• Wildomar Conversations: 4 Keith Johnson

Meet Keith Johnson. 

Keith Johnson at his place of employment, The Anchor.

He went into the Army at age 19. He spent fourteen years in the California Army National Guard with a rank of Sgt E5. He was discharged in 2016 and then opted to pursue a musical career in a band in the Lake Elsinore area. 

Things didn't work out as he'd planned, and within six months of that move he found himself homeless. He'd lost his place to live, his car, his family photos and records... he was on the streets of Lake Elsinore.

In 2018 he attempted a 90 day course of rehab, but only made it about 55 days before he headed back out to the street. It was about a year later that he first encountered SWAG. That occured at the lake bottom in Lake Elsinore. 

Three different looks of Keith; then, then and now.

It was around that time that local law enforcement changed their approach to homelessness and started arresting people for warrants, paraphernalia, trespassing, and other things that go unchecked in places like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Keith was arrested for trespassing multiple times and paraphernalia. Each time that happened SWAG was there to offer help. They knew who he was and had taken his information multiple times. Eventually, after six years of being homeless, he walked to The Anchor seeking help on his own. 

Click to read more about The Anchor

Keith has now had a year away from the streets 

He has goals and desires. He was able to reach this level by saying "yes" to help. Something he wasn't ready for earlier, but with persistence from the community partners of SWAG, RSO and code enforcement, he took that big first step and is well on his way to being an asset to the community. 

Please take a look at the interview with Wildomar Councilwoman Bridgette Moore to get a more complete picture. Note: the original video ran more than 20 minutes. I pared it down to a little over 10 minutes. 

I know that Keith credits Gloria Strippling and Ashlee Dephillippo for their help, but also the entire "SWAG tribe" as he referred them, in his success.

Though homeless individuals need food along with things like clean socks, clothes and even fresh shoes fairly regularly, it's counterproductive to hand them cash. Cash generally is used for one thing: Drugs or alcohol. 

If you're so moved as to want to donate money, seriously consider what it's going to be used for and seek out a trusted local organization, such as SWAG, to give the money to instead. This is where the well worn phrase comes into play, give a hand up, not a hand out.

What homeless people, or addicts, need the most is to know that there are people that sincerely care and CAN help. Not just clothes and food.

— Keith Johnson

Joseph Morabito and Keith Johnson.
Even with my super foofy hair, I'm still much shorter than Keith.

Below is a video regarding The Anchor. 

As an aside, "Say Yes" is a recently proposed campaign in the quest to assist chronic homeless people in getting off the streets put forth by Lake Elsinore City Councilwoman Natasha Johnson. 

• Press Release: Suspect Arrested in Connection to Multiple Burglaries

RSO press release regarding an arrest made using FLOCK to help solve a burglary series to several of our local businesses on Clinton Keith. 

Details from the press release:

K’John Henry Sands

Between the dates of February 14 -16, of 2022, multiple after hours business burglaries occurred, within the cities of Lake Elsinore, Wildomar and Temecula. The Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station -Special Enforcement Team (SET) assumed the investigation.

During the extensive investigation, K’John Henry Sands, 21-years-old, resident of Compton, was identified as the suspect in the burglaries. March 10, 2022, The Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station SET, arrested Sands and booked him into Cois Byrd Detention Center for numerous burglary related charges.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Investigator Mills at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station (951) 245-3300.

As a reminder, "Community Policing" involves partnerships between law enforcement and community members. Business owners and residents are encouraged to report criminal activity directly to law enforcement by calling Sheriff's Dispatch at (951) 776-1099, or by calling 911 if the matter is an emergency.

For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.

Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Jeff Reese

File # L220470015/16 - WI220470005/13 - TE220470010/12/15/17/0121

Wildomar Rap opinion time

There was some skepticism when it came to the city joining in the FLOCK camera system which is being employed throughout the SWRivCo region. There were concerns dealing with civil liberties.

I'm known to tout my "libertarian leanings" but do not believe our civil liberties cover any semblance of "privacy" when in public places and especially not when real crimes are committed. 

Though I know that our civil liberties are the most important things we have (just look what the government of Canada did to people that were peacefully protesting against a specific set of their actions), I'm not of the all or nothing mindset. Shades of gray do exist, and this is great news that I hope to see repeated over and over in solving crimes... including illegal dumping. 

If you're not sure, please do some investigation before popping off, this is not Big Brother.

Below is a video from November 2021 where Sheriff Chad Bianco discusses FLOCK cameras.