Eau Claire Police Watch Blog

Brackett Avenue Median Threatens Hastings Way Dry Cleaner

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:14:11 +0000

A story from WEAU-TV at http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/New_median_angers_Eau_Claire_businesses_128709008.html

details the concerns of the owner of Queens Dry Cleaners on Hastings Way. A new median on Brackett is blocking access to the back entrance of the dry cleaner/laundromat on Donnellan Lane.

First Hastings Way Business Bites the Dust

admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 03:53:30 +0000

The last Chicken Unlimited in the United States located on Hastings Way in Eau Claire has closed its doors due to the construction. It is unknown if this business will reopen once construction is complete in several months. Other Hastings Way businesses are also in danger of closing. The Consumers Cooperative Association (Mega) is betting the farm by building a new grocery store on Hastings Way in spite of losses in the last year. Perhaps Mega hopes that the increased bicycle and pedestrian traffic that the Hastings Way project will produce will be its salvation.

What is it With Those Fancy Flower Shaped Street Lights in Eau Claire??

admin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 07:09:56 +0000

These expensive, short lived street lights are appearing all over the city of Eau Claire. Why? Whose idea is it to install these lights in the city? With the poor economy why is the city doing this? The city is wasting taxpayers money on these lights. Is some city official getting a kickback for buying these lights or is it sheer stupidity?

Luxury Upgrades to Hastings Way May Doom Many Hastings Way Businesses

admin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 02:33:33 +0000

We are in of one of the greatest economic downturns since the Great Depression. What does the City of Eau Claire want to do during this economic low? Build a luxurious upgrade to Hastings Way! Note the fancy landscaping to Hastings Way that is proposed. Note also the infamous inverted flower shaped street lights that the city wants. These same lights have caused a controversy in other parts of the city including the downtown area. These street lights are MUCH more expensive then standard ones and also have a MUCH shorter life.

Who is going to pay for all of this niceness? In the turning over of this right of way from the State of Wisconsin to the City of Eau Claire, the state is only providing funding to rebuild the basic highway. This does not include bike trails, fancy street lights, fancy landscaping, and other luxuries. The City of Eau Claire has to pay for these amenities! And the city can recover the costs of these “improvements” from property owners in the form of special assessments. These assessments may be prohibitively high.

Hastings Way businesses may also face:

Loss of customer parking
Loss of access
Costs of keeping sidewalks clear of snow

Regis High School also faces special assessments despite the fact that they are property tax exempt.

Only time will tell how this will affect Hastings Way businesses and Regis High School. The City of Eau Claire does not care about local businesses or jobs. They are only concerned about having a “pretty city”.

The Government is Taking Pictures of Your House in Eau Claire

admin — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 23:02:09 +0000

The tax assessor? No. The Eau Claire City-County Heatlh Department! What citizens don’t realize is that the department does a photographic survey of certain neighborhoods in the city. The department is looking for violations of various City of Eau Claire ordinances. This includes detoriating chimneys, peeling paint, bad foundations, and other ordinance violations. Are they just doing this to the “college rental” areas? No, this is citywide and does not include newer parts of the city AND high income neighborhoods. All houses in the survey area are photographed, each house by itself. Although this department is part of Eau Claire County, no survey is done outside the city of Eau Claire.

Want to know if your neighborhood is in this survey? Call Courtney Johnson at the Eau Claire City-County Heath Department at (715) 839-4718. You also have the right to view any of the pictures taken under the Freedom of Information Act.

Alley House Number Controversy Makes Front Page News

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:59:22 +0000

The alley house number ordinance controversy has made front psge news in the Tuesday, October 5, 2010 edition of thr Leader-Telegram. The web version of the article is here: http://www.leadertelegram.com/news/front_page/article_5b87d8e3-c59d-5f59-995e-6e8fbaa7f406.html

(Leader-Telegram subscription required to read the full text.

Despite what the City Attorney Stephen Nick stated in the article, (He said that only one set of numbers is needed facing the alley.) an assistant attorney in his office stated that numbers are needed on all buildings with an entrance facing the alley. This would mean that a detached garage would also need its own set of house numbers.

Next Idea from Our City Council: Mandatory Illuminated House Numbers

admin — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:17:12 +0000

Don’t laugh. Such a new ordinance would provide for even much better police and fire protection then alley side house numbers on all of your buildings facing the alley. Do a Google search on “illuminated house numbers”. There are many such products. Look for someone on our city council bringing this idea up.

People Reporting Crimes to Eau Claire Police Watch

admin — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 03:44:36 +0000

Despite disclaimers on this web site and in this blog, people are still reporting crimes via email to us. Please note that as soon as we realize an email is a report of any crime, we will STOP reading and delete such email at once and make sure that the email is destroyed both locally, using DOD security wipes, and on the server. We will not forward any such emails to law enforcement or acknowledge their receipt. WE ARE NOT the Eau Claire Police Department!! IF YOU WISH TO REPORT A CRIME, PLEASE CALL 911, CALL THE EAU CLAIRE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, OR CALL THE EAU CLAIRE CONFIDENTIAL TIPSTER LINE.

Update: House Numbers Required on Multiple Buildings Facing the Alley

admin — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:20:52 +0000

The ordinance requires that house numbers are to be placed on ALL buildings adjacent to an alley. This means you have to get house numbers for your house AND your detached garage. Any other buildings will also require numbers.

Eau Claire, Wisconsin Moves Closer to a Police State with a New House Number Ordinance

admin — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:24:10 +0000

Eau Claire city residents who have a home with an entrance or exit to an alley got a letter in mail stating that the City Council updated an ordinance to require such homes to display house numbers on the REAR of the home facing the alley. Of course, local media did not cover this change in the ordinance. This has also taken local hardware stores and Menards by surprise. A spokeperson for Menards told Eau Claire Police Watch that they will NOT be able to supply house numbers for the THOUSANDS of Eau Claire residents who have a alley facing house by the stated October 15th deadline. Will this mean that the shortage of house numbers will bring a bonanza of fines for the city from residents that can’t comply because of such a shortage?

Remember this is not just for “fire protection”. This will also assist the Eau Claire Police Department. This will make it easier for the ECPD to raid your home for non payment of child support, unreturned library books, or for some other reason.