I just want these so called neighborhood activists to know that I go to strip clubs only a couple of times a year, but I will be heading down to this place at least a couple of times just to help make sure that they make it even though they are being opposed by batshit crazy religious nuts.

Truth of the matter is that Casa Diablo has 37 crimes listed in police records for their NW address, the most recent of which is aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon. These were brought to the OLCC's attention by a room full of concerned neighbors who care enough about their safety to go to this hearing in the middle of a weekday. And everyone knows that crime that makes the police listings is only a fraction of what actually occurs. Neighbors have reported seeing people stumbling drunk get into their cars to drive away. A call to the police, if they aren't too busy responding to more important calls, arrive 5 minutes after the DWI has left.

"A few whiney neighbors" is actually 75 individuals who cared enough to write letters to the OLCC opposing the license...oh, and 3 neighborhood associations. Oh, and SE Uplift. Oh, also the support of the state senate majority leader. Oh, and the Portland Police and the City of Portland gave the Casa Diablo license application an "unfavorable rating". Whoever thinks party bars should be allowed to open anywhere they want should have to live in the apartment building across the street from this place.

Just amusing. OLCC is clearly in the business of granting licenses - not denying licenses - not policing licenses. The issue here is not strip club - it's Zukle and nuisance and crime from his current location.

A common sense approach (and an approach pursued by almost any true "licensing" agency) is NOT to ask neighbors and the potential licensee (not just any licensee by the way, but a licensee who rec'd a NO License recommendation from local law enforcement) to work out a set of restrictions on the license - the done deal license by the way - BUT instead to do their job as a licensing commission and say, "Mr. Zukle - we will correct the errors in our report. We will also INTERVIEW neighbors at your current location (should be part of any licensing report by the way). We will also touch base with local law enforcement. If you can be a good citizen for 6-months, 9-months, whatever THEN we will revisit your application."

NEXT!

This is all silly nonsense. How can anyone serve on that commission and not see what a joke it is?

And one more thing - why did the Portland Police recommend against granting a license if the area around Acropolis is a "dead zone" for crime? Truth is Portland Police recognize it's not a dead zone - plenty of complaints are called in, just never end up in police reports, thus no repercussions for owners of Blush or Acropolis and neighboring businesses and residents can't even find recourse with nuisance laws that would kick in after a certain number of filed police reports.
And there were no "hot feelings" either during or after the street protest. Johnny was passing out watermelon and everyone was holding up signs or just chatting. It was not a "clash" at all - just a friendly protest on both sides with Johnny being the whiny one talking about health care and employment - neither of which he offers at his current establishment.

My God...what could POSSIBLY be worse than having to look at naked women while SOBER?
Those poor customers...how can they possibly stand it?

Well actually Johnny, minority owner, (and the incredibly silent majority owner of your business - will she talk to us if we do have a meeting to reach a compromise?)..us whiny neighbors do have a horse in this race as patrons of the bars already there have totaled my car in an after hours hit and run that inhibited MY business as a free lancer who needs a car to work, found a housemate's stolen car in the parking lot of the A-Crop, have witnessed the public urination and public sex acts from patrons of those establishments, thus decreasing livability in MY neighborhood. And to reiterate, why is it never mentioned that Portland Police have recommended AGAINST this license? Really, they must have a good reason based on the current Club Diablo's history, but no mention of their recommendation was brought up to OLCC commission. I don't buy the statistic that SE McLoughlin is a "dead zone" for crime; we residents have just become accustomed to the fact that the understaffed Portland Police will not respond to what they consider "minor" crimes (when we called cops to report we had found the stolen car, with a new car stereo ripped out of someone else's car in the back seat, they basically said, guess you got a new car stereo...) no matter how it affects those of us who live in proximity to these establishments (and there are actually more than the three mentioned, but hey if you think it's hyperbole to call this a red light district, then let's just make a red light district and tax the shit out of it and lighten my tax load..) Note to econoline: none of the people I know in opposition to this club have any religious affiliation, have been institutionalized for batshit craziness, and don't think it's wrong to fight for peace and quiet and livability. Activism means we are engaged and care about our neighborhood, which obviously, you don't live in; and we accept the term activist with loving arms. But, if indeed Mr. Zukle does provide health care for his dancers, who must not be contract hires who pay to dance like at other clubs, I know a Rubenesque senior gal who needs health insurance and can still dance on the two and the four...oh wait, I eat meat....

IMBY, grumpy doesn't even begin to describe the emotions here. Angry just starts to get at it. But even if the Acropolis has been there forever, it does not give anyone the right to commit crime. This argument is made all the time and it rings hollow when it comes to the legal issues, but also when it comes to common decency and respect -- does anyone know what that is anymore? Nobody should have to live with the kind of crap that spills out of these party bars, I don't care if they moved in yesterday.

Blocking off Umatilla might keep some patrons from driving through the neighborhood after leaving the bar, but it isn't hard to figure out how to drive through the neighborhood to park behind the club in the first place. In fact, a dead-end street would present additional opportunities for people to party outside which would create even more of the same problem.

the real solution is to hold the clubs responsible for their patrons. And better hold the patrons responsible. Or better, head off the problems with adequate security. We'll see if adequate restrictions get put on Casa Diablo to keep crime down. Really the only thing that will keep crime from rising is to deny the new license.

Actually, years ago, as a restriction on renewing the license for The Crop, OLCC made them divert traffic directly to McLaughlin, rather than allowing cars to come up Umatilla. Those were the great quiet years...heavy sigh. Then OLCC decided they didn't want to be in the traffic control business. Now our city fathers in their finite wisdom,have made Umatilla a bikeway...more natural selection at work...