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Starbucks Closing 16 Stores in High Crime Cities Los Angeles Times: Starbucks to close six Los Angeles stores, citing safety problems Starbucks plans to close six stores in Los Angeles and 10 other locations in other major cities because of what it says are safety issues including drug use and threatening behavior. The Associated Press and the Wall Street Journal reported that, in addition to the Los Angeles store closures, six stores in the company’s hometown of Seattle are slated to close along with two stores in Portland, Ore., and one each in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. “After careful consideration, we are closing some stores in locations that have experienced a high volume of challenging incidents that make it unsafe to continue to operate, to open new locations with safer conditions,” Starbucks said in a statement to the Times. latimes.com/california/story/starbucks-to-close-six-los-angeles-stores-10-others-around-country-due-to-safety-issues WSJ: Starbucks Closing Some Stores, Citing Safety Concerns in Certain Cafes Coffee chain said it is permanently closing 16 cafes after workers reported drug use by members of the public and crime concerns wsj.com/articles/starbucks-closing-some-stores-citing-safety-concerns

Latin Times: (Jun 29 2022) Drug Traffickers Busted With 150,000 Fentanyl Pills In California, Released Days Later Officials said that two drug traffickers in California were arrested last week for possessing 150,000 fentanyl pills, but are now back on the streets. During a traffic stop-turned-drug bust in Tulare on Friday, Benito Madrigal, 19, and Jose Zendejas, 25, both from Washington, were arrested, reported Fox News. Officials said that the two men were booked into the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility on charges of possession, transportation and selling of drugs that are not legal. The two inmates were released just days later, surprising everyone. Officials said that the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office was given a court order to release the men from "custody on their own recognizance." The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office added that all inmates booked into Tulare County jails are sent through the "Risk Assessment Process through the Tulare County Probation Department." The office further said that that "Risk Assessment" is then sent to a judge with the court, who, then, "determines whether or not the individual arrested is held on bail or if they are to be released." Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said that he strongly disagrees with the decision to release the traffickers, citing public safety concerns, but said that his office was forced to comply with the court order. As many as 150 packages with 1,000 fentanyl pills in each were found, and they are enough to potentially take lives of several million people. According to ABC4News, officials said that each pill sells for about $5, so the total was $750,000. https://www.latintimes.com/drug-traffickers-busted-150000-fentanyl-pills-california-released-days-later-519389 HotAir: Surprise! Drug dealers released without bail don't show up for arraignment hotair.com/2022/07/21/drug-dealers-released-without-bail-dont-show-up-for-arraignment

I suppose I could have posted this in the General Topics section, but to be honest I fully intend to turn this topic political by asking a simple straight forward question... WHY DON'T WE SEE FREQUENT OCCURANCES OF THIS KIND OF THING IN MORE CONSERVATIVE (RED) STATES? Democrat policies — defunding police, turning criminals out of prison, and refusing to prosecute shoplifters and vandals — have resulted in a wave of smash and grab thefts, primarily in the bluest urban areas of the bluest states. Retailers hit by these policies are now appealing to Congress for their assistance to end this trend. Last week, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, representing 20 major retailers, sent a letter to Congress asking legislators to deal with the growing theft, shoplifting, and “smash-and-grab” mob attacks on retail stores. The corporations represented include giants like Target, Best Buy, Nordstrom, Home Depot, and CVS. https://rila-web/rila.web/media/pdfs/letters to hill/2021/ceo-inform-consumers-act-final1.pdf According to OpenSecrets.org, after those same retailers donated heavily to Democrat candidates, the same political sphere primarily responsible for implementing policies that refuse to incrassate and prosecute criminals like those committing these crimes, the retailers are now begging those same politicians for mitigation from the crime spree the politicians policies appear to have emboldened. I wonder if any of those corporate donors are now experiencing 'buyer's remorse' as it were?

Some have predicted the leftist lead "Defund The Police" movement would have consequences, currently some are pointing at the escalating numbers of street crimes, smash and grab crimes, criminals released on low or no bail committing crimes while free and as I and others predicted early on "social workers" who attempt to interdict crime instead of regular police officers have been falling victim to street violance and shootings, recently taking the life of the Baltimore Safe Streets volunteer. DaShawn McGrier, was doing his job when he and three other people were gunned down from a hail of bullets and is the third unarmed violence interrupter Safe Streets worker murdered in Baltimore in a little more than a year. McGrier, who was killed but not targeted the police claim, was a father attending trade school during the day and working with Baltimore Safe Streets at night. DaShawn McGrier who is black was also the victim of unlawful police violence when in June 2018 when he was severely beaten by a black Baltimore police officer, who was sentenced to more than 20 years for the beating. The Defund the Police that Black Lives Matter and some WOKE leftist supported unarguably has reduced the number of blacks attacked and killed by the police in major cities... also beyond argument is the fact that with the increased numbers of social program volunteers and the diminished numbers of police officers on the streets, more blacks are being attacked and killed by criminals than were ever victimized by police officers.

On November 19th, a 40-year-old woman was shoved onto the subway tracks in Manhattan's Union Square station just before a train pulled in. She escaped with minor injuries and a suspect was immediately arrested. Hours earlier on Wednesday night, a man was shoved onto the subway tracks by a panhandler after the man refused to give him money, the victim was able to get back on the platform and wasn't seriously hurt. A suspect was arrested. Also on Thursday Alex Weisman, a member of the original cast of Broadway's "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," was attacked at an Upper West Side station Tuesday afternoon. He suffered fractures around his eye that required surgery. Actor Rick Moranis was sucker-punched by a homeless man last month while walking near Central Park, according to police. The man accused in the attack is suspected in several others over the past several months. Citywide, shootings have nearly doubled -- from 698 last year to 1,359 this year as of Nov. 15, according to NYPD figures and Shooting victims have more than doubled, from 828 during all of 2019 to 1,667 this year through Nov. 15. There have been 405 homicide victims so far this year, compared to 295 last year. A 70-year-old woman was hit in the face by a stray bullet Tuesday afternoon while riding a bus in Brooklyn. Two suspects are being sought and earlier this month, a 64-year-old woman was robbed at knifepoint in Queens. The suspect violently grabbed her as she was walking and put a knife to her throat but appeared to flee empty-handed after a vehicle drove by. On November 18th city councilman Robert Holden posted a Tweet thanking a man for stopping an attempted kidnapping of a baby. Earlier this week a NYPD Detective was struck by a vehicle driven on the sidewalk by a parolee attempting to evade arrest... Brooklyn rapper surrendered to police after a viral video of him standing on a NYC public bus, blasting a flamethrower into the air. More than 300,000 New Yorkers have moved out of the city in the last eight months, the NY Post reported, citing data from the U.S. Postal Service. For more than four years we've been hearing how Republicans, conservatives, white supremacists and Donald Trump are going to destroy the country... yet when we hear and see news reports of unrest, crime and destruction it isn't any of the leftist condemned groups doing those things... With the policies and politics of New York State with a 'progressive' Democrat Governor and New York City with a 'progressive' Democrat Mayor I'm hoping most of the nation can avoid what's happening in New York from spreading to the rest of the country if the president and his policies become more 'progressive'.

Two months ago the Minneapolis City Council members submitted a proposal to dismantle the city's police department... "We committed to dismantling policing as we know it in the city of Minneapolis and to rebuild with our community a new model of public safety that actually keeps our community safe," Council President Lisa Bender told CNN at the time. But with violent crime on the rise in the streets of Minneapolis, City Council members are having to answer to citizens when they ask: Where are the police? MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The number of people killed in Minneapolis is up 95% from this time last summer. 39 victims have lost their lives since the beginning of the year. It’s becoming more common than not to hear about a shooting in Minneapolis. More people have been shot this year compared to the past five. “Crime is out of control,” said Rich Walker Sr., director of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. “Criminals feel like they can do whatever they want to do. They know the police department is at a vulnerable state right now with staffing levels and with morale,” Walker Sr. said. The city council addressed what’s happening with gun violence during their Friday meeting. “A total of 32 victims of gunshot wounds in last two weeks through Monday, July 27,” Mayor Jacob Frey said. The chief said one way the department is addressing it, is to shift some resources. That’s to answer 911 calls and to cover the 33 officers who have left since the death of George Floyd and more going on medical leave. Walker Sr. said that shuffling of personnel resulted in the elimination of the violent criminal apprehension team. “They’re going after the worst of the worst. When you have to deplete that unit to put them back on the street to cover the holes left by cops who have been traumatically affected by the events {riot} of Memorial Day, it has an adverse reaction,” Walker Sr. said. https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/07/31/crime-is-out-of-control-minneapolis-officials-address-uptick-in-violence/

Joe Biden interviewed by Vice News forum on minority issues in Des Moines, Iowa was asked "what changes he would bring to the ICE agency" "You're going to get fired!... You're fired if in fact you do that. You only arrest with the purpose of dealing with a felony that's committed and I don't count drunk driving (DUI) as a felony. ... I would hold ICE agents accountable if they stepped over my Executive Order which is no arrests of anyone outside of the schools... Look at the, you know, one thing that happening for particularly Latino and Hispanic kids is the incredible pressure on them in terms of their, their sense of security. They go to school wondering if mom comes to pick them up, is she not going to be there because some ICE agent was there to arrest her." First of all there are instances where a charge of DUI is considered a felony... so whether or not Biden thinks "driving drunk" isn't a felony, actual existing laws say sometimes it is. Secondly if any legally present person, including an American citizen has been known or even lawfully suspected of breaking a law it is the right and duty of law enforcement to detain that person and determine if evidence against that individual will either support or oppose the determination as to whether or not a law has been broken... laws are not and should not be different, just because a person is in the country illegally. It is NOT up to the President of the United States to instruct or deter, law enforcement agents and agencies, by Executive Order from doing their sworn duties. No president past, present or future can take something Congress and legal political process has determined to be illegal and a criminal offense and claim it is no longer a crime and instruct agencies to just ignore federal laws regarding federal controlled narcotic substances and immigration laws. Despite former president Obama attempting to do exactly that on multiple occasions with his Executive orders. Biden has openly stated (and I believe him) that if elected, his administration would probably just be akin to a continuation of the so many of the failed, revoked and ruled (by federal courts) "unconstitutional" Obama era presidential policies... and people complain about president Trump having little or no regard for the Constitution and nation's laws.

Washington Post: Trump endorses bipartisan criminal-justice reform bill At an afternoon event at the White House, Trump officially endorsed the First Step Act, which he said included “reasonable sentencing reforms while keeping dangerous and violent criminals off our streets.” He urged lawmakers to send him a bill, saying: “I’ll be waiting with a pen.” “Today’s announcement shows that true bipartisanship is possible,” Trump said. “This is a big breakthrough for a lot of people. . . . https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-endorses-bipartisan-criminal-justice-reform-bill For the most part I too support the new CJ reform bill... With one reservation - ...it would reduce mandatory minimum sentences that go into effect when a firearm is used during a violent crime or drug offense. The latter also would not apply to people already sentenced for these crimes. Sorry committing a crime is one thing, but to bring along a gun and use it during the commission of a crime in my opinion shows extreme malice of forethought, even if the perpetrators later 'claim' they only intended to use it as an intimidation factor. It is my opinion the added sentencing severity for possessing and using a firearm during the commission of a crime should not be lessened... If anything (again in my opinion) it should be made more severe with a manditory 10 to 20-years tacked on to the normal sentencing determination, for any criminal act which involves the criminals using a firearm - particularly in the commission of a "violent crime" or drug deal and I don't care what political affiliation is tied to the perpetrator. What really galls me though is, Democrats are screaming for "gun reform", "tougher gun laws"... Unless it involves criminals using a firearm in the commission of a crime apparently ~

So in an attempt to forestall another attempted accusatory: 'you're a racist because you didn't post any thing about this' rant I'll break with my standard of not posting about domestic shootings... just once. Newsweek: WHO IS KEVIN JANSEN NEAL? CA SCHOOL SHOOTER WAS ANOTHER ANGRY WHITE MAN WITH A RECORD OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN http://www.newsweek.com/who-kevin-jansen-neal-white-male-shooter-was-about-face-trial-711928 Again I suppose there will be some who try to make a big deal about the shooter being armed with a semi-automatic firearm and renew their calls for "gun control", but as most reports who have identified the shooter point out Neal had an extensive criminal record including domestic violence, he had a protective order against him and was being prosecuted for the felony charge of stabbing his neighbor, and although most national news outlets are reporting there was a semi-automatic rifle recovered, I doubt many will mention that most of the people who were shot and killed, were shot with a handgun also recovered - at least according to law enforcement statements. truthaboutguns.com: So let’s recap. We have in individual who had been charged with at least two felonies and was out on bail. He was also the subject of a restraining order issued to his neighbors, one of whom is now dead. Despite the fact that all of that made his possession of firearms a legal impossibility, Neal somehow got his hands on a rifle and two handguns. And all this in a state with some of the most stringent gun control laws in the nation. What’s the over/under on the number of hours until calls for still more stringent gun control laws emanates from Golden State legislators to make what Neal did today even more illegal-er? http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2017/11/daniel-zimmerman/rancho-tehama-killer-kevin-janson-neal-had-a-violent-history/ Forget the knee jerk reaction of using the shooter's victims for indigent demands for more "gun control", most of which probably won't have anything to do with this shooting or a number of past shootings - What I think people should be asking is how a man like this, the Texas church shooter, the Virginia Tech shooter and a number of prior mass shooting suspects got their hands on their guns in the first place given their known mental states and extensive violent criminal backgrounds - This isn't a political issue, it isn't a party issue and it isn't a liberal -vs- conservative issue, as far as I'm concerned it is a common sense issue... Examine every single case based on the facts and evidence available and stop trying to lump all legal gun owners in with mass shooters who often are illegally (by the definition of existing laws) in possession of firearms. If there is a proposal to ban gunshow sales or force background checks on people who purchase firearms from gun shows - show the number firearms purchased from gunshows have a significant effect when it comes to mass shooting incidents - they don't. Is the "type" of firearm used in mass shootings really going to effect the outcome of mass shootings, or will it just cause someone inclined to these heinous acts to choose a different kind of weapon? An indisputable fact is more shootings - more murders, are committed with a handgun than any other type of firearm [1] why is their such a noticeable absence of people calling for changes to handgun laws, more strict regulation on the sales, purchase and possession of handguns? Washington Examiner: Crime study: Handguns, not 'assault rifles,' used in most mass shootings http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/crime-study-handguns-not-assault-rifles-used-in-most-mass-shootings/article/2542118 More people are shot and killed every year by the types of shootings not sensationalized by anti-gun lobbyist and the national news media, gang violence, associated criminal activity, drugs, robbery, domestic violence, suicides, burglary, than are shot in mass shootings, but we rarely hear about most of those shooting incidents for some reason. People killed in mass shootings make up less than half of 1 percent of the people shot to death in the United States. More than half of gun deaths every year are suicides. In 2015, more than 12,000 people have been killed by guns, according to the Gun Violence Archive. http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/ But those numbers usually don't seem to make the headlines, or the anti-gun lobby's talking points for some reason. [1] https://www.national institute of justice.gov/topics/crime/gun-violence/pages/welcome.aspx Of course mass shootings are the news media's darling when is comes to their "if it bleeds it leads" unofficial motto but so much of the spun reporting (and omissions) perpetrated by many news media outlets have given the public for the most part a completely skewed perspective. I personally don't think more senseless gun control laws, with the possible exception of an attempt to ban firearms from private ownership is going to change anything. When shootings like this happen too many people tend to try to put the focus on the gun, instead of the shooter, and already existing laws that should have preclude the shooter from even legally obtaining a firearm in the first place. Too many people are so intent to claim there are voids or "loopholes" in existing gun laws in their demand for even more gun laws that they too often fail to mention that it isn't the laws or the system that fails - too often it is people who fail to abide by already existing gun laws that might have, I'll go so far as to say probably would have, taken care of a mass shooting shooter before his murderous rampage. Once again I reiterate, I'm not opposed to common sense gun laws nor am I opposed to the attempt to fine tune the laws we already have or even enacting new common sense laws... but I still do and will continue to oppose the knee jerk anti-gun lobbies call for additional laws that mostly target and effect legal gun owners who for the most part have nothing to do with these types of shootings.

As far as I know it rarely happens in this area but 'drive by shootings' or perpetrators intentionally shooting into the homes of rival gang members or just anyone - that's usually the kind of thing you hear about in big cities with significant gang activity - not around here. Now it may be that this was just one of those rare occurrences that sometimes unfortunately happen, or it may be an indication that there is a growing gang presence and activity* in town not too far across the state line from us. Thank goodness it doesn't sound like anyone was hurt or killed. Four States Homepage: Multiple gun shots reported in Joplin JOPLIN, Mo. - Around 11 o'clock Thursday night, the Joplin Police Department received calls of gunshots near 1st and Pearl. When officers arrived, they discovered that a house at 201 North Pearl was damaged by multiple bullets. Police took witness accounts and are collecting more evidence. No one was hurt and no arrest have been made at this time. http://www.fourstateshomepage.com/news/multiple-gun-shots-reported-in-joplin/855168657 *For a time when I lived in Tulsa I was an apartment manager for a property at Southeast side of the city. The area was nice, a couple of blocks from Tulsa's river walk, a block away from a City park and mostly occupied by apartments with low to middle income tenants, younger people, some with families and middle income type houses and condos. Within about 5-years of living living in the area I witnessed the surroundings going from a pleasant environment to a hotbed of gang activity. Property values plummeted, reports of assaults break-ins, vandalism and robberies became common place, but when I happen to notice the late night gunshots no longer alarmed or worried me I knew it was time to move away.

CBS News: Chicago torture video seen on Facebook is "sickening," chief says CHICAGO -- Chicago police don’t believe a teen beaten in an assault broadcast live on Facebook was targeted because he was white despite profanities made by the accused assailants about white people and President-elect Donald Trump, a police spokesman said Thursday. Charges are expected later in the day against four black suspects, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told The Associated Press. Guglielmi acknowledged that the suspects made “terrible racist statements” during the assault, but that investigators believe the victim was targeted because he has “special needs,” not because of his race. Still, Guglielmi said authorities are looking at whether the attack falls under hate crimes statutes. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/chief-chicago-attack-broadcast-live-on-facebook-is-sickening/