RSSFight crime by turning out for National Night Out
Yakima Herald-Republic Editorial Board
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This editorial appears in the Aug. 3, 2009, Yakima Herald-Republic.
You don't have to convince Pedro Esteves Lopez that fighting crime isn't a top priority.
While pedaling his bicycle ice cream cart on a recent hot Saturday afternoon near Yakima's Milroy Park, the 62-year-old Esteves heard a loud bang and then felt a pain behind his calf. He had been hit by a stray bullet.
An ice cream vendor -- how more innocent of a victim can you get?
But bullets sometimes don't discriminate between a rival gang member and an innocent bystander like Esteves. And other times, they do. On the same day Esteves was wounded, an 18-year-old suffered a gunshot injury in another drive-by. But this one authorities say was gang-related.
And so it has gone this year -- more violence, more gang shootings, more innocent victims. It's time residents of the Yakima Valley take back their neighborhoods.
One of way of doing just that is to take part Tuesday in the 26th annual National Night Out, a crime and drug prevention program that's being held in communities throughout the nation.
Back in 1984 during the first year of the event, some 400 communities in 23 states participated, with 2.5 million Americans signing up for block watch programs or special neighborhood parties featuring crime-stopping tips and speakers from various law-enforcement agencies. Now, the night out events occur in all 50 states with more than 35 million taking part.
A number of cities in Central Washington have agreed to sponsor activities that bring attention to the very real and lasting impact residents can have in preventing crime. These communities include Ellensburg, Grandview, Granger, Mabton, Selah, Sunnyside, Toppenish, Union Gap, Wapato, White Swan, Yakima and Zillah.
Among the many activities that are involved with National Night Out is something called Project 365. Under this program, night out groups are asked to pick a problem area in their communities. It may be a park blighted by crime and graffiti or a street that has been the focus of recurring gang violence. The goal is to fix these areas in the next year, or 365 days.
Of course, Project 365 is just one idea.
Tuesday, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., free food and entertainment will be offered at Westside Park, 601 W. Second St. in Grandview. Other activities include face painting and inflatable jumpers. Sunnyside will host at least 16 block parties while Wapato will provide free hot dogs and family games from 6 to 9 p.m. at its city park, 1000 Camas Ave. Yakima's Southeast Community Center at South Eighth and Arlington streets will host games and offer barbecued treats from 5 to 8 p.m.
While cleaning up graffiti and coordinating a block watch program with law enforcement officials may take time, they are well worth the effort. So, too, are the events taking place Tuesday throughout the Yakima Valley. It does require taking a night out, but it may also lead to -- as the slogan goes -- taking a bite out of crime.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.
"And so it has gone this year -- more violence, more gang shootings, more innocent victims. It's time residents of the Yakima Valley take back their neighborhoods."
Isn't that what residents of the Yakima Valley voted to do in 2004 when they passed the Law and Justice Sales Tax? I know that was my hope. Elected officials promised more county deputies and more prosecutors specifically focused on crime.
Shorfalls in the county General Fund Budget have relegated the 3/10ths of a penney tax to "sticking a finger in the dike." County Commissioners dislike my term "back-filling," but that is exactly the situation we have.
I am all for National Night Out, but it won't pay for more deputies and prosecutors. We tried to do that and failed.
Mike, I feel your pain watching our society slide down the slippery slope of violence and crime. I personally believe that a significant amount of the 3/10ths didn't get allocated to the deputies and prosecutors as it was supposed to be and that is what has landed us in the situation we are in now.
Report ViolationTypical response to our countries problems - throw money at them and they will go away - NOT! Just look at the so-called "War on Drugs" fiasco that has cost trillions. All it has done was to finance the cartels, supplying them with armaments, and lining the pockets of crooked politicians of several Latino countries south of our border.
If you want to make a difference HERE AT HOME, join a block watch and get up from your TV sets and go out and find and report crimes in your neighborhood. The real borders are no longer on the north and south of our country - they are down the street from your house, or maybe even your own fence. Go defend them and your rights as a citizen to protect your property.
This is great way to "protest" gangs, but won't even phase them. Why you ask? Because most gang crime happens from 10pm-4am. Obivously no one will do it then. Too late, too much risk and so forth.
Report ViolationI will be attending if at all possible and I will be legally armed as well and I urge all others who are legally to carry a firearm as well to attend be it concealed carry with your CPL on hand or open carry.
Before anyone gets in a huff, a law abiding citizen that has not has his/her rights revoked can legally carry in the parks in Yakima even though City Ordinances Prohibit it, Washington State Preemption RCW 9.41.290 preempts any City Ordinance that prohibits firearms thus supersedes any city ordinance, but do it legally and responsibly.
I surely hope all of Yakima will turn out for this event as large numbers send a clear message to the gangs that we are feed up with their presence and are willing to protect ourselves and report their activities.
If you have questions about the legal aspects of using a firearms for self defense then seek professional training such as from Firearms Academy of Seattle is an excellent choice.
Be responsible.
Nice comment, Nick. I am a member of a very successful block watch in Parker Heights. We are constantly painting over grafitti and rousting idiots out of our orchards.
We have also helped elderly citizens in our neighborhood tend to their yards. For most of us, this is not about money.
Actually, thetruth, everything I've seen on this site (and elsewhere) suggests that most of the crime happens between 3 and 8 PM. The shooting that happened last night happened just after 8:00 PM. Graffiti typically happens in the afternoon (especially during the school year). There was one Friday at 5 PM and one Saturday at 11:00 AM. I believe the ice cream man was shot in the afternoon as well...
I'm going to have to go searching for that link that discussed crime statistics to tell you exactly what the time frame was...
Its all about leadership
With the ineffective city and county leadership we have in this county, gangs have no problems.
What we need in to replace the people who constantly fail with new people.
Adam Levya
Victor Flores Garcia
Juan Zepeda
Santigo Barrera Brito
Jesus G. Cazarez
Jesse J. Flores
Oscar Garcia
Michael Flores
Also that 20 year Lopez gentleman that took two shots at 5 in the morning a few weeks ago.
Are some our our best shooters out there recently. GO ahead and google them. As for Tagging during the day, that my by true but I would guess 90% happens in the dark. Why else do you see taggers on YPD website with a picture of them with a flash around the dark evening. Also I doubt any of the business buildings get tagged in the day. If they did, don't you think the workers would call them in?
Actually, thetruth, everything I've seen on this site (and elsewhere) suggests that most of the crime happens between 3 and 8 PM.
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Where did you go WSUjc? I know the last 4 incidents are day time, but the 20 before are not. Here is the latest
Carjacking at 9:40pm shootings at 11pm. Both reported in the Yakima Herald.
Ridiculous waste of money and time!
A far better idea would be a posting a $1,000 reward for anyone turning in an employer of criminal illegal aliens and seeing that employer do time. If 50 of us could get together and put in as little as $20 each we could start this off and maybe see it mushroom across the nation. We could call it a community improvement association and apply for a 501 C-3 non-profit status.
Any takers?
Ah, The price we pay for Freedom & Tolerance. America is the most tolerant place on earth. Don't you people vote ? The people in Iran Voted ? If, we were to end much of the crime in the US, where would we stop ? Who would be the President ? Who would be in the Senate ? Who would be in Congress ? Who would run Education in America ? Who would run your City ? Who would run all the Non-Profit charities in America.
Tolerance and Freedom is for Everyone. All. Including Gang Bangers. Child Molesters, Thieves, and members of all government local & national (50% of the People).
We are what we say, not what we do.
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