City pushing Occupy Baltimore to end camping

“This is not a Movement, this is bs created by the far left trying too shove Socialism right down the throats of the American people.”
– Jjazz209

You are full of it. Socialism, communism and capitalism all have fused and disappeared. There is only one ism now–global mercantilism–it’s about buy, buy, buy and count the GDP–then tout it’s great we are producing a lot and people are going into debt buying a lot.
– Usha Nellore

“The parks department is not infringing on the protesters right to demonstrate in the park. They are merely enforcing the rules that EVERYONE has to abide by.”
-Dahlen

“Seeing as these protesters are not creating any public hazard, what’s your beef with them? I mean, how important is it for you to see other city regulations regarding parks be strictly enforced? Are you just as upset about dogs running off leash? Or tailgating on public land? Or maybe litter really gets under your skin. I suspect that your issue with these protestors is political…”
– Rick

“Come early, leave late, be loyal,
Shut up, obey, throw away the whistles,
the questions, the doubts,
and embrace the freezes on raises,
no sick leave, no overtime,
the slashing, the slicing–he goes, she stays,
Who goes next? ”
– Excerpt from an original poem by Usha Nellore

“I am responding to all of the above. As a 51 year old I am very proud and excited to see young (mostly) people getting out there to send a message. I hope that out of all of this will come some new ideas for running our country. Our politicians certainly don’t have any good ones.
– Mailtojudy
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BUILD protest against rec center closings

“At the risk of sounding like a jerk, I don’t get why people are entitled to rec centers…  If school’s out at 3 and you work until 6 and pay $100 a week for after-school care, that’s $6.66 an hour– surely one could find a retiree or teenager to watch kids after school for less than that?
– Marciej

“I am glad that you realize that you are a jerk. If we have recreation centers with quality programs and activities and people who care, fewer of our children would be in ‘baby bookintgs’. It is good that you can afford to pay $100 a week for afterschool care, but for most families this is not possible.”
– LT

“I was once one of the children who had the opportunity to enjoy the services and programs offered at the recreation centers my parents could not afford child care for 4 children. Today I am a successful business woman.”
– Redwards2911

“C’mon people, every citizen in Baltimore had the chance to prevent this at the polls in September.”
– Agalaxytraveler

“Of course no one from City Hall will show up. they do that to frustrate you. And hope that you will go away. We lost our daughter Deanna Green at a recreation facility. This is one way the city to get out of being accountable if anything was to happen to your child.”
– Anthonybubbagreen91

“It was great to read of the protest. However, there was one failure on the part of the protesters. We must always bring up the fact that the money is going to the Pentagon instead of rec centers.”
– Max Obuszewski
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Another demolition mess: at Druid & North avenues

“With the unemployment rate so high, I don’t understand Pless Jones’ reluctance to hire more people to keep up with it’s lucrative contracts. And why do they keep receiving more and more work when they can’t keep up?”
– Susanne

“LOVE this sort of accountability reporting about basic city promises… The boiler-plate quote below is one of my favorites, because it makes a record of a public official’s malignant refusal to answer an earnest, simple question: ‘Jerome J. Dorich Jr., director of construction and demolition, said through an aide that he annot be interviewed and will not release information about the contract or the city’s inspection procedures except through a Public Information Act request.’ ”
– Ramsey Flynn

“I’m not surprised that the contractor is a ‘top drawer’ contributor. Why do shoddy work? Because (TIB) This is Baltimore and you can get away with it.”
– Baltimoreplaces

“Thanks for the investigative reporting. I thought it had died.”
– jan angevine

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Gene DeSantis: Baltimore’s unsung Johnny Appleseed

“WOW! Who among us has come remotely close to this mans life of selfless service. Perhaps we should spend less time complaining and more time DOING. What an example. God Bless Mr. DeSantis.”
– Edmc18

“Gene remembers– says the trees are his friends,
so he plants them everywhere he goes,
he brings saplings–he bends his back,
arches like the trees in the wind,
meets the Earth with his hands,
Baltimore’s unsung Johnny Appleseed,
Greens the city, brings shade to it,
Brings birds to it, brings to it breath,
from breath-life,
From life more trees–
Gene!”
– excerpt from an original poem by Usha Nellore

“His story did its intended job, it made me feel good, but not only for myself but for society as a whole. Its nice to see those who do wonderful things and are not looking for the spotlight somehow have the spotlight come and find them.”
– Paul Franklin

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Homeless women, turned away from city shelter, sleep in parking lot

“Oh well, stuff happens. I mean, If you are not a taxpayer, you should not have taxpayer benefits. Why give taxpayer-paid stuff to people who do not and WILL NOT contribute? Times are hard, we got to cut back on something. All this so called “FREE STUFF” mentality has to stop….LETS TAKE CARE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR TEACHERS. Maybe if people were smarter, they would find ways not to end up homeless!!!”
– Cheese

“It’s nasty out there! Are you warm & cozy?”
– MairZdoatz

“[They] should have donated money to Mayor Rawlings-Blake. No other way to get things done in this city it seems.”
– Daniel E

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Monroe St. bike lane: gone, baby, gone!

“Oh thank you Ms. Conaway! Now you need to fire the knucklehead who painted ‘Bike Lane’ on such a narrow and busy thoroughfare.”
– Walter

“It isn’t narrow and it isn’t busy.”
– Dukie Biddle

“Put the pedal to the metal and let the good times roll. . . because you have 24 foot lateral clearance, 2 lanes to choose from, and stretches where there’s no car in front of you. All in the name of safety.”
– Curtis

“Councilwoman Conaway never responded to my multiple attempts to contact her on this issue. How is that my error?”
– Jed Weeks