Meth Related Deaths Skyrocket in Santa Cruz
Last Friday, Santa Cruz County reported a huge increase in methamphetamine related deaths, with the number more than doubling in the first eight months of 2019 compared to all of 2018. There have been 25 methamphetamine related deaths in Santa Cruz counting from August through December of this year. Last year had a total of 10 all year. In 2009, there were 3 methamphetamine related deaths in Santa Cruz. That’s an increase of more than 700 percent in nearly a decade. We finally get some numbers to support the most obvious and worst kept secret in Santa Cruz. We coddle junkies instead of helping them get off drugs. Isn’t that obvious? Sign the petition!
He Obviously Learned His Lesson
Last week, the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Team served a search warrant at an address in Boulder Creek where they arrested a man for possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and prescriptions pills with the intent to sell. During the search, more than 12 ounces of heroin, more than 4 ounces of methamphetamine, almost 3 ounces of cocaine, and almost 2500 prescription pills were found and confiscated. The also found packaging, scales, over $30,000 cash, and 2 loaded handguns. The same man was out of custody on a narcotics sales and gun possession case from 2017. He was booked into the county jail and bail was set at $150,000 for 3 drug related felony charges this time.
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things in This Town
Early Friday morning, a pair of thieves smashed the front glass door of Judy Wyant Antiques on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, stealing more than $100,000 worth of merchandise. SCPD responded to a burglary alarm at the store, and after arriving found the glass door broken and glass display cases shattered with jewelry missing. After reviewing surveillance video, detectives saw two people breaking the door and using a hammer to smash cases and steal jewelry. Officers said the burglary was over within 90 seconds. Nobody was arrested and police have no suspects.
Mail Thief Arrested
Last Thursday, Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area near Mar Vista Avenue and McGregor Drive after getting reports of a black Honda with a license plate taped over. After arriving on scene, they found an unoccupied car on Laverne Avenue matching that description with obviously stolen mail visible in the passenger seat. Shortly after, a woman walked out of the backyard of an unoccupied rental property near the car and told Deputies the car belonged to her. She was detained and while the vehicle was searched, deputies found more stolen mail along with items from a residential burglary and theft from a car earlier that morning. The woman admitted to committing the residential burglary and the thefts and was arrested.
Recidivist is His Middle Name
Last Friday around 5PM, a 35 year old male transient was arrested by Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies for the umpteenth time on Covered Bridge Road in Felton. He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, drug possession, trespassing, and of course, the usual violating his probation. He’s currently in jail on a $5K bond. But he’s never in jail for long! He’s been arrested locally 40 times since 2013. Coddling and enabling serial criminals. Finally I’ve found something we’re really good at here!
Turnstiler of the Week
Last Friday around 2:30AM, SCPD arrested a 42 year old transient male on the 100 block of Felker Street in Santa Cruz for burglary and possession of burglary tools. He’s been arrested 9 times since 2014. In and out of local jail for the past five years and counting.
The Gift That Keeps Giving
Saturday morning around 6AM, SCPD arrested a 41 year old transient male on Laurel Street in downtown Santa Cruz on a variety of charges, including theft, carrying a concealed weapon, drug possession, and possession of burglary tools. Was he carrying his get out of jail free card? Apparently not this time as he appears to be cooling off in county jail on a $5k bond. But he’ll be kicked to the curb soon enough. He’s been arrested locally 21 times since 2013. That’s about 3-4 times a year for the past 6 years. He’s a turnstile regular.
That’s a Wrap!
Tuesday morning around 12:30AM, SCPD sent multiple units code 3 to the Palomar on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz for some kind of disturbance. AMR was also called to the scene to deal with injuries the belligerent drunk might have suffered in the scuffle. SCPD also called for a “wrap” to shut this guy up.
Define Child Endangerment For Me Andy Mills
Last Friday around 5PM, SCPD responded to the 1100 block of Pacific Avenue where they transported someone to Dominican for “medical issues”. They also found narcotics and paraphernalia in a car with a 3 year old child. I didn’t seen anything on the arrest report about child endangerment. I guess SCPD doesn’t consider a junkie overdosing in a car with a 3 year old kid “endangerment”.
She Wanted to be the Donut Queen
A 26 year old Watsonville woman accused of burglarizing eight homes and businesses was arrested this week after trying to break in the Donut King donut shop. Watsonville police just happened to be driving by when they saw here messing with the front door and so they stopped and finally arrested her. Investigators say the same woman is responsible for burglarizing eight Watsonville homes and businesses within a three day span. In some cases, she was caught on surveillance camera wearing the same clothing. Police said her attempted burglaries are unique because she didn’t smash windows or doors but used a tool to try and remove the whole window panel. She is facing eight charges of burglary or attempted burglary and has been booked into the Santa Cruz county jail with bail set at $25,000.
The Better Options
Hell I’ll just say it. Some of these people I don’t really like or care for, but they are ALL better options than either Drew Glover or Chris Krohn. The most important question you need to answer is “YES”, you want to recall both of them. As to who will take their place, anyone is better. That’s the short answer. When it comes to the lesser evil, the alternate candidates all present the lesser evil. So without further ado, here’s what I think of them!
Renee Golder
I fully endorse and support Renee Golder for a number of reasons. First, I actually know her personally, although we haven’t spoken in some time. She’s a breath of fresh, pragmatic air after suffering through months of Glover’s flatulence weekly. She’s a long time local mom, a school teacher, and she actually gets along well with other people. Imagine that! I’m certain she won’t bully and harass either male or female workers at city hall. She actually supports public safety! I know she’s well liked and supported in the community and I wish her well and hope for her success here. She will actually make a fine city council person, who will work well with everyone else up there. That’s much more than I can say for Glover, who has been a one man wrecking crew for city hall dysfunction and low morale by city hall staff workers.
Don Lane
Don is one of those guys I referred to as a “lesser evil”. The last thing I want is more Don. No let me rephrase that. The second to the last thing I want is more Don. The last thing I want is more Krohn. I’ll say this about Don. At the very least, he’ll get along with everyone up there and stuff will actually get done. Boring but important stuff. Don will at least give us that. And that’s all I’m asking for here. The duration of this seat is less than a year. Don can keep the seat warm for the next person.
Katherine Beiers
Katherine Beiers is another lesser evil. I’ve lived in Santa Cruz for almost 20 years and she was before my time, so that tells you how far back she goes. And of course I’d be remiss about not chiding her most dubious achievement. That horrid yellow River Street sign at Highways 1 and 9 that everyone loves to hate. You can thank her for that. No age jokes. But she can still probably beat me in a mile.
Tim Fitzmaurice
So here’s the first real “progressive” opportunist (or back up plan, depending on one’s perspective). Another former mayor (like Lane and Beiers), Tim was also before my time, so he goes back more than 20 years since he was actually relevant. I still wouldn’t call him relevant.
Pour One Out For Glover and Krohn
Nobody’s Fault But My Own – Beck
When the moon is a counterfeit
Better find the one that fits
Better find the one that lights
The way for you
When the road is full of nails
Garbage pails and darkened jails
And their tongues
Are full of heartless tales
That drain on you
Who would ever notice you
You fade into a shaded room
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34 Responses
I’ve posted this idea before, but given the current issue of Santa Mierda I think it bears repeating. Someone should create a website listing the local turnstilers by the magnitude of their arrests. Ben mentions a 40-time repeat offender above. I don’t know if that person is gold-medal worthy or other turnstilers have him beat. Posting the mugshots of these creeps would also help the community to better recognize them. Maybe some local businesses that have been victims of their crimes would be interested in advertising on the website.
It’s both frightening and enlightening! http://mugshotssantacruz.com/
Wow, thanks (I think). That’s some scary Mierda!
I would be down for that! I run a business on river st (which has become the homeless highway). Its be nice to know who is more likely to cause an issue in store.
Both Beiers and Fitzmaurice will be as bad as Krohn/Glover. Lane will be a slight improvement.
Golder is the only actual improvement.
I’m wondering why Santa Cruz hasn’t stopped arresting people yet. I mean, according to Santa Cruz logic, prison doesn’t work to prevent people from committing crimes, so the powers that be decriminalized felonies to misdemeanors. Isn’t the next logical step to stop arresting people, since that also doesn’t seem to work to prevent people from committing crimes?
Santa Cruz is doing the opposite of what needs to be done (as usual). Expect things to get worse.
I agree. We don’t need progressive retreads who still drink the kool aid. And Don Lane is a disaster. He made the kool aid. He’s also a great believer in more taxes to fund homeless programs. We are all taxed to death in this very expensive town. Please, let’s vote in people that can spend our money wisely. The progressive left has made a botch of it. So much money wasted, and so little accomplishment to show for it.
Still better than Krohn.
Maybe it was before your time, Ben, but there was a guy named Rodent who ran for City Council.
I would hit the pause button on Lane, Beiers and Fitzmuarice and ask the question “how did we get here?”. The dynamic duo didn’t do this all on their own – it has taken 40+ years of council after council ignoring their jobs of running a city and keeping the ledger in the black. Lane, Beiers and Fitzmuarice all moved the City of Santa Cruz in the same direction – downward toward rock button. Fitzmuarice is just “Krohn-Lite”, having been part of the self-annointed “Three Amigos” comprised of council members Krohn, Fitzmuarice and Sugar. We snickered and called them The Three Stooges. What wasn’t funny was watching them edge the City downward and spend money they didn’t have. Lane and Beiers – more of the same BS, different vintages. If anyone doesn’t believe and has time to waste, read old Santa Cruz Sentinel articles on council nonsense during those years – you’ll see a pattern of clown behavior emerge and will realize that Glover and Krohn (Krohn in particular) are just running with the baton that was handed to them by their predecessors. Hopefully the electorate will avoid repeating their past mistake, as they did by reelecting Krihn, and go with a new face.
Everyone needs to get past any personal beefs they have with individual replacement options or you’re really no help at all here. Yes on the recall. If you hate the other options, don’t pick one and others will pick one for you. Tearing down the options is counter productive and basically tells me someone is more interested in their opinion about someone else than they are about the actual recall.
Nobody will be as bad as Krohn and Glover. Anyone but Krohn and Glover. Just be sure to answer the first question YES.
after reading that 1/8th (hahah an 1/8th of what?!??!) of the usa lives in california… im actually even more worried about what is going on in this state. santa cruz, san francisco, la, its like a cesspool. i hope things can turn around.
happy holidays to everyone… i guess even happy holidays to the crazy commie bastards and religious extremist rednecks hahhaha :0/ run run rudolph… santas got to make it to town… santa make him hurry tell him he can take the freeway down *
“religious extremist rednecks”
Nice ethnic slur, dude. Very cool!
I have to disagree with Sandy on Don Lane. He is so pro homeless and for redistribution of funds for pet projects than anyone I can remember in recent years on the council. He can’t seem to come after your dollars fast enough.
Ben, Biers was on the council and mayor twice until sometime in 2012 so if you’ve been around for 20 years, were you not paying attention? I also hope the phrase you used ” before your time” in referring to Ms. Biers is not a veiled reference to Ms. Bier’s age. She seemingly remains vital, finished 3rd in her age group at the Boston Marathon this year which is an accomplishment many of us would be unable to achieve, at any age.
Don (or Beiers) is fine. They won’t be around long enough to matter or do any harm. If elected they would only serve for 9 months. They will keeping the seat warm for whoever comes next in the fall of 2020. And both will actually get things done instead of create more dysfunctional process. They are band aids for the progressive “band”, but that’s all they really are. Golder is the much more important vote here. If you support the recall, you have to support Golder (or why bother?).
Very good advice, we are in this situation because last election there were too many people running and the vote was split. My choices would be Golder and Beiers. But I would change it to whoever can win.
Bluesy1,
I have no idea what it means to be, “pro homeless.” Are you suggesting Don Lane wants people to be homeless? He wants housing: Affordable housing and viable shelter solutions for homeless.
Is spearheading the Santa Cruz Warriors move to town is the type of “pet project” you dislike?
I’ve written this before, and I’ll write it again. I have nothing bad to write about Katherine Beiers.
I’d suggest people on this blog focus on building up any of these candidates rather than tearing them down. You are aiding the no on recall campaign by maligning any of the four. Thanks to all four for stepping up.
Thanks Jay. Don’t tear any of the folks running as alternatives down please. They are all better options than Krohn or Glover. The message we are sending is bigger than the individual person. You muck up our government, you pander to minority special interests, we’ll send your ass packing.
Ben – be careful what you fish for…you might get what you want. Incumbents have a leg up in elections and nine months gives a council member enough enough time to marshall reelection resources. Do some reading on the antics of Fitzmuarice and Lane when they were on the council. We are living their legacy today.
I’m well aware of Don Lane. The question everyone needs to ask themselves is would I rather have Chris Krohn over any of the alternatives? For me it’s a resounding NO and YES on the recall question. Don’s just warming a seat. He already publicly said he won’t run again. And Beiers isn’t running for another 4 year term. If she did she would lose badly. Again, the more important vote is YES on the recall. I don’t care who you vote for as his replacement. Whoever it is (Lane or Beiers), it will be a short stay of less than a year. Given the timing, we are talking maybe 15-16 city council meetings total they would be part of. April 2020 – December 2020 with a month off in the summer.
Ben, you have faith that Don Lane will not run again after the 9 months is up. I have none. I suspect that he wants back into local politics and will renege on his “promises”. People with messiah complexes tend to ignore pledges that stand in the way.
Erik N Zinn,
Don Lane stated he will not be a candidate in the November 2020 election.
https://www.donlane.org/
That’s one of the reasons I support him. I’d like someone to focus on City business, and not spend time on fundraising or campaigning between April and November. Both Lane and Beiers have more Council experience than Councilmember Krohn, so their candidacies ensure the next Councilmember will not spend the few months left in the term getting up to speed.
There are two candidates for each Council seat. We are fortunate to have these citizens come forward at this time.
Recall Yes
Santa Cruz deserves better
If anything, he’s better off taking the $150K homeless czar job at the city than actually being on the city council for 4 more years making minimum wage. That’s a no brainer. He’s making brownie points.
I do agree, Ben. We are talking a long term plan here, not the next 9 months. Beiers is pretty old (as am I so no disrespect meant but just a statement of fact) and Lane has said no to running. None of these folks are ideal candidates but we must think of what will take us further down the road to a more stable and cohesive situation in regards to the governance of Santa Cruz. The recall campaign was very smartly run and succeeded and it is time for our cooler heads to prevail and look to the future. Let’s take a smart calm approach folks and win with our heads and not lose with our feelings and emotions.
Yes, it is critical think and act long term. Even when the recall succeeds we will be stuck in our own political version of Groundhog Day as long as city elections are controlled by brainwashed UCSC students and their Marxist handlers.
When Don Lane puts together a measure to tax property owners specifically to then give that money to others for down payment money to buy housing, it was an attempt at Marxist Re-Distribution.
Most, would prefer to help their own family members first were they able but overall I’ve just heard enough from Mr. Lane and don’t want a repeat of his ramblings in the council chamber. There needs to be a distinction between the situationally homeless, caused by loss of work, sudden or chronic health events, age etc. who need a helping hand versus the chronic drug addicts, criminals and lawless that have ruined their own lives, continually plague local residents and often don’t want any conditions that go along with aid. In any other state, they would be in jail.
I support those candidates who know the difference between the two groups and Don Lane in my estimation is just not one I can support.
I have little to add. Yep, a fresh face in Rene is important, the other is a seat warmer, I agree with Ben. The Nov election is FAR more important (with 4 seats up for consideration). I shudder to think what damage can be done in the next 2 months in any case as perhaps desperation sets in. I occasionally wonder if perhaps the progressives are right about a thing or two, then I slap myself silly and it passes.
I hope Cummings doesn’t allow the k-rap to continue at council meetings, we’ll see. As a psychologist once told me, “your a smart guy, you’ll figure it out ” and I hope he does.
He seems pretty intolerant of the usual Bob Noise bullshit. I think it was Cummings who actually shut down Tony the Grifter Lawyer during his public comment. I have hope. I get the sense Cummings doesn’t like the long, endless meetings with the never ending parade of the same complaints.
I think if enough businesses, restaurants and stores did a half day protest- just closing with signs saying that the store is under protest due the over abundance of criminals and drug addicts free to roam Santa Cruz and enter any and all businesses and buildings during open hours and after hours vandalism and trespassing occurs. Mainly to attract news cameras and really try to shed light on what Santa Cruz really is.
Santa Cruz can recover I hope or it can continue being a tourist trap/ overpriced under policed place to live/go to college. I’ve put up about 16 vids on YouTube. Any night of the week in Santa Cruz
In my thinking we keep putting new players in the same game. The entire structure of what Santa Cruz is needs to be gone thru with a fine tooth comb. I’ll keep saying it-we need to adopt Scotts Valleys rules regulations and practices or just get run by whoever,whatever runs SV and or Capitola/Watsonville. I’d love to have a tour bus and take people just to those 3 locations on a back and forth cycle to really show perspective. Start in Scotts Valley during the day stop at 3-4 places let people shop eat ect ect then do the same in SC then Watsonville Then shoot straight back to SV around 8p when stores start closing leave SV around 10p when basically everything is closed the head to SC to let everyone see the zombies and creeps that lerk about. Then end the night in Watsonville that has a bad rep for having gang problems but Watsonville would have to turn into a mini L.A or Oakland to compare to Santa Cruz-mini Seattle.
I’d also like to know just how many “ advocates “ organizations for “ homeless “ are in this town. There’s a street scene or street team I see but wow the few lady’s I’ve seen that organize it and drive the vans are basically Correctional officers they use people right or the streets and most are men of course and I’ve seen many incidents were these lady’s are having to organize 2-6 of these “ guys” they do a pretty good job keeping them in line but wow they have no back up and I’m sure it not a high paying job. Though I could be wrong cause I think the “ help,organizations” for the homeless around here just do it for the money cause nothing is working here random “ people “ still flock here just to do hard drugs and not get in trouble for doing fo doing serous crimes.
Expose Santa Cruz for what it is in anyway shape or form. But it may already be to late
Dave, just try to find how many duplicative services there are and their efficacy rate. Good luck.
I can envision a day when all the downtown businesses have the pull down, garage door style protection on their business frontage. Stealing 100 grand worth of merchandise must scare all of the other business owners. Perhaps sleeping inside your business with a shotgun at your side would get the job done & reduce the recidivism rate.
You’re right! It’s coming fast. Starting a gate business is a good idea right now!
While a bit off topic, I see the progressives are hard at censorship. I got booted for the 3’rd time on Nextdoor, but interestingly Darius got booted at almost the same hour, same day. It seems the progressives have taken to Nextdoor to push the homeless agenda in a most serious way while complaining to eliminate all opposing views. It kinda similar to what happens even at city hall where some of my letters just happen to not get posted on the council web site as public correspondence. An interesting one was my opposition letter on the legalizing shrooms item that went to the Safety committee. I complained it was not posted, and they posted that complain email that contained the original letter also, but was later replaced by the original, then later removed altogether as if no one had written.
Of course when you get booted from Nextdoor, they remove every post you ever did all time which seems a bit harsh. It’s like you never existed.
There’s dirt under those compassionate progressive finger nails.
Hi Ben,
Certainly the big local news of this coming Santa mierda is the fed’s possibly stepping in to solve the Homeless Problem since the progressives apparently can’t. Below is a clip from Breitbart with a workable solution of federal detention centers to get these people the addiction relief that they need and get them out of our hair at the same time. The time for mollycoddling these drug addicts is coming to an end.
“Newsom and other Democrats in California insist the solution is more federal money for housing.
Experts argue that while housing may help, many homeless people are mentally ill or addicted to drugs, and other forms of intervention are needed, especially as some actually resist moving into permanent housing.
The Trump administration has been preparing contingency plans to invoke federal emergency powers and intervene in California’s homeless problem, perhaps by relocating homeless people to treatment centers on federal property.”