Illegal newsrack update
Our complaint letters regarding illegal newsracks in Portland went out in the snail mail this morning. Recall that we're making a test case of two Oregonian boxes at Northeast 24th and Fremont that are in apparent violation of the city code.
Already we've gotten an e-response from the addressee of the only note we sent by e-mail: city graffiti abatement coordinator Marcia Dennis. One of the O boxes has prominent nasty graffiti on it, and it's been there for ages, in violation of the city code section that requires property owners to remove tags within 10 days.
Ms. Dennis wrote, in relevant part:
I will try to find a person at the "O" who will take responsibility for the cleanup of the box. Newspaper boxes on corners are a long-time gripe of mine, mostly with regards to the ever-present graffiti. Check out the mess at SE 37th and Hawthorne outside Starbucks. Taggers are so lazy they've created 'slap-tags' and literally covered those boxes and it happens all over town. (Usually not to such a degree as those at Starbucks).We'll keep readers posted as any additional responses trickle in. It's supposed to be your sidewalk, people.A SW community volunteer wrote a letter to the Trib about the condition of a box on Capitol Hwy and got a very friendly response (from Steve Clark) and promise to take care of the (one) box.
I think I will write to them and suggest they should be responsible for ALL the boxes they've got on street corners in Portland...
Usually the only people cleaning newspaper boxes with any regularity are volunteers, and then, most often only during organized events. We (the City abatement program...) should notify all the companies responsible for these boxes and make them aware of city code/their responsibility to maintain these eyesores. So much work, so little time.
| Posted at 10:35 PM | Permalink |
|
Comments (14)
sounds like you heard a splash from the pebble dropped in the well
Posted by dman | June 20, 2007 11:00 PM
We'll see. If the city won't do anything about the scofflaws, who knows what concerned citizens might go out and do on their own?
Posted by Jack Bog | June 20, 2007 11:03 PM
I'd been thinking I should take a picture for you of 37th & Hawthorne. He's right; it's a mess.
Posted by Sue Hagmeier | June 20, 2007 11:06 PM
It's a she.
While duct tape parade spot reservists and street panhandlers pay their dues in the name of free sidewalk access, shouldn't the newsrack guys do the same?
Posted by Jack Bog | June 20, 2007 11:15 PM
I like the idea of giving panhandlers musical instruments to get them freedom of expression exemptions. So maybe if the news racks were individual and separate works of sculpture...
well maybe if the graffiti were unique...
Posted by dman | June 21, 2007 12:03 AM
If the city won't do anything about the scofflaws, who knows what concerned citizens might go out and do on their own?
I was thinking of grabbing a half rack of PBR and meeting a bunch of friends at 37th and Hawthorne tomorrow night.
You in, Jack?
Posted by Himself | June 21, 2007 7:58 AM
If the City of Portland feels it can ban smoking even in outdoor public places, why the heck can't we ban the sale of spray paint?
Posted by Roger | June 21, 2007 9:07 AM
I think people like us reading this blog is not bold and cannot call it as it is....
if it is ok to call these newsracks ILLEGAL....
but we dare not challenge the owl headline:
"For immigrants, no papers, high tuition close college doors Law - National legislation offers hope for undocumented high school grads Thursday, June 21, 2007NIKOLE HANNAH-JONES "
for god sake, they are "illegal"....
Posted by hedi | June 21, 2007 10:25 AM
You in, Jack?
If you're talking about cleaning the graffiti, I would gladly take part. I have a stash of this stuff. I would not move or harm the box.
Posted by Jack Bog | June 21, 2007 10:35 AM
"Ms. Dennis wrote, in relevant part:
****
"A SW community volunteer wrote a letter to the Trib about the condition of a box on Capitol Hwy and got a very friendly response (from Steve Clark) and promise to take care of the (one) box."
Sadly, nine days have now passed since my letter to Mr. Clark and his response and promise to fix the Tribune box on SW Capitol at Dickinson.
Nothing has been done.
I'm disappointed, but not surprised.
Posted by Nonny Mouse | June 21, 2007 11:06 AM
Someone please enlighten me. If illegalily parked cars can be impounded, at the owners expense, why can't these newsracks be treated the same way.
Posted by David E Gilmore | June 21, 2007 11:33 AM
Nonny, try Kevin Hohnbaum, the circulation director at the Trib.
Posted by Jack Bog | June 21, 2007 12:37 PM
Jack, you're funny. You're cry babying about a harmless newspaper box. Meanwhile, people are stealing social security numbers or falsifying them and Tom Potty mouth doesn't care.
Posted by Mike C | June 21, 2007 1:44 PM
Speaking of crybabies, maybe when the HoraceGreeley-wannabe MassMind media moguls get pouty enough, that they can't police-order real people What To Think, like robots, they'll take their newspaper boxes and bombproof broadcasting bunkers ... and go west, glum clan, go west. Way waaaay west. Swim away ... with the newspaper racks.
If it's time to change the topic to police-on-immigrants -- although all topics link into one topic, I agree with you that discussing newspaper rack code violations is definitely, definitely, the appropriate place to call Mayor Potter the repetitious crybaby-slur LIARS Liarson hypnotically programs in his listers -- then, understand maybe, the stretched-thin police have to prioritize the crimes for arrest. And right now, capturing the mass-murderers on the loose is sucking up most of the police resources.
The evidence keeps getting stronger toward proving to everyone that (_insert_name_) American officials mass-murdered the 9/11 victims. Police face difficult, long workdays.
And, the MassMind media-types can see their pictures of lies, when turned into truths, are really messing with minds and raising political voting consciousness. Newspaper racks don't dispense the voting advice anymore.
And, oh yeah, there are some gainfully employed illegal immigrants swarming in the streets, maybe knocking over newspaper racks, not to change the topic.
Posted by Tenskwatawa | June 21, 2007 2:49 PM