Jim “Jimbo” Garrison was fighting back tears as he explained why he didn’t want to leave the 624 Ninth Street apartments where he’s formed a tight band of friends. “These are my friends, these are my family,” he said. “What right do they have to make us leave? What right do they have to move us to a motel and put us through a program?” According to Garrison, the City […]
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Like it or not, Local Leaders Own Trump
Every Stanislaus County Supervisor supported Donald Trump, as did most local politicians, including Jeff Denham. Lately, many have been hearing complaints about the president’s support for racists and Nazis as well as criticism of his appointees. Just before the Stanislaus County Supervisor’s meeting of August 22, a supervisor was heard telling a friend he was, “tired of hearing about Donald Trump.” He added, “What does Donald Trump have to do […]
Caretaker says County Wrong on Homeless and Mentally Ill
After almost fifty years face-to-face experience with the Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI), Lonny Davis estimates he’s encountered around 4,000 patients. Davis’s parents managed homes for SMI people, and when he took over the business he vowed to carry on their tradition of providing, “compassionate custodial care.” Today, he manages seven guest homes, with number eight coming online soon. His headquarters is in Ceres. When the eighth home is up and […]
More Trouble at 624
Reports of a missing child brought a mini-fleet of police cars to 624 9th Street Saturday afternoon. Supposedly taken by a young woman known as “Baby Girl,” four year old Thomas (TJ) couldn’t be found in or around the building when his mother notified police. At least one resident of the condemned building thought the child had been taken away for a bath or shower. “We can’t use our showers […]
Falling Through the Cracks at 624 9th Street
When Israel Gonzales first heard there would be help moving to a new location, he was hopeful. “I don’t want to live in the park,” he says, “it’s not safe. There are too many bad people.” But two weeks after news of the condemned building at 624 9th Street in Modesto shocked city officials enough to allocate relocation money for tenants of the vermin-infested structure, Israel Gonzales still has nowhere […]
DJ Jaffe Skewers County’s Laura’s Law Study
People who routinely deal with Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI) friends and family overwhelmingly favor Laura’s Law, which makes it possible for a judge to order professional assistance for mentally ill people who otherwise wouldn’t accept help. Many studies have shown that Laura’s Law is both cost-effective and successful in reducing the harm caused when mentally ill people refuse assistance. Given the preponderance of such studies, Stanislaus County’s decision to hire […]
Ninth Street apartments: “Worst I’ve ever seen,” says attorney
“Any society, any nation, is judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members—the last, the least, the littlest.” Cardinal Roger Mahony, 1998 With fifteen years’ experience representing tenants’ rights, Joseph Tobener has seen a lot of dilapidated buildings and apartments, including the warehouse that was the location for Oakland’s notorious “Ghost Ship” fire. But when he saw the horrid conditions at the recently condemned 624 Ninth Street location, […]
Condemned to Homelessness?
The stories told by residents of 624 Ninth Street in Modesto sound like a dystopian nightmare. “I was in the bathroom when the ceiling caved in,” says one. “Once the ceiling came down there was a rush of water and when it stopped I looked up and saw rats looking down.” Bruce Curtis, who’s been a resident of the condemned building for three years, said the owner and manager were […]
132 Freeway Will Be an Environmental Disaster
Environmentalists are notorious about opposing freeway projects , but the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations have been quiet about the 132 freeway plan. Either the project has not caught their attention or they just don’t care about the Valley because local politics are dominated by anti-environment interest groups. Regardless of the reasons for political silence, a discussion is needed because the 132 freeway will be a disaster. Wildlife Refuge State Route 132 […]
Homeless: The Myth of Access
News that Stanislaus County’s Focus on Prevention program for the homeless would soon establish an access center to connect homeless people with a wide range of services was generally greeted with enthusiastic approval. Those not in the cheering section included many volunteers and professionals long-experienced at dealing with homeless people and their issues. While it may be puzzling to some why a central location with access to services doesn’t provide […]