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Tag: Homelessness in Stanislaus County

Homeless: The Mentally Ill

Ramon Alvarez was a fixture in downtown Modesto for years, but by the time he made Jeff Jardine’s popular Modesto Bee column he was near death. Ramon was the “sign guy” or “the guy with the van” who regularly occupied various street corners near the Modesto Arch, protesting what he claimed were heinous crimes  by […]

Homeless: The Costly Logic of Busts and Sweeps

Whether by coincidence or design, homeless people in Modesto’s parks have been subjected to heightened harassment and arrests ever since the new mayor and councilmembers took office. Despite the costs and lack of observable benefits, sweeps and busts are occurring more often than ever. Years ago Modesto residents learned through bitter experience that the police […]

Rousting the Homeless

Joe Scalfani’s motorized wheel chair went off the cliff right before the big sweep. What happened was Fidel was trying to help Joe after thieves had taken Joe’s shoes and backpack while he was sleeping under the eaves of the park restroom. When Joe woke up, his stuff was gone and his chair was low […]