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What is going on with 1111 & 1244 Cornell and why we should be concerned.

Have you noticed the endless parade of shady characters who commute between 1111 & 1244 Cornell? What is the story there? Why don't the Police seem to care? What do YOU think?

If you've spent much time on the 1100 block of Cornell then you know the house at 1111.  This is the long neglected home that our family calls "The Stair House" due to its front stairs being so crooked that one gets seasick just looking at them.  Inhabiting the home is Wally, an elderly gentlemen who you can see shuffling to get his daily cup of coffee most mornings.  If you stop and speak with him he will pleasantly tell you about last night's news or maybe the weather.  The conversation never gets much deeper however and one quickly surmises that Wally's mental capacity is limited at best.  When asked who else lives with him he is quick to answer that he lives alone.  Though completely harmless and nearly always cheerful, one is left to wonder how exactly Wally is able to care for himself.   Suddenly the condition of the property begins to make sense.


This alone is really none of my/our business.  We have all dealt with issues of senility and this is a private issue best left to the family.  The purpose of this post is not to demonize Wally.  In fact, the purpose is to begin a dialog that may in fact him help because I suspect something is rotten in the state of Albany and it is our duty as neighbors (and humans) to help those who are unable to help themselves.

What is of concern in terms of 1111 Cornell is the endless parade of shady characters who frequent the property at all hours of the day and night.  Anyone who has spent any time on Cornell knows that this is no exageration.  Though I am loathe to profiling of any type whether it be based on race, age, or socioeconomic status one can only describe these folks as appearing to be  transients.  They do not appear to be residents of the property (as confirmed by Wally).  

When one looks at them they quickly avert their glances as if they have something to hide.  They always come on makeshift vehicles hauling junk which is often dumped on the lawn for all to see.  A month or so ago I passed by to see a distraught man in his twenties with no shirt pacing in front of 1111.  He appeared to be yelling at nothing while a pit-bull meandered agitatedly in front of him with no leash.  Knowing how many children live at that end of the street (and near the Darmouth & Cornell intersection), it was the first time I was sincerely frightened for the safety of all of the families on that side of the block.  One can only imagine what goes on inside the house but it is clear that something unsavory is happening at 1111 Cornell.  At the very least it appears to be a magent for individuals who have no regard for our community.  My initial suspicion was that it may be acting as a sort of "Safe House" for the undesriables that seem to frequent the property.

Perhaps you feel this is alarmist and I am being unfair.  I can certainly understand why.  I am throwing around a lot of accusations here with no evidence.  So I decided to do a little googling and it didn't take long to find this:

http://www.localcrimenews.com/lookup.php?jid=5138833 

We can see that as recently as 07/21/2010 a sex offender on probation was staying at this home illegally.  This is to say a convicted felon was hiding out at 1111 Cornell Ave while on probation without letting the local police know.  I'd say this leads credence to the "safe house" theory but I will leave that for you to decide.  Certainly sex offenders have rights and all people deserve a second chance.  My issue here though is that this person appears to have been hiding there.

As I've paid more attention to the traffic on Cornell I have recently discovered something even more disturbing.  Many of these characters appear to go between 1111 Cornell and the home at 1244 Cornell on the Berkeley side of the street (near the church).  I noticed this a few weeks ago as I saw one of the transients I recognized from 1111 pull into 1244 with his trailor in tow.  Since that time I have noticed steady traffic between these two homes.  They seem to be hauling goods between the two properties.  The plot thickens.  What exactly is going on in our little community?

I'm posting on the Patch today for us to begin a dialog about this situation.  I do not want to start a witch hunt here.  I have no solid proof nor have I been a victim of any crime associated with either address.  However, it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to put two and two together here.  Something is going on and we have reason to be concerned.  To be specific, here are my concerns:

* Wally claims to live alone at 1111 Cornell yet there is an endless string of transients entering and leaving the home.  When one considers Wally's mental facilities and the link posted above, one worries Wally may be a victim here.  Is he being taken advantage of by these people?  Does he have the facilities to properly control who is entering his property as the sole resident? 

* What is the connection between 1111 and 1244 Cornell?  There is a steady stream of non-residents hauling junk between these addresses.  Are they selling or trading goods illegally?  Shouldn't we be concerned that, on the off chance there is something illegal happening here, that our families could be caught in the crossfire?

* Doesn't the condition of 1111 Cornell pose a risk to the adjacent properties?  If I was any of the neighbors I would have serious concerns for what might happen in an earthquake or other disaster as 1111 looks to be teetering on its last legs.

* Why do the Albany Police seem oblivious to this situation?  We live in a small community that prides itself on safety, transparency and dialog.  Yet there is a dilapdated flophouse hosting all sorts of undesirables right in the open that sticks out like a sore thumb.  Why does everyone seem to notice except the Police?

Let's begin discussing the situation here.  We have a wonderfully strong and understanding community but we cannot stand idly by and wait for a disaster to happen before speaking up.  We clearly cannot depend on the Police to get to the bottom of the situation so we must turn to each other as we always have.   Something is rotten in the state of Cornell and we need to get to the bottom of it before, not after, something bad actually happens.

 

don December 21, 2012 at 06:47 am
sir dave skinner:i am so glad to hear from people i didnt know all this was going on wally has a good income of maybe 4k mo dont know whats he doing with it he lives free there as caretaker but looking of whats been going on nothing has been done of keep up i am going to resolve i have been going over and parking my car day and late eve seen nothing dont know if they see my car and maybe they got the message dont know i havent been in home since my sister passed and i wasnt there when that happened the inside should be new as brother and i put in a new 70k kitchen which mom never got to see then my sister who passed thinking she had flu never come out of bathroom leaving 1yr baby my brother had heart attack which brought me back from assignment in germany i now take care of my brother lou and now i see i need take care of this mess any time i ask wally hows things he always tells me everything ok when he brings me my mail so now i go there mostly every day ill see what happens and report any thing to you and neighbors again i thank you all don george ee PS albany pd had my permission with out warrants to enter at any time to check and arrest anyone not auth to be there
don December 21, 2012 at 06:57 am
mrs birdie dont know you but a social worker lives across the street and knows wally i believe her name is beth and again if you know me and what both my brothers have done in the past with albany you would then know my word my hand shake means something don g ee
don December 22, 2012 at 02:09 am
info i contacted senior center albany ms willliams knows wally they had come to home several tmes in yr said whats needed with wally is to join albany seniors on cornell have him get busy doing things and with good people i feel she correct i think he would do that also clean up of front yard is shortly next will be center or front then right side siding then stairs which albany grant which already ok will do then grounds had seven fruit trees now have 3 left all fruit was given to mercy ret of oak for there food bank so thinks will be ok ive been at property now several time a day and watch at eve til around 2am i seen no action and again we have albany pd with given permission to enter home need no warrant i just need park near berk pd dogs went thru home found nothing thats good so people now to watch is who going there which ill find out that and end that also as for im land lord im not home will be 6th generation wallys daughter marissa dawsons will own don george
Mr Eous December 22, 2012 at 02:22 am
Jeezus don learn to use punctuation or stop posting reading this is like fingernails on a blackboard
don December 22, 2012 at 06:21 pm
mr eous:sorry about that but in govt we type words or letters all in one line no sents we get as much we can all run on sent in the time we have mr hillman my speech eng teacher would turn in his grave if he saw this but this is the norm ill get back to your norm shortly as i havent used reg lang in long time people sorry don g ee
Dover December 23, 2012 at 01:22 am
Ahem. "Jeezus, Don, learn to use punctuation or stop posting. Reading this is like fingernails on a blackboard."
There, I fixed it for you! You're welcome. P.S. The use of "blackboard" is racist around these here parts. Ten demerits for you too. ;-)
Winifred Owen December 23, 2012 at 01:52 am
I think Mr Eous had his "sarcasm" button activated when typing his above message. (I looked at some of his other posts of his, and they are all typed in a literate style.) As for the "blackboard" demerits, Dover . . . well, I think you have a point! I believe we're required to call them chalkboards these days.
Alex Gronke (Editor) December 25, 2012 at 02:11 pm
http://albany.patch.com/articles/albany-police-department-responds-to-cornell-avenue-questions
Stephanie Ringstad January 1, 2013 at 09:39 pm
While reading J.B.'s original post, it occurred to me that Wally should have been asked for his permission to print on the world wide web his name, address, daily habits, mental capacity, income, possibility of senility, and assumption that he is unable to care for himself. Aside from the fact that this is inapprpriate, it leaves him vulnerable to criminals and scammers. Who are you trying to "help"?
joesph macleroy January 7, 2013 at 10:47 pm
i agree totally with the concerns about transients frequenting 1111 cornell ave.
as a neighbor i too am bothered by the flow of scruffy visitors.. wally is a kind person, willing to help neighbors at the drop of a hat. he is child like in his willingness to believe what others tell him. . he has extended his hand to help others, and they have failed to do as they promised, like leave his home, to not cause any disturbances with neighbors, and to not leave alot of miscellaneous junk in his yard. wally is "special" in many ways, but totally capable of paying his bills on time, grocery shopping, and seeing his medical people. he just has some issues surrounding being understood at times, and getting stuck when he asks people to leave and they hunker down and ignore him. as far as wallys house at 1111 cornell ave. being in the rediculous shape it is currently in, well that is not on wally. part of wally's unique "specialness" is that he is almost anal about everything being in a certain order. the top to dishwashing liquid has to always be pushed down when washing is done. etc. that house has been filled with stuff from the George family and wally is quick to say so. i know the situation pretty well, and some of what others have stated is definitely enhanced or filled with misleading and untrue statements. if don george would get rid of people staying at 1111 cornell ave., ,except wally, then the only concern would be the house being repaired.
don January 8, 2013 at 02:19 am
joesph:thanks for your input wally is a kind person as for transients ive been there now every day i guess they got the message i havent seen anyone who dont belong there as for dumping junk im aware and taking action clean up and repair should start soon my contractor fred bellamy passed away so have his son who took over his bussiness everything will be ok i lost much all my estate things are gone when they broke in basement and took locked door with them approx est of 70plus thousand dollars any concerns call me its ok i wont throw anyone under the bus don
don January 9, 2013 at 06:51 am
a person asked about house falling this home has all new foundation and bolted down for earth quake proof stairs are seperate piece and will be repaired soon thanks don
robert odell January 13, 2013 at 10:58 pm
if owner of house would go inside and confront people, one in general that refuses to leave, matters would begin to change for the positive.
unfortuneately there are some that live their lives by using others,those are the ones that ignore the wishes of those that have been the recipent of anothers generosity.
don January 14, 2013 at 09:18 am
robert odell:sir ive been there and dont see people as you say i go now about 3times a day and park across street til about 3am but i signed a letter and again gave to albany pd gave them permission to enter home nite day no warrant needed they have this letter if anyone wishes to confirm we hope no one again other than wally and friend are there we are now in mode of clean up and start on repair soon thanks don
don February 5, 2013 at 08:54 pm
see other blogs people of concern are not there with the help of albany pd and berk pd person was arrested and not there as of this day 2/3/2013 project stairs and side will start shorly don
oldfart February 25, 2013 at 02:44 am
i would like to state in particular to the neighbor who continues to make demands on mr. dawson, that he has complied with your asking for certain parties to be removed from residence. atleast three of the "shady characters" are no longer there.
yet, you continue to write letters stating no changes have happened. perhaps your camera wasn't working that night. for you to somehow think you have the right to keep an elderly and lonely senior from having any friends over to watch a football game, or the horses or even storage wars is crazy. you had my support in not wanting sex offenders in the area!!! really though i don't believe it's your call as to what the people wear, or whether they are homeless or not, visiting a friend. they aren't going to 1106 cornell., afterall. truth be known, neighbors by nature of living in close proximity to others could pretty much find something irritating about one or another. most people choose to be understanding and not create problems with neighbors. mr. dawson deserves to have companionship, and unless it's someone dangerous to him or others, i don't believe it's your business.
don February 25, 2013 at 03:17 pm
UPDATE:i been monitoring home from 11;30--4;30am and found one person at 2;30 am and was addressed i dont feel i have a problem with the people coming and going as was im also looking in pro security service which dont want to offend neighbors having them but latter will need as equipt building materials and such will be there and when pulling sideing off will expose basement so things are moving forward please let me know of your concerns as im trying to resolve and make everyone happy thanks don
James burns March 21, 2013 at 04:02 pm
It seems the earlier letters stating concern for mr. Dawson being able to remain in a familiar neighborhood sans the shifty characters were not sincere .
As certain people continue to take action that ultimately could render him homeless. Mr Dawson is comfortable on cornell ave., it has taken him years to obtain a sense of acceptance and familiarity with most that live around him. If he was forced to relocate, it would be his undoing.. He would not easily settle , or feel comfortable in any new environment, probably in his life time. It is part of his "handicap", for lack of a clinical term. He has eliminated the people that neighbors complained about. Mr. Dawson's situation is one that deserves others to be Humane in their vigilance to address issues that will determine how the remainder of his days will be spent. Thank you
Dover March 21, 2013 at 04:59 pm
Of course they were not sincere and anyone who fell for their touchy-feely "can't we all just get along" posts and faux-concern letters has not been paying attention.
These are the same neighbors who participated in and/or supported the illegal and completely pointless ME ME ME ME activity known as "Occupy the Farm." These are the same neighbors who decided that the appearance of the Tot Lot did not meet their lofty liberal standards and thus assembled a group to vandalize City of Albany property without making any attempts to first work with the City of Albany to improve the situation. These are the same neighbors who told those who live in the next block of Cornell, those who have dared to complain about living near someone who held the police at bay for seven hours and who continues to drive down property values and disturb the general peace and quiet with her day to day behavior, that they were racists and intolerant and how dare they not understand the situation. Yet when actual push came to actual shove, all they had to offer this woman was a Vote for Ulan campaign sign for her yard. They don't give a flying fig about Mr. Dawson. Never have, never will.
don March 22, 2013 at 12:47 am
sirs:being there every nite til 4:30am looking for people sometimes i conk out police flash lite to wake me he knew why i was there only to find one time a person on bike went to home at 2:30am i went up and in home wally was asleep i woke him confronted this person he did not have wallys permission to be there i told him that he left not seeing him again ive done all i can do property will start repairs soon i even hired a security com but dont think will need them now except when equipt and materials come to protect from stealing people please look at homes owned their all nice this one will be too its comming oh you talk sue or courts well i went to court to get restraining orders and lady judge asked me if any said would do me harm i had to say no she dismissed all stated to me and albany officer they have rights too??how about my rights well its seems ok now i dont see any person going there except rich wallys friend ( security svc oak chris deguzman)
James burns March 22, 2013 at 05:30 am
Thanks Dover, your points well taken and appreciated.
Hope it somehow benefits me Dawson. One might speculate that some neighbors who bought property at market high are now feeling the sting of same property being valued much below purchase price... Which could add to their angst... No matter what , all this talk of concern , as you aptly stated for Mr. Dawson, is not the agenda for them. It's sad and unfortunate to witness, and certainly not the united front, friendly neighborhood recalled not all that many years ago on Cornell Ave.
don March 22, 2013 at 01:45 pm
UP DATE:question of 1124 cornell found out is fathers home of rich who is guest of wally 1124 cornell is being complete make over reason rich said he brought things to 1111 he didnt have room but has taken it all back and i told him he couldnt do that again so agreed was a simple answer simple cure also notice no one comming and going also stopped thanks don
Dover March 27, 2013 at 03:39 pm
Don't confuse "friendly" with "will put up with any amount of noise, illegal activity and visual blight so we don't look like elitist liberals or, even worse, Republicans."
I'm not saying that the neighbor's complaints are unfounded, that they should tolerate the situation or that they should not be fighting back. All I am saying is that their motivation has always been their own peace of mind and their own property values. They just lack the guts to come right out and admit to such so they hide behind faux concern instead of embracing honesty from the get go. Liberals in fear that people will find out they have normal, healthy levels of self-interest. That's why they can spend years fighting for the rights of death row inmates, for instance, (cough cough) so that other liberals will pat them on the back for being such GOOD PEOPLE but something like a less than desirable neighbor, a disruption in their own living space, drives them around the bend. It's VERY easy to be liberal from afar. Not so easy when it's up close and personal.
Christina Verdin March 27, 2013 at 04:00 pm
Wow, Dover. While I have no idea what anybody else's motivation is, I do know that I have an 11 year-old daughter at the middle school, and she is learning about independence and walking around the neighborhood with her friends more and more, and her safety is my number one concern. That has NOTHING to do with property values or liberals or conservatives. I live near the middle school, but I live in the City of Albany, so parts of the neighborhood where my kid may walk DO concern me. Your comment, Dover, is small-minded and judgmental for no good reason but to bash the "side" you don't like.
Catherine Sutton March 28, 2013 at 05:15 pm
I'd like to commend Don for responding to all these concerns in a friendly, responsible manner, and not reacting to the inflammatory posts of some who appear to enjoy using any forum to contribute their questionable opinions.
Dover March 28, 2013 at 07:25 pm
Albany is a small town. I know who started this drive and I know their histories and their politics.
If they truly had Wally's best interests at heart, they would not have taken the very public route of publishing this on Patch, thereby exposing his personal life to all. You forget, I know what these people do or have done for a living. They know the system VERY well. This could have been handled much differently, if, indeed, it was about Wally's well-being. But it wasn't. It was about them. I have no problem with that. Just, at least, be HONEST about your intentions.
Dover March 28, 2013 at 07:34 pm
Ah Catherine, I see your delicate sensibilities are still suffering after being rightfully called out for your contribution to the referendum petition scam.
Chin up! There's always another ME ME ME ME I'M A GOOD PERSON ME ME ME cause right around the corner! ;-) http://albany.patch.com/articles/open-letter-development-referendum-effort-flawed-by-lies
don March 29, 2013 at 09:36 am
j.b. what misinformation one stated of letter of permission given to pd its there ask them you will see it no misinformation if any state it don
don March 29, 2013 at 09:40 am
J.B YOUR ASKED TRAFFIC FROM 1111 TO 1224 WELL I WENT AND KNOCKED FOUND IS MR RICHS FATHERS HOME HE AND BROTHER I THINK ARE IN REPAIR MODE AND RICH STAYS AS GUEST OF WALLYS TIL COMPLETE THANKS DON
Christina Verdin March 29, 2013 at 06:05 pm
"If they truly had Wally's best interests at heart, they would not have taken the very public route of publishing this on Patch, thereby exposing his personal life to all."
Dover, I have to agree with you there. He is vulnerable, and Don seems to be doing the best he can in memory of his sister. We all need to try to protect Wally as a member of our community, and I don't even know how I would help if I lived as close as you folks do. But, in the neighbor's defense, the house looked really bad (the stairs!), and the comings and goings at all hours can be scary. Just reading about the standoffs on Cornell at the neighbor's house nearby was horrifying. The extra attention seems to have made Don see that Wally needs help. I appreciate many of your comments, even if I do not agree with you every single time, sir.

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Amy Smolens June 7, 2013 at 02:57 pm
Hi there - This doesn't seem like an appropriate announcement for Albany or Berkeley Patch. 1) theRead More category is Announcements/Around Town and these events are all in Marin 2) Patch's "Terms of Use" say "You may use this Service solely for personal and non-commercial purposes. That is to say: You can’t use the Service to make a living unless you enter into a separate agreement with us that says you can." This is clearly solely a commercial venture, not a neighbor of ours or local organization providing a community service and charging for the service. 3) I went to the Novato website and saw this listing: "Ettiquette (sic) Series for Kids - 17737 Ages: 7 Years to 11 Years - Residents $150.00 - Non-residents $163.00" 4) These items push our items of local interest down and out of sight. Especially now that there is no box indicating the stories with the most recent comments, as there used to be on the Patch front page, out of sight does mean out of mind. Charles, what are your thoughts here? Thanks.
angie allison June 7, 2013 at 03:45 pm
Hi Amy, Thank you for letting me know and I understand! Angie
Mechanics from Street Level Cycles tune up bikes at the Albany Arts & Green Festival. Photo courtesy Matt McHugh
Lin B. June 6, 2013 at 11:29 am
I've been waiting for the right time to donate my son's old bike he used in middle/high school. It'sRead More been hanging on hooks in the garage and this seems like a great time to give it up!
christopher papazoglow June 7, 2013 at 10:30 am
Can you please post their hours / days of operation ? As i recall, they're only open afternoons aRead More few days a week, and it won't do to just leave donations outside ( they'll be scavenged ). And i was not able to find the info online.
AS&R - Albany Strollers & Rollers June 7, 2013 at 11:20 am
Thanks, Christopher. Open Community Hours are Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12-6pm so anytime those daysRead More are definitely fine. They're there (84 Bolivar Drive - Aquatic Park) most of the day Wednesdays and Thursdays for Youth Classes and the doors are locked. I just spoke to Amber Rich and she asked you to call them at 510 644 2577 and let them know what time is good for you and they will be sure to be there. Thanks for your generosity!
Dover June 5, 2013 at 02:47 pm
Thanks for the update but I am worried. This is very distressing. How will Eric and Tarina be ableRead More to afford their annual lengthy hipster vacation if they have to cough up lawyer fees? I am sure they were expecting that UCB (aka the rest of us) would pay Mr. Siegel's bill. Now they may have to resort to staying home and eating Top Ramen out of their charming and cheerful "made in Asia by small children but they're not slaving for 14 hours a day in front of our faces so we don't care" ceramic bowls. Oh noes! Bad, bad, very, very bad news.
Charles Burress (Editor) June 5, 2013 at 03:06 pm
David, thanks for the alert to the judge's decision.