I search out the Daily Post to keep an eye on points south of us since events in the larger cities like Palo Alto, Mountain View and RWC not only affect us now, but could be a forerunner of what will happen in the future here. Yesterday's issue was disturbing. The two top of front page headlines were "Panhandler arrested after violent spree" and "Woman charged in hijab attack". The first article noted that a downtown Palo Alto "panhandler" was arrested after threatening or spitting on four people, including a man in his 80's who refused to give her money. 10 minutes later a similar incident and couple minutes later she grabbed a bottle off a table at a nearby cafe and threatened another person. Then one more after that. She was previously arrested on Jan. 22, 2021 but that was dismissed on July 1, 2021. She was arrested this year on June 23 and August 5.
The second article describes a female transient attacking a teenager wearing a hijab in downtown Mountain View. Two women came to her rescue and the attacker fled on a bicycle but was apprehended. The attacker already faces a charge of brandishing a dangerous weapon on June 24, 2022. The Santa Clara DA, Jeff Rosen, declared in the article "We have no tolerance for those whose intolerance crosses the line into criminality and violence". Excuse me? It doesn't seem like the actions match the words.
I had a similar sense of impending trouble on Broadway on Monday. Someone who appeared on the edge of being out of control had taken up residence on the bench in front of Wells Fargo. And then there is this from yesterday's DJ:
Will we learn that this guy has a history that predates August? I hope not, but "hope is not a strategy".
You mean the guy with no shirt on and a pile of crap spread all over the corner? He's new, never seen him before this week.
Posted by: JP | September 01, 2022 at 10:34 PM
Obviously, there is an extreme mental illness here. From JP's comment he, as well as many others have accepted that "this is just the way of the world." Unfortunately, Broadway has had more than its share of Mentally Ill "Patrons?" What ever happened to Shirley? Or the black guy who covered his feet and head with plastic bags, the 'tribe of people who lived behind the Golf Driving Range, the Homeless Nests along California Dr between Broadway/Trousdale, on and on. What do you folks think about "capturing" the Homeless must be a Million in CA. alone. Placing them in comfortable clothing, feed them with Good Food, "homes," force them to take medications, i.e., RX's, Supplements, Counseling, exercise, etc. However, the only way to ensure any positive outcome would be to "install" them in a prison like setting. 18 months at the minimum.
If I "Went off the Rails" (open for discussion) I would want to be "Rescued."
When a person becomes so F'd up they cannot make good decisions for themselves, or anyone else, without "intervention" Mentally Ill people will only Suffer.
Doing half ass programs only allows these people live a little longer in Misery.
I am not endorsing a "Round em' Up" program. At least not for my benefit.
For the humans that cannot take care of themselves.
GO GIANTS!
Posted by: [email protected] | September 04, 2022 at 01:04 PM
We shall see if the "Mental Health" bill that just went to Newsom for signing will do something akin to what you suggest. Clearly the first step to solving the mentally ill on-the-street crisis is to ignore the "homeless advocates". "The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result".
Posted by: Joe | September 04, 2022 at 01:20 PM
Thank You Joe.
Very tough decisions should have been made 40 years ago.
In the meantime, Human Beings are suffering because this is the only life they have known.
That is the Crux of the matter.
How do "we" know that the life "homeless" people have chosen is better than ours?
Whatever "Construction" the Federal Government comes up with to get maybe 72% of the "Homeless a "Home" is 40 years too late.
Until there is a Federal Cabinet Position to address the "People" we step over and around every single day, things will only get worse. Our own Children, our "Blood" are sometimes only a paycheck away from a sleeping bag @ Golden Gate Park. Not everyone can come home.
Posted by: [email protected] | September 05, 2022 at 02:46 PM
Homeless Advocate is a career. Solve the problem and the job disappears.
Posted by: Cassandra | September 05, 2022 at 04:49 PM
Who could be against that?
Posted by: [email protected] | September 06, 2022 at 06:20 PM
Funnily enough; the one whose career is eliminated by the problem being solved.
Posted by: Cassandra | September 07, 2022 at 06:58 AM
Another endless loop: Safe Injection Site Advocates. Keep the addictions going…
Posted by: Spurinna | September 07, 2022 at 07:01 AM
Do you think we will find out this guy has a record?
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/woman-allegedly-beheaded-on-the-street-in-san-carlos/article_8495ecb6-2ffb-11ed-910e-57977aa70bdd.html?utm_source=smdailyjournal.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1662732020&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline
Posted by: Handle Bard | September 09, 2022 at 01:23 PM
Yikes. That’s some deep reporting right there. We probably aren’t going to learn much about the alleged beheader (alleged? did he just kill the woman and then somebody else removed her head?) (or maybe her head just fell off on its own?) for the reasons that don’t need to be stated here.
But readers of the article will learn that San Carlos is a small suburban city and that a woman who lived in the neighborhood was shocked and felt sorry for the surviving children that she had seen in passing.
Posted by: MBGA | September 10, 2022 at 02:43 PM
The Chronicle starts to peel this onion:
The relationship appeared to run into trouble at Halloween time last year, neighbors said. San Mateo County court records show Solano-Landaeta was charged with misdemeanor battery and disturbing the peace in an alleged domestic violence case on Oct. 31. He pleaded no contest in the case on April 14 and received a sentence of one year probation, documents show.
A review of court files in San Mateo County found one more prior serious case for Landaeta-Solano. In 2012, he was accused of rape with an unconscious person and was sentenced to a reduced charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a victim more than three years younger. He served three years on probation and successfully completed required programming, after which the charge was expunged.
Posted by: Joe | September 10, 2022 at 03:58 PM
Correction. According to the Chronicle, the woman’s head did not come off completely. The Chronicle is now calling it a “near beheading”.
Judge Elizabeth Hill, originally appointed to Superior Court by Jerry Brown (D), is expected to hire two doctors to make an evaluation, with results to be reported in eight weeks, of whether Jose Rafael Solano Landaeta is mentally competent to stand trial for almost decapitating his ex girlfriend.
From the Chronicle story it sounds like the judge has also placed a restraining order on Landaeta so that he can’t see the victim’s daughters. He is being held in custody on a no bail status so I can’t see what the restraining order is about but I guess the legal system has to show they are doing something. Maybe with him being held in custody this restraining order will be more effective this time.
Posted by: MBGA | September 13, 2022 at 01:40 PM
This little gem of an OpEd in the Comicle got picked up nationally so perhaps you are also getting emails and texts from friends all over the country. Mostly the message is W..T..F?
https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/sfnext-poll-san-francisco-17442479.php
Nearly half of respondents (45%) say they have been a victim of crime in the last five years. Nearly a quarter (24%) say they had been threatened or physically attacked over that same period, and 36% of Latino residents have faced that threat, the highest of any group.
Posted by: Joe | September 18, 2022 at 01:26 PM
Apparently the police were some of those 45%.
https://abc7news.com/san-francisco-catalytic-converter-thefts-sfpd-thieves-police-car/12232303/
Posted by: MBGA | September 22, 2022 at 06:35 PM
I suppose this is 'good' news but what takes so long to just lock him up?
A San Mateo man accused of striking four boys with his car in Burlingame after driving it onto the sidewalk has been denied mental health diversion and will return to the criminal court system, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office said.
Omeed Sean Adibi, 21, is accused of hitting the boys after erroneously believing they had earlier vandalized his car, according to prosecutors.
Two 12-year-old boys and three 13-year-old boys were walking on Howard Avenue near Clarendon Road when Adibi hit them with the Mercedes, prosecutors said. One 12-year-old suffered a traumatic brain injury, and one of the 13-year-old victims suffered a spinal injury and lung bruising, prosecutors said.
The incident occurred on the evening of Feb. 29, 2020. On Sept. 29, a judge decided he remained a danger to the community. The judge said he had a history of violent criminal behavior and failing treatment programs. His next jury trial date is April 7.
Posted by: Mom | September 30, 2022 at 10:46 PM