Click here to view the embedded video.

Not all of East Baltimore is in horrible shape, but Gay Street (I started above North Avenue where it is Belair road) and Greenmount have seen much better days. These two infamous streets are filled with ruins that are begging for rehab and brighter futures.  Before the buildings can be rehabbed there is going to have to be some sort of change in tone from the people in the streets and the elected officials of the area.

Oldtown Mall was the one place where I ran into very angry people during my entire 17.3 mile run. When I started to film the paved over northern Gay Street entrance to the mall a group of young men who were loitering beyond it (and who were so distant that I had not noticed them until they started to scream) started yelling at me and threatened to injure me and take my camera. I immediately turned off my camera and ran toward the area behind the mall while two of the individuals briefly pursued me.

Gay street and Greenmount have plenty of liquor stores and “convenience” stores on them and many of these establishments still have large political signs on the front of them. I have always said that our leaders endorse these establishments when they allow their names to be placed on them. What does it say about our leaders when they do not take down their signs from these questionable establishments weeks and months after the elections? They should live in the community and be familiar with where their signs are posted. Many leaders in Baltimore have their signs taken down the day after the September primary election. The outdoor ones are obviously the easiest to remove.  Most candidates know exactly where every sign of theirs is located during the campaign and they always are monitoring them to make sure rivals do not rip them down. Why do candidates care about their signs during the campaign and then forget about them once the campaign is over? It reminds me of the candidate who talks a big game during the campaign, but does little over the next four years. The somewhat scary state of the parts of East Baltimore that I ran through makes it obvious that there are plenty of elected officials in that area who fit the above profile. How many people would have run where I ran on Sunday? For the few who would I challenge them to explain to me how things can look the way they do and how some of it can not be the responsibility of our elected leaders. Where is the accountability in East Baltimore?

It is amazing to see how close the sleazy Block and and its anchor Hustler club are to City Hall. The proximity speaks volumes about the state of Baltimore.

“There apparently was an issue in drafting, as this is targeted at “adult entertainment” establishments and not targeted at music venues.  We’re discussing how to fix this afternoon.”

Now that makes more sense!  Looks like some of our distinguished State Senators are not paying close attention to what they are signing on to. It’s nice to know that regular citizens are paying close attention to bills in Annapolis and call attention to mistakes like this one. Hopefully whoever made the major mistake in drafting the bill will be much more careful next time.

A few people had already complained and had not received this reply. I do not know who they complained to though, but somebody in Annapolis should have known this was for adult entertainment.

The Baltimore Sun covered this story here. The following comment was left below the article:

“I find it slightly hard to believe that a bill introduced a month ago, with four seemingly intelligent sponsors, and a fleet of other seemingly intelligent people who saw and read this bill, again, numerous times over a month, failed to notice words like “adult entertainment” were ‘missing,’ especially if that is the one and only target of that part of the bill. Trial balloon?”

I do not think it was a trial balloon, but I do find it amazing that all the above mentioned people did not notice this major problem with the bill. Clearly there were some people who were blindly agreeing to this bill. It makes you wonder how many other bills become law because our leaders blindly follow the leader and do not even read what they are voting on.

It says a lot about our government when prostitution and drugs are allowed to run rampant a few blocks away from the center of Baltimore city government. Corruption is the first word that comes to mind.  There is no doubt in my mind that some of the establishments on the Block are owned by politically connected individuals. The odd thing is that other politically connected individuals own legitimate businesses around the corner at Power Plant Live and other places nearby. One would think that the legitimate business owners would have bribed their way (pay-to-play) in to convincing our leaders to get rid of the establishments catering to those dealing with illegal activities.  The real estate on the Block (if there was little to no adult entertainment) is some of the most valuable in Baltimore. It could be a source of pride and incredible tax revenue for Baltimore instead of the disgrace that it currently is.

I think the Block should be turned into a regulated Bourbon Street type of area where you could still find nude dancers, but the establishments would not encourage and support illegal drug use. The shady establishments with long sordid histories would be encouraged to leave and non-nude bars and clubs that would have to purchase expensive 4AM liquor licenses would take their places. You would end up with properly run nude bars closing at 2AM mixed in with new clubs and bars open until 4AM. There would be strict sanitation rules enforced on the new and improved (and possibly expanded) block and there would be a few apartment rentals scattered in also. Baltimore would end up with a new tourist attraction that would generate new tax revenue for the city. We would also end up with a much cleaner and less shady block.