The Columbus Health Department is targeting the Hilltop for its rat control program this spring.
Health department spokesman Scott Whittaker told the Greater Hilltop Area Commission at its Feb. 2 meeting that the aim of the program is to determine if there is a problem, what is causing it, and how to get rid of it. He explained that the rat control project began in 2012 in Clintonville and has spread to different neighborhoods, with success.
There is no doubt that the Hollywood Casino has been an improvement to the Westside-Hilltop community. The Casino has many times given money to community causes. Of course the amount is impacted by how much business the casino itself brings in. I have seen many improvements on W. Broad St – of course west of Wilson Rd but nonetheless, improvements. Our problem is (On the Hilltop) and will continue to be a problem because of housing overstock, housing decay, slumlord investors praying and renting to less fortunate populations. This will continue to be unless communities/associations/leaders start working together to force the city to put tough ordinances in place to require that properties be maintained to a standard (and enforced) and to strongly regulate investors renting properties. There needs to be high standard requirements when an investor, especially absentee comes in and starts renting properties that wouldn’t be fit to live in for most of us, but rather geared to a desperate population willing to pay for inefficient housing because they may not qualify elsewhere. We as community citizens need to stop being complacent and stop allowing the trash dumping, drug houses, prostitution, and especially crime to person and property to move in to our streets and communities. We need to start working together with one voice in bringing suggestions, solutions to the city for implementation. If current commissions or associations are not stepping up to this task then we need to have them disbanded and form new ones. In short we can’t be blaming the Hollywood Casino because first they are not in our community they are in Franklin Township who benefits from a percentage of their income taxes. The Casino generously donates money to community causes for the Hilltop, however they are not responsible for the issues facing us. We are. Get out and contribute. Amazingly enough, it starts by just taking care of your own property, picking up the trash on your own street, observing what goes on around you and document it, report it and to FOLLOW-UP. In today’s world nothing is ever resolved by addressing it one time, it is a continual process. It is demanding, draining, and can be time-consuming but if you want a better community you have no choice but to contribute and not be complacent to what is going on around you. Let’s all start today by going out and daily picking up the trash in front of your house, yard and back ways. You will be amazed what you will see in one month of doing this.
Just a friendly reminder that those big boxes or packages should not just be left sitting beside the alley 300 gallon trash receptacles or left sitting next to your 75 gallon individual family receptacles, please break them down appropriately and if possible place inside the trash receptacle. Additionally they are not to be used as additional trash holdings next to the receptacles.
Ideally since these boxes are cardboard, why not break them down and include them in your bi-weekly recyclables.
Finally leaving these big boxes or packages that identify expensive items received or given for Christmas, makes our community homes a potential target for burglary regardless if the item was from your home or not. Please be responsible.
Great article by Jay McCallister, Opinion Page, Blockwatch Beat, Westside Messenger. Remember prostitution in it’s historic sense is not really the issue, it’s the correlation that just about all prostitutes prostitute for the sole purpose of feeding their drug habit. The correlation here is that where you’ll find the “corner” or street prostitutes, you’ll find a drug house within a block and I can assure you within a block of where you live. Prostitutes are the “ants” that bring back the money to the drug houses which we know are really the bane of our drug crisis especially here on the Westside-Hilltop. Prostitution is clearly a problem, especially if you are seeing it in your neighborhood for it you see the one, rest assured you should have seen the drug dealing as well.
Remember if you see it, document it, report it, and follow up! And if you know of a problem, don’t hesitate to call the vice squad office at 645-4705 (not 615 as referenced in the article.) It starts with what we already know and DON’T ignore. Report it.
[Thanks Lisa Boggs for sharing this article]
01/09/14/1:36 AM/The ignorance of some people leaving their poor puppy outside in this cold weather. Hence the purpose of a recent post. Animal Control and police called. Thanks neighbors for calling as well. Every dog deserves a good home, unfortunately this poor puppy shouldn’t be with these people.
01/09/14/Update/Neighbor did get ahold of a member in the household, teenager answered the phone and said she would bring the puppy in. Things quiet but unfortunately, late morning, puppy was found in the alley outside the property fence line. Blatantly, the owner just dumped the puppy. Sad but ok, a home has since been found for this adorable puppy. Puppy was starved for food and ate five bowls of food. Puppy is afraid to go outside in fear of being left out again. Potty training will be a bit of a problem during this cold weather. Glad this puppy about 3 months old will be going to a loving home.
Area around Columbus casino shows signs of revival
Signs of revival adding up around casino on West Side; businesses open or renovate, and infrastructure improves
By Steve Wartenberg
The Columbus Dispatch • Sunday August 31, 2014 11:23 AM
There have been tremendous changes around the Hollywood Casino. I give much credit to Chris Haydocy for taking a strong initiative and leadership to make this a better corridor. But are we just seeing cosmetic changes? Are we going to see a return of the big anchor stores that moved away several years ago to Grove City or Hilliard?
In order to bring in the young professionals are we going to see the same attractions that Clintonville and the Short North have to offer? How about upscale grocery stores that sell fresh items instead of the frozen “FAMILY SIZE” aisles that we are so accustomed to seeing here? How about fresh restaurants with outside seating instead of the re-evolving new building fast food mecca that is re-appearing on the corridor?
How about the housing stock just east of this corridor that is still suffering from absentee LLC’s and landlords buying up houses left and right for “investment” purposes just to sit and further decay between struggling owner occupied property owners?
Although I am happy with the cosmetic changes that are occurring, I struggle with the mention of the far Westsiders looking up to Clintonville and the Short North for comparison of attractions. Until we get some of the many and vast attractions that these two mentioned communities have not to mention the many businesses that have left the Westside to move to Grove City and Hilliard, I will continue to drive down the nicely remodeled tree lined corridor to the 270 interchange to get me to the communities that support my shopping needs currently not existent here on the Westside-Hilltop.
Of my recent Franklin County tentative property value received in the mail yesterday, 08/09/14:
Yep, my house might as well be listed for sale with Big Lots or the Dollar Stores, as no prime Realtor will take it including the Reality company that sold me the house to begin complete with the promise of an up and coming neighborhood, best I’m getting is the ass of the City of Columbus.
It appears that we are now the Hilltop for a reason, in clearing up the other areas of the City we have become the dumping ground for every undesirable element of the City. We are piled so high here with City sh*t dumping that we are on the verge of moving beyond the Hilltop and becoming a Mountain.
Might as well file a petition and get it down to less than half the property value that I paid for this house back in 2005.
Anyone want to buy a lovely house with beautiful views of urban decay?
Menschheit: A prospective from Stanley E Thornburgh II 