6.29.06

6.28.07

Ah, the good old times: drinking open container--green bottle, like Heinekin--and sharing "cigarettes" in front of 2xx. A cop car even passed, but didn't stop.

6.25.07

Is this a sign of things to come, or something else?

Last night, we were enjoying our new favorite TV show when we heard screaming from outside, and so we look out and there's seven or eight disorderly youth in front of and on the stoop of 2xx, including two who are familiar from other infractions. Seconds later, a lowrider, red with black hood, we've seen before, pulls up, double-parks and two get out. Clearly they pass back and forth a blunt. At one point the spazzy girl throws a bottle at one of the others.

6.24.07

So we decided to sit on our own stoop and see what really goes down, on the street level.

In front of 2xx, two of the four normal offenders were loitering and massing back and forth a marijuana cigarette, while a neighbor - the one who continually sexually harasses any woman who walks by - stopped to chat and puff and a third, equipped with his rottweiner, also joined the festivities.

Meanwhile, the usual hanging out at 2xx and cars coming by and stopping, then peeling rubber. A deal?

No police presence, at all.

6.23.07

Surprisingly quiet for a Saturday night on Sackett Street, though one complaint was made about the chairs that were set up outside on the sidewalk across the street, and the noise that ensued.

6.20.07

Once again, 2xx was bustling with the regulars drinking open containers outside. And our neighbor decided to have a picnic smoke-a-thon on our steps, not his.

In other news:

Judge dismisses noisy kids lawsuitFeud on Long Island went all the way to court
Eyewitness News
(New York- WABC, June 20, 2007) - The case of a Long Island couple ordered to keep their young daughters quiet was dismissed on Wednesday night.

William and Rachel Poczatek, who live in the village of Bayville, were hit with a notice of violation after neighbors complained about the couple's daughters, aged 5 and 11, who they said played too loudly around the family's backyard pool.
But in court on Wednesday night, the judge dismissed the charges against the parents, according to Andrew Campanelli, an attorney for the parents. The courtroom was filled with people who supported the family and cheered as the judge read the decision, Campanelli said.

"I think the village did the right thing," William Poczatek told reporters after the brief court proceeding.

The Poczateks were cleared because the village ordinance they were accused of violating is usually reserved for "the shouting and crying of peddlers, hawkers and vendors, which disturbs the peace and quiet of the neighborhood," their attorney said.

"The statute didn't apply," insisted attorney Andrew Campanelli, who got no argument from the judge or prosecutor.

The couple now wants to get videotapes their neighbor, Mark Kostakis, made of their children. Kostakis had said he recorded the the kids last month as evidence.

"This is it for me," he said. "I don't work 12 hours a day to come home and listen to this...." Kostakis said.

Last week, the family held a party for their 11-year-old daughter and her friends. The next day, they received a summons to appear in court.

Rachel Poczatek, 43, said she didn't know how to solve the problem. "Should I muzzle my children? ... They're not cursing, they're not destroying his property, they're just simply being kids playing in the pool," she adds.

After leaving the courtroom with his family, Poczatek did offer a conciliatory message: "Yes, we will try to keep them quieter." That test begins Thursday, the first day of summer.

(Copyright 2007 WABC-TV)

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5401718

6.19.07

More police protection? Quicker response times?

Not on the 200 block of Sackett Street. Last night, 2xx was a virtual campground - they set up chairs, drank from open containers openly, and passed "cigarettes" around. More than once, a car pulled up, double-blinkers blinking, and conversation - and a transaction of some kind - was made.

6.17.07

Ah, they're back: K. and D. and the new boyfriend passing a joint.

Weird thing: we call about this, only to have the offenders move momentarily; call again, and again they move, right after getting off the phone. A leak of some kind at the PD? perhaps...

6.16.07

6.14.07

Spoke with someone at the 76, who had gotten our number from our supposedly anonymous calls to 311. In any case, apparently this fellow had received calls from others as well and was aware of the problems on the 200 block of Sackett Street, in good old Brooklyn, New York. However, he didn't think it was that bad, and even said, "I drive down there and never see anything." Still, it was promised there would be more police patrol and even perhaps some undercover sting work, depending on what summonses have been given over here and whether there have been other narc complaints.

So, we're skeptical this will actually work, but we'll see...

6.11.07

Quiet, then again thunderstorms will do that. However, before the storm K and D were at 2xx for almost an hour.

6.7.07

Three usual suspects - K, D and the other girl - smoking marijuana at 2xx.

6.5.07

The usual suspects, D and her friend, at 2xx for over an hour, passing blunts and talking to cars that drive up and double-park, likely a deal of some kind, by the looks of it. At the same time across the street at 2xx, business as usual: loud, out-of-control talking, inebriated sounding and desperate, and the recognizable wafts of marijuana.

6.4.07

Despite the rain, a group gathered at 2xx passing around open containers and marijuana cigarettes.

6.2.07

On and off all day, the usual blunt-smoking in front of 2xx and 2xx.

6.1.07

Big party in front of 2x3. They even bring out a chair. Multiple calls. Eventually the party breaks up, move across the street.