I have never seen in 20 years of being a homeless advocate a blind homeless person before,
walking alone with the severely mentally ill, pervert and rapist filled streets of Redding California.
Alone...
This poor gal is walking with a red and white cane legally blind; I saw her walk into the wall of Tortilla Flats etc....
Later I saw her almost break her ankle trying to step off the curb.
She does manage to make it to the mission sometimes for food, but apparently lives outside.
Her name is Angel
Good News Rescue Mission paid staff member said they kicked her out of mission and lots of other homeless people and he can't figure out why, only allowing her to go there to eat
When called a staff member at Mission they said “We have to draw the line somewhere”
Apparently, that line includes blind homeless girls
With Christmas just days gone by, you would thing Redding and Shasta County Supervisors would have more compassion for the homeless in our community. The Good News Rescue Mission, 3100 South Market Street, the only nighttime shelter we have is reportedly kicking out homeless seeking shelter for the most nominal of offenses. Several can be seen sleeping on the sidewalk in front of the mission.
Redding Homeless - Good News Rescue Mission
Those with mental issues, are forced to sleep outside, even though the temperatures have been below freezing for several days now, including homeless children. Dozens of homeless are forced to seek shelter under the roof of a very compassionate local business but really is that fair to them?
A young little girl in a pink jacket is living in a freezing boulder field under Cypress Street with dozens of other homeless sufferings, yet even though the City of Redding has declared a Homeless Shelter Crisis, and received a million dollars, the refuse to put a large tent next to those languishing under this and other bridges seeking the only shelter they can find.
Why it's perfectly natural that folks don't want to go to the Good News Rescue Mission. I know of several instances where homeless young boys have been molested there. Other reports of men masturbating. bed bugs, scabies, and other unpleasant behaviors seem to be the norm, not to mention thievery. Young boys at a certain age I understand are separated from their families and forced to stay with them.
And of course the 30 days in 30 days out mission policy is tragic, since most folks point to the mission as the be all as far as homelessness is concerned in Shasta County... The only game in town.
Some time ago, I had a conversation with my next door neighbor, Deputy Sheriff Will Gardner ( at one time sex crime investigator), that I was concerned that a homeless child could be molested, and the pedophile could attend the Good News Rescue Mission's drug and alcohol program as part of his sentence, eating the finest donations of deli meats and cheeses, sitting on fine plump leather couches in air-conditioned comfort, while that homeless child is still in the bushes curled around a rock still homeless.
Deputy Sheriff Will Gardner stated " You dont have to worry about that scenario any longer.... Its already happened...
Fascinating that the City of Redding has also received as I understand 18 million dollars in Covid relief funds, that can certainly be used to give our least fortunate some kind of relief, is used to hire 3 more City of Redding employees and machinery to destroy homeless survival areas.
Redding Coalition for the homeless is proud to have shed the light on this local tragedy notifying news agency's of the situation, including the tragic death of one of their beloved staff member Bill Hartman.
When was the noticeably absent director of the mission Jonathan Anderson going to alert the community?
Unfortunately I have personally seen after Mr Hartmans tragic death nobody wearing protective masks as homeless sat in tight groups, disregarding social distancing as well, and although administrators from the safety of their own home insist steps have been taking, it is just not the case.
Even more troubling is as I understand Mr Hartman had Covid 19 for weeks, and came into contact with a multitude of community members as he was the point of contact to check ID's and hand out "Turkey bucks, and according to witnesses he was mask less...
Months ago Redding Coalition for the Homeless insisted "washing stations" were available to guests of the Mission to use BEFORE you entered the facility, and according to witnesses they are never used.
How can City of Redding insist homeless use the only night time facility in all of Northern California when it is so infected by Corona Virus?
The mission refuses to take in new homeless folks, so how can Redding police take their homeless possessions, raid and destroy their survival camps, and insist they go to the mission?
Simply cruel and unusual punishment in my estimation, and certainly a civil right violation to say the least.
Morally reprehensible and a blatant disregard for life to be sure on the part of Johnathan Anderson and his stone cold silence on the matter.
Drive by and you can see homeless guests in the sleeping / dining area. bars in the windows to prevent the opening of windows to allow fresh air in to lessen the chances of viral spread.....
Does City of Redding have a health department? Shasta County? People are literally dying at the mission.
Your silence on the matter is preposterous as well.
Somebody, anybody please take the lead and insist the Good News Rescue Mission enforce social distancing, hand washing, and wearing of masks as these infected go out into the community and infect YOU !
Insist Shasta County Supervisors open the fair grounds to spread out the sleeping / eating homeless and reduce the chances of Covid 19 infecting Good News Rescue Mission staff, volunteers, program members, homeless and the community at large.
And as a penalty for the gross mismanagement insist Director Jonathan Anderson is terminated and removed.
These are chilling words from California Governor Gavin Newsom coming back to haunt the poor and disenfranchised homeless of Redding and the rest of the state of California. Now Governor Newsom says changes are coming for the state's prison and jail system, and it looks like he has been working on it for quite some time. "I have spent the last six or so months, not a gross exaggeration, assembled a team of experts to look at re-imagining a 21st century criminal justice system." "So we're looking at step down facilities."
So one might ask is the recent firestorm of controversy directed at Redding Mayor Julie Winter and the idea of forced incarceration of homeless and conservatorship of their finances part of a much larger plan to have facilities placed up and down the state of California with Redding the far northern planned facility?
Is this a result of Trump looking at crackdown on homelessness as aides visited California?
Something tantamount to a middle ages debtors prison to go with the medieval plagues that are surfacing as well Redding Mayor Winter?
"And as California goes so goes the rest of the nation"....
“We’ll hide the costs of that in our jail budget, in our police budget, in our courts budget and, you know, we’ll make it disappear for today…” This is the criminalization of #homelessness—hiding costs and punting on problems. People are hurting now. https://t.co/kjTsg6Cv0q
For years I believe wholeheartedly Redding California TV and Newspaper coverage of local homeless has been a one sided camera lens portrait of hatred, filtered of love and compassion, designed to infuriate the masses and create an spiritual shit pool of public perception to the point of callus indifference and cruel vigilantism.
One year KRCR TV News reported an un provable story farce that a group of homeless were purposely defecating in their pants, then reaching inside to throw the crap at rock landscaping employees they were finding offensive and fighting with. A macabre fabrication of humanity reduced to public perception as if homeless are some kind of sub human monkeys.
This particular created dynamic, or shit pool fabricated public perception by local news reporters is known in Christian religious circles as diabolic triangulation.
What gives you the right Jennifer Scarborough , KRCR TV News, or Redding Record Searchlight to continually year after year tell one sided homeless bashing hatred features without ever giving homeless advocates, especially Christian, a chance to speak for those who YOU drowned in a public perception of people less than human, unworthy of love, or a few feet of space to survive on this planet?
If You Are Cited By Redding Police or HAVE YOUR POSSESSIONS / SURVIVAL GEAR TAKEN Legal Services of Northern California Would Like To Hear From You !
2019 UPDATES
*Update 1/5/19 - PROTEST
Event ! - Tell City of Redding NOT to enact anti-homeless ordinance -
Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 5:30 PM – 8 PM 777 Cypress Ave
*Update 1/5/19 - SIGN THE PETITION ! Tell City of Redding NOT to enact anti-homeless ordinance!
City of Redding, the local news media, Redding police
Chief Moore ALL publicly NOT TELLING THE TRUTH saying the Good News Rescue Mission
has never been at capacity - Tweet from Record Searchlight Reporter Katie Gillespie
Jon Anderson, Executive Director Good News Rescue Mission never has a few moments to speak to the news on behalf of his Christian house? How about outside of its walls ?
How many died when the mission turned away 500 people that year?
Redding News Media ? Good News Rescue Mission ? City of Redding ? Bethel Church ?
Now there are thousands more Redding and Paradise homeless that must bathe in YOUR spiritual dung pool of one sided yellow journalism triangulation.of hate
Carr and Camp fire homeless survivors..... As if what they went through is not enough....
Welcome to the spiritual shit pool of public perception, created not so lovingly in my opinion by non other than Jennifer Scarborough, KRCR TV News, and Redding Record Searchlight.
Unintended, unexpected tragic causalities of spiritual diabolic triangulation to be sure
On my usual morning coffee run, I take the time to do a welfare check around the downtown post office. I am particularly concerned with those homeless souls with medical and mental issues, such as one homeless senior citizen who sleeps in front who has has had multiple strokes.
Another poor handicapped homeless soul I would love for folks to rally behind and help is a handicapped senior citizen in a wheelchair I will call "Jay"
You may have seen "Jay" as he pushes himself around town backwards.
This morning I found "Jay" in a most uncomfortable position sleeping at the post office. Concerned for his welfare I found him sleeping with his pants down.
To give you a little history of what I have been told by "Jay" is at one time he had a motorized wheel chair that was stolen while he was staying at the Good News Rescue Mission, which he vowed never to set foot in again. As I have been monitoring him over the last several years I can see he is fading fast. One of his hands now curled in a stroke like position.
He tells me he falls out of his wheelchair sometimes and people refuse to help him get back in.
Perhaps its the stench of advanced MRSA or Gangrene that can all to often be found eating up the weakest most vulnerable homeless population at this downtown location.
Perhaps it is because this poor languishing soul is incontinent, and during the coldest Redding winters he can be seen on the streets soaking wet, or worse.
Which is how I found him this morning at the downtown Redding Post Office....
In todays 10/21/18 Record Searchlight Sunday paper there is an article by in my opinion by Redding business and City bootlicker David Benda. "City stops camping crackdown after ruling"
While Benda paints a picture of city leaders and police patting their asses over the success of "Quality of Life Crimes " NEVER ONCE IN THE ARTICLE DOES Benda quote what the Federal Judges have said Redding Police and Shasta County Courts have been doing to homeless for years.
"Cruel and Unusual punishment"...
Why does it take a Federal judge to tell the City of Redding, Jakey Mangas of the Redding Chamber of Commerce, Good News Rescue Mission, Bethel Church, and all the silent non profits that serve the homeless what has been happening in the city for years?
Criminalizing the homeless, violating their civil and constitutional rights? Including homeless veterans ?
Atta boy Redding Police Chief Moore...
Its a spiritual battle Christian Marine
"Cruel and Unusual punishment"...
When you take their possessions do you hold them for 90 days by law or throw them all away ?
Just who's side are you on friend?
Redding Police accepts Bethel's $25,000 for drones
No secret here, seems diabolically obvious ... Redding California city
government I believe will use new pot dispensary regulations and tax revenue to hire new "Marijuana" code
enforcement officers to ride the already broken backs of our continually
criminalized homeless population.
You know, the kind of Redding
code enforcement officer that haunts the continually police raided
homeless camps and homeless street population already, dressed
impeccably in leather gloves to protect the fists, and a rather
oversized "Flak jacket." Modern day spiritual Roman Centurion ? A macabre representation of Redding City hall compassion to
say the least.
For years the homeless who have tried to take refuge at the Good News
Rescue Mission have confided to me they refuse to stay there because the
program members run the facility like a " prison yard," And I can
personally attest I have seen more drugs at the mission then on the
street. Seems like a good representation of Redding Police Chief Roger
Moore's description of South City Park at a recent city council meeting.
One
day at a recently raided homeless camp, I asked the Redding police
community service officer ... " Its just us ... tell me ... knowing what you
know. would you, or if you had a family and no other option, stay at the Good
News Rescue Mission?
"No" was his response.
So if Redding police community service
officer Bob Brannon because of conditions would never stay at the
mission, Redding's only night time homeless shelter, why do we expect the homeless population to freely want to do so?
Alas nowhere to go.
Redding's Marijuana recreational high helps homeless to continue to die...
Some time ago attempting to pull out from the parking lot of a Cypress street McDonalds, I was detained by a rather curious looking hunched over older gentleman pushing a shopping cart.
Visually using Redding's growing negative stereotypical eye one would find this man utterly and completely beyond hope to the extreme, and at first glance I admit I would have to join you.
Noticeable first about his old tan weather beaten face was the look of humility. Then looking up, smiling and for a lack of better words his eyes gave of a brief, intense flash of light....
We engaged in brief pleasantries and although it became apparent the age old drink that has driven many to the streets obviously played a role here the few coins offered to this man spiritually would be payed back immensely. In fact I looked for him several times after that encounter to no avail, until across town attending a seminar I found him again, or should I say he found me.
He told me the story of how he went through town , knocking on back doors of church offices asking for help... Only to be told the police are coming. Was this a test for Church bodies that dwell in the heart of downtown Redding ?
Now the church I speak is the Seventh Day Adventist on Eureka way and although I don't agree with their doctrine Henry had been knocking on Church doors from McDonalds on Cypress all through town and this was the last one left. I certainly was overwhelmed with their love for this man I had now come to know as Henry.
Perhaps they saw the twinkle flash of light in his eye as well...
For two days they let this poor homeless man stay on their church porch until a family there took him in for personal hygiene and fresh new clothes.
Then Henry was taken to the Good News Rescue Mission and for the first time I knew of the Director waived the 30 day in 30 day out rule for Henry.
Perhaps he saw the twinkle flash of light in his eye as well...
The men in the program at the time went above and beyond what they were required to do helping with Henry's bathing and grooming needs, even trimming toe nails better left undescribed.
Well with the Grace of God Henry quit drinking ! He even had his own ministry putting Bible tracts around town! Many at the mission half jokingly would say Henry was an angel.
Perhaps homeless saw the twinkle flash of light in his eye as well...
Henry loved his soda pop and never wanted for funds. He could simply stand in front of the mission and a Corvette would pull over giving him a 100 dollar bill ! Mind you, he never had a sign, and it got so bad they would not let Henry stand out in front any longer....
There is hope for what looks stunningly irretrievable. Our Father through Jesus Christ let me watch His healing compassionate hand over this man step by step, and it to this day humbles me to the core.
We truly walk by faith and not by sight.... nobody is beyond help.
Its shocking that “Redding’s Good News Rescue Mission turned away 500 people last year.”
Especially since City Council member has heard threats of baseball bats against homeless and their camps.
Redding California city council person Missy McArthur receives messages from vigilantes wanting to go out into the homeless camps and send them a message with baseball bats.
Seems a police and city official created dynamic hardly conducive to the health, safety, and well being of our local homeless men and women, as well as the growing numbers of our homeless families, children, and veterans.
And the worst part of all is other than a tweet from a so called ” SafeCity ” meeting by a relatively new reporter who momentarily forgot her marching orders no local news media would have ever reported it.
And its now clear to me the reporters of the multiple Safe City Record Searchlight series ad nauseam are deeply in the pockets of the homeless hatred crowd and have become nothing more than the mouth piece for Redding City Officials, and its ever increasing militaristic, seems to answer to nobody police chief.
Sure, like every year, homeless will die on the streets of Redding this winter from the extreme cold.
And you and other local news media outlets will do the usual tragic annual we gotta do something about this stories…
Has the so called “Safe City founder addressed this?
Noooo
Has our local news media addressed it ?
Redding Record Searchlight - Redding .com, KRCR TV Channel 7 News, Action News Now ?
Noooo
Nor will you report on what could very possibly put an end to many of these needless tragedies if you would only stop the cover up and report the facts as you claim.
I quote your Tweet and admission from Record Searchlight reporter Katie Gillespie,
Shocking news from the Good News Rescue Mission, Redding and Shasta Counties ONLY night time homeless shelter. Reported at a recent town hall safety meeting in a Tweet by Record Searchlight / Redding .com News Reporter Katie Gillespie
Good News Rescue Mission turned away 500 people last year due to staffing and resource shortages. #SafeRedding — Katie Gillespie (@KGillespie_RS) November 14, 2014
To be ticketed by Shasta County or Redding Police for homeless sleeping now seems more than ever a very real violation of homeless persons Civil and Constitutional rights 'They have no place': Rousted, relocated, Redding's homeless have few choices. "As the county's only shelter, the mission is scarcely equipped to handle its homeless population, said Community Relations Director Ken White. "We're feeling extraordinarily overwhelmed by the amount of services needed by people in the community," he said. "If the economy worsens, or even stays as it's been, that could be a very at-risk population as a community I don't feel like we're very prepared to service at this point." The mission has only about 120 beds, he said, but because staff members try to help everyone they can, up to 70 extra guests at a time often sleep on the chapel floor. "There's a huge need," he said. And the mission's 30-day time limit means it's hardly a solution to Redding's homelessness situation, he said". City Council member hears threats of baseball bats against homeless and their camps, Redding Police release map!
Redding California Police release map of known homeless camps at a city wide Redding Convention Center safety meeting ( #SafeRedding ) after Redding city council person Missy McArthur receives messages from vigilantes wanting to go out into the homeless camps and send them a message with baseball bats. Im getting calls, emails, and on – the street comments about this No.1 issue. Things like : “Let’s take some bats and show transients we don’t want them here.” Redding California's Councilwoman Missy McArthur’s “Speak Your Piece" Meeting map tweet from Record Searchlight / Redding.com reporter at meeting Alayna Shulman
Seems a police and city official created dynamic hardly conducive to the health, safety, and well being of our local homeless men and women, as well as the growing numbers of our homeless families, children, and veterans.
"Redding Good News Rescue Mission turned away 500 people last year."
14 Degree Wind chill 7 a.m.
Last seen in Redding California Police Dept. on September 1, 2010, James Randolph Olsen from Gresham Oregon walked in said he was homeless and needed help. Bi - polar and diabetic , a quote from James North American Missing Persons Network page states :
" They directed him to the Good News Rescue Mission. For unknown reasons, James was asked to leave the Mission and was suspended from returning for 30 days. He did not return. His illness causes him to appear intoxicated but he does not drink. James is quite ill both mentally and physically." The Redding California Police had contact 2 other times with James. The last one was on September 3, 2010. James, in the area of the Good News Rescue Mission flagged down an officer and asked for directions. The officer found the missing person report on James and contracted Gresham Police. The officer said that James appeared to be living a "transient lifestyle". The police officer asked James where he was staying and he pointed to a van. He said he was looking for the man in the wheel chair. James may have befriended a handicapped man who had a van and possibly got into the van with this man. This was the last time anyone has reported seeing James.
Granddaughter Ashley with James
Well James Randolph Olsen has a loving and concerned granddaughter by the name of Ashley, who has came down from Oregon to search homeless camps and pass out flyers in the chance she may find her beloved Grandfather here in Redding.
Ashley was staying at the Good News Rescue Mission while she conducted her searches through the many many homeless camps of Redding.
Now she is KICKED OUT of the Good News Rescue Mission and will be spending the night HOMELESS on the Streets of Redding as this blog is written !
A Quote from Ashleys Facebook page as the reason why she was asked to leave...
"For checking in late cuz i was searching homeless camps across town, assuming everyone had already taken showers cuz there were multiple showers open-i didnt sign up and took longer than 6 mins and was the only shower whose door got banged on repeatedly so i went to smoke a cig. the smoking area was closed and was yelled at to put my cig out. when told i should leave if i dont play by the rules i pointed out thats what the mission did to my grandpa who has been missing for 3 years. and the purpose for me even being in redding, staying there is to be searching for him!"
Now you may be asking what is "Missing in Redding more than James Randolph Olsen ?
Clearly it is not Ashley's love and burning desire to find her missing grandfather.
Sadly, it's a complete and total lack of local news media attention...
On October 17, 2006 the Redding California Police Chief, the Fire Chief , and Dave Honey of the Good News Rescue Mission all spoke in favor of at the City of Redding Council meeting amending Redding Municipal Code Chapter 10-40 Unlawful Camping making it a possible misdemeanor punishable by up to a 1000 dollar fine and/or 6 months in jail for the homeless crime of sleeping or keeping warm by a campfire anywhere in the city limits effectively criminalizing homelessness.
Why do homeless need SAFE GROUND ?
Sacramento Attorney Mark Merin advocates for "safe ground" and the human right to a safe place to sleep.
Fast forward to 8/17/2013 to a Record Searchlight article "Homeless encampments, natural features create perfect storm for Market Street fires" and we know now that due to the criminalization of homelessness and the dynamics of fear created homeless are camping and hiding not only deeper in the steep canyons and brush behind Market St. BUT IN ALL brush and canyons surrounding most of Redding due to short sighted past local government management.
But what is SAFE GROUND ?
Filmmaker Costa Mantis moved into tent city and lived in a tent to give the homeless people of Sacramento California a voice.
We at theRedding Coalition for the Homeless also are against practices and laws that unfairly single out homeless people and criminalize them for everyday living and life-sustaining activities and quite possibly violate their civil and constitutional rights. California needs safe “legalized” campgrounds with clean water, bathrooms, and trash services until Redding, Shasta County, and the State of California is willing and able to provide adequate shelters and affordable housing for the growing numbers of homeless folks free of homeless camping tickets, criminalization and evictions.
Safe Ground Rally California State Capital April 22, 2009
Loaves & Fishes, Francis House, SHOC, Homeless Advocates, and the homeless rallied at the California State Capital to urge the City, County, and State to create a Safe Ground where the homeless can camp at night.
SEARCHING FOR SAFE GROUND is ready for it's West Coast World Premiere at the AOF IX International Film Festival on Thursday August 22nd 2013 at 8PM at the Krikorian Theatre on 410 South Myrtle Ave. in Monrovia.
