak. Looters are still abound and Latin gang members blend in to the workforce quietly. Some of the killaz are back as we have witnessed an marked upsurge in gun murders in inner urban areas. The Marigny Triangle had a robbery turn murderous last week. Yes, there is a common race to these killaz, and sadly it is the same as their victims. Here come the witnesses.
My idea would have been t have the National Guard stay a bit longer and patrol the mostly vacant areas. That would let the police have a break and concentrate on the inhabited portions. In addition, the police should make an effort to get out of the cars and get to know the businesses and citizens they serve. It's much better to have a relationship before you need cooperation. If all one sees of the police is when something bad happens, the association is firmed and one would tend to avoid the police. Most of us think there are a lot of fishy cops. Are they good or bad or both? I don't really think I could explain the structure and hierarchy of the NOPD (Not Our Problem Dude).
Did you really think I didn't notice? I think you should just send it back. And your froggy little friend, tell 'em I said, " ".
FEMA trailers litter lawns and driveways: some are occupied, most are not. The nighttime population of the third police district is 13,000 or about 11% of the Pre-K total. The grocery store is open until 9pm. Local gas stations are 20¢ higher than normal and there are no sit-down restaurants open yet. There's a Subway and some kind of fried seafood place and a Churches and that's it. Pretty much north of the I-610 from the Industrial Canal to the 17th Street Canal is bleak. Looters are still abound and Latin gang members blend in to the workforce quietly. Some of the killaz are back as we have witnessed an marked upsurge in gun murders in inner urban areas. The Marigny Triangle had a robbery turn murderous last week. Yes, there is a common race to these killaz, and sadly it is the same as their victims. Here come the witnesses.
My idea would have been t have the National Guard stay a bit longer and patrol the mostly vacant areas. That would let the police have a break and concentrate on the inhabited portions. In addition, the police should make an effort to get out of the cars and get to know the businesses and citizens they serve. It's much better to have a relationship before you need cooperation. If all one sees of the police is when something bad happens, the association is firmed and one would tend to avoid the police. Most of us think there are a lot of fishy cops. Are they good or bad or both? I don't really think I could explain the structure and hierarchy of the NOPD (Not Our Problem Dude).
Did you really think I didn't notice? I think you should just send it back. And your froggy little friend, tell 'em I said, " ".