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Pursuing truth toward justice

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Homelessness in California

Homeless — Where your Money goes Part II: The Black Hole of Law Enforcement

January 30, 2023 By Eric Caine 14 Comments

Modesto arrest 2022

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s pledge to dedicate $750 million of the state’s 2023-2024 budget to sweeps of homeless camps is only the latest example of the extravagant waste of taxpayer dollars on futile tactics aimed at reducing homelessness. In all, the new budget will devote $15.3 billion to homelessness, even though the state has already spent billions more, only to see a continual rise in numbers of people experiencing homelessness. […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley

Overdoses at the Recovery Center? Yes

December 29, 2022 By Eric Caine 13 Comments

Stanislaus County Recovery Center, December, 2022

On December 8, we asked Stanislaus County CEO Jody Hayes whether rumors about fentanyl overdoses at the Stanislaus Recovery Center (SRC) were true. SRC is the county facility for treatment of drug addiction and mental illness. We also asked how many residents had been evicted from Stanislaus County’s low barrier shelter since January 1, and how many were denied entry since that time. Finally, we asked how many seriously mentally […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley

Homeless: Why we Fail and What to Do Now

December 2, 2022 By Eric Caine 25 Comments

Cheryl Littlefield

The Stanislaus County’s Civil Grand Jury Report on homelessness could serve as a report card for the entire State of California. Noting that homeless numbers continue to rise despite vast expenditures of money, the Grand Jury concluded that lack of coordination and focus among myriad public and private entities has led to wasted dollars, a lack of accountability, and public distrust in government efforts to reduce homelessness. There are many […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley

Homeless? Gavin Newsom Passes the Buck

November 18, 2022 By Eric Caine 8 Comments

Man living in car, Modesto, 2021

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s presidential ambitions hinge as much on appearances as they do realities, and the unsightly presence of homeless people throughout California is a reality he can’t make disappear. Born of desperation fostered by the futility of his own efforts to eliminate homelessness, Newsom has decided to blame California’s mayors for his own failure to understand the fundamental nature of a humanitarian emergency that grows worse by the […]

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: Beard Brook Park Homeless camp, California homelessness, Caltrans homeless sweeps, Gavin Newsom homelessness, Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley, Homelessness Modesto

Beloved Homeless Man Shot in Modesto

September 29, 2022 By Eric Caine 13 Comments

Richard "Channon" Myers

By Thursday, news that Richard “Channon” Myers had been murdered on the mean streets of Modesto had swept through the local homeless community. Known for his long “trains” of scavenged treasures — some would say “junk” — Channon was beloved among the homeless for his good nature. “Channon was a beautiful person,” said Kim, a woman who frequents Graceada and Enslen Parks, two places Channon often pulled in to rest […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Beard Brook Park Homeless camp, Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley, Modesto Outdoor Emergency Shelter

Gavin Newsom: End this Cruelty Now

September 11, 2022 By Eric Caine 45 Comments

Janopaul Road, Bystrom, Aug 2022

It’s bad enough that homeless sweeps throughout the state do little more than add to the stress and misery of the poorest among us. Even worse, California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken to bragging about them, especially the sweeps conducted by Caltrans along the state’s highways. One of the most wasteful expenditures of money the state has ever known, sweeps have become a kind of relocation roulette that bounces the […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Caltrans homeless sweeps, Caltrans sweeps, Clean California, Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley

Homeless: The Accountability Papers #3

August 11, 2022 By Eric Caine 19 Comments

Cherie Lopez Bystrum July 2022

“Given the significant dollars spent to address homelessness, this lack of accountability is problematic and can undermine the public’s confidence in our public agencies.” Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury, June, 2022 It was only last year that Stanislaus County added “accountability” to its plan for reducing regional homelessness. The new measure was intended to hold homeless people more accountable for being homeless. Released this June, in yet another of too […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley, Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury Report on Homelessness

Caltrans: Sweeping your Tax Dollars Away

July 31, 2022 By Eric Caine 21 Comments

Caltrans bulldozer Modesto July 2022

We’re still waiting for a report from Caltrans on how much it costs to sweep the average homeless camp along one of California’s freeways. We do know that last November, Caltrans estimated it would spend $36 million on homeless camp cleanups in this year alone. Caltrans workers assigned to the sweeps, highway patrol officers who provide security during the sweeps, and neighboring businesses and residents all know that when homeless […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Beard Brook Park Homeless camp, Caltrans homeless sweeps, Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley

Valley Heat Batters Homeless People

June 27, 2022 By Eric Caine 4 Comments

Frank Ploof on south 7th Street Modesto 26 June 2022

Frank Ploof didn’t know it at the time, but while he was offloading cases of water at a homeless camp in triple digit heat, Little Sherry Lopez was half a mile away, slowly growing more disoriented as she tried to escape the battering rays of the sun. Ploof, who’s known Sherry since she began camping in Beard Brook Park almost four years ago, had finished distributing cases of bottled water […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Frank Ploof, Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley, Little Sherry Lopez

Stanislaus County: Where Government Fails the People

May 19, 2022 By Eric Caine 5 Comments

Ninth Street Modesto 2021

When incumbent Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow brags about his leadership, he likes to compare the county to the City of Modesto. That’s what he did during an interview with the Modesto Bee when he said, “Look at how the city is doing and ask if you want that kind of leadership for the county.” Withrow is running for office against Tony Madrigal, a current Modesto City Councilmember. Withrow was […]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Homelessness and Poverty in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in California, Homelessness in Modesto, Homelessness in Stanislaus County, Homelessness in the San Joaquin Valley, Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow, Terry Withrow, Terry Withrow for Supervisor

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Off The Wire

Biden restores roadless protection to the Tongass, North America's largest rainforest
Biden restores roadless protection to the Tongass, North America’s largest rainforest
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Activists sue to block Newsom's homeless mental illness treatment program
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Gimme Shelter: Mayor Karen Bass on homelessness and the California housing crisis
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ACLU sues Phoenix over homeless sweeps, citations
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San Francisco?s homeless sweeps are unlawful ? and the city will pay for it
San Francisco’s homeless sweeps are unlawful and the city will pay for it
San Francisco’s campaign to remove homeless people from the streets clearly violates…
www.sfchronicle.com
A year after opening 600 rooms to L.A.'s unhoused, the Cecil Hotel is still mostly empty. Here's why
A year after opening 600 rooms to L.A.’s unhoused, the Cecil Hotel is still mostly empty. Here’s why
The Cecil Hotel was supposed to be an innovative new model for permanent supportive housing in L.A. Why is it struggling to fill rooms?
news.yahoo.com
Fentanyl on campus: One Bay Area school saved a student?s life. Another missed the signs of an overdose. Is your school ready?
Fentanyl on campus: One Bay Area school saved a student’s life. Another missed the signs of an overdose. Is your school ready?
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www.mercurynews.com

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PO Box 156
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Modesto, CA 95354

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Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

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