Discuss Detroit » Archives - July 2007 » Problems with prostitution, drugs, seedy motels and local officials in Melvindale. « Previous Next »
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Erikd
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Username: Erikd

Post Number: 879
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 8:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.d ll/article?AID=/20070710/METRO /707100372

Here are some excepts from a story in today's Detroit News:

quote:

MELVINDALE -- An underage stripper's overdose death at one of the city's aging motels has exposed claims of City Hall interference in a police campaign against vice.

In a 1 1/2 -year crackdown on prostitution and drug use at the 50-year-old motor courts, police accuse the city's public works commissioner of refusing to process citations and misleading officers investigating two motels owned by the city's housing commission chairman.

"We have some city officials who are more interested in supporting businesses that contribute to our problems with drugs and prostitution than the welfare of the city and its residents," said Melvindale Detective Cpl. Norman Wellman.

The feud over how to handle seven Dix Highway motels -- built before expressways, but now surviving on long- and short-term rentals -- has become an issue in the Aug. 7 primary election. Mayor Andrew Luzod faces Clerk Valerie Cadez, wife of the police chief.

Frustrated trying to investigate properties owned by Housing Chairman George Burns, Police Chief Rick Cadez asked State Police on March 5 to investigate Public Works Commissioner Eric Witte.

The controversy exploded 11 days later, when 17-year-old Stephanie Brown died from a cocaine overdose at Melvindale's Moonlight Motel, a target of the police campaign that Burns doesn't own.



quote:

Short-term room rentals are popular with prostitutes, drug users and clients from a nearby Lincoln Park strip club, police and the mayor said.

"There is no secret we have prostitution going on in our city. The police have made a difference and the last element of this is the motels," Luzod said. "These properties have reached the end of their economic lives."

Brown, a Wyandotte Roosevelt High School senior, danced nude at the Atlantis Lounge just across Outer Drive in Lincoln Park. She used an 18-year-old's ID to get the job.

Police allege she was lured to the Moonlight Motel on March 16 by Deleon Alexander II, 28, who offered her and another stripper $1,500 apiece to perform in a pornographic movie.

There was no movie, according to Melvindale Cpl. David Taft. But the detective said the fake audition included sex and enough cocaine to kill the girl. Alexander remains jailed on charges that could imprison him for life after his lawyer on Monday withdrew a request to lower his $500,000 bond.



quote:

Cadez, the police chief, said efforts were largely successful at other motels, but he claimed Witte blocked officers' attempts to investigate Burns' properties. One of them, the Mel Plaza, offers rates starting at $28 for three hours and has a vending machine that dispenses candy bars and condoms.



quote:

Amid the squabbling, neighbors like Linda Murphy are fed up. Murphy has lived behind the Moonlight Motel since 1970. She keeps her 11-year-old grandson away from the property because she said it's littered with hypodermic needles and condoms. She plans to move out of the city soon. "The (Dix) highway didn't used to be like that, but it's all about drugs and sex now," Murphy said.

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Jb3
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Username: Jb3

Post Number: 161
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 8:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Where's Batman while all this is going on?
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Courtney
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Username: Courtney

Post Number: 149
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 8:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wouldn't a prudent parent/grandparent want to keep an 11 year old away from ANY hotel/motel property? Even an upscale one isn't exactly a great playground choice.
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Bumble
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Username: Bumble

Post Number: 249
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 9:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oh my goodness, when I saw the title I thought this would be another thread bashing Detroit! But it's not! It's a thread showing that Detroit's problems are spilling out of its borders; the place just isn't big enough to contain the mess anymore.
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Jb3
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Username: Jb3

Post Number: 163
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 9:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Or......Detroit is cleaning up it's act and the jerkwads have to find somewhere else to live and play....maybe not, but a little wishful thinking never hurts.
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Jjaba
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Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 5448
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 1:56 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Old real estate axiom: Highest best use of the land. Evidently, Dix highway along there is a real piece of schitt.

jjaba.
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Why
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Username: Why

Post Number: 61
Registered: 04-2007
Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 10:27 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That big pink/red "Rectal Clinic" sign on Southfield Rd. near Fort St. never did much for the area in my opinion. There are people that swear by the neighborhoods around there but I'm sorry, I would always have to give relatives directions to my house at least a mile out of the way of that sign. I guess the people frequenting the motel next to that doctor's office had a use for the services though. Real downriver class.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 3420
Registered: 10-2004
Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 12:20 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Having a methadone clinic in that stretch of Melvindale doesn't help either. However, don't blame that upon the neighbors there. Any half-wit knows that the public sector sticks those places wherever the people complain the least. It's too bad that those there didn't raise more of a stink...
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Jrvass
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Username: Jrvass

Post Number: 142
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 6:59 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm going to take my vacation in Melvindale!

With all they have to offer, plus the fireworks shows at the car-washes, it'll be sweet!

James
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Emu_steve
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Username: Emu_steve

Post Number: 408
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 10:18 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Could we get a MelvindaleYES! board started. ;-)
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Civilprotectionunit4346
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Username: Civilprotectionunit4346

Post Number: 241
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 12:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Drugs, Prostitutes, Lions & Tigers Ohh my!!! Whatever happened to the cass corridor? LOL
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Johnlodge
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Username: Johnlodge

Post Number: 1108
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 1:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I can think of a city in Michigan that needs a forum. "HellYES!"
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Broken_main
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Username: Broken_main

Post Number: 1248
Registered: 06-2005
Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 1:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It moved over to Dix...It is now called the Dix Corridor
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Terryh
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Username: Terryh

Post Number: 410
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 - 11:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Law Enforcement officials can crackdown on prostitution all they want to-but you CANNOT-completely regulate and control human biology. Massage parlors and escort services should be left alone unless there are many citizen complaints. Not all street Prostitutes are supporting habits. Crackdown all you want to-it moves to another area or comes back after several or many years. Unless it directly affects you mind youre own business. Back in 99 I stayed on Lahser a few months with my ex and the street hookers didn't bother me at all. It was fun watching them work.
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Lmr
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Username: Lmr

Post Number: 71
Registered: 03-2007
Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 2:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Those motels on Dix are 30 years overdue for demolition. There are (or were) also several motels on Dix farther south, I don't know if those are in Southgate, Lincoln Park, or what (i.e. the London Motel). There was hardly a decent one among the bunch even back in the 1960's. Level 'em all.
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El_jimbo
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Username: El_jimbo

Post Number: 260
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 2:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hey, $3,000 for a threesome with two strippers plus a ton of coke?! Where do I sign up? Do they pass out the complimentary STDs before, during, or after this whole ordeal?
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Danny
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Username: Danny

Post Number: 6266
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 2:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Melvindale become a Hillbilly hangout and they brought some of dixie friends with them, too. As long as Melvindale keep up with those roach motels. Sooner or later it become a " Burlesque Gentleman's Club filled with pimps, prostitutes and street pharmacists. Then we would see more white flight from in inner ring suburbs on time.
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Rb336
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Username: Rb336

Post Number: 758
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 3:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

As is standard practice, the STDs get passed around during, as a nice surprise for after...
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Terryh
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Username: Terryh

Post Number: 418
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 6:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You can get an std from youre wife husband girlfriend boyfriend. You would be surprised at the how many countries have legalized prostitution. The sex workers are registered and recieve regular checkups. We would have much more sexual tension and deviancy if it wasnt for prostitutes. They provide a valuable servcice.As for the 'seedy' motels there are many Americans who live weekly and monthly in those sorts of places out of convenience temporary or otherwise. Practice safe sex.
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Chitaku
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Username: Chitaku

Post Number: 1505
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 9:55 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

hell yeah terryh! lets throw down on some hookers and coke!
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Detroitrunaway
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Username: Detroitrunaway

Post Number: 51
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 11:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

yeah...I think a new system should be put in place. I mean Prostitution is one of the oldest professions. set-up a smalll red light district and control it. We have bigger fish to fry then protistution.

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