MPD and their new service

Noticed on facebook, the new service the MPD are promoting: Crimemapping.com 

http://www.modestogov.com/newsroom/releases/prdetail.asp?id=1130

It is a slick site. However, we KNOW that there are crimes.   Why state the obvious? More resources should be in preventing these crimes! I am a big follower of the MPD and everything they do with the limited resources.  So with this site, we see the crimes committed, so now what? 

Some neighborhoods are trying to do their part including ours, but it still happens.  I am a big proponent of a Park patrol within certain parks (As that is where the vagrancy starts).  The Blue Ribbon committee was put together to come up with some solutions, and I believe they are behind this (park patrol) so where are we with that?

On another note, in an interview with Modesto View, City Manager, Greg Nyhoff suggested, "I would like to see Modesto residents reporting and stamping out tagging. Tagger's create blight and blight causes a decline in property values and creates an inhospitable landscape." Gee, you think? Who are we going to report it to?  The graffiti abatement is no longer! Again, we do our own graffiti removal in OUR neighborhood, but we cannot get the rest of the city covered! Honestly, outside of a few neighborhood alliances, most people have given up.  There is just too much.  

So you have talked about it, what are you going to do about it Mr. Nyhoff?

Gotta Love that Modesto Inn!

http://youtu.be/GbPfWOmFleI

Unacceptable!

We are accustomed to homeless hanging out at the parks.  However, this is totally unacceptable!  To set up camp, or a shelter?

Even more frustrating

So I personally saw two teenage punks marking up one of these picnic benches at Enslen Park.  I saw them with the markers.  I called "authorities" as I followed these clowns in my car as they crossed the canal at the Dog Park, and then down Enslen to Fairmont until they eventually wandered to McHenry.  Because of "miscommunications" between dispatch the authorities never came.  I was assured that there were "errors" made, and it will be a learning experience.  Nonetheless, it was very frustrating as I had them!  I have asked "Uncle Tom" to paint over all the picnic tables with our paint, but he informed me that it should be just washed off as these tables have that seal on it.  So, not sure if the city will take care of this, or we should just paint them? Any ideas on this?

When the city shuts down

We all know there is very little work done during the holidays when the city is shut down for what seems like an eternity.  Here is an example of the packages that Enslen park gets during these times.  There was an event on Christmas Eve afternoon where packages or meals were handed out to the unfortunate at the Boy Scout Club.  Whatever organization put this on felt it was warranted to leave boxes upon boxes of clothes out on a picnic bench for the homeless and vagrants to sift through.  These clothes were strewn out all over the park.  Fortunately, someone in the evening had the foresight to put it in the trash after it was all sifted through.  The garbage cans have been like this throughout the week.  

Beautify Modesto

Is there anything the city can do about blight?  This is just one of many graffiti covered buildings.  I ask city leaders what the plan is, if any? The old Longs building on McHenry is also a piece of work.  Side note here, I was told that the market behind this building on Alice and McHenry was robbed this same evening.  That little store is shady, so it was probably and inside deal or drug deal gone wrong.

Shocker

Just saw this posted by a facebook friend of mine:


Just saw a vehicle on Virginia and Morris drivers rear window broken out, smash and grab! Be careful with stuff in your vehicles!


No surprise. This area, along with many areas I guess is just crawling with thieves, thugs, and vagrants.  Not sure entirely what happened but I will find out.  It is a daily ritual to see vagrants just walking with no agenda just checking out houses and cars.  It is so obvious it is maddening.  

Homeless Stealing food

So my son was just at the "Green Store" at Morris and Sycamore when a homeless guy stole some canned food.  The owner, Mona, caught him, but nothing she could do as he left.  My son said it was so obvious, and he did not deny it.  My son came home, and the dude was sitting at the park bench and he explained to me what happened.  I called "Sonny" the owner, and he was not there but was aware.  He said, there "is nothing we can do other than ban him from the store.  The police will not respond".  That is the gist of the conversation as Sonny's english is not the best, bless his heart.  I think what I inferred from the conversation is that instead of pressing charges, it is just easier to ban the guy from the store because there could be retribution. Sad.  All the meals in the city offered to him and all the bag lunches available he had to resort to blatant theft.  Maybe it was just dog food for his dog, who knows.  The beat goes on.................

Lights Out....Again

All the street lights that surround Enslen Park are out.  As I mentioned last week, all the wiring was stripped out.  The city repaired the light at Poplar and Stoddard, and it is out again! Other than the one security light, the park is completely dark.  Oh for some park patrol! Unfortunately, the police patrol and the neighborhood patrol is still not enough.

I thought a Save Mart store opened at the park on Sunday with all the "shoppers" at the park.  There were so many shopping carts at the park with their handlers.  Tickets should be written with those who have shopping carts more than a 1/2 mile from the store.  Shopping carts are just like graffiti to a neighborhood, a complete eyesore mess.  On a brighter note, I did see a stroller yesterday that actually had a child in it!

Water Wells in the Parks?

So the city is entering a contract for water wells to be installed in 5 city parks at the cost of $500k.  In chatting with Todd Aaronson, who is running for city council, District 3, he let me in on this nugget of information.

We both agree that what is the use of having greener parks if nobody wants to go to them? Could the city instead use that money towards commercial paint that is washable to remove graffiti? It is expensive, but you paint it on, and the graffiti comes off easier.  Taggers hate it. Or to pay for new lighting since all the wiring is getting stolen; repairing the restrooms; or paying for security patrols (community service officers) of the parks.

I do not entirely understand why the water wells are needed.  I am just going off what others are telling me.  I have not researched it.  I was emailed (not from a candidate) that water wells are important for the park.  "They are wells that will use water that is not up to State of Calif standards for drinking water which will free up the better water for drinking.  In the long run it will save the city on not having to drill deeper more expensive wells for drinking to meet the standards."  I don't understand the first part, to use the water that is not up to state of Calif standards for drinking water......I am thinking that what was meant, to get RID of the water that is not drinkable, for USABLE drinking water, maybe?

Todd Aaronson says it will only save $11,000 a year.  Taking care of the park maintenance with this $500k would save the city more in the long run from vandalism.  That is what Mr. Aaronson is saying, I am agreeing to.

If my or others' facts are wrong, then it is my fault for not researching it.  I just started this blog because my concerns are the safety and well being of the parks.  I did not want to branch out to water wells, but it all does go together.  Fix the park issues first, then keep them green or make the drinking water better.

Lights Out!

So I emailed the city that our street light at Enslen Park has been out.  Just chatted with city worker just now and ALL the lights surrounding the park are out.  All were broken into and the wiring stripped! This includes the horseshoe pit. Shocker.  The beat goes on.

We paint the graffiti at the parks, we have volunteered to open the restrooms.  I have offered suggestions.  Still waiting to hear from the city that about more paint that we need and getting the keys to the Enslen and Graceada parks restrooms.

Modesto - "Graffiti Town, USA"

Obviously I am not talking about George Lucas and Wolfman Jack and our heritage of the throwback "American Graffiti" era that we relive here in Modesto.  Is it me, or is every utility box, light pole, fence post, wall, business, street sign, canal bank and whatever else standing have graffiti on it? Pictured is the women's bathroom at Enslen Park.  My brother in law has paint and often paints over any graffiti at the park.  He just painted over some in the women's bathroom last week which was tagged shortly after.  Looks like the city tried washing the black graffiti off only to be re-tagged with white paint as seen in the photos.  They are not gang taggings, just some board punks.  The other photo is a tagging at the tennis courts at Graceada.  As I type, Uncle Tom is painting over them.

My question is, is that there are city employees in the park every morning.  They can't paint over this graffiti?  Do they not have paint in their trucks?  I know the graffiti abatement the city had is no longer budgeted for, but is it NOT in the job description of these city employees to simply paint over it?  If they are driving around, can they take 2 minutes to remove a tag?

I am trying to keep it together fellow Modesto residents, but this town is becoming a s**t hole! As we get closer to election time, I stress to the new power to be's that somehow we take care of the graffiti (amongst other issues).  My brother-in-law paints over it at Enslen and Graceada as the city provides us with the paint.  I am sure if he were paid for his efforts, he and other "vagrants" would provide the service for half the pay.  It would be half volunteer, and half "give the dog a bone"!  Uncle Tom is a recycler and if it were not for myself and my wife, he would be one of the vagrants in the park.  He has some pull, and could get the use of a few other park locals to do this.  These "graffiti angels" would be scouring the city similar to their efforts in all the recycling (legal of course) that they do in getting paid per tag removal.