Chauncy's closing

Eight indicted in drug scheme at Chauncy's: "
'It is apparent that the operators of Chauncy's bar-nightclub cannot and will not control the patrons and the persons attracted to the vicinity of the bar to the extent that they terrorize, ruin its peace and safety and good order, making it a miserable, fearful and dangerous place to visit,' wrote Zappala's staff."

A Station Square night club, ripe with fights, weapon violations, LCB complaints, and other headaches, was with a pad-lock. Closed.

I don't have any problems with taking people to jail. If there is an unsafe area, that should be closed, of course. But, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things.

The flip side of the coin to the closure is the thugs, drunk drivers, drug pushers are now in the neighborhood bars. Having the rowdies in Station Square is fine with me.

I live on the South Side, just 12 blocks from Station Square. Now I'm a half block away from those itching for a fight, flashing weapons, pushing drugs and causing other headaches.

I tried to illustrate the right way to handle matters in Pittsburgh a few years ago with another matter. Recall the wake of a fire in R.I. when indoor fireworks caught a stage curtin with a band's show. That caused many deaths at an over-crowded venue. You don't have BBI (Breau of Building Inspection) storm the place with the police and close the place, kicking everyone out in one swoop.

Rather, no others get to enter. Plus, you turn off the music, turn up the lights, stop the sale of alchohol. Keep the joint stay open the rest of the night, selling coffee. Don't dump a mob of drunks needing bathrooms, yanked off about a spoiled night trashing the entire vacinity.

Plus, a big shake down takes a dozen or more officers and empties the streets of the force.

Chauncy's should have to stay open, selling nothing but soda and coffee. Punish them, not us. Well, seems that two of the managers are in jail too. That doesn't mean that the place can't keep its doors open. Perhaps 10 or 30 others lost their jobs with this total shut down. I hope some were clean.

Furthermore, hat's off for being proactive. Let's choose to run with preventative measures. We need more undercover cops in these places. Take the drug pushers to jail. If we have bullies, any given night, pick em up and have them cool off in a jail cell for 12 hours.