Response to Shooting in Ted Greene Park

Community Healing Forum tonnight, Feb. 8 at Antioch Missionary Baptist on San Antonio just south of where it joins Towne. This is being put on by the Cultural Equity and Race Relations Workgroup of Pomona in support of the Pomona Youth and Family Master Plan.

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.

Sad and scary news

The LA Times reports:

Two Gas Company Workers Found Shot to Death

One of the victims was a resident of Pomona (300 block of East La Verne). The other victim was a resident of Anaheim. My heart goes out to the families of the victims.

UPDATE: Suspected gunman in the two shootings shoots himself. See the LA Times story here.

Pomona Press Releases: Come out, come out, wherever you are

I know our fair city puts out press releases. I see them referenced in papers, radio broadcasts, and the like. Yet, poking around the city web page, I can't seem to find a listing of all press releases.

Sure, there's the link on the city's homepage, but the page shows only the happy-sunny press releases -- exciting grants, Pomona becoming a Tree City USA, etc. I guess "press release" translates roughly to "public relations."

Where's the more gritty stuff? The stuff appropriate for a crime blog (play theme music now -- OK, so we don't have any theme music just yet; feel free to pitch your wares)?

I recall a few months ago searching for information about the officer-involved shooting the took place right next to Garfield Park. I talked with an investigator at the LA County Sheriff's Dept; he told me I could find info in the press release. I couldn't find it, and I was highly motivated to do so given all of us on the park were really freaking out about all the crime tape and the many police and sheriff cars on the block.

So, I'm going to add an issue to the "wish list" for the SARA meeting -- tell me where to find press releases. In the meantime, here's a story from the Contra Costa Times (yeah, I hadn't heard of 'em either); hey look, they got their info from a press release -- more evidence press releases exist ...somewhere:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_11758024

POMONA MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED IN HEMET

POMONA - Police officers with assistance from other law enforcement agencies have arrested a 29-year-old man suspected of killing an acquaintance in December.

Ruben Michael Alvarez was arrested in the 500 block of Wild Rye Court in Hemeton Friday at 3 p.m., according to a Pomona police news release.

Alvarez was spotted by agents with the State Parole Board and U.S. Marshals Office at a home on that street, according to the release.

The Pomona resident was taken into custody after Parole agents, Marshals and Hemet police officers surrounded the house.

Alvarez was arrested after he and other residents in the house came out.

He was returned to Pomona where he was booked into Pomona City Jail on suspicion of murder. He is being held in lieu of $2 million bail.

The victim, George Antonio Tamayo, 46, of Pomona was found shot to death in a vacant apartment in the 700 block of East End Avenue at 6:08 p.m. Dec. 14, authorities said.

Pomona police Detective Jennifer Turpin said the suspect and victim were friends who had known each other for three or four years.

"The suspect is a gang member, but the victim is not a gang member and this was not gang-related," Turpin said.

Several people were in the apartment with the two at the time of the shooting.

Detectives still do not have a motive for the shooting.

Homicides in the New Year

I'd like to give a note of thanks to the bloggers over at M-M-M-My Pomona for the regular column (and map) about homicides in the Inland Empire. Check it out. The data don't back up Pomona's bad rap. Grrrr....

News from our neighbors to the northeast

Thank you to Ed for sharing the following announcement, which came across the Claremont e-alert list earlier today:

Possible Homicide (Claremont)

On Friday January 30, 2009 at about 11:15 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 700 block W. Arrow Hwy. to check on the welfare of the resident after the resident's employer reported that he did not show up for work. Responding officers found inside the residence a deceased male adult, possibly the resident, who appears to be in his 50's or 60's; identification is pending. The cause of death is not yet determined, but does not appear to be natural, accidental, or self inflicted. Further details regarding the possible cause of death will remain undisclosed until further investigation can be conducted.