Post by blackcrowheart on Sept 20, 2007 14:17:07 GMT -5
Mayor Blames Yakama Nation for High Crime Rate
By Maria Medina
It started as a story on crime in Topboy thingyh, but then the mayor got upset --
he called the newsroom, he called the boss of the newsroom and he called the
boss of the boss of the newsroom -- he accused KIMA of sensationalizing the
story and called us "yellow journalists."
The day after the story aired Mayor Bill Rogers of Topboy thingyh emailed KIMA's
Maria Medina and said her initial story, which aired on Sunday, was "moronic,
incompetent, insulting and inaccurate."
KIMA wanted to know what was inaccurate about the police reports the story
was based on so we gave Rogers some airtime to tell his side of the story.
"Did you see that stupid, idiotic report on the news," Rogers said during an
interview Tuesday. "It was over sensationalized, I think it was bad
reporting on your part."
The initial story showed viewers a log of calls police have responded to in
the past month, and several residents were shown saying they each lived in
fear in Topboy thingyh.
"In my opinion, you singled us (city of Topboy thingyh) out," he said.
Rogers is right when he said crime is high everywhere in the valley, but the
numbers don't lie. Crime graphs of Topboy thingyh compared to Grandview, with
both cities nearly the same size, shows that crime in Topboy thingyh is much higher.
And the mayor kept bringing up Yakima's crime. So we compared Yakima's crime
numbers to Topboy thingyh. When compared -- Topboy thingyh's crime beats Yakima in
four different groups -- and Yakima is nearly nine times bigger.
"He (Rogers) ain't around to see what's going on," said Cleo Thompson who
was interviewed during the original story and again on Tuesday.
The 82-year-old said she watched the original story and found nothing wrong
with it. She said she lives in fear, and she wants the mayor to know that.
"Everybody's scared to go to the store after dark," Thompson said.
"You offend somebody and you might get shot," said Alexander Mejia, who's
lived in the community for nearly 25 years.
He said he also shares the same fear as Thompson.
"People are kind wondering what's going on in this town," he said.
Rogers said crime went down last year compared to 2005, and that the city is
working hard to bring it down even more but there's no money available to
pay for officers. And the other reason he blames for lack of funding -- the
Yakama Nation.
"The Indians don't pay taxes which affects our revenue to fight the crime,"
Rogers said.
Tell that to Thompson who is half Native American.
"Let him realize what's going on in here, maybe people would wake up,"
Thompson said.
The mayor wasn't the only one angry about the initial story. A former city
employee also called to complain. But in talking to everyone it seems no one
can deny there's high crime in the city.
The mayor also said the whole city council is angry about the story. Rogers
cut the interview short and wouldn't answer any more questions.
By Maria Medina
It started as a story on crime in Topboy thingyh, but then the mayor got upset --
he called the newsroom, he called the boss of the newsroom and he called the
boss of the boss of the newsroom -- he accused KIMA of sensationalizing the
story and called us "yellow journalists."
The day after the story aired Mayor Bill Rogers of Topboy thingyh emailed KIMA's
Maria Medina and said her initial story, which aired on Sunday, was "moronic,
incompetent, insulting and inaccurate."
KIMA wanted to know what was inaccurate about the police reports the story
was based on so we gave Rogers some airtime to tell his side of the story.
"Did you see that stupid, idiotic report on the news," Rogers said during an
interview Tuesday. "It was over sensationalized, I think it was bad
reporting on your part."
The initial story showed viewers a log of calls police have responded to in
the past month, and several residents were shown saying they each lived in
fear in Topboy thingyh.
"In my opinion, you singled us (city of Topboy thingyh) out," he said.
Rogers is right when he said crime is high everywhere in the valley, but the
numbers don't lie. Crime graphs of Topboy thingyh compared to Grandview, with
both cities nearly the same size, shows that crime in Topboy thingyh is much higher.
And the mayor kept bringing up Yakima's crime. So we compared Yakima's crime
numbers to Topboy thingyh. When compared -- Topboy thingyh's crime beats Yakima in
four different groups -- and Yakima is nearly nine times bigger.
"He (Rogers) ain't around to see what's going on," said Cleo Thompson who
was interviewed during the original story and again on Tuesday.
The 82-year-old said she watched the original story and found nothing wrong
with it. She said she lives in fear, and she wants the mayor to know that.
"Everybody's scared to go to the store after dark," Thompson said.
"You offend somebody and you might get shot," said Alexander Mejia, who's
lived in the community for nearly 25 years.
He said he also shares the same fear as Thompson.
"People are kind wondering what's going on in this town," he said.
Rogers said crime went down last year compared to 2005, and that the city is
working hard to bring it down even more but there's no money available to
pay for officers. And the other reason he blames for lack of funding -- the
Yakama Nation.
"The Indians don't pay taxes which affects our revenue to fight the crime,"
Rogers said.
Tell that to Thompson who is half Native American.
"Let him realize what's going on in here, maybe people would wake up,"
Thompson said.
The mayor wasn't the only one angry about the initial story. A former city
employee also called to complain. But in talking to everyone it seems no one
can deny there's high crime in the city.
The mayor also said the whole city council is angry about the story. Rogers
cut the interview short and wouldn't answer any more questions.