Security Patrol starts

So Rank Investigations has started the area security patrol here in the college area.  Behind the work of CANA (College Area Neighborhood Alliance), the patrol has begun.  I have seen the patrol drive around.  I am wondering if we will get reports as to what has been seen or done? The neighbors are curious what Rank will be able to do in the parks.  A few, like myself, have bought in hoping they can keep a vigilant eye on those who lounge in the park. I am hoping the Parks Dept, MPD, and Rank can come to some agreement.  There were two break-ins or thefts this week alone on Poplar.  Some stuff taken off the front porch is what are the main issues.  

Meanwhile, a "vagrant" was chased out of the park today by an undercover officer in his car (MPD).  As the undercover officer slowly pursued the dude on his bike, the dude started playing "chicken" and taunting the officer in the middle of Stoddard Ave.  The officer "mini-Pit'ed" him, and bam, dude was laid out in the street. 4 MPD came racing down Stoddard to assist I guess (maybe a little over the top).  It was apparent that dude was not going anywhere.  Not sure why he was "escorted" out of the park, but I appreciate MPD checking the park.  Usually they are just asked to leave the park if they are drinking, but maybe he had more than alcohol on him or he committed a crime. I did not see the actual "event", but the two DISH guys working on my satellite saw the event.  I saw the aftermath.  

Not surprised

So I chatted with a regular at Enslen Park, not a vagrant dude.  "Dude" asks me, "who is that Monique chick?  She is whacked!".  "She comes up to me, and asks 'who are you!? Are you some sort of narc?'" Dude replies, "uh, no." Monique tells him, "I'm going to go slam some crank in the bathroom, so if you see a cop just whistle, ok?"....Dude was like, "um, yeah, ok."

Things maybe coming together

Slowly, and hopefully surely, things are starting to look brighter.  This could change in an instant, but lets hold our breaths.  Looks as though Rank Investigations will start their area patrol of the college area soon.  This means that the College Area Neighborhood Association (CANA) has produced some results.

The Modesto Dog Park folks are getting closer to making Elk Park Modesto's first official dog park.  This is great news as it certainly is better than the alternative.  What our parks need is activities.

With a stern word given to Monique and her Beau, I have not seen the two in couple of weeks.  Like I mentioned before, the tension is down, considerably.  I knew if someone at MPD just made a concentrated effort in removing those two, that MOST of the issues would go away.  Amazing how those dynamics worked.  An officer chatted with them, and they are no longer around.

Less tension......but

Have not seen Monique and her beau all week.  Whatever the MPD officer said to them has stuck.  Like I have preached before, eliminate the true troublemakers and things ease down.  There just seems to be less tension at Enslen Park.  Ironically or consequently, I have seen some new "residents" lately to Enslen Park.  All this coincides with the vacancy of Monique and Beau.  Maybe now other "residents" feel it is safe to lounge at Enslen Park with the drama absent now. I saw four dudes tonight at the horseshoe pit I swear were passing something (drugs?) and then two of the dudes go into the men's bathroom.  Unless you are at a major event, dudes do not follow each other into bathrooms.

Ode to Monique....hopefully

As you have seen from my recent posts there has been a constant theme that being of altercations and "Monique" being the culprit. Well on Saturday morning we witnessed an appalling event that took place where Monique just started whooping up on some 14 year old girl! Monique was fighting with her boyfriend, again, and this young girl and her sister happened to be walking by. Monique said something to them and they just started to defend themselves verbally. It was on. Monique just started whooping up on the one girl! You can hear the girl scream "I'm only 14! I'm only 14!" we called the police and monique and her beau took off. The police arrived and could not find them. Long story short, the girls did not press charges (which I questioned) and Monique showed back up 45 minutes later. The girls ended up taking Moniques two dogs because the officer said they are abandoned property, probably meaning well but that did not turn out so well. Another dude in the park told Monique where the girls lived and there ended up being another confretation over the dogs and this time the mother was swinging. Police were called for a third time. Monique was nit arrested but I hope was given a stern warning about not coming back to the park again by the officer. He had promised me that Monique would be dealt with. Half
Of the vagrancy problems at Enslen Park anyways has to do with Monique and her boyfriend. Eliminate that issue and things could get better.

Ode to Monique....hopefully

Trying to enjoy a quiet morning on the porch

And then you have Monique and her dude friend fighting. Literally slapping each other, "f*****g b****, leave me alone you f*****g who**, get the f**k out of my way!!!!" All as loud as can be. So nice to just be able to enjoy a little cup of Jo while reading the paper (No SCAP in today's Bee) while we listen to the slapping of faces, F-Bombs, whore-Bombs at the park. Lets see what we got going on in the sports section today. Life in Modesto.

Yipppeee!

Nice to see a patrol car at Enslen Park this afternoon. I think a dude was actually handcuffed. I would like to see the MPD do more drive by's of the park. I am talking about when they actually drive onto the park and patrol the area. Maybe they do and I miss them, but an every few hours or so would be nice.

Vagrant issues vs. Activities

So now that my Happy Hour adult kickball league is over, there were issues that still need to be addressed. So we were out there for 5 consecutive weeks on Sunday nights. Modesto Parks director Julie Hannon has talked about the city needing activities to keep the park "vibrant". Activities shoo the vagrancy. Well, sort of. In our 5 week long play we had the following issues:

- Cops were called to quell a potential fight among groups of vagrants

- One week, the restrooms were locked up due to vandalism. Sort of tough when I promote "clean restrooms for the ladies"

- We all noticed as we kicked wayward kickballs into the adjacent trees, that the vagrants like to store their "stuff, or crap" within the trees as sort of their own storage lockers. We could have our own episode of "Storage Wars" just within the trees, nooks and crannies of Enslen Park. (As we progressed into the season, the stuff started to disappear)

- Just yesterday as a kickball player went to use the men's room he noticed before him a woman follow a man inside the mens restroom and as he entered, the women came out of the restroom with a wad of cash in her hand. He then left the restroom, and she went right back in to "finish the business".

Again, we did our part by painting the women's restroom and the stands adjacent to the ball field that was covered in graffiti with paint provided by the city. Before we have another event, I just hope that all of you reading this work on these issues plaguing our parks! You do so, you get my vote.

Park Feedings Get Messy

So the other day someone dropped off a box of whole roasted chickens from a local supermarket. You can see by the photos, that those who dropped them off, never bothered to wait and clean up after the messes. Shortly after taking these photos, another group came by and handed out more meals. Eventually, somebody did clean up all the wayward chickens later in the evening. However it just was not chickens, as you can see by the cigarette butts, as the whole area was just trashed!

How about some good news!

So, my Happy Hour Kickball has been a success as we transform Enslen Park into "Beach Night", and "Retro Night" every Sunday evening. As my players dodge the vagrancy at Enslen Park, they find time to enjoy their youth in this adult kickball league! Julie Hannon asked for "Events" at the park as to keep vibrant activities at our parks, and I am doing my part. Thanks to her, we have received paint to paint the restrooms and the stands (which is next) to help "beautify" this park as best as possible. I have even seen some police presence as they drive up on the park to ensure things are in store. (There were issues the first week as a fight nearly developed by the regular vagrants). So come out and enjoy some kickball. It is hilarious! Not the fights, the kickball.

When Vagrants attack!

As emailed to me:

"I was sweeping up around the dumpster this morning. The vagrants had removed trash from the dumpster and tossed it on the ground. Another vagrant came up the alley following a divining rod and talking out loud. He walked around me, maintaining a safe distance. He stopped, turned to face me and announced that he was going to f**** me up if I did not give him some money. I dropped the dustpan and told him to bring it on. That surprised him and he turned and scurried away. I think the whole divining walk and talk thing was an act.

Sure wish the vagrants' protectors could experience them the way I do."

m alexander