Jaque wrote on Jul 30, 2008 8:42 PM:This is cool. Thanks Jack for helping out our older folks!

to the three stooges wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:26 PM:I hope the stooges didn't show up at this ceremony because if I recall right, Gallo and Abed doesn't want homeless in Escondido; even they shot down the shelter during a cold winter. they believe that homeless are a horrible thing for this city.
I really hope that they did not have the nerve to showed up!
thanks Mr. Raymond for showing this heartless politician how things are done.

Darlene wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:42 PM:Thank you Jack for your dedication to the elderly...Interfaith community services is so wonderful also...I've never seen anything like it in my life,
They have helped my son and I for several years..We still need them on occasion. Thank to all :) :)

theres a bright side on everything even in Escondido wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:44 PM:thanks Jack for teaching all of us the real meaning of love, I hope our city councilmembers are taking note of this.

light in a dark place wrote on Jul 31, 2008 12:51 AM:this is what we need in this city full of hate,somebody who show our city councils about love and tolerance.
Jack we need people like you on city hall!

EscoWatchDog wrote on Jul 31, 2008 3:17 AM:Great job! I support our residents even if they are poor. We need to help our community not drive them out of the city.

It would be very hypocritical if the trio showed up to this one.

Native wrote on Jul 31, 2008 6:48 AM:Jack Raymond represents everything that is good. Thank you Mr. Raymond.

Escondeeter wrote on Jul 31, 2008 9:48 AM:Those opining about city officials really should develop at least some slight acquaintance with the facts.

The City Council has consistently supported residential care for the homeless. The winter shelter issue arose because Interfaith, after agreeing to devote its efforts to long-term care and to rotate its temporary shelter services around the county so that no one community would be impacted by having large amounts of the 'homeless by choice' suddenly come to town, decided to try to back out of the deal at the last minute.

The Council didn't permit them to back out, so as a result the winter shelter function was shared by other communities that year. We did our part, other communities did theirs. The homeless were not "thrown out on the streets".

It was the City Council that put together the comprehensive regional shelter program that worked perfectly last winter, and provided not only shelter services but rehabilitation services to the homeless. So, it's absolutely appropriate for the Council to be present at this kind of event. This is the sort of approach they've supported all along, while the elected officials of several other communities have taken the 'bus 'em to Escondido' approach.

What isn't appropriate is for a small group of leftists from the coast to mis-state the evidence and rewrite history in their efforts to demonize Escondido's elected officials. I guess they're still bitter because they actually had to exercise some of that "compassion" they kept preaching to us about and deal with their own vagrants for a few months.

What's particularly interesting is that all these attacks on the ethnic makeup of our community started the day after those "pro diversity" liberals didn't get their way. I thought these were the guys who believed diversity is our strength.

Thanks Jack Family wrote on Jul 31, 2008 10:41 AM:I agree; Jack is a selfless angel! Hope the new residents are required to pay their way though. Ms Somers worked, so must be collecting SS and probably disability for depression? Likely her depression should lift now that she has a clean, safe home? The hole in this story (for me) is where is her family? Is she someone's grandma, sister, aunt, mother? She has a driver's license and a college degree. Put her skills to work! Thanks again Jack.

Isnt it interesting wrote on Jul 31, 2008 12:54 PM:How ironic it must be to some in the community for Jack Raymond to do the wonderful things he and his family have done for our city! A former chairman of the much-maligned Chamber of Commerce, a past president of the effete Escondido Rotary Club, and a developer! All targets of scorn on the part of the Citizens chamber thing or whatever that gang of gadflies calls itself. One thing for sure: No community has a better social patriot than Escondido does with Jack Raymond among our citizenry. I also find interesting all the blogs flogging the council members when, in fact, the story had nothing to do with what the council majority did or didn't do. Clearly these blogs are turning into political campaign plants by Lord only knows who.

Local wrote on Jul 31, 2008 1:17 PM:As I remember, it was these council members who championed the opening of Merle's Place, as a home for disabled veterans. I guess the lefties need a bit more education before they attempt another biased blog blitz. A class in remedial English might help too.

Karl wrote on Jul 31, 2008 1:28 PM:Well said "Isnt it interesting", well said.

To take away from Jack's huge heart by complaining about the current council is very petty. Thank You Jack. With all the shots taken at the current council now and councils in years past it is a miracle the Jack and the many people like him in our city bother to "keep on keepin' on". I know for a fact that Jack has many peers in this city that try hard to do what Jack has accomplished. Personally I will only take seriously people that have walked in Jack's shoes and ignore the cheap shots from people who's only function on this site is to blame someone for not doing enough for them or their personal cause.

Peace to all

to the stooges wrote on Jul 31, 2008 2:24 PM:I'm sure Escondeeter is ...trying to cover his dirty back,because ...doesn't have the brains to write something like that; and just a reminder,yes during the coldest week of a winter the stooges forced the Salvation Army to close its emergency winter shelter but thanks to a lot of us,they were forced to re-opened again and a lot of the things that happen in Escondido are because they're not involved or they're force to do it; either by court or by the public.
sorry Mr Raymond for taking this space to write the true,but I take my hat off for you and all the great people that made it happened...

new council needed wrote on Jul 31, 2008 2:34 PM:Escondeeter wrote: "we did our part" ; so you blew your cover Abed.
Raymond had showed a great lesson to all of us; what Abed is doing with the profits of his overpriced gasoline?

Karl wrote on Jul 31, 2008 3:41 PM:new council needed @ 2:34pm.

Go ahead and run for council or back a candidate by walking the city backing one. Taking cheap shots on this site is very easy for arm chair quarterbacks like you.

I am not in any way affiliated with any candidate running for a seat in Escondido. I am however tired of cheap shots taken on this site by folks who can access a website but cannot back up their talk by walking the walk.

I personally considered running for a council seat years ago because I wanted to make a difference here in Escondido. My family talked me out of it for the very reason exhibited by your post. If you have a problem with the way this city is run, please jump up and do what any of our current or past council members have done. Put your cajones out there on the chopping block instead of hiding behind this blog.

Put up or sit down.

Karl

januaryM wrote on Jul 31, 2008 4:40 PM:BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!
Jack Raymond.

OlgaD wrote on Jul 31, 2008 5:08 PM:I think "To the Stooges" needs to stop being so negative. The council is doing a fine job with these issues.

reality hurts wrote on Jul 31, 2008 7:34 PM:the council is destroying our city and its credibility.