Homicide

The victim of Pomona's first homicide in May was found on the 1800 block of Glenpark Street. The blurb in the Daily Bulletin was nothing more than a cut and paste press release, so we really don't have much information. Even the sex and age of the victim wasn't supplied. If you choose to read any further, please don't expect any epiphanies about this homicide or any others. This post is one massive digression, and it's driving force is my belief that 99.9% of people in Pomona are law-abiding citizens.

I wasn't familiar with Glenpark street, so I took a little virtual visit with the help of Google maps. It really looks like a typical street that could be found in any of the cities around Pomona. Glenpark street is within a couple blocks of two elementary schools (Arroyo and Cortez), Marshall Middle School, and Ganesha High School. The housing stock appears to be the typical 1950s vintage with 2 to 4 bedrooms and 1 or 2 baths. Nothing from the virtual tour would lead to believe that this street shouldn't be perfectly safe. The only issue that really leaves me dumbfounded is how a street that's been in the city for 50+ years has no sidewalks. I can understand that the street design at the time might have included no sidewalks, but what's our excuse now?

If someone is selling their house in this neighborhood what are we saying to potential buyers? Yeah, this is Pomona, we expect kids to walk in the middle of the street or to walk along a dirt path when they go to school. Are we holding down our property values because we aren't complaining? Are we complaining, but the city isn't responding? Why aren't Council members clamoring for sidewalks?

Last month over at M-M-M-My Pomona I called it shameful that "Safe Routes to School" money was being targeted as a funding source for a street barrier in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. If you Google map Glenpark Street or even better, drive down the street, you'll begin to understand my frustration with how the city is apparently prioritizing projects. Why aren't those of us in the more affluent neighborhoods becoming the voice for the less fortunate? Why aren't we asking the obvious question, "If Lincoln Park has sidewalks, then why shouldn't Glenpark?"

So to end my digression, how did I get from a homicide to sidewalks..................................because I REALLY don't think Pomona's biggest problem is crime. Livability? Yes! Crime? Not really! Make the city more livable, and you'll reduce your crime problem.