The Weekly Dump 12.4.20

Dancing to the Jailhouse Rock

Monday afternoon, county officials announced that an active COVID-19 outbreak was taking place at the Santa Cruz County Jail. Ten correctional officers tested positive and are not working, and another six officers are in quarantine because of their contact with infected employees. So far, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said none of the inmates have tested positive or showed symptoms.

Then days later, News Kids on the Block scooped the story that apparently, the outbreak was related to some kind of party thrown by staff from the county jail! Imagine that. We’re supposed to be RESPONSIBLE and stay home, don’t socialize in groups, and these dopes decide to have a party knowing the possible consequences and outcome? I have two very serious questions I’d love to have answered here. 1. Was Sheriff Jim Hart in attendance? Simple yes or no answer. 2. If he was not there, did he know about it and when did he learn about it? Another simple question. If he didn’t know about it until now, I’m just as concerned with how oblivious he is as much as I’m horrified about how irresponsible his staff is. Jim Hart! Were you there and when did you learn about this party?

Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley

Shooting at Local Homeless Camp

Wednesday night around 8PM, SCPD and medics responded to the area along Highway 9 near Vernon Road after getting reports of a possible shooting in the area of the railroad tracks and SR-9. After they arrived, officers searched and eventually located the 33 year old victim in a campsite on a hillside in Sycamore Grove. Apparently the man’s injuries aren’t life threatening. Nobody has been arrested and the victim was uncooperative with police.

Man Stabbed in Downtown Santa Cruz

Last Friday night around 6PM, reports came in about a stabbing in a parking lot at the corner of Laurel and Front streets in downtown Santa Cruz. This is the parking lot that the city has seemingly given up on and given to Food Not Bombs (and their friends) to squat on. According to various reports, a woman stabbed a man in the parking lot after some kind of confrontation and physical altercation. When they arrived, SCPD found a 46 year old male suffering from a stab wound. He was transported by life flight to Valley Medical Center in San Jose for treatment, where he was last listed in stable condition. The victim was on formal probation out of Fresno, after pleading no contest and having various robbery, battery, and domestic violence charges dismissed. Police arrested a 19 year old female on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after collecting evidence at the scene and getting independent witness statements. She’s still in jail with bail set at $75,000. Neither the suspect or victim was cooperative with investigators and no motive was given for the stabbing.

The Latest COVID Numbers From Santa Cruz County

There have been 4,750 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Santa Cruz County, according to the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, and 1,131 are active cases. 37 people have died. 3,582 people have recovered from the disease. A total of 76,547 people have tested negative. 235 have been hospitalized in total. According to a state count, 47 people are currently hospitalized, and 9 people are in the ICU.

Santa Cruz County is in the purple tier of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, meaning many non-essential indoor business operations are closed. Its adjusted case rate is at 11.3, and it needs to be at 7 or below to move up. It also has a 4.6% positivity rate, and that needs to be at 8% or below to move up.

Look For the Union Label

Last Saturday around noon, SCPD spotted a known criminal recidivist they had been looking for near High Street. He tried to run away from police but after a short chase he was caught and arrested. Battery. Resisting arrest. Giving false ID to police. Grand theft. Selling drugs and drug possession. Isn’t he one of Bad Mom’s buddies? Isn’t he a card carrying, “officer” of the local Homeless Grifters Union? Didn’t he join up with Bad Mom & Slippery Tony to try to sue the city over shutting down the toxic drug camp behind Ross? Where’s his “union” to bail him out? His bail is set at $100k and he’s still in jail.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Saturday morning around 7:30AM, SCPD responded to the 600 block of Front Street where they arrested a 39 year old male and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon, battery, vandalism, drug possession, and drunk in public. And of course the “revokable” probation violation. County probation. The gift that keeps on giving. Last check he’s still in jail on a no bail hold.

Simmer Down

Sunday afternoon around 2:30PM, SCPD responded to the area of Chestnut and Walnut after getting reports of a disturbance. They eventually arrested a 45 year old male and charged him with battery after an apparent road rage incident of some kind. I’m sure getting arrested helped calm him down.

I’m Still Waiting

In what seems to be an annual tradition, the local commercial crab fishing season has been pushed back again, leaving local crab lovers like me feeling rather crabby. Now it’s scheduled to begin on December 15th. This is the second delay this season, after the original targeted opening in mid November was delayed. The delays are mostly a result of issues with whale entanglements in crabbing lines, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Santa Cruz District Attorney Shows Sense of Urgency With Local Issues

Ok not really. But I got your attention! The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office announced this week that they have filed a lawsuit against the Match Group, a conglomerate of online dating service sites, including Match.com, PlentyOfFish, OkCupid and Tinder. In the complaint, their office states the company took part in “unfair and unlawful business practices” and violated the California Dating Service Contract Law and the California Auto Renewal Law.

Because God knows, we’ve got no bigger problems facing us here in Santa Cruz, and there’s nothing better than having the DA and his staff waste our city resources and tax dollars chasing litigation from national companies with deep pockets looking for an easy payout. That’s what grifters do. Can’t do anything about certain groups that squat on city property handing out food and other crap illegally, but let’s chase dating websites for a shakedown. That’s your district attorney Santa Cruz.

Get Your Swagger On!

I have swag! I’m working with Spreadshirt and have my own shop. I just put some basic products up to start with for now with the new logo. You can also click “Customize” and “Products” and pick from other products not currently available in my store. Contact me with any questions or issues. Nothing would make me happier than to see people out and about with my swag. I want photos! I’ve never asked for money, and I still plan to continue to do the Weekly Dump each week and make it available for free, without any paywall or ads or spam (or salary). Think of this as a way of donating to the effort and getting something back for your donation (I only make a few bucks on each item sold). I’d love to do more with Santa Mierda if I had the means to do so. This will help provide the means to do so. And it helps get the word out. The hell with the coronavirus, let’s make this viral. Being stuck inside is the perfect time for online shopping! I’ll love you long time if you buy my swag.

The Santa Mierda Podcast Network

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15 Comments

  1. Paige Concannon

    Oh for heaven sakes!! Suing a Match.com, really??? Nothing better to do, really ?? Unbelievable!! If you did not say this, I would think this was bs..since it comes from you I know it is the truth !! God help us all.

  2. Michael Sweatt was arrested July 2019 and convicted for felony possession for sale of controlled substances. Lather, rinse, repeat.
    Camp Ross/Bernal Clowncil looking good!

  3. The jail staff party doesn’t surprise me — I know of a local PD officer and a sheriff’s deputy (dating or married, not sure) who have had a bunch of loud parties since this all started back in March. Their neighbors are pissed but feel like it’s pointless to complain, because who do you even call?

  4. SameOld Same Old

    Bad Mom’s Weekly Planner:

    Monday – Post to complain that the Mayor is a “backstabbing fool”.

    Tuesday -Post that I “look forward to working with you all” on the Mayor’s thread.

    Wed. – Whine that the Mayor won’t work with me.

    Thurs. – Post yet another Gofund me. (Hmm, maybe for car registrations?)

    Fri. – Complain that my three unregistered personal vehicles and my unregistered S.C. Homeless Advocate vehicle are being unfairly ticketed.

    Sat. – Relax. I’ve earned a day off after all that good work!

  5. Out wid the old, in wid the new. The Mayor is giving keys to the city to a certain person who holds the worlds record for dropping the most n-word bombs on a city council meeting in 2 minutes. Also a key given to I think someone who has 6 arrest counts in 6 years. Almost all the rest of the key recipients are accomplished no doubt, but somehow all related to Covid, or elections. I don’t quite get it, but it beats presidential pardons I suppose. The schedule is crammed with last minute unfinished progressive business, but then onto next year which we can all hope is less radical and focused on business.

  6. that was funny…aboout the district attorney suing Match.com….really. Pathetic.

  7. MuyDeplorable

    That’s me (aka the Penguin) modeling the shirt. My Spanish-speaking friends don’t get the Santa Mierda play on words. Guess it is like calling someone a goat, in English; not the same as cabrón.

    Lately, due to restaurant and bar shutdowns, I haven’t been downtown. For all I know the place is full of homeless campers. I recall years ago, maybe 15 or more, I returned from elsewhere via Hwy 17 bus on Christmas Eve, late afternoon. The local bus didn’t leave Metro for half an hour, so I walked along Pacific Avenue. The businesses were closed, and there was nobody there except for numerous street musicians, playing without audience. Seemed odd. Turned out that somewhere nearby was a free dinner, and they were waiting for the doors to open. Most towns have something of the sort, usually sponsored by a church. Just not every day of the year.

  8. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, unless you live here and have no way out or are just here for school-WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO LIVE HERE OR EVEN VISIT. SC has Always been this way and every person that can change it doesn’t(everyone in sc included) I’ve never seen any real community unity just scum bag community’s like Bad Mom,Ross camp Homeless loser Organization Food 4 Bums ect ect. And I’ve covered it before cause regular folk are to busy with there lives to organize(PD has there hands tied) and forget about depending on the CLOWNCILE to rid this city of its criminals and drug addicts aka PARASITES- HOMELESS BY CHOICE. Let’s help the mentally ill,elderly and the AND THE TRULY HOMELESS.

    Like the Scum SC insists on Coddling There is no Shaming SC into becoming a REGULAR City and I’ll always use Scotts Valley,Monterey,Los Gatos and Capitola and Watsonville as PERFECT IS EXAMPLES. Cause there all just right next door. Who can be proud of SC. really.

    Santa Mierda.

    • I agree. I keep coming back here [ Thank you Ben for this site!! ] In hopes for a trend reversal. I was born in Santa Cruz county and use to come to downtown with my parents back in the early 80 and 90s. I moved downtown in the 2000s…

      It wasn’t so bad than. But it started to kind of accelerate into a weird state of affairs from 2006-present.

      I just wish they enforced the laws on the books add community outreach on top of a stable enforcement of law. But unfortunately as it stands now I don’t feel it is safe enough for my wife to go out alone there. It’s really a beautiful city with the boardwalk. It was even more amazing when there were 4 big music venues downtown. Now the remaining one smells like a toilet unfortunately. The smaller Jazz one starting with a K is still nice. But the overall vibe of the city leaves me pause if I even want to go.

      I always thought I would live in Santa Cruz when I could afford it but now I’ll be moving out of the state. I keep telling myself to not come to this site as I’m always motivated to type something then I saw your comment IH8SC.

      People who can do move as there is no base for improvement.

      There was a retired city planner I use to have coffee with at Pergolesi before it closed [ It closed because the police wouldn’t respond to calls to remove squatters. This is something I was told directly from the owner of this business ]. I digress, the city planner let me know of many city improvement projects that the city passed on for the sake of anti growth… But the city grew anyway over time. So now you have an unmitigated unpoliced mess :/

      Some ideas I think that could make santa cruz amazing but will never happen. More of a vent.. Sorry everyone

      1. Close Pacific to car traffic adding parking capacity to the garages that site on either side. [ Have rascals or other wheelchairs for people who cannot walk long distances ]
      2. have an outreach that escorts distraught homeless and offers help off of main street so that the businesses there may survive. This in turn would provide a better tax base for supporting outreach.

      • Well I found this place while doing graveyard shifts downtown SC doing security seems like years ago but it almost been 2. Needless to say I got to see SC for what it really is-all the things Ben reports on and so so sooooo! Much more I have a bit of history here and with a social a media incident that’s documented here on back issues. But ya beyond a hot button what goes on in SC with me and I have to use so much restraint when posting here and I’ve lost it a few times. Even here there’s not much community brotherhood at all even though we pretty much all agree SC is not a good place to be or live unless your a criminal drug addict or just want a place to free load. Glad I live in the mountains but we still see criminals/drug addicts wander through and we chase them out and report them. Had to call PD tonight when I saw a homeless guy on the roof of the buildings on Church and cedar st. Just goes to show the scum in this town know they can do whatever they want with no consequences. And if this guy fell and cracked his head open…. would I help…. would this person help me… he’d pretend to help me while he searched my pockets…. theres your answer

    • City of Santa Cruz 2020 budget $263 million. Charter city, County seat, Population 65,000 ,15 square miles.

      City of Salinas 2020 budget $196 million. Charter city, County seat, Population 158,000, 24 square miles.

      Salinas knows how to run its city for $1240 per citizen per year.
      Santa Cruz knows how to run its city for $4046 per citizen per year.

      These are facts, not opinions.

  9. Santa Cruz free to addicts and criminals expensive for everyone else!

  10. Just the Facts

    Yes, and they just spent hundreds of thousands (yes, thats hundreds of thousands) of our tax dollars cleaning up Sycamore Grove and Heroin Hill. And who’s going to keep the junkies and vagrants from moving right back in and literally pissing in our water supply? Oops, we just fired all the Rangers! Sorry, we’ll send someone out when they are available…..

  11. The council will tonight approve the division of Federal grant monies earmarked for low income help. The division? Fairly important really useful non-profits, i.e. 2’nd harvest, get the usual swadush token amounts like $25,000, while homeless services gets approximately $400k out of $575k with the city blowing $112k on themselves (max permitted by law for administration). That won’t even raise an eyebrow.

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