The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(05-25-2015 07:56 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  They're from Holland and they're concerned about their child being in a diverse environment i.e. any city in America? Shocking that a Hollander would think that way.........

My in-laws live in Holland and after years of denial, they have accepted that they are having a an upturn in crime. They live in the suburbs , but they have several duplexes with renters in their neighborhood. Several neighbors have had their homes broken into to, but they pushed that off as a fluke. What finally convinced them that Holland was no longer the land of Milk and Honey was when in the same month last year their privacy fence was tagged twice by two different gang signs and one of their neighbors was robbed while walking her dog at night.

(05-27-2015 10:50 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  My impression is that Edison is now a tougher neighborhood regarding violent crime than the north side. Some cool development going on "north of the tracks."

It only appears that way because raw numbers are slightly higher than the northside (last year, this year the crime is way lower in Edison). Edison Neighborhood has 10,000 residents and the Northside only has 4,000. Edison is twice as many residents as the 2nd largest neighborhood in the city, 3 times as many as the average Kalamazoo neighborhood and is more than 20 times the size of the smallest neighborhood. Edison had one murder last year, but Burke Acre with only 2000 residents had 2 murders.

To say that Edison is worse than the northside is like saying that Grand Rapids is worse than Battle Creek because GR had 10 murders and BC had 5.

As for developments? The Northside has had some by the river, but Edison is seeing the most development in the city right now. There is over a hundred million dollars worth of developments either being done now and planned to begin soon that is happening in Edison. I also know of several other developments that are in the planning stage. Edison is becoming a hot area with my investors. Downtown is growing and the direction it wants to go is south!

MLive seem to be on some Edison kick for a few years, as they would report everything that would happen in Edison, big or small along with a head line showcasing "Edison". I had a friend get mugged and pistle whipped in Stuart Neighborhood last year without so much as a mention on MLive, instead the had a story about a teen that was arrested in Edison because after police pulled him over they found a gun.

The places where we are seeing real crime on the rise is the Eastside (all neighborhoods to include Burke Acres) and Oshtemo Apartment complexes.

(05-27-2015 08:20 PM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  

(05-27-2015 10:50 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  My impression is that Edison is now a tougher neighborhood regarding violent crime than the north side. Some cool development going on "north of the tracks."

Correct. Edison and East Side are probably in rougher shape than the North Side these days.

Nope. Look up the crime stats per capita.

You're lying. I've been reading Mlive and all the armed robberies are taking place on campus.

Sincerely,

Gobaseline

P.S. I don't live anywhere close to Kzoo

(05-30-2015 07:42 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  You're lying. I've been reading Mlive and all the armed robberies are taking place on campus.

Sincerely,

Gobaseline

P.S. I don't live anywhere close to Kzoo

Who is lying?

Very good MLive article on policing and the downtown mall....This area and Westerns campus are good parallels regarding relative safety in each area.....
We have three new buildings under construction near Bronson hospital.... .
1) KVCC's new culinary school and some of the classes for WMU's new beer degree.
2) A new healthy living center.
3) New community mental health facility and other stuff.

If we add in the two new bronco dorms, I'd say the people in the leadership positions in our community (including us) are going full steam ahead...

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/inde...rt_m-rpt-2

Downtown has been the safest "neighborhood" in the City for many years now. People often times don't realize it but crime has been dropping every single year for about 10 years now.

(06-01-2015 10:28 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  Downtown has been the safest "neighborhood" in the City for many years now. People often times don't realize it but crime has been dropping every single year for about 10 years now.

I read recently that I have said crime has relocated to campus. Which is it?

According to campus police, crime on campus is also down...Only difference is two incidents that got a lot of media attention.
Overall, campus is still a very safe place...

While no one can say campus should be a dangerous place, there is some benefit to becoming an adult while at campus.

Part of that is learning that childhood is over, we don't live in a protective cocoon with Mommy and Daddy watching over us every single moment.

Life is diverse, there are dangers out there, there are predators, guys looking for a date rape situation, any number of bad things.

We don't want our kids exposed to constant danger, but we do need to ramp up their awareness, give them basic training in how to keep themselves safe, make them aware they are now out there in the real world and need to start taking responsibility for themselves.

So. Don't buy drugs from strangers. Don't get involved with gambling. Don't go to alcohol parties except in a group and with people that you have some knowledge about.

Don't take candy from strangers. Carry your purse over your shoulder with your arm through the strap. Stay aware out on the street especially at night. Don't drink with scary guys. If someone offers you a pill, say no. Keep your car locked. Have 911 on your speed dial. Take a personal safety course. Find a couple strong guys you trust. Know about and deal with birth control.

If you do all that, I'm betting Kalamazoo and especially the campus is just as safe as your home town, and probably safer.

(06-02-2015 10:36 AM)Dirty Ernie Wrote:  While no one can say campus should be a dangerous place, there is some benefit to becoming an adult while at campus.

Part of that is learning that childhood is over, we don't live in a protective cocoon with Mommy and Daddy watching over us every single moment.

Life is diverse, there are dangers out there, there are predators, guys looking for a date rape situation, any number of bad things.

We don't want our kids exposed to constant danger, but we do need to ramp up their awareness, give them basic training in how to keep themselves safe, make them aware they are now out there in the real world and need to start taking responsibility for themselves.

So. Don't buy drugs from strangers. Don't get involved with gambling. Don't go to alcohol parties except in a group and with people that you have some knowledge about.

Don't take candy from strangers. Carry your purse over your shoulder with your arm through the strap. Stay aware out on the street especially at night. Don't drink with scary guys. If someone offers you a pill, say no. Keep your car locked. Have 911 on your speed dial. Take a personal safety course. Find a couple strong guys you trust. Know about and deal with birth control.

If you do all that, I'm betting Kalamazoo and especially the campus is just as safe as your home town, and probably safer.

Well said. Many of these kids are going to graduate and find jobs in major cities where dangers lurk around every corner. If they were raised in rural and suburban involvements and then went to school someplace with a rural campus (CMU) then they could be in big trouble when the real world hit them.