User talk:Rewan

Highland Park
My wife and I have lived in northern Highland Park for two years now and have been noticing a recent trend of gang activities which has been steadly increasing over the last few months. When we first moved here we saw few taggins mostly non gang related and notified the city to have them removed which they did promptly. We have now seen a steady upturn in gang tags ( HLP) and a steady increase in crime i.e gun shuts fired. Two months ago there was a series of shootings over a two week period which resulted in a number of deaths. Although the deaths were all gang on gang killings it makes us both a little nervous especially now that we have a young child, 8 months old. We are not naive and we know of the history of gang violence in this area in the 80;s and 90's but we where reassured that these type of incedints was decreasing and not much of a problem anymore. We of course took it with a grain of salt we saw an upswing of young couples buying and fixing up places plus the increase of properties in the area gave us a false sense of security. Our area had been spared some of the ugly sides of what we know still occurs, I am a transplant from Baltimore which has some very violent and rough areas which i know of first hand. I am well aware of living in a tough neighborhood and seen other ares turn around by means of gentrification I had held out hope that this to was happening to Highland Park and in many respects it is otherwise we would not of purchased a home here. But with the rash of gang activities the constent blairing of sirens, helocopters and now this diturbing LA Weekly article I came across "Avenues of Death How Highland Park’s Latino gang targets African-Americans" http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/34/features-pelisek.php I find it sad and troubling that there is not more coverage or information on this subject. When my wife and I searched to find out information on crime stats and other research on the area before we purchased two years ago there was no info to be found on this subect we even talked to the northeast police division on the area and they didn't share or disclose this matter. We are amazed by the lack of concern and the complete silence from the media at large and the community. I no longer feel secure or safe here maybe its because we now have a young child to think about but I am really upset by the silence and lack of concern for what the LA Weekly article on latino gangs targeting blacks in Highland Park doesn't get a mention in the local neighborhood press, The Highland Park Neighborhood council, the mayor and other government officials as well as other news organizations.