SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Dori: Olympia closes Artesian Commons Park to the public, but not to the drug-addicted vagrants?

Aug 25, 2018, 7:55 AM

Artesian Commons Park, homeless...

The City of Olympia has shut down Artesian Commons Park due to the large amount of violence and health emergencies that have taken place there since it opened in 2014. (KIRO 7)

(KIRO 7)

Artesian Commons Park in Olympia is going to be closed indefinitely because of concerns for staff and public safety. According to a press release, park-goers and park staff have witnessed and been victim to “violent incidents, verbal altercations, nuisance behaviors, and mental health emergencies” since it opened in 2014.

You know what this is? This is the chickens coming home to roost here. The City of Olympia has been so pathetic in dealing with the homeless, drug-addicted vagrants who are on their streets. Olympia has been so accepting of increased violence from Antifa and all these goons running around the city.

What I don’t understand is why the restrooms in Artesian Commons Park will still be kept open. If they’re keeping the bathroom open, are they doing that so the drug addicts will still have a place to shoot up, but so that a park is closed to the public? This doesn’t make sense to me. Why not just arrest the people who are violent? Wouldn’t that be similar than closing down a park that the public seems to enjoy? We’re letting the inmates run the asylum around here. We’re letting the tail wag the dog.

RELATED: Olympia bowling alley declares ‘open season’ on tweakers

We should just punish the people who are causing the problems, clean up the parks, and leave them open to the public, instead of letting drug addicts take over the entire region. But again, this is an extension of the extreme liberal “tolerance” of the city government down in Olympia.

I have heard from so many business owners in Olympia who are fed up with the criminals taking over the streets. They’re just honest business people trying to make a living, but they suffer because violence runs rampant. I’ve heard from cops down in Olympia who have had it with the lack of support for law enforcement. The people who have taken over the place are knee-jerk, hateful, and anti-cop, and it’s a tough place to be a police officer.

This is the natural extension of the pathetic, ineffectual lack of leadership from local governments. In Olympia, I’m usually talking about the state government, but in this case I’m talking about the city. They have let this go unchecked for far too long.

Further north, the Seattle City Council has announced that it will enforce noise ordinances in the city, mostly at Alki. The new regulation is that if you can hear a motorcycle or unmuffled car from a certain distance away, they will write you up a citation. You are letting people shoot up heroin in our parks without any punishment. You are letting people pitch tents in our parks without any enforcement. But if someone is riding their Harley at night, you’re going to take a stand against them?

Just like with the park in Olympia, Seattle would rather punish its honest citizens while letting the criminals take over the streets and parks. Now look, I’m okay with noise ordinances. I’m not okay with prioritizing that before we go after the heroin users and illegal campers in our parks. It’s disgusting — it’s absolutely disgusting.

Television networks set up before President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, China's Preside...

Associated Press

A White House press ban was lifted this week. But the tensions and legal battle aren’t over yet

Journalists from three news outlets that President Donald Trump banned from White House grounds are back at the executive complex with TV cameras, laptops and microphones in hand. But the legal battle between Trump and some of the media that cover him is far from over. Here are some things to know about the White […]

28 minutes ago

denny blaine park seattle...

John Curley Show

Seattle Parks seeks public input on Denny Blaine Park redesign after court orders changes

Seattle Parks and Recreation is redesigning Denny Blaine Park, and the department wants input from neighbors and community members before redevelopment begins.

1 hour ago

Thurston County power outages...

Julia Dallas

More than 50,000 people without power in Thurston County, crews working on transmission lines

More than 50,000 people are without power in Thurston County.

1 hour ago

Arlington police...

MyNorthwest Staff

Arlington police seize pellet gun at middle school

Arlington police are investigating a report that a student may have had a gun at Haller Middle School.

2 hours ago

FILE - Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and former Prime Minister of...

Associated Press

From Gaza to Sudan to Nepal, more than 500 million children are in desperate need of education

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — In a stifling sixth grade classroom in war-torn Sudan, a very motivated teacher was giving a lesson to 120 very committed children. Among them: an 18-year-old girl uprooted three years ago by fighting, forced into marriage and motherhood too soon, but determined to finish her education. That wasn’t all, Maysa Jalbout, […]

2 hours ago

super load marysville...

Chris Sullivan

Super load stuck on I-5 south in Marysville should move tonight

A truck carrying a massive pre-fab building has been parked along the southbound I-5 ramp at 88th St. in Marysville for three days.

2 hours ago

Dori: Olympia closes Artesian Commons Park to the public, but not to the drug-addicted vagrants?