Eh, I'm da guy da neighbors call "Da Debunker," a private eye of sorts sniffin' out BS whenever someone drops a load of it nearby.

Lately I've been readin' all sorts of stuff on some local blogs - some kinda interesting and some just plain dumb. So what I wanna do is set da record straight whenever possible as to some of these rumors and myths and otherwise wacky half-truths circulatin' through da neighborhood.

Like for instance, an anonymous poster on da wildly popular inandaround60655 blog made da following comment Oct. 15:

“Anyone here (sic) about the methadone clinic opening up right on 111th? This will bring nothing but riff-raff through mount greenwood.”

Ahh, da sweet smell of rumor-mongering. I'm all over it!

See, what happened is that it prompted several comments from other visitors to da blog who expressed their concern about da impact such a clinic would have on our otherwise quiet, safe haven from da drugs and gangs that prowl da rest of da South Side. One poster (also anonymous) groaned that Ald. Rugai’s office confirmed it’s “a 90% sure thing.”

Uh huh. So guess what I did? I made some calls and did some basic fact-checkin'. And here's what I found:

First of all, I scoured city records of all business licenses in da 19th Ward goin' all da way back to July. Nothin'.

Next, I checked out some real-life methadone treatment facilities around da South Side to see if there's any truth to this whole thing. Nothin'. In fact, da closest methadone clinic is located at da corner of Ashland and 81st Street. Yeah, a good mile or so from our fair neighborhoods.

Finally, I talked to Fran Hurley at Ald. Rugai's office for a coupla minutes, and - to say da least - she was surprised. Nonetheless, she confirmed that this is - in fact - nothin' but rumor.

So there ya go, case closed.

There's plenty more to come, so keep it logged on right here to da Southwest Observer.

Until then, take it easy.