Look out for hurling rocks on Boulevard

According to the Midtown Ponce Security Alliance (MPSA), a concerned local resident this past weekend reported a “large rock’’ being tossed at a car traveling along Boulevard that broke the vehicle’s windshield.

This incident allegedly occurred about a block south of North Avenue and the MPSA confirmed that it, too, had heard similar stories of rocks being thrown at cars. “Be careful driving on Boulevard, particularly on weekends according to what a police officer told a Midtown resident,’’ the MPSA said through an email this week.

Atlanta's Boulevard links a string of neighborhoods from Benteen to Old Fourth Ward to the borders of Virginia-Highland and Midtown. The stretch of Boulevard between Freedom Parkway and Ponce de Leon Avenue has been an eyesore for decades, and that part of the Boulevard corridor has long been a source of complaints for residents who say it's a haven for drug dealing, often in broad daylight.

In January, District 2 Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall dubbed 2012 as of the "," an initiative designed to clean up the Boulevard corridor in the Old Fourth Ward. It was announced then that the Atlanta Police Department planned to open a mini-precinct on that street, is dedicating 12 officers to it exclusively.

"This is the first "Year of Boulevard," but it won't be the last,’’ Matthew W. Garbett, president of the Fourth Ward Neighbors association, . “There are fundamental issues with that street that only proper redevelopment can cure. Redevelopment that will take time, progressing hand in hand as public safety improves.”

How do you feel about Boulevard ultimately being cleaned up for the better? Are you skeptical? Cautiously optimistic? Let us know.

Taking a look at other alliance highlights last month, the MPSA made 11 arrests, intercepted 10 calls via the 911-system, took 10 calls from members via the patrol hotline, conducted nine vacation checks, and logged 168 hours of service in February.

Highlights from the patrol logs:

Various dates – Sgt. Bill Cooper, patrol manager of the MPSA, conducted a street light survey, and found 26 lights needing to be replaced. Those were reported to Georgia Power.
Feb. 13 – Sgt. Cooper assisted Zone 6 after a chase emanating from a road block. The suspect wrecked at 7th & Mentelle, and was arrested.
Feb. 20 – MPSA patrol officer found a suspicious person at an ongoing problem property on Penn Avenue.
Feb. 20 – Sgt. Cooper received information that Arthur Lee King was arrested again for breaking into cars. He is believed to be among the most active car break-in culprits at this time. MPSA research shows 18 bookings in the Fulton County jail alone.
Feb. 24 – Sgt. Cooper attended a hearing in Fulton County Superior Court on Larry Brewer, a recidivist burglar who had served a prison sentence for a 2007 burglary in the area. He was arrested again in Grant Park.

- Péralte Paul contributed to this story