A 30-minute assault on a downtown stairway raises urgent questions about policy, enforcement, and what “compassion” really looks like in Clallam County
The commissioners did not answer yesterday's question about signs that retail theft is increasing across the street from their offices at Safeway. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioners,
Where is the compassion for the residents of this county who are forced to witness people living in active crisis—unable to access meaningful treatment—while public funds continue to support policies that appear to sustain that cycle? Do you believe the Laurel Street assault is an isolated incident, or are similar assaults and unreported violence occurring in places like Tumwater Creek and other encampments?
Thank you for your article and Jack’s articles. They are informative, and eye-opening.
🥲😡 it makes me sad to see how our county and state have gone downhill in the past decade.
When I criticized and questioned things happening in our county and state, someone replied, “What are you doing to change things?” I guess that is a valid question.
If I had the power to do it, I would take every drug abuser who isn’t a long term resident of the county, and give them a one way bus ticket home to wherever they came from.
I would ban outdoor camping in the city limits.
I would give county residents the option of going into drug treatment, or going to jail.
I would make it mandatory for the new apartment house in PA to require no drugs, no smoking, and monthly mandatory visits from a PA social worker to make sure they are being kept clean (the apartments and the residents). There should be onsite drug rehab opportunities.
I would hire more law enforcement and enforce the laws on the books.
Just a few ideas. I’m sure there are many more good ones out there.
If you’re not giving money to panhandlers, that’s doing something — that’s not encouraging their behavior; that’s not saying ‘here’s money to buy drugs’; that’s not giving them someone else to depend on for their lifestyle choices.
Change doesn’t have to be huge, it can be something small; it’s probably overlooked to not give money to panhandlers as a way to make change, but that is something and it counts for making change in small ways.
Donating to 4PA is another way to make change out here; 4PA does a lot of hard work, and valuable work; I’m limited in getting out to do active volunteering, so donating monthly helps them to do the work that is making a positive change in PA and Clallam County.
Speaking out and sharing information can make change too. I don’t know what exactly I said or did, but someone who is choosing to go to treatment mentioned me with thanks along with Jeff and Jake. Voices have power to make change…and maybe memes do too. 😁
Apparently, WA state permits panhandling, which is nuts! Jake had a great suggestion about signage ‘discouraging’ it. Those signs need to happen ASAP. People must be made to understand giving cash directly contributes to the illegal drug trade.
I agree with signage. I also agree with stickers. That is a sticker I would put on my vehicle; something about saying no to panhandling.
For the folks who got the CCWD stickers going, maybe they can create something. Not to put it on them, but they have connections at the sign place and might be able to get something like that started to get the ball rolling. Just wanted to put this out into the commentsphere and I’ll put it out on my blog too. I can make some for my Zazzle shop too with links for buying; the more places to get them, the better!
Thank you, Jennifer; your encouragement helps! I know there are thousands more, including you; proven by the subscribers to CCWD and the people who are speaking out, and typing out too.
Well Sally between you and Jake I think you spelled out the wants of the county residents. None of those are out of reach or some crazy extreme idea. If we could just start by not paying for drug paraphernalia. What an asinine waste of money, we give it away and then pick up after the junkies, brilliant! What they are doing is illegal, put them in jail. Obviously nothing has reduced the numbers. Gee how much Fentanyl is a fatal dose? Just asking for a friend. As I’ve aged I find I am more tolerant of other people’s views. But watching the drugs grab hold of our cities, makes me furious with our leaders. Yes the same ones that refuse to answer a message from Jeff Tozzer. They are lucky, Loni will protect the three weasels. No excuse, Mark, Randy and the other guy. Wish ignoring them didn’t impact the county.
Sally, when you write it, there is almost hope in the air. Haven’t felt that for frigging ever.
While this debacle has been growing worse over time, and no one elected seems to want to address that fact, there's one person actually getting involved.
This person, not elected though seeking election, spends innumerable hours on the ground in the middle of the problem to make sense of it so that effective policy can be shaped.
Not a single elected official will do this, yet they'll trust a litany of congruent commentors to drive the same failed and ineffective policies creating the mess we're in.
When voters ask what credentials someone has to hold a position, but give their vote away to whoever meets their media driven binary thought process, I'm saddened.
Don't believe anything Councilwoman Amy Miller says in Port Angeles. She's in the middle of a big public engagement program but don't think for a minute that she believes we should do less for the homeless junkies. She hasn't yet told us what new program she wants.
Where is the compassion for taxpaying citizens no longer able to enjoy a town without fear due to the permissiveness of misdirected compassion of its leaders?
The "problem" isn't confined to the cities either. Bend, OR has a massive problem with homeless creating mini towns in the forests, and even starting a wildfire.
Locally Mitch Zenobi has been taking time out of his life and wallet to "patrol" the wilds of the north OP for trash and other criminal behavior, some associated with the homeless types.
Rita your comment is profound & I couldn’t agree more. Residents here have complained Californians moved here & have influenced & changed the area for the worse without any real examples their claims are factual. Most moved here to escape Cali only to find a failed governmental bureaucracy was here already. However, in the last 10 years homelessness has infiltrated local cities 10 fold & hardly ever hear a word from the radical word salad commenters who support homelessness & foster more & more services…….Resident's & leaders have definitely shifted priorities from infrastructure, public service & safety to homelessness control & advocacy daily. The SHIFT FROM PUBLIC TO HOMELESSNESS has occurred & our tax dollars are not helping those they were intended to help any longer.
yep, that always seems to get left out. Most of these people need institutionalized, the toxic word no one will utter. Some will recover, many won't. But all the tugging on heart strings is long over with me.
The “leaders” if you can call them that without gagging, don’t go to places that make them feel bad about the job they are doing. So that pretty much includes the entire county. Thanks for nothing!
Harm reduction as advocated and financially supported by our elected officials and so called professional experts in the Homeless Industrial Complex is not even Harm Management as stated in the article, it is deliberate cruelity.
I say this is deliberate as one would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to continue down the path progressive officials and their fellow traveler are heading. Since I don’t believe they are deaf, dumb or blind one can only conclude they are cruel or incredibly stupid.
Yes, the money. Is the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (JST) corporation experiencing "encampments" on their property? Do they allow homeless to use their showers? Do they provide meals at their casino? Do they profit from Medication Assisted Treatment? Do we have any elected leaders? Are we tired of losing our freedom to pursue happiness? Are we losing our sense of well being or ability to pursue a fit or virtuous life? I think we must stand in opposition to those in our government and let them hear us. Freedom takes courage to defend.
But our leaders won’t allow our laws to be enforced. PA has told police not to arrest. State officials have told county sheriff not to arrest. We can’t even make citizens arrest, we would go to jail.
How many of us would it take to fill up the jail? Just imagine all the paper work. They have never seen it because no one goes to jail here. It’s so bizarre. Is there bonus pay for not using that facility. I have never seen the inside of a hard working institution like that. Do they give tours? Better than visitors seeing our homeless dumps.
She was released after three days, stating time served. This was a felony according the charges, which should have resulted with serious incarceration and I doubt this is her first arrest.
"It is not allowed..." Because the tribe will transport any candidates to their new, state of the art MAT facility in Sequim, and for which they will be richly rewarded with American citizen taxpayer dollars. Next.
I think JKT charitably offered the county money, in a "government to government"/good neighbor policy, and agreed to work with the sheriff's department.
Oh there goes the sheriff department. Every time a government to government deal comes along, we the tax payers in the county get foisted with the bill. If only they would act a bit sincere with our forced generosity, or just toss a little cash our way for the good of all. I don’t feel the love. Does the tribe have to be so greedy? You know colonizers have been on this peninsula since “time immemorial “. So that means we win. Prove me wrong Ron Allen .
You are welcome my fine tuned readers.
We will dig up a body and they will dig up a body , the science and lies will kick in.
SUBSTANTIATING urban decay is not in data collection, the proof is in the TRUE TESTIMONIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO RUN BUSINESSES, LIVE, PLAY, WALK AND OBSERVE THEIR URBAN AREAS. Let those people give testimony.
Current approaches to collecting socioeconomic data about crime rates, income levels, and housing conditions — and fielding occasional citizen surveys — are infrequent, expensive, and subject to human perception. They do not create an up-to-date picture at a neighborhood level.
URBAN DECAY. By definition, does this apply?
Sociological process affecting cities:
Urban decay (also known as urban rot, urban death or urban blight) is the sociological process by which a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude. There is no single process that leads to urban decay.
Health Officer Allison Berry has not complied with the terms of her duties. Revised Code of Washington 70.05.070 is explicit in her duties and it is reinforced by Clallam County Code below: She is in a code violation and should be held liable for dereliction of duties:
The Board of Health shall have responsibility over all matters pertaining to the preservation of the life and health of the people of Clallam County and shall, in addition to those duties set forth in RCW 70.05.060, as now or hereafter amended:
(1) Collect, analyze, and disseminate to the community, in an annual report prepared by the Clallam County Department of Health and Human Services and the County Health Officer, information about community health status, preventable health risks, and the availability of resources to address identified health problems.
(2) ENACT SUCH RULES, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES NECESSARY TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE, AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH STATUS OF CLALLAM COUNTY RESIDENTS, AND GUIDE THE ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCES.
(3) Assure that necessary, high quality, effective public health services are available for the protection of the people of Clallam County, including the control and prevention of any dangerous, contagious, or infectious disease within the County.
(4) PROVIDE FOR THE PREVENTION, CONTROL, AND ABATEMENT OF NUISANCES DETRIMENTAL TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
(5) Enforce, through the County Health Officer, the public health statutes of the State and County.
(6) Establish fee schedules for issuing and renewing licenses and permits or for other services authorized by the law and the rules of the Washington State Board of Health.
Yes, I understand that. The stooges I did watch, and I didn't like their messes either - remember the episode when they were living outdoors, sort of like in a dump? Kinda like hobos? hum, memories....
You left out the monkey that covers his mouth is chewing his finger tissue down to an area of easy infection. Don’t ever touch his a) toes b) hair c) fingers d) any part, we see the aggressive finger/skin mouth work. You know it is an illness, OCD but new letters now. Just call it nuts!
One comment on the podcast says "recovery environments make me uncomfortable and made it harder for me to stay sober." I didn't think recovery was supposed to be comfortable. They also claim they care about the environment, then follow by saying we shouldn't "use environmental protection as an excuse to enact cruelty on vulnerable people". So the environment is important unless it's a homeless camp covered in trash, needles, and fecal matter. There's an excuse for everything and everything is our fault, no accountability on their part.
If Shore Aquatic Center is allowing homeless to bathe in the showers meant for the pool customers and who knows what else they do inside the showers I will not be taking my grandchildren there any longer. Taxpayers did not fund the facility to support homeless period. I will not recommend Shore, I will not support Shore I will actively advocate against Shore as an unsafe environment for families & children period!
I can’t tell you how much my grandchildren are going to be disappointed and other families I know who regularity go & enjoyed the beautiful newer facility. I can’t tell you how pissed off I am! We pay to go there, we paid to build that place & it was not for homeless people to use for their pleasure? This is what we get for not accepting portable showers in Sequim like the City council wanted to have. Too bad more residents will move away to greener pastures just like our good doctors.
And remember the Shore Pool is still being "investigated" for all the fraud and misuse of funds for personal use. Nichols would not prosecute as he stated a conflict of interest as two commissioners sat on the board. So the case sits with the AG. We actually have no clue as to what is going on there.
CAS, what happened to the gas spill by a native owned truck? Who paid for the massive time consuming clean up? (silence) What happened to the 'merry pranksters' ie aging outdated hippies who relived their youth by trying to stop foresting? (silence) Why would our prosecuting attorney even dare to say he couldn't handle any of this because "it's too political"
It's just a chess game of passing the buck. Nobody has the balls anymore to stand up for their job descriptions...it's called waiting out the news and people forget.
Well wait a minute. The unhoused and unkept need to use the small showers at the Longhouse. Oh those are sinks? Same difference, roomy sinks. Now drag your sorry asses to the Longhouse and enjoy some tribal hospitality! Free t.p. And soap. Spend a long time. The tribe has lots of water!
This was clearly just a fun remark and no animals were harmed while I wrote it.
(Just like our good doctors) if you are referring to the Larson brothers departure, that is an incredible loss . Born and raised here,impeccable credentials. What a shame.
“Safe use” and “harm reduction” propaganda normalizes the use of dangerous illicit drugs, thereby perpetuating the suffering users experience at the hands of drug dealers and, dare I say it—with tacit approval of the government. Unfortunately for users, governmental departments and agencies, by supplying users with drug-use related paraphernalia (complete with instructions for “safe use”), are filling a “need” that is dangerously close to the destructive role drug dealers play in lives of users.
Clallam harm reduction financially supports narcotic traffickers by freeing their customers from needing to purchase anything except the actual dope. Callam harm reduction supports human trafficking by keeping addicts comfortable in a perpetual state of use thus somewhat defenseless against being trafficked/pimped. Clallam public health is aiding and abetting organized narcotic and human trafficking.
The words of the homeless man from Idaho tell us what to do: He's here for free life supports and free/easy drug supplies. Remove those supports and the "harm reduction" nonsense and they'll go away. Close down the county's harm reduction. Close down TAFY and bar them from handing out anything. Make it clear that concentrating homeless junkies in a village is not our idea of dealing with the problem. Just say NO!
There comes a point where compassion becomes the real problem. There is little to be done for, to or with a person that does not want their life. Some societally agreed upon form of tough love is the only answer. Nature employs tough love and still manages to keep itself clean.
If we're being practical here, there's a simple solution. And it has nothing to do with toughness or love. Enforcement of existing municipal code and state law would eliminate these problems in their entirety. Homelessness and addiction are always propped up as the source of our issues, but that's a cop out. The root of the problem is a complete & total disregard for the rule of law -- under the guise of "compassion", no less.
Talk about adding insult to injury.
Be that as it may, real change is achievable. The City of Spokane is a prime example. Spokane radically transformed itself and the transformation cost them nothing. No levies were introduced. No taxes were raised. No new laws were passed. No special commissions had to be formed.
They simply started enforcing the rules.
It's completely inexcusable that we aren't doing the same thing.
Enforce the laws? What? How would we get the brainwashing to change when politicians and law enforcement have been drinking the KoolAid for so long? I guess just start at the very beginning. You are a cop, use your lights when drivers go 89 in a 60. Then write out a ticket. Well it would take a lot of in-service hours, but workable!
Garry I agree. If we can separate mental illness from drug addiction, it would improve chances of recovery. We need to bring back mental institutions.
Understanding mental disabilities have come a long way from the 50’s and 60’s. These understandings can be incorporated to present standards. There are people who absolutely cannot function without a structured program. If there are people who have a mental illness due to drug use, they can be observed and evaluated. If their mental illness is caused by drugs, then after completion of a studied program, they then can be offered programs they must adhere to (ie sobriety and going by set rules) If they can’t, they will fall into an unavoidable group that cannot benefit or be helped by using our tax dollars. That is the realities of life. Nobody is promised a long life or a rose garden.
One issue here is west coast states incarceration systems are captured by big pharma and inmates are often put on MAT and ADD drugs before they have been drug free long enough to really see what is organic mental illness versus substance abuse related. Even our local jail is guilty of this.
No it really doesn’t. There isn’t a huge time lapse that trained psychiatrist can observe and report. Good Doctors are efficient. The facilities and the staff don’t want to deal with an unmediated inmate. Think One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Side note: first book I read that the movie was far better than the work of the author. Yes I was shocked also.
Same author wrote
“Sometimes a Great Notion”. All about logging in the PNW.
Thanks for the article and great delivery Jake. My now councilor ex- wufe used to tell of the DNN (druggies News Network), how they were quick to get it passed around where the best place to be to get the "free" stuff offered by government. They would laugh at all of it and call us all "STUPID" .
We are up against big Pharma money machine and in partnership with Local Tribes for protection. You certainly don't want to be called racist!
So that’s what it’s called in Clallam County. In Clark county (SW Wasington) it’s just called another shitty day at the courthouse. Please don’t step on our homeless, that park/sidewalk is theirs bc of the 9/10’s of the law factor.
Heartbreaking. My takeaway from an outsider's viewpoint? Veach and Snow have been acquainted and share a predilection for a. drug use; b. agency provisions; c. citizen capitulation; d. 'harm reduction' in the form of usable drugs and drug paraphernalia; and e. becoming part of the local scenery.
The people showing up at the meetings asking for you, the public, to continue to allow this in your community have zero concern for you, or for those using. Their concern is to continue to get funding for agencies who will continue to allow, to purposefully enable, and potentially kill every single person who is addicted, or who is attempting to find meaningful resources for those that are. Those 'citizens' who want this want one thing....more money. Without grant funding they make very little to nothing. With it, the sky's the limit. TAFY should never have been allowed to grow beyond helping the children of addicts. Now they're known throughout the US as being prolific enablers of everyone who continues to use.
the whole practice of mixing minors with adults up to age 35 with serious drug and mental health problems is gross. Treating addicts 18 to 35 like children is not helping them
Yes, funding. Follow the money to many of the NGO too. They fund plenty of positions but trying to get their actual results while proclaiming to be fully transparent is difficult, only releasing information which appears to show good results, dig deeper...
I answered a knock at the door in my rural area one dark night . A young woman, dry despite the falling rain, asked for a lighter, one she could keep. I gave her the lighter.
A week later a neighbor was asked for a flashlight. While he checked the two in his hand, she asked for both. He gave her both. Was our response one of compassion or fear?
Two weeks later, my heart does not feel warmed by the compassionate actions, but is heated with fear. Where is she now? Who is she with? Will she come again? What will happen if I say no?
Such a screwed up system. We used to help people by finding facilities where they could stop drug use. Now we push it. The only ones benefiting are the people making money off handing out needles and drugs. The rest of us, including the Homeless, are their victims!
Judith, we also had facilities to handle people with mental health problems. Then it was decided to Deinstitutionalize a system that worked.
Deinstitutionalisation (or deinstitutionalization) is the process of replacing long-stay psychiatric hospitals with less isolated COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES for those diagnosed with a mental disorder or developmental disability. (Does not work). In the 1950s and 1960s, it led to the closure of many psychiatric hospitals, as patients were increasingly cared for at home, in halfway houses, group homes, and clinics, in regular hospitals, OR NOT AT ALL.
I worked for the health dept and group homes were part of my job to check compliance etc. They were a quick way to home ownership in SW Washington. The local citizens didn’t want these jobs and I saw very organized “Russian “ groups buying houses from the bank of tax payers and living a comfortable life, in their own home of course. Every 8-12 hours a new relative would show up and take over. Compliance? Well, you’d need to read “Russian” and my tiny amount of Mandarin just didn’t help me connect. I got fired!
Well they called it a downsize bc of financial issues. Yes that happens when we give house loans like we are passing out roof cleaning brochures. I know a lot of dirt and Dr Berry is a PH poster child. Except she isn’t trained in public health and I don’t know if poster printers would take her.
Over the last few years it has gotten so much worse. I am now retired but I won't go downtown just to wander anymore. I get my groceries delivered. I rarely go out anymore and it makes me angry that those in power feel they are doing what it best when very clearly it is the last thing they are doing. Then they want tourists to come here? WHY would they?
I for the life of me can not figure out how the "harm reduction" folks justify treating folks like this. Is money so important to them that they turn human beings trash to get it?
Yes the money is that important. There is so much of it too. Look at the OxyContin law suits and the money they have paid out. Hasn’t even been a bump in the shareholders portfolios. Money has no conscience, it doesn’t feel bad when more money joins it. Money likes company and it likes to circulate and even travel to out of the way banks, I mean countries. Whatever.
Once money feels good it’s just like the druggie high, the need must be met.
The R and D is a giant tax relief program.
The entire country could be debt free if we had the money big pharma throws for lobbyist funding. Now I need my meds I’m all worked up. I would love to have a big pot luck this summer at the Diamond Point Beach Club, of course we are members it costs $20 per year or maybe less. I’d love to put faces to names. Maybe Jake could give us an uplifting message and Jeff could add his snippets of humor and joy. Well think about it. Could be just me and Jeff would come out of pity. He’s a gem.
The commissioners did not answer yesterday's question about signs that retail theft is increasing across the street from their offices at Safeway. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioners,
Where is the compassion for the residents of this county who are forced to witness people living in active crisis—unable to access meaningful treatment—while public funds continue to support policies that appear to sustain that cycle? Do you believe the Laurel Street assault is an isolated incident, or are similar assaults and unreported violence occurring in places like Tumwater Creek and other encampments?
Thank you for your article and Jack’s articles. They are informative, and eye-opening.
🥲😡 it makes me sad to see how our county and state have gone downhill in the past decade.
When I criticized and questioned things happening in our county and state, someone replied, “What are you doing to change things?” I guess that is a valid question.
If I had the power to do it, I would take every drug abuser who isn’t a long term resident of the county, and give them a one way bus ticket home to wherever they came from.
I would ban outdoor camping in the city limits.
I would give county residents the option of going into drug treatment, or going to jail.
I would make it mandatory for the new apartment house in PA to require no drugs, no smoking, and monthly mandatory visits from a PA social worker to make sure they are being kept clean (the apartments and the residents). There should be onsite drug rehab opportunities.
I would hire more law enforcement and enforce the laws on the books.
Just a few ideas. I’m sure there are many more good ones out there.
If you’re not giving money to panhandlers, that’s doing something — that’s not encouraging their behavior; that’s not saying ‘here’s money to buy drugs’; that’s not giving them someone else to depend on for their lifestyle choices.
Change doesn’t have to be huge, it can be something small; it’s probably overlooked to not give money to panhandlers as a way to make change, but that is something and it counts for making change in small ways.
Donating to 4PA is another way to make change out here; 4PA does a lot of hard work, and valuable work; I’m limited in getting out to do active volunteering, so donating monthly helps them to do the work that is making a positive change in PA and Clallam County.
Speaking out and sharing information can make change too. I don’t know what exactly I said or did, but someone who is choosing to go to treatment mentioned me with thanks along with Jeff and Jake. Voices have power to make change…and maybe memes do too. 😁
Apparently, WA state permits panhandling, which is nuts! Jake had a great suggestion about signage ‘discouraging’ it. Those signs need to happen ASAP. People must be made to understand giving cash directly contributes to the illegal drug trade.
I agree with signage. I also agree with stickers. That is a sticker I would put on my vehicle; something about saying no to panhandling.
For the folks who got the CCWD stickers going, maybe they can create something. Not to put it on them, but they have connections at the sign place and might be able to get something like that started to get the ball rolling. Just wanted to put this out into the commentsphere and I’ll put it out on my blog too. I can make some for my Zazzle shop too with links for buying; the more places to get them, the better!
We all shine somewhere
Stars shine brightest in the darkness. For all the darkness out here, there are a lot of stars shining bright. 🌟
You betcha CJ, and you are definitely one of them!
Thank you, Jennifer; your encouragement helps! I know there are thousands more, including you; proven by the subscribers to CCWD and the people who are speaking out, and typing out too.
Well Sally between you and Jake I think you spelled out the wants of the county residents. None of those are out of reach or some crazy extreme idea. If we could just start by not paying for drug paraphernalia. What an asinine waste of money, we give it away and then pick up after the junkies, brilliant! What they are doing is illegal, put them in jail. Obviously nothing has reduced the numbers. Gee how much Fentanyl is a fatal dose? Just asking for a friend. As I’ve aged I find I am more tolerant of other people’s views. But watching the drugs grab hold of our cities, makes me furious with our leaders. Yes the same ones that refuse to answer a message from Jeff Tozzer. They are lucky, Loni will protect the three weasels. No excuse, Mark, Randy and the other guy. Wish ignoring them didn’t impact the county.
Sally, when you write it, there is almost hope in the air. Haven’t felt that for frigging ever.
While this debacle has been growing worse over time, and no one elected seems to want to address that fact, there's one person actually getting involved.
This person, not elected though seeking election, spends innumerable hours on the ground in the middle of the problem to make sense of it so that effective policy can be shaped.
Not a single elected official will do this, yet they'll trust a litany of congruent commentors to drive the same failed and ineffective policies creating the mess we're in.
When voters ask what credentials someone has to hold a position, but give their vote away to whoever meets their media driven binary thought process, I'm saddened.
You have a choice.
Vote
Vote for Jake.
Thank you for your kind words, MK. It was a pleasure running into you the other day.
Always good to see your warm, caring, smiling face Jake. 👍
Don't believe anything Councilwoman Amy Miller says in Port Angeles. She's in the middle of a big public engagement program but don't think for a minute that she believes we should do less for the homeless junkies. She hasn't yet told us what new program she wants.
My money is on someone getting my money to give to someone else.
Where is the compassion for taxpaying citizens no longer able to enjoy a town without fear due to the permissiveness of misdirected compassion of its leaders?
The "problem" isn't confined to the cities either. Bend, OR has a massive problem with homeless creating mini towns in the forests, and even starting a wildfire.
Locally Mitch Zenobi has been taking time out of his life and wallet to "patrol" the wilds of the north OP for trash and other criminal behavior, some associated with the homeless types.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18ZDqM7NzS/
Rita your comment is profound & I couldn’t agree more. Residents here have complained Californians moved here & have influenced & changed the area for the worse without any real examples their claims are factual. Most moved here to escape Cali only to find a failed governmental bureaucracy was here already. However, in the last 10 years homelessness has infiltrated local cities 10 fold & hardly ever hear a word from the radical word salad commenters who support homelessness & foster more & more services…….Resident's & leaders have definitely shifted priorities from infrastructure, public service & safety to homelessness control & advocacy daily. The SHIFT FROM PUBLIC TO HOMELESSNESS has occurred & our tax dollars are not helping those they were intended to help any longer.
yep, that always seems to get left out. Most of these people need institutionalized, the toxic word no one will utter. Some will recover, many won't. But all the tugging on heart strings is long over with me.
The “leaders” if you can call them that without gagging, don’t go to places that make them feel bad about the job they are doing. So that pretty much includes the entire county. Thanks for nothing!
Harm reduction as advocated and financially supported by our elected officials and so called professional experts in the Homeless Industrial Complex is not even Harm Management as stated in the article, it is deliberate cruelity.
I say this is deliberate as one would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to continue down the path progressive officials and their fellow traveler are heading. Since I don’t believe they are deaf, dumb or blind one can only conclude they are cruel or incredibly stupid.
Follow the money.
Yes, the money. Is the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (JST) corporation experiencing "encampments" on their property? Do they allow homeless to use their showers? Do they provide meals at their casino? Do they profit from Medication Assisted Treatment? Do we have any elected leaders? Are we tired of losing our freedom to pursue happiness? Are we losing our sense of well being or ability to pursue a fit or virtuous life? I think we must stand in opposition to those in our government and let them hear us. Freedom takes courage to defend.
I was at the Longhouse on Saturday fund raising for the Lions Club. There were no homeless drug camps there. It is not allowed!
But our leaders won’t allow our laws to be enforced. PA has told police not to arrest. State officials have told county sheriff not to arrest. We can’t even make citizens arrest, we would go to jail.
If the Tribe can keep their streets clean so can we.
Sarah, they have funding, it doesn't cost them a dime, it's on our dime.
How many of us would it take to fill up the jail? Just imagine all the paper work. They have never seen it because no one goes to jail here. It’s so bizarre. Is there bonus pay for not using that facility. I have never seen the inside of a hard working institution like that. Do they give tours? Better than visitors seeing our homeless dumps.
She was released after three days, stating time served. This was a felony according the charges, which should have resulted with serious incarceration and I doubt this is her first arrest.
"It is not allowed..." Because the tribe will transport any candidates to their new, state of the art MAT facility in Sequim, and for which they will be richly rewarded with American citizen taxpayer dollars. Next.
Eric, least we forget, JKT is sovereign. There is an agreement with our police force to assist them if needed. Who pays for that?
I think JKT charitably offered the county money, in a "government to government"/good neighbor policy, and agreed to work with the sheriff's department.
Oh there goes the sheriff department. Every time a government to government deal comes along, we the tax payers in the county get foisted with the bill. If only they would act a bit sincere with our forced generosity, or just toss a little cash our way for the good of all. I don’t feel the love. Does the tribe have to be so greedy? You know colonizers have been on this peninsula since “time immemorial “. So that means we win. Prove me wrong Ron Allen .
You are welcome my fine tuned readers.
We will dig up a body and they will dig up a body , the science and lies will kick in.
Bones R Me!
WHO ARE OUR THREE WISE MONKEYS? GUESS:
One covers his eyes and does not see
One covers his ears and does not hear
One covers his mouth and does not speak
SUBSTANTIATING urban decay is not in data collection, the proof is in the TRUE TESTIMONIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO RUN BUSINESSES, LIVE, PLAY, WALK AND OBSERVE THEIR URBAN AREAS. Let those people give testimony.
Current approaches to collecting socioeconomic data about crime rates, income levels, and housing conditions — and fielding occasional citizen surveys — are infrequent, expensive, and subject to human perception. They do not create an up-to-date picture at a neighborhood level.
URBAN DECAY. By definition, does this apply?
Sociological process affecting cities:
Urban decay (also known as urban rot, urban death or urban blight) is the sociological process by which a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude. There is no single process that leads to urban decay.
Health Officer Allison Berry has not complied with the terms of her duties. Revised Code of Washington 70.05.070 is explicit in her duties and it is reinforced by Clallam County Code below: She is in a code violation and should be held liable for dereliction of duties:
County Code
• Title 41, Board of Health Regulations
• Ch. 41.01, Clallam County Board of Health
https://clallam.county.codes/CCC/41.01.060
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Board of Health shall have responsibility over all matters pertaining to the preservation of the life and health of the people of Clallam County and shall, in addition to those duties set forth in RCW 70.05.060, as now or hereafter amended:
(1) Collect, analyze, and disseminate to the community, in an annual report prepared by the Clallam County Department of Health and Human Services and the County Health Officer, information about community health status, preventable health risks, and the availability of resources to address identified health problems.
(2) ENACT SUCH RULES, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES NECESSARY TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE, AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH STATUS OF CLALLAM COUNTY RESIDENTS, AND GUIDE THE ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCES.
(3) Assure that necessary, high quality, effective public health services are available for the protection of the people of Clallam County, including the control and prevention of any dangerous, contagious, or infectious disease within the County.
(4) PROVIDE FOR THE PREVENTION, CONTROL, AND ABATEMENT OF NUISANCES DETRIMENTAL TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
(5) Enforce, through the County Health Officer, the public health statutes of the State and County.
(6) Establish fee schedules for issuing and renewing licenses and permits or for other services authorized by the law and the rules of the Washington State Board of Health.
Put the blame where it belongs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrBHyC1xbCk
That is a weird video. I don't think I would allow my kid to watch something like that...
ABeetle, I agree. When I was little, I couldn't watch the 3 Stooges, it upset me because they were always hitting one another and making messes.
Yes, I understand that. The stooges I did watch, and I didn't like their messes either - remember the episode when they were living outdoors, sort of like in a dump? Kinda like hobos? hum, memories....
What is weird is another with a math problem . Anyone over 60 can do that in their head.
If he’s not covering his mouth, he’s putting his fingers in them. LOL.
You left out the monkey that covers his mouth is chewing his finger tissue down to an area of easy infection. Don’t ever touch his a) toes b) hair c) fingers d) any part, we see the aggressive finger/skin mouth work. You know it is an illness, OCD but new letters now. Just call it nuts!
Give that monkey a Xanax please.
One comment on the podcast says "recovery environments make me uncomfortable and made it harder for me to stay sober." I didn't think recovery was supposed to be comfortable. They also claim they care about the environment, then follow by saying we shouldn't "use environmental protection as an excuse to enact cruelty on vulnerable people". So the environment is important unless it's a homeless camp covered in trash, needles, and fecal matter. There's an excuse for everything and everything is our fault, no accountability on their part.
If Shore Aquatic Center is allowing homeless to bathe in the showers meant for the pool customers and who knows what else they do inside the showers I will not be taking my grandchildren there any longer. Taxpayers did not fund the facility to support homeless period. I will not recommend Shore, I will not support Shore I will actively advocate against Shore as an unsafe environment for families & children period!
I can’t tell you how much my grandchildren are going to be disappointed and other families I know who regularity go & enjoyed the beautiful newer facility. I can’t tell you how pissed off I am! We pay to go there, we paid to build that place & it was not for homeless people to use for their pleasure? This is what we get for not accepting portable showers in Sequim like the City council wanted to have. Too bad more residents will move away to greener pastures just like our good doctors.
And remember the Shore Pool is still being "investigated" for all the fraud and misuse of funds for personal use. Nichols would not prosecute as he stated a conflict of interest as two commissioners sat on the board. So the case sits with the AG. We actually have no clue as to what is going on there.
Great reminder
CAS, what happened to the gas spill by a native owned truck? Who paid for the massive time consuming clean up? (silence) What happened to the 'merry pranksters' ie aging outdated hippies who relived their youth by trying to stop foresting? (silence) Why would our prosecuting attorney even dare to say he couldn't handle any of this because "it's too political"
It's just a chess game of passing the buck. Nobody has the balls anymore to stand up for their job descriptions...it's called waiting out the news and people forget.
Exactly!!! Still looking for an attorney to challenge Nichols, anyone???
Yea, that's unacceptable.
Yeah, and what kind of disease and parasites are brought in to the showers, yuk!
And we all suffer
Their emotions require us to all care so that they can sleep well at night.
Well wait a minute. The unhoused and unkept need to use the small showers at the Longhouse. Oh those are sinks? Same difference, roomy sinks. Now drag your sorry asses to the Longhouse and enjoy some tribal hospitality! Free t.p. And soap. Spend a long time. The tribe has lots of water!
This was clearly just a fun remark and no animals were harmed while I wrote it.
The pool thing flipped me out too. If I had littles in my life I would not take them there either.
(Just like our good doctors) if you are referring to the Larson brothers departure, that is an incredible loss . Born and raised here,impeccable credentials. What a shame.
“Safe use” and “harm reduction” propaganda normalizes the use of dangerous illicit drugs, thereby perpetuating the suffering users experience at the hands of drug dealers and, dare I say it—with tacit approval of the government. Unfortunately for users, governmental departments and agencies, by supplying users with drug-use related paraphernalia (complete with instructions for “safe use”), are filling a “need” that is dangerously close to the destructive role drug dealers play in lives of users.
Clallam harm reduction financially supports narcotic traffickers by freeing their customers from needing to purchase anything except the actual dope. Callam harm reduction supports human trafficking by keeping addicts comfortable in a perpetual state of use thus somewhat defenseless against being trafficked/pimped. Clallam public health is aiding and abetting organized narcotic and human trafficking.
Progressive playbook. Extort minorities and then steal their souls so that they can stay in power.
Exactly, Susie
Well said. And it’s always about the money no matter where you stand in the discussion.
The words of the homeless man from Idaho tell us what to do: He's here for free life supports and free/easy drug supplies. Remove those supports and the "harm reduction" nonsense and they'll go away. Close down the county's harm reduction. Close down TAFY and bar them from handing out anything. Make it clear that concentrating homeless junkies in a village is not our idea of dealing with the problem. Just say NO!
There comes a point where compassion becomes the real problem. There is little to be done for, to or with a person that does not want their life. Some societally agreed upon form of tough love is the only answer. Nature employs tough love and still manages to keep itself clean.
If we're being practical here, there's a simple solution. And it has nothing to do with toughness or love. Enforcement of existing municipal code and state law would eliminate these problems in their entirety. Homelessness and addiction are always propped up as the source of our issues, but that's a cop out. The root of the problem is a complete & total disregard for the rule of law -- under the guise of "compassion", no less.
Talk about adding insult to injury.
Be that as it may, real change is achievable. The City of Spokane is a prime example. Spokane radically transformed itself and the transformation cost them nothing. No levies were introduced. No taxes were raised. No new laws were passed. No special commissions had to be formed.
They simply started enforcing the rules.
It's completely inexcusable that we aren't doing the same thing.
Enforce the laws? What? How would we get the brainwashing to change when politicians and law enforcement have been drinking the KoolAid for so long? I guess just start at the very beginning. You are a cop, use your lights when drivers go 89 in a 60. Then write out a ticket. Well it would take a lot of in-service hours, but workable!
Garry I agree. If we can separate mental illness from drug addiction, it would improve chances of recovery. We need to bring back mental institutions.
Understanding mental disabilities have come a long way from the 50’s and 60’s. These understandings can be incorporated to present standards. There are people who absolutely cannot function without a structured program. If there are people who have a mental illness due to drug use, they can be observed and evaluated. If their mental illness is caused by drugs, then after completion of a studied program, they then can be offered programs they must adhere to (ie sobriety and going by set rules) If they can’t, they will fall into an unavoidable group that cannot benefit or be helped by using our tax dollars. That is the realities of life. Nobody is promised a long life or a rose garden.
One issue here is west coast states incarceration systems are captured by big pharma and inmates are often put on MAT and ADD drugs before they have been drug free long enough to really see what is organic mental illness versus substance abuse related. Even our local jail is guilty of this.
Susie, so they can't tell if the patient is false positive or not. Well, that blows my thesis all to hell! Damn.
No it really doesn’t. There isn’t a huge time lapse that trained psychiatrist can observe and report. Good Doctors are efficient. The facilities and the staff don’t want to deal with an unmediated inmate. Think One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Side note: first book I read that the movie was far better than the work of the author. Yes I was shocked also.
Same author wrote
“Sometimes a Great Notion”. All about logging in the PNW.
Who needs AI , it’s all here in my brain Rolodex!
Good morning Jeff and Doggers Happy Easter to all
Thanks for the article and great delivery Jake. My now councilor ex- wufe used to tell of the DNN (druggies News Network), how they were quick to get it passed around where the best place to be to get the "free" stuff offered by government. They would laugh at all of it and call us all "STUPID" .
We are up against big Pharma money machine and in partnership with Local Tribes for protection. You certainly don't want to be called racist!
We need Jake Seegers more than ever!
He is someone to stand behind...
Vote and please tell all you know about Jake.
Put and end to the grifter money pit!
I think most people underestimate the influence of 2 huge forces pushing the mordern harm reduction model: big pharma and socialism/communism
So that’s what it’s called in Clallam County. In Clark county (SW Wasington) it’s just called another shitty day at the courthouse. Please don’t step on our homeless, that park/sidewalk is theirs bc of the 9/10’s of the law factor.
Heartbreaking. My takeaway from an outsider's viewpoint? Veach and Snow have been acquainted and share a predilection for a. drug use; b. agency provisions; c. citizen capitulation; d. 'harm reduction' in the form of usable drugs and drug paraphernalia; and e. becoming part of the local scenery.
The people showing up at the meetings asking for you, the public, to continue to allow this in your community have zero concern for you, or for those using. Their concern is to continue to get funding for agencies who will continue to allow, to purposefully enable, and potentially kill every single person who is addicted, or who is attempting to find meaningful resources for those that are. Those 'citizens' who want this want one thing....more money. Without grant funding they make very little to nothing. With it, the sky's the limit. TAFY should never have been allowed to grow beyond helping the children of addicts. Now they're known throughout the US as being prolific enablers of everyone who continues to use.
the whole practice of mixing minors with adults up to age 35 with serious drug and mental health problems is gross. Treating addicts 18 to 35 like children is not helping them
Yes, funding. Follow the money to many of the NGO too. They fund plenty of positions but trying to get their actual results while proclaiming to be fully transparent is difficult, only releasing information which appears to show good results, dig deeper...
I answered a knock at the door in my rural area one dark night . A young woman, dry despite the falling rain, asked for a lighter, one she could keep. I gave her the lighter.
A week later a neighbor was asked for a flashlight. While he checked the two in his hand, she asked for both. He gave her both. Was our response one of compassion or fear?
Two weeks later, my heart does not feel warmed by the compassionate actions, but is heated with fear. Where is she now? Who is she with? Will she come again? What will happen if I say no?
Such a screwed up system. We used to help people by finding facilities where they could stop drug use. Now we push it. The only ones benefiting are the people making money off handing out needles and drugs. The rest of us, including the Homeless, are their victims!
Judith, we also had facilities to handle people with mental health problems. Then it was decided to Deinstitutionalize a system that worked.
Deinstitutionalisation (or deinstitutionalization) is the process of replacing long-stay psychiatric hospitals with less isolated COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES for those diagnosed with a mental disorder or developmental disability. (Does not work). In the 1950s and 1960s, it led to the closure of many psychiatric hospitals, as patients were increasingly cared for at home, in halfway houses, group homes, and clinics, in regular hospitals, OR NOT AT ALL.
I worked for the health dept and group homes were part of my job to check compliance etc. They were a quick way to home ownership in SW Washington. The local citizens didn’t want these jobs and I saw very organized “Russian “ groups buying houses from the bank of tax payers and living a comfortable life, in their own home of course. Every 8-12 hours a new relative would show up and take over. Compliance? Well, you’d need to read “Russian” and my tiny amount of Mandarin just didn’t help me connect. I got fired!
Well they called it a downsize bc of financial issues. Yes that happens when we give house loans like we are passing out roof cleaning brochures. I know a lot of dirt and Dr Berry is a PH poster child. Except she isn’t trained in public health and I don’t know if poster printers would take her.
Over the last few years it has gotten so much worse. I am now retired but I won't go downtown just to wander anymore. I get my groceries delivered. I rarely go out anymore and it makes me angry that those in power feel they are doing what it best when very clearly it is the last thing they are doing. Then they want tourists to come here? WHY would they?
I for the life of me can not figure out how the "harm reduction" folks justify treating folks like this. Is money so important to them that they turn human beings trash to get it?
Yes the money is that important. There is so much of it too. Look at the OxyContin law suits and the money they have paid out. Hasn’t even been a bump in the shareholders portfolios. Money has no conscience, it doesn’t feel bad when more money joins it. Money likes company and it likes to circulate and even travel to out of the way banks, I mean countries. Whatever.
Once money feels good it’s just like the druggie high, the need must be met.
The R and D is a giant tax relief program.
The entire country could be debt free if we had the money big pharma throws for lobbyist funding. Now I need my meds I’m all worked up. I would love to have a big pot luck this summer at the Diamond Point Beach Club, of course we are members it costs $20 per year or maybe less. I’d love to put faces to names. Maybe Jake could give us an uplifting message and Jeff could add his snippets of humor and joy. Well think about it. Could be just me and Jeff would come out of pity. He’s a gem.
So the devil is disguise
Wolf in sheep's clothing
Etc.
They're enslaving people for their needs. It's sick behavior.
It is.
Things are getting rough, back in the day we just had to keep our eye on the sparrow...
Johnny Sweat had our permission to throw a flag on the play.
Indeed, he did, John. Along with the likes of Roy Morgan, Chuck Alward, Jasper Loucks, et al.