Drugs, Prostitues & Bootleg DVD’s

I noticed that trash was starting to build up on the portion of Lee Street that I adopted (Eugene to Bennett) so I went out for a couple hours on Saturday to do a little cleanup. The amount of beer bottles that I continuously pick up on this stretch of road never ceases to amaze me. That aside,I’d like to take a moment and show you a few photos and share a little something I learned when I stopped to have a chat with a resident.

The photo above (click to enlarge) probably just looks like a trash can to you right? When I see this photo the word “success” comes to mind. Why? This is one of four trash cans that I asked the City to place on the block that houses Lee’s Curb Mart. Prior to these cans being placed the area was littered with trash and it looked terrible. If the can in this photo wasn’t there… all of that trash would have ended up on the ground. Be it a small success, but it is a success none the less.

Have you ever been driving around and seen a pair of shoes thrown over a telephone wire? If so, you may have thought to yourself, “Who has enough time to do that, and why do they do that?” There may be different reasons, but on Martin Street I can almost assure you it is to tell folks that drugs can be bought in the area. The boarded up house to the right of where the shoes are seen (can’t see in this photo) is a frequent hangout where drugs are sold and booze is openly drank in public. I spoke to one resident who told me about the “M Town Boys,” which stands for the Martin Street boys. This individual spoke with frustration while describing their activities and mentioned that several of them are starting to get out of jail, which is “bad news.”

As I was picking up trash next to Lee’s Curb Mart I stopped and talked to someone that lives in the area. During our conversation a man interjected and said, “So did you find that movie?” The individual I was talking to said, “No, sorry I didn’t.” I then looked at the guy that asked the question and said, “What movie?” He said, “The new Denzel.” I then said, “Oh that is a great movie, I saw it last weekend.” We then chatted about the storyline for a bit and then the guy went on his way. I was a bit confused as to why he was “looking” for the movie because it is still in theaters, but then the person I was originally talking to brought the conversation full circle. “People are always coming here to get bootleg DVD’s.” Then I said, “You can buy bootlegs inside the Mart?” “3 for $10” they said. I didn’t go in to find out for sure, but I can’t imagine that story came out of thin air.

It is my hope that in the future this portion of Lee Street will not be a place you can go to buy drugs, pick up prostitutes and even purchase the latest bootleg DVD’s. It isn’t an overnight fix, but we will keep working at it and taking one step at a time.