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# A city with issues
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-city-with-issues-editor/
- Published: 2006-09-21T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:25:18.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

*By Lori Emerson Santa Monica*

In response to the Melrose Sprague’s follow up letter, (SMDP, Sept. 18, page 4). First of all, Save-On/CVS, both on a local management and regional corporate level, has no interest whatsoever in addressing complaints relating to their store in the 1400 block of Lincoln Boulevard. I e-mailed the corporate offices and like Ms. Sprague, received no response.

The answer to the crime problem at Save-On/CVS is to stay completely away from the store until they clean it up. Ms. Sprague just shouldn’t go there anymore. It’s as simple as that.

No one that values life or limb should buy anything at that store. Maybe, just maybe, if the manager, Mr. Enoch has to explain a 90 percent or more drop in sales, someone at the corporate office will take notice. Mr. Enoch and regional management must think that the booze and cigarettes that they sell to the bums will keep their doors open. Over time, I think not. Who wants to shop at a store that encourages crime and the beating of grandmothers in front of their grandchildren? Not me.

As for Ms. Sprague being accosted by the same bum that assaulted her previously at the same location, under the guise of a meaningless “Stay Away” order, who is surprised by this? There are never any consequences for the bums who break laws here — that’s the way our city leaders want it. Our new homeless court will perpetuate the lawlessness, coddling these lazy, belligerent losers, enabling them to continue injuring law abiding citizens and tourists.

The police have no reason to arrest the criminals when they know that the city attorney won’t lift a finger to prosecute them. One could have hoped that Ms. Sprague’s assailant would have been detained for some period of time. The truth is that the police probably held the bum just long enough to provide him with a free meal. There’s something wrong with a system that feeds and strengthens an assailant, enabling him to return, fed and refreshed, to the scene of the crime, ready to injure the same person again, whose tax dollars bought him lunch. The victim’s tax dollars also paid for a useless legal system that did absolutely nothing to punish her attacker.

Who’s running this city anyway?

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 21, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/092106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)