Sadie Buttons

Tue, Oct 4, 2011 : 5:36 p.m.

If anyone is concerned about Michael Jackson, he is out there right now so all is well.

jeff bush

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 1:47 p.m.

Folks, In the first place @Burger, and the candy store are start up companys , When you start up you need to have enough money to make it for a couple of years .poor planning .... not the fault of beggers

pbehjatnia

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 12:35 p.m.

I spent last week in Florida. Do you know what I noticed? That there were no broken streets and bridges and that I was not panhandled. That there were no panhandlers in any of the shopping or entertainment areas. No, I was not in Disney Land or tourist hell. I was in a normal small city. Yep. Clean. Safe. What Ann Arbor could be if we had a decent mayor and city council. Our leaders were good when the economy was doing well. They are not able to cope adequately with a bad long term economy and the challenges that come with it. We need strong leadership that puts safety first. No safety= no business= even less jobs being created -- of any kind. We do not need new art now or in the foreseeable future nor do we need our limited police resources being used to patrol crosswalks. Please put viable candidates - dem or rep - on the next ballot that can handle our present challenges and bring us into the future safely.

MrRoboto

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 11:18 a.m.

I can't believe they told the Michael Jackson impersonator to beat it. Now that I know the area is so bad I will make sure to avoid it completely. I can always watch old movies for free at home instead of paying full price to watch them at the Michigan Theater.

SonnyDog09

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 11:12 a.m.

Why don't they just put a gate or fence across the opening to the alley? Wouldn't that be a cheaper way to keep the riff-raff out?

Alan Goldsmith

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 11:05 a.m.

Certainly glad my membership contribution to the Michigan Theater is going to a worthy cause. (Sarcasm). The funny thing is Russ 'DDA' Collins and his little group of officials appointed by The Mayor have babbled on for the last two years cutting downtown police patrols was no big deal. Even HE doesn't think it's an issue but yet he's hiring a guard to harass people because of the media witch hunt designed it seems to generate webpage hits. Maybe Mr. Collins can call the Governor, someone he made a political contribution to, so the Nerd can send in a Security/Financial Manage to disband the police and resolve the issue for us.

A2Susie

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 3:11 a.m.

Well, I haven't been here ALL my life; I arrived in 1967. We had our share of panhandlers then too, and I have not noticed much difference in their numbers or aggressiveness over the years. The big difference I see in Ann Arbor is that we are experiencing very hard economic times now, and most of us have cut way back on our spending. For me, this means not going where I am tempted to spend. I imagine the same is true for U of M students whose families have less discretionary spending too. To blame the closing of two high-end shops on the activities of the poorest among us is foolish at best. It is quite common to find a scapegoat to blame hard times on - Jews in Europe, immigrants here and elsewhere, anyone who is different in some identifiable way from our own scared little selves. To blame the homeless - the poorest of the poor - for our economic woes downtown? Please! We are all victims, folks, and those on whose shoulders should rest the blame are not poor.

a2baggagehandler

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 3:02 a.m.

This is much more interesting reading: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_mongering" rel='nofollow'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_mongering</a>

Robbo

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 12:11 a.m.

Tesla, your comments are right on the money.

A2Resident

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 12:06 a.m.

The panhandlers are becoming an issue. I was approached on a Sunday afternoon as I was walking my kids up to the Michigan Theater and a scruffy male panhandler approached my 8 year old child and asked if they had any change to spare, That right there is enough for me to say...IT'S OUT OF HAND and the police need to step in. Also, there are so many homeless people in Ann Arbor because they are busing them in from Jackson as we have one of the best homeless shelters and organizations that help the homeless in southeast michigan. I feel if the city is going to do this then they need the manpower to regulate the homeless activity. I'm all for helping the homeless but don't bus a bunch of them in and the layoff half the police force. It's just a given that the majority of them have mental illnesses and or drug/alcohol dependencies.

ChunkyPastaSauce

Sat, Oct 1, 2011 : 12:03 a.m.

"Russ Collins, executive director of the nonprofit Michigan Theater.. "We told folks that were here, including the Michael Jackson impersonator, that they weren't going to be able to do this for a while," he said. &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;But he emphatically asserted that he does not believe there's an issue with crime in the graffiti alley. "Perception is more important than fact," he said. ""&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt; So the issue is hyped/overblown and the michigan theater is only taking action because it's overblown.. not because a problem exists. lol

Tom Joad

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 11:10 p.m.

Lock the place down, issue criminal trespass warnings and enforce them.

racerx

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 10:57 p.m.

While we're at it, can be clean the alleys between Liberty and Washington? Those alley ways smell of garbage, grease and other trash that are constantly there. Oh, excuse me, expensive restaurants resides on those blocks. Wouldn't want to blame citizens for not supporting a thriving business due to unsanitary, smelly, eyesore conditions.

racerx

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 10:49 p.m.

Big surprise! As I said before, once some people begin to perceive this as an issue, a gate would be erected and another quirky aspect of Ann Arbor would be gone. To those business owners who are partially blaming their demise on these individuals maybe they should understand their market better. Those businesses that survive in this area offer a need and a service that are primarily students. What student wants expensive chocolate? What student is dressing to be a diva? In the current climate that surrounds this area of town, Shaky Jake probably would not have been welcomed.

jns131

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 9:50 p.m.

What I have noticed is that after the bridges to Detroit from 94 were rebuilt, they stayed clean. I saw graffiti one day and the next? Gone. Nothing left. Detroit is really keeping a handle on that stuff. As for pan handlers? I had an aggressive one near Detroit the other day. Came right up to the car as I was parking it. Scared the daylights out of me. Then he followed me. I had to threaten him with police force. He left but still. This is what it can come down to in Ann Arbor if we are not aggressive with these beggars.

Goofus

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 9:24 p.m.

The central problem is and has been the City's continual cuts to the police department. Add more foot patrols, beat cops, and those bike cops that went around downtown ...and problem solved. Also, get rid of all the congestive construction downtown, which just creates dark nooks, depressed unpedestrian-friendly blocks which cut off foot traffic (I'm looking at you, AADL parking lot crater!), and which has funnelled the poor, panhandlers, and criminals into the square block areas of the State/Washington and Main/Liberty.

Mark

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.

The biggest reason the panhandlers &quot;flock&quot; here is that they can make money from students, period. You don't need to acknowledge a panhandler, just ignore him and move on. Don't give him (so far I have seen no females panhandlers) any lip, any money, or reason to hang around. If there was no money, they would not be here. There is an ordinance about how close they can be to ATMs (which I think is about 20 feet). I called AAPD one day when one panhandler was standing right next to an ATM on N. State, gave a good description and offered to send a photo. They apparently responded fairly quickly. As far as people &quot;busking&quot; for a dollar -- I have no problem with that. At least they are trying to entertain and they aren't in your face asking for money. They make things less sterile. But the real bums will move on if you don't support them. Foot patrols are the only way to reduce their presence. It worked in the past, and whether it's bicycle-mounted cops or foot patrols, it obvious that their presence helps out a great deal.

Homeland Conspiracy

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 9:01 p.m.

Let's paint it all white &amp; bland. Unless white is to threatening or aggressive. What has happened to this once great city. There use to be colors &amp; all kinds of flavors in this town. But not any more just bland &amp; safe. Things have gotten so bad that &quot;they&quot; would run Shakey Jake out of town. I'll take a fun roller coaster ride over a bland &amp; safe merry go round ride any day.

bedrog

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:56 p.m.

Whatever does or does not go on in the alley crimewise , the graffiti itself is evidence of a crime against private property and that it is there in such massive amounts, in a not-so- out -of- the way- place , suggests a deficiency in law enforcement, and a community's hyper tolerance of simple vandalism. And , yes, virginia, i know all about &quot;public artists&quot; from keith haring, and ' Banksy'...all the way back to the stone-age cave art at lascaux and chauvet ( which itself, according to varied archeological theories, may have been the result of anything from profound religious expression to paleolithic gang &quot;tagging&quot;.) But again in the local case : private property/vandalism. period. (at least a public art commission...their taste and fiscal judgement aside...represents a semblance of elected officialdom deciding what goes up, as opposed to arrogant and usually supremely untalented ( and often spelling impaired) vandals deciding for themselves .. and on on others' property at that.

a2citizen

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:39 p.m.

I wonder how many visitors the beggars, bums and panhandlers attract.

nixon41

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:38 p.m.

On second thought you could use that for FREE ART for the city. Just erect a sign so people can find it.

nixon41

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:36 p.m.

About time

scenedujour

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:30 p.m.

I am not trying to suggest there isn't a problem but I personally haven't noticed any changes, or an increase in panhandling activity, and I am in the area frequently. I am a student at the University and I do make it as far as Thompson and Liberty at least twice a week. There are never more than 1 or 2 panhandlers out in front of Borders, but there is usually a fair amount of people in the alleyway. I haven't seen them bother anyone though. The other day I went to the post office and I was very much on the lookout for panhandling activity having read here that it was an increased problem but I honestly didn't see more than 3 panhandlers unless the folks hanging out in Liberty Square were taking a break from their panhandling. So to cap off, I wonder how many businesses are simply overreacting to a slowdown, which probably has a lot more to do with the economy. It seems to me like the panhandlers make an obvious target. And I am not a panhandler apologist. I never give them money, but I can't condone people just blaming them for the ills of society because they are convenient.

Blanch DuBois

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:17 p.m.

What if we could come up with a visual aid that would benefit all. Perhaps we could have red and green buttons or ribbons to wear. Wearing red signifies that you do not hand out money on the street. (It doesn't mean you don't give to organizations that help the less fortunate; you just don't hand out money on the street.) Green signifies that you do give money at the street level. That way those who are &quot;working&quot; the street won't be wasting their time (or yours) and can focus their energies on more lucrative prospects. Sounds like win/win all around.

Atticus F.

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.

I think most of the posters here are overstating &quot;agressive panhandling&quot;. They consider any panhandling to be agressive, and would just assume have the police break the law by violating the rights of these panhandlers and arresting them. I got news for you people...The rights of these people to have free speech outweighs your right to not be annoyed. If you can't stand the thought of someone talking to you in public, then stay in your own home.

puncturedtime

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:15 p.m.

Ross and Bear hit the nail perfectly on the head. These panhandling articles, based on a couple small remarks from understandably upset retail owners going out of business, have inflated a problem that exists in every city. It is the simplest form of fear mongering. There's always been a constant debate about whether ESPN is, first and foremost, a news source or a news creator. They often speculate about athletes, teams, and sports' conflicts and project potential scenarios. These articles do exactly the same thing. Collins said there wasn't a problem outside the Michigan Theatre, then 2 more articles were published on the same issue. Then aa.com threw journalists at propagating the myth of the dangerous and aggressive panhandlers simply because a lot of people commented on the first article. Collins took note of the community's interest in this non-issue, and appointed a security guard as a publicity measure to &quot;protect&quot; us from a problem he doesn't even believe exists. This article, along with all the others on the subject, should be labeled as opinions and treated as such. And in my OPINION, these articles have sensationalized and created a larger perception issue than the very problem it attempts to examine. Ann Arbor is not Bloomfield Hills or Oakland County. People need to drop their sense of entitlement and perception that they are too professional or deserve much better than be &quot;attacked&quot; by these &quot;human eyesores.&quot; This is an urban city. That said, I don't like beggars. I don't like giving money to people who might just blow it on drugs. No one does. However, I'm realistic and know they will always exist to an extent, and the most I can do is ignore them instead of lamenting a fallacy of urban decay that these journalists have dreamed up and labeled as &quot;news.&quot;

Top Cat

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:11 p.m.

Now here is a great idea...let's wait until more people stop coming to the area, more businesses close and there are more vacant store fronts. Then let's go a few more rounds on this discussion.

Atticus F.

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:11 p.m.

Sad to hear about the intolerance thats takiong over A2. Next we will be asking the street preformers, artist, and musicians to leave the city. The most depressing part of the story, is that they asked the Michael Jackson impersonator to leave. That guy is an A2 icon. Just goes to show what the DDA thinks of Ann Arbors culture. They would rather A2 become a homoginized version of West Bloomfield.

Wolf's Bane

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 8:07 p.m.

First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

mr_annarbor

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 7:44 p.m.

I can honestly say that I've never been aggressively panhandled, I attend films at the Michigan Theater and the State Theater at least once a week, and am downtown at least three times per week. I think this business of aggressive panhandling is much ado about nothing.

Bob Heinold

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 7:41 p.m.

Still another step to a pre-Giuliani NYC

Roy Munson

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 7:28 p.m.

I am downtown every day in these places. I get panhandlers every single day after me. And yes, some of them can be quite aggressive. I've been followed, yelled at, etc. I'm a pretty big guy, so they aggressive ones don't scare me. If I was a woman out walking alone though, it would probably really scare me. In that case, I certainly wouldn't come down here to do things that weren't necessary like shopping in the stores and eating out. One aggressive bum came up to me last week and got right in my face with a story about how he was a former boxer who is now homeless. He wanted me to give him some money so he could go into the coney island because he was very hungry. I told him I would go in there with him to get a job application and he swore at me and chased down the next person.

Alan Goldsmith

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 7:28 p.m.

&quot;Contrary to some of the nearby businesses, Russ Collins, executive director of The Michigan Theater on East Liberty Street, said he doesn't see any negative effect on the business from nearby panhandlers. "Do I think we live in a paradise that's like a theme park? I don't," he said. "Do I think the downtown is a dangerous and intimidating place? I do not. That makes it real." He said that of the thousands of patrons he sees and interacts with on a weekly basis, no one has complained to him about a panhandling issue. "We've got panhandlers, but there are lot worse things in the world," he said. "We have a vital, urban core, and it gets celebrated everyday by the thousands of people who come down here and feel safe and secure."&quot;

Ross

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 7:20 p.m.

Yeah this is getting annoying. There seems to be no difference in the downtown to me. There's always some vagabond types looking rough around the edges. That's normal. All of this &quot;drug use&quot; basically just means people smoking joints in the back side alley. What is the BIG FREAKIN deal....? We need to stop over-sensationalizing this issue. In my opinion it is basically a non-issue. The economy sucks, and the biggest draw to this area of downtown (Borders) just closed. There's plenty of reasons to blame for these silly little boutiques closing other than a few ruffians. C'mon, people. I fear we have a new round of &quot;white-flight&quot; on our hands from people who can't stand an occasional dose of reality in their pampered little lives. Every person who comments on articles like these to the effect of &quot;I don't even go downtown anymore because of this&quot; is the real problem, not the few panhandlers shuffling around town. If every stuck up rich person is going to start avoiding shops downtown, then the businesses will suffer, and that sucks. But maybe we could develop a better bohemian vibe in this city that otherwise stays pretty out of touch with how every one else in the world is living. End rant.

Macabre Sunset

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 7:01 p.m.

I haven't experienced aggressive panhandling, either. At least not in this city. But it's likely the aggressive ones only go on the attack when they sense they can physically intimidate someone. Why is it wrong to expect people to behave well - even if they have less than we do? Are the poor somehow exempt from any kind of contribution to society? This is hurting downtown business, whether it's a perception alone or a real danger.

Bear

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.

Tesla, your comment is uninformed and quick to blame. James, your statement is closer to the truth. I work in the area and walk through the 'painted alley' as it's called, all the time, at night &amp; during the day, even during the wee hours. I haven't seen this &quot;rise in crime&quot; or the &quot;open use of drugs&quot;. This article makes it seem as though there is a heroin shooting gallery going on there. I assure you, there isn't Ignorance can breed contempt. And this article borders on that. Business owners have their prejudices and are quick to blame any &quot;undesireables&quot; for any perceived drop in business. This is about as ludicrous as it gets, though. As far as the serial rapist is concerned, I don't see any security guards posted at Community High School, which is near where the first attempted rape occurred. Or any other location where rape occurred or panahandlers beg. Quit inventing problems, there are enough real issues to deal with, without fear-mongering. I've seen the panhandlers there; they've never bothered me and they've never been aggressive. I've seen them with signs begging, but never seen them harangueing people or demanding money. I think this is a lot of hype to create a boogeyman out of thin air. Also, McKinley hiring security guards to patrol the entrances to elevators in the structure is about as close to hiring guards to patrol the alley as if Dawn Treader Book Store had hired security to patrol IT'S doors and calling it patrolling the alley. In either case, it's not the truth. Associating the painted alley with a rape that occurred in the structure elevator is disingenuous at best. Can we cry wolf a little louder, please?

Goober

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 6:33 p.m.

Can they help us clear out the mayor and all of city council? This group is ruining our city.

Tesla

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 6:22 p.m.

Obviously it's time to clean house, and no offense to our indigenous under employed, lazy, crazy or in a drug hazy community, but it's time to throw the bums out! Comon A2 PD!

James

Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 6:03 p.m.

This is the second article I have read on this subject... In both articles it sounds like the police are unaware of any problems... They state they patrol the area and it is just like any other. It leads me to wonder if the police are unaware of the problem? I find it hard to believe since these panhandler haters are so boistrous and can't wait to tell you why all of their problems are because of people standing on a sidewalk holding out their hands... Or could it be this alley doesn't have any more crime than any other alley downtown? In a couple months we can get over this panhandling thing and blame snow and snow removal for decreased buisness...