The Times Herald Record reports The Village of Monticello has shut down Hi-Cue Billiards on East Broadway after finding numerous fire and code violations. Hi-Cue Billiards gained attention after approximately 200 young Orthodox men and women were found drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and other unproper things in parking lots that surrounded the pool hall. Hi-Cue Billiards features a darkened room that turns into a disco-style dance club by night. It was a popular hangout for Orthodox youths in their teens and early 20s, (as was reported HERE & HERE by YW).
The building’s owner, Shaul Vaknin, said “I’m going to sell it to whoever’s going to pay me the highest price; I’m out of it.”
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24 Responses
Good riddance.
Is that where they beat bup the Rebbi’s trying to get the kids out?
If so “KAIN YIRBU”
any idea how to get more info if i want to buy it? its worth buying it just to have control over it and prevent whats been going on there
Was it actually a frum person that owns it? Sheeesh!
While it’s not going to stop the teens at risk and young adults going off the derech problem, it’s good that there is one less thing to worry about. However, now that the summer is ending, these kids will be looking for new places to hang out in the city. We need to look at ways to supervise our youth and make better connections with them. Are we going to be supervising the pizza shops and hang out spots in the city? When shabbos ends early and our kids have so much time on their hands, do we know where they are and who they are with? Plus what about next year? Of this place closes down will we know where our kids are going? We can’t wait until July of ’08 to start thinking about this. Do we need another pool hall, but one that will be supervised? Do we need more positive outlets for our youth to go to instead of allowing them free riegn? While we say our goodbyes to a old problem what solutions are we thinking of for the future?
Although we are heads and shoulders over other groups, such articles do not need publication as we are not the only ones reading this. Chazal say that there many things that are assur to say infront of an am haaretz. I’m sure this would fall into this category. We can solve these problems without trumpeting them infront of the whole world. But I am after all “stam a deya”.
Let’s be mispallel that this will turn into a place where we can save YIddishe Neshomos, not lose them.
Perhaps – let me humbly suggest – Editor@YW can create a way people can donate $$ to the people who are – under guidance of Gedolim – making available alternative places for these kids.
Perfect time to sell, as the camps pack up and leave and as another lovely summer vacation is almost over.
it doesnt take a real great hi cue, i mean IQ to realize that this is great news! let us hope and pray that all our tefillos are answered and that our children find their way home.
#6 Good post – we can’t wait until next summer – too much too lose over the winter.
b/t/w – for all those that keep talking about hangouts in the “city” – suburbia has them also. go to the 7-11 in Monsey on a M’Shabbos and you will see the kids hanging out. smoking… and who knows what else…
let “OUR PLACE” of brooklyn make it a branch for upstate.
But ofcourse who are we fooling, another place will be created in its stead
Hey all brillant ones,, selling a place does not cure a problem, at times it can create a larger one.
why do so many teens go around without a program what to do during the day? this is ‘eim kol chatos’, youth have to be with a yeshiva or a seminary, if not, the parents MUST supervise them! else the fault is only their.
that won’t stop the problem. you need constant rebaim breathing down the kids necks for any hope of stoppage
does anuone know how to contact this owner whom wants to sell? it could become a wonderful place by next summer vacation, which could be supervised. could be a great place if it was supervised, and a learning enviroment.
While I’m not in the habit posting comments, this article is different and marks an important point. The issue of youth at risk is but one of many in the catskills. I am part of a political action committee trying to bridge the gap of communication between the summer communities and local politicians upstate. In order to get those in government focused on our issues we register voters upstate and currently have a group of approx 1300 voters in Sullivan County. The pool hall story is one example why voting upstate is important.
I was contacted after the first problematic night at this pool hall by individuals who work with kids at risk. The request was to get a meeting with the power that be-to insure that the following weeks be coordinated with local officials and youth counselors at the hall.
Interestingly, when we arrived at the meeting we were surprised to find the pool hall owner there as well. While there is no question that this owner will one day need to answer for his actions, at the meeting he was most cooperative. Having local community leaders come to this meeting with youth counselors was a tremendous Kiddush Hashem. This was a result as it was obvious that we were there for the safety of jewish children, who need love and guidance. There was never a request to have the hall shut down. The professionals were all too happy knowing where these kids were hanging out and be able to hang with them and guide them home safely. I know first hand that these people know what they are doing.
The Village of Monticello obviously acted out of some legal issue of liability and upon inspection (which they told us they would do) closed the hall down.
Our organization has been in contact with programs for youth that already exist upstate to help them find county funding for the future as there is a huge need for this.
Again, all this would not have moved as smoothly if not for those who have registered to vote. If you know people who own upstate, spread the word. There are very important elections coming in November that impact the frum community.
A gut yahr
#17, have you noticed an improvement after the problem was broadcast? How many years will we have to wait until you admit that there is no point to broadcasting our problems?
Areles, You can only vote from your “primary residence.” So for those vacationing in the catskills during the summer season, would be ineligable to vote there (as they vote in Brooklyn, or wherever they live all year.)
What these kids need is a military camp, and if anyone would buy this place and turn it into something like that, where they learn discipline and work hard, you’ve earned your Olam Habo.
straightthinking
We live in a dor where straightthinking is not always the solution, more like thinking out of the box is necessary. Many issues have been addressed and individuals saved since awareness has been broadcasted.
As long as the adults,including chassidim in their special garb go to Atlantic City and other such not-so-holy-places on motzoei Shabbosos in the winter,their teenage unsupervised children will be doing their thing and having their type of ‘fun’.in their own hang-outs.
KAJ GUY SOOOO RIGHT
tomim tihye-military camp is so not appropriate for
kids at risk. if you’ve read the other articles about this stuff it said these kids need love not a military camp!
How about you don’t go on holiday for two months! Is it that difficult? In EY and also in britain the summer holiday happens in the two weeks after Tisha b’av and Rosh Chodesh Ellul. Is it really neccesary to go away for so long and go to somewhere with limited facilities. I am not suprised there are such problems when a sixth of the year is spent lazing around in the mountains. Come on we need to do a chesbon and ask ourselves if this type of summer vacation is the sort that frum yiden should practice.