Wheeling Island

Things just get worse and worse on Wheeling Island these days. The Island has had a reputation over the years as being a "rough" place but never really violent with shootings and beatings and drugs. In the past month shots have been reportedly fired twice, several robberies have taken place and people left and right are getting arrested for drugs and domestic violence.

So what is being done about this? Well very little it appears; maybe just a few extra patrols on the Island from the Wheeling Police Department. Well that does a whole lot of good. Nothing short of divine intervention is going to clean up the Island now. Between Norma Dorsch of the *excuse me while I laugh here for a minute * Wheeling Island Community Association, 2nd ward Councilman Vernon Seals (Who by the way should be on his way out of office this year FINALLY – time to get someone effective in office) and The Wheeling Island Racetrack, there is no way it will ever get cleaned up. Norma is nothing more than a slum lord on the Island who rents to the type of people who cause these problems, Vernon Seals, well not much to say there just time to get someone who is alive and INTERESTED in the ISLAND and last but certainly not least is the Racetrack – the 1000 pound gorilla who makes their own rules.

Now the Island was not always this bad off. Up until a few years ago it was still pretty descent, but when Vineyard Hills closed that's when it started to go down hill. The reputation of the Vineyard just worked it's way to the Island bringing with it all the drug dealers, violence and god knows what else. This was someone's plan that's for sure. Think about it, close the Vineyards and move the rift raft to the South End of the Island. These people have little respect for the property there and will destroy it thus plummeting the property value and making it even CHEAPER for the Track to buy up and expand. Sounds pretty simple and more than likely has some truth to it. I am just speculating and it's my own opinion, but it is a good one. More than likely someone in city government *cough Sparchane and company cough cough* made a fortune off of this and stand to continue to make a ton of money as this unfolds. The Race Track has expanded immensely, table gaming has passed and it won't be long now before River Boat gambling rears its head again. Keep and eye on the Island in the next year or so I bet it gets a little more interesting.

With Any luck, when Senator McKenzie takes office he will clean up all the damn corruption. If not maybe it's time to go back to the days of REAL organized crime.