The Weekly Dump – 7.26.24

The “New” News

I’m old enough to remember the days before the internet, when people would tune in to one of the “big 3” national networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) and watch the 6 o’clock news on their television sets. Back when you only had 3 channels of tv to choose from. And the 6 o’clock news was where you got your news every day. You had to wait until 6 o’clock, and tune in, and that’s how you learned what was going on outside the bubble of where you lived. You could get your local news from the morning paper, and maybe a smattering of national news, but by the time the paper arrived it was yesterday’s news. There really wasn’t any immediacy, unless there was a major news event in which case the networks might cut into a soap opera or an episode of “The Brady Bunch” with breaking news. And the news you got was curated. It was vetted for facts because time allowed this. And it was actually important to get it right factually. Reporting fake news would be the kiss of death for a news station or a news anchor. It was the golden age of the news. Walter Cronkite was the most trusted man in America. He read the news. 

Cut to 2024. Reporting is immediate. There is no waiting. No vetting. Everyone has a phone and a social media account. It’s on a 24/7 cycle, unlike the pre-internet, pre-social media, pre-smart phone days. The goal is no longer to be right but to be first. Fuck the truth. It’s easier to just retract later (if even that) and once you’ve got their attention and engagement, mission accomplished. What we have today is no longer “factual news”. It’s “opinionated news”. It’s no longer objective news. It’s subjective news. Kind of like the Supreme Court!

And the consumer has also modified their behavior to get the news they want to hear. We don’t have to go to 1 of 3 places to get our news anymore. We now personally aggregate our news. We have become our own curator of “the news”. We get our news anytime we want, from unlimited (and often dubious) sources, and we use our new “news” now to reinforce and validate the way we feel. Just look at all the crazy shit that’s been happening in the past month’s news cycle (on a national level). We had an attempted assassination of a presidential candidate and former president. And a week later, the current president announces he’s not gonna run for re-election after all, throwing a new candidate into the spotlight (while moving the assassination to the back page). And the “mainstream media” baits viewers with dubiously “factual” stories, slanted to encourage divisiveness of course. How much of this “new” news is just generated AI now? The old news is dead. Welcome to the “new” news. 

No Contrition No Release

Next week, a court hearing continues in Santa Cruz County Superior Court to determine if convicted murderer Adrian Jerry “AJ” Gonzalez will be set free from a juvenile detention facility. He has been confined in the Sonoma County Juvenile Hall since 2015 after he murdered and raped his 8 year old neighbor Madyson “Maddy” Middleton. Gonzalez was 15 years old when he baited the 8 year old with ice cream to lure her into his mother’s apartment at the Tannery Arts Center in Santa Cruz. He then attacked the girl, choking her for 30 minutes and raping her before he stuffed the girl’s body into a trash bag and casually tossed it in the complex dumpster. It’s arguably the most shocking, gruesome, heinous crime in the history of Santa Cruz. And this human piece of shit has NEVER showed any public contrition for it. He’s a monster. He deserves to rot in jail for the rest of his miserable life, even if that means in isolation in a juvenile detention facility. Or better yet, stick him in state prison Genpop. They would give him the kind of payback he truly deserves. 

Gonzalez pleaded guilty in 2021 in juvenile court. He was tried in juvenile court on a technicality. He was tried as a juvenile and not as an adult because of a bunch of moron lawmakers in Sacramento. He was tried as a juvenile because of Senate Bill 1391, passed in 2016, which prohibited prosecuting teens under the age of 16 as adults. Had he been tried as an adult and pleaded guilty, Gonzalez would have faced a life sentence. Under California law, any criminal who was convicted in juvenile court qualifies for possible parole when they turn 25. Gonzalez turns 25 this fall. Prosecutors must prove to Judge Denine Guy that Gonzalez is still a major threat to the community and at high risk of reoffending. At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Guy will make a ruling to either release the killer from custody, or keep him behind bars. This past week, community members protested outside the courthouse calling for Gonzalez to spend the rest of his life in prison. The hearing will resume on Tuesday at 10:30AM with testimony from three more witnesses.

Governor Issues Executive Order to Clear Homeless Camps

This week, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order for local cities to clear homeless camps. This comes after the US Supreme Court gave cities the green light to do it. The executive order mandates that state agencies and departments clear existing camps on state properties and adopt policies to clear camps on state property. 

“This executive order directs state agencies to move urgently to address dangerous encampments while supporting and assisting the individuals living in them — and provides guidance for cities and counties to do the same,” the governor said in a news statement. “The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets. There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part.”

The new order comes about a month after the Supreme Court ended cities having to tolerate out of control homeless encampments in California and other western states. Cities had been prohibited from clearing homeless camps after local progressive judges ordered several cities to allow them to camp basically anywhere on public property. Last month, in a case known as Grants Pass v. Johnson, the US Supreme Court found it is not unconstitutional for a city to ban homeless encampments, even if there is no shelter available. The ruling gives city leaders broad authority to crack down on camps.

State agencies will model their encampment policies around an existing policy that Caltrans has used for several years to remove camps from land maintained by Caltrans. State agencies need to warn campers at least 48 hours before clearing a camp. They are also required to store residents’ belongings for at least 60 days, and to request services for displaced residents from local organizations. If an encampment poses an “imminent threat” to life, health, safety or infrastructure, the agency can remove a camp immediately. According to the governor’s office, Caltrans has cleared more than 11,000 camps in the past 3 years. Newsom urged local governments to voluntarily adopt policies similar to the one used by Caltrans. The governor could withhold funding from local governments if he feels they are not meeting expectations. 

It’s gonna become a competition to see who can do it the best. Because those local cities clearing camps early and often won’t be the recipients of those getting the bum rush. The perma-transients will go to the camp of least resistance. The camp of least resistance is going to accumulate those being displaced. If San Jose cracks down hard early and often, campers can get on a bus and come here (unless of course we crack down hard early and often too). We get what we are willing to tolerate. We no longer have to tolerate the drug camps we’ve had to tolerate. Don’t let the city tell you otherwise.  

Child Predator Arrested in Watsonville

This past Tuesday, Watsonville Police arrested a 24 year old man after receiving reports that he allegedly sexually abused a young boy under the of 13. Investigators said the abuse happened in 2022 but was reported this month. ​After an initial investigation, police arrested the suspect in Capitola. A search warrant was also executed at his home in Watsonville. Authorities said the suspect was a track and field coach at Rolling Hills Middle School for 3 months in 2023. And a volunteer coach at Pajaro Valley High School in the Spring of 2024. Watsonville Police said the suspect is facing several charges, including human sex trafficking of a minor, contacting a minor with intent to commit certain felonies, and lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14. The Pajaro Valley Unified School District said the suspect is no longer employed or a volunteer with the district. 

Don’t Let This Clown Buy You a Drink

Keep your eyes open for this guy. This past Friday, a 33 year old Santa Cruz man was arrested for multiple felonies relating to the intentional drugging of a woman at a local bar. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office says they are seeking potentially more victims after he was arrested. The victim reported the crime on July 16th, after she suspected that she had been drugged by someone at a bar several days earlier. Following an investigation, the man was arrested. The sheriff’s office has not disclosed the name of the bar. So I guess the bar wasn’t in the city of Santa Cruz or Capitola since the sheriff’s office made the arrest.

Wharf to Wharf Race Tomorrow!

If you weren’t aware, the annual Wharf to Wharf race takes place tomorrow (Sunday). It starts at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and runners will make their way along surface streets until they reach the Capitola Wharf. Start time is 8:30AM sharp! If you’re not running, do yourself a favor and avoid driving anywhere near the race route. 

The Weekly Seen

(thanks to Brian)

In My Ear

Janes Addiction – Ripple

(I love how they bust out and tease the Other One in the outro).

New Santa Mierda YouTube Channel!

I started a new YouTube channel for the Weekly Dump. It will host all my videos going forward. I’ll also put the podcast over there too if I can ever get that going. Go check out some videos if you haven’t seen them yet, and thank you to all the subscribers! (you can subscribe over there)

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