Nevin Manimala

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 14: A view of the store during the Jetblack Summer Shopping Cocktail Night event on May 14, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Jetblack)

Getty Images for Jetblack

The hits just keep on coming. At the recent Walmart associates and shareholders meeting a few weeks ago, Marc Lore, President and CEO of E-Commerce Walmart U.S., got up on stage and shared some new statistics on the performance of Jetblack, Walmart’s concierge commerce initiative for wealthy Manhattanites.

While Lore’s comments were only seconds in duration, the media, as is typical with anything Walmart-related, made short work of producing some enticing clickbait off of his words.

Headlines abounded like:

All sounds amazing, right?

Wrong.

Dig deeper and one finds that the data Lore shared was so charcoal grey in clarity that even Robert McNamara would rollover in his grave.

The shared statistics and the subsequent reports conjured up memories of McNamara’s famous claim, after he returned from an early trip to Vietnam. “Every quantitative measurement we have shows we are winning this war,” McNamara once said.

On the surface, McNamara’s words likely sounded great and reassuring at the time, but in reality his claim said quite little.

It is the same situation with Lore’s recent Jetblack announcement.

The piece of information that the media used as source material was that of one single line Lore uttered at the meeting, specifically him saying, “More than two-thirds of Jetblack members engage with us weekly, spending on average $1,500 per month.”

That’s it. In the entire speech, that was Lore’s summation of Jetblack. Yet, the headlines make it sound like Jetblack is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Read the statement carefully though, parse it out, and ask yourself, “What does it really say?”

Just like McNamara’s purported statistics about the Vietnam War, Lore’s statement about Jetblack is constructed in such a way that it too reveals nothing.

The headlines would have you believe that the average customer is spending $1,500/month with Jetblack, which is incorrect.

The above statement only says that two-thirds of members are spending that much money. It says nothing of the full size of Jetblack’s total user base, the dispersion of average spends within the identified population segment, month over month customer growth, or even how many Walmart products customers are purchasing (yes, fun fact, Jetblack is a concierge service, so customers are not even required to purchase Walmart products).

Reporting a statistic like this onstage is the same as a basketball coach saying, “In the fourth quarter of games, we outscore our opponents by a whopping 15 points!”

Well, yeah, because the other team always pulls its starters.

There has to be more to it, right?

Nope.

In order to find out and to gather as much supporting information as possible, I reached out to a Walmart spokesperson with the following questions:

• Is the average monthly spend $1,500 or is the $1,500 the average spend for the two-thirds of the membership base that engages with the brand weekly?
• If the above is the latter, what is the real average monthly spend across the membership base?
• What percent of the items requested on average or amongst the engaged members on average are purchased from Walmart vs. other retailers?
• How many monthly members does Jetblack now have?
• If you cannot tell me how many members, can you tell me a range? Like 1,000? 10,000 to 20,000?
• I noticed there is still mention of a waitlist – how big is the wait list? (author’s note — many of the articles stated above mentioned a waitlist)
• How has membership increased month-to-month or on an average basis per month since Jetblack’s launch? (author’s note — Jetblack is now approximately one year in existence)
• Any plans to roll Jetblack out more broadly beyond NYC?

All the above are legitimate questions that would shed amazing light on Jetblack and also bring no negative repercussions in answering them either, especially since the headlines have already drawn attention to the initiative anyway!

Yet, the response I received was tepid. The spokesperson did confirm that my reading of the sentence structure was indeed correct — i.e. that only two-thirds of Jetblack members spend $1,500 on average — and then directed me to minute 54:00 of the below video of Marc Lore’s presentation at the shareholders meeting where Lore gives the same single line about Jetblack mentioned above.

I was also told an additional piece of information that I did not ask, namely that Jetblack members purchase an average of 10 items per week, but that piece of information is just as problematic as Lore’s statements at the meeting because it also has no other context surrounding it. It says nothing of the average retail per item, the type of item, the retailer of origin for the items, or again the total user base size. It too is surface level at best.

Ultimately, no answers were provided to any of the questions I asked above. The only gain was the confirmation of my suspicions about the factual basis of Lore’s statement itself, and therefore the fog of war surrounding Jetblack is still about as thick as chunky peanut butter.

No further clarity was shed on questions like —  if Jetblack is so successful, why is there still a waitlist? Or, why is Jetblack still only in Manhattan, when, ironically and in the very same week, Lore also announced a new in home grocery delivery pilot, with an equally grey amount of detail, that is starting in three cities right out of the gate?

Or, is it that the economics and the outside Manhattan potential of Jetblack just aren’t there?

There is no way to know either way.

Taken together, the non-answers to these questions, along with the announcement of Jet.com’s absorption into Walmart last week, combined with other questionable Lore-supported niche plays like training your dragon VR in Walmart parking lots (also highlighted in the video above) and wildly ludicrous ideas like Lord & Taylor being the poster child for a virtual mall strategy, all raise red flags and also point to a much greater potential issue down the road — the possibility of a growing “credibility gap” for Lore.

A credibility gap is what formed between McNamara and the public over time. No one knew what to believe in his statements as time passed. The same could easily happen here with Walmart, both with employees and investors, if it is not careful.

McNamara did not own up to his mistakes until 1995, when he admitted in his memoir that his decisions were “wrong, terribly wrong.” At what point will Lore do the same? Is that time now? Will it come? Is there even anything for which Lore should own up?

No one really knows amid all the masterful spin.

As they say, pride comes before the fall, and transparency always wins the day. This piece is therefore in no way an indictment. Just a call to action for plain language and a chance to clear the air and to set the record straight.

Further silence and additional cryptic phraseology will only widen the credibility gap and make the case stronger over time. The case that maybe, just maybe, the bite of Lore’s innovation initiatives is nothing compared to the bark.

Municipal Court

WAYNE COUNTY

� Alexas Black, 21, 821 Wilson Ave., Wooster, was fined $100 for no operator’s license.

� Robby L. Blanchard, 40, 9786 Martin Road, West Salem, was fined $500 for attempt to commit assault. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and may have no contact with victim or victim’s property. He must complete the MRT-DV program and complete an alcohol assessment

� Cara L. Boggs, 37, 44 Salt St., Rittman, was fined $250 for falsification. She must perform 20 hours of community service.

� Amanda J. Brownfield, 34, Mansfield, was fined $200 for driving under suspension.

� James A. Carr, 33, 385 Liberty St., Shreve, was fined $100 for driving under suspension.

� Victoria Cook, 21, 2633 Eastwood Drive, Wooster, was fined $500 for petty theft. She must perform 40 hours of community service and obtain/maintain employment or full-time schooling. She must complete the TARP program.

� Kayla M. Crawford, 20, Westerville, was fined $500 for prohibitions for minors under 21 years of age. She must perform 60 hours of community service and complete an alcohol assessment.

� Michele E. Croskey, 47, 4400 Melrose Drive, Wooster, was fined $100 for having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

� Jose J. Diaz, 31, 350 E. Henry St., Wooster, was fined $150 for no operator’s license.

� Mickey Eagle, 27, 1772 Normandy Drive, Wooster, was fined $150 for possession of drug paraphernalia and must complete a drug assessment.

� Jonathan B. English II, 25, 153 Billiar St., Wooster, was fined $350 for domestic violence. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail with credit for three days served. He may serve the remaining 57 days under electronically monitored house arrest. He must perform 80 hours of community service, complete an alcohol assessment, anger management counseling and obtain/ maintain gainful employment.

� Michael D. Evans, 21, 1684 Mechanicsburg Road, Wooster, was fined $300 for a wildlife violation.

� Sebastian T. Facemire, 19, 555 Nold Ave., Wooster, was fined $100 for no operator’s license; $35 for fictitious license plates; and $35 for a turn/ stop signal violation.

� Nicholas F. Fazio, 23, Streetsboro, was fined $150 for reckless operation and $100 for speeding. His driver’s license was suspended for one year.

� Kevin D. Fields, 59, 205 Massaro Ave., Wooster, was fined $150 for driving under suspension. On a separate charge of driving under suspension, he was fined $150.

� John A. Gajovski, 32, 14740 Oak Grove Drive, Doylestown, was fined $150 for domestic violence and a $100 fine was waived for disorderly conduct. He must complete an alcohol/ drug assessment, anger management counseling and obtain/ maintain employment.

� Tia M. Gajovski, 34, 3012 Armstrong Drive, Wooster, was fined $150 for possession of drug paraphernalia. She must write an obituary and a letter to a child. She must complete an alcohol/ drug assessment.

� Juanita R. Good, 47, 106 Peake Court, Creston, was fined $100 for driving under suspension/ revocation. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail. She was fined $100 on each of two additional charges of driving under suspension/ revocation and was sentenced to 30 days in jail on each of those charges. The jail terms are to be served consecutively on the three charges.

� James W. Graham Jr., 39, Ashland, was fined $100 for criminal trespass. He must perform 20 hours of community service and may have no further incidents at the Palm House apartments.

� James E. Graham, 50, 209 Chateau Circle, Orrville, was fined $150 for driving under a Financial Responsibility Act suspension.

� Cody E. Hann, 30, 161 E. Park St., Rittman, was fined $200 for criminal damaging. He must pay $250 restitution. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and may serve 27 of those days under electronically monitored house arrest. He must perform 100 hours of community service. He must complete an alcohol/ drug assessment and obtain a mental health assessment.

� Erik P. Hanna, 20, 9049 County Road 318, Shreve, was fined $100 for speeding.

� Derrek M. Hershberger, 25, 13089 Burton City Road, Orrville, was fined $150 for failure to reinstate his license and costs only for no operator’s license and driving under suspension.

� Trent L. Hyer Jr., 26, Grafton, was fined $125 for turn/stop signal violation.

� Michelle Kellwood, 38, 1440 E. Smithville-Western, Wooster, was fined $150 for disorderly conduct.

� Debra L. Kuneman, 59, 2175 E. Messner Road, Wooster, was fined $250 for arson. She may not use or possess alcohol or be in any places alcohol is served. She must perform 25 hours of community service and must complete an alcohol assessment.

� Kristal N. Lawrence, 26, Mansfield, was fined $400 for speeding. She must perform 40 hours of community service, complete a remedial driving course and have no moving violations for one year.

� Keyontae J. L. Legette, 24, 978 Mindy Lane, Wooster, was fined $150 for driving under a FRA suspension.

� Jacinto M C. Marcos, 21, Dover, was fined $600 for driving under a FRA suspension.

� Dean R. Markley, 51, 511 S. Walnut St., Orrville, was fined $250 for obstructing official business. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, which may be served under electronically monitored house arrest.

� Madison M. Markley, 21, 265 Meadow Ridge Trail, Doylestown, was fined $150 and her driver’s license was suspended for one year for a non-waiverable speeding offense.

� Candace J. Martin, 42, 8533 Emerson Road, Apple Creek, was fined $250 for failure to reinstate a license; $200 for failure to reinstate a license (fine waived); $200 for driving under a FRA suspension (fine waived); and $50 for turn/ stop signal violation.

� Leona A. Mast, 33, 10131 Non Pariel Road, Fredericksburg, was fined $200 for obstructing official business and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. She may not use or possess alcohol or be in an places where alcohol is served. She will be subject to alcohol monitoring. She must complete an alcohol assessment.

� Kaylen E. Matos, 24, Columbus, was fined $125 for possession or marijuana. He was fined $600 and his driver’s license was suspended for 12 months for driving while intoxicated; $100 for following too closely; and $50 for no operator’s license. On the DWI charge he was sentenced to three days in jail. He must complete an alcohol/ drug assessment.

� Paul F. McCoy, 46, 14981 Seville Road, Sterling, was fined $150 for driving under suspension/ revocation.

� Mary G. McLean, 59, 2700 Cleveland Road, Wooster, was fined $100 for possession of marijuana.

� Roy Nolan, 72, 1806 Gasche St., Wooster, was fined $250 for failure to confine a dog.

� Crystal G. Osborn, 42, 1466 Secrest Road, Wooster, was fined $200 for driving under suspension.

� Keontae R. Owens, 21, 1700 W. Church St., Orrville, was fined $200 for driving under a FRA suspension

� Gail E. Peck, 31, 8104 Fulton Ave., Sterling, was fined $250 for driving under suspension/ nonpayment.

� Grady W. Perry, 37, 48 Maple St., Apple Creek, was fined $150 for possession of marijuana and $150 for possession of drug paraphernalia.

� Kristy L. Renner, 42, 281 North St., Rittman, was fined $100 for unauthorized plates.

� Brooke C. Riley, 25, 1407 Lafayette Drive, Orrville, was fined $150 for driving under a FRA suspension.

� Geronimo M. Rodriquez, 33, 8273 Pleasant Home Road, West Salem, was fined $250 for driving without a valid license and $35 for failure to yield at a stop sign.

� Christina D. Rouse, 40, 507 West Liberty St., Wooster, was fined $350 for driving under suspension/ nonpayment.

� Michael D. Schemrich, 20, 2830 E. Easton Road, Creston, was fined $150 and his driver’s license was suspended for one year for a non-waiverable speed offense.

� Robert L. Starkey, 31, 513 Spink St., Wooster, was fined $250 for driving without a valid license.

� Patricia K. Steiner, 65, 10760 Porr Road, Marshallville, was fined $150 for speeding in a school zone.

� Nicholas A. Stevens, 24, 8189 State Route 83, Holmesville, was fined $250 for driving under a FRA suspension and $36 for speeding.

� Peter J. Swank, 40, 1118 Kieffer St., Wooster, was fined $500 for domestic violence and another $500 fine for domestic violence was waived. He was sentenced to 90 days on each of the two charges, to be served consecutively, and was credited for one day already served on each of the charges.

� Joy G. Venegas, 38, Lancaster, Ohio, was fined $150 for speeding.

� Tanner J. Wagner, 30, 454 Park Drive, Wooster, was fined $350 for petty theft. He must make $599 restitution. He was sentenced to 153 days in jail with credit for 53 days already served.

� Emerald S. Webb, 39, Canton, was fined $100 for speed, non-waiverable.

� Rancy G. Wharton, 58, 4232 Eastern Road, Doylestown, was fined $150 for attempted domestic violence. He must continue counseling and may not use or possess alcohol.

� Donald W. Woodrum, 36, 17 Electric St., Seville, was fined $350 for obstructing official business. He was sentenced to 80 days in jail. For disorderly conduct he was fined $50.

� Juan Zambrano, 51, 110 N. West Lebanon Road, Dalton, was fined $250 for driving under a FRA suspension.

DUI

WAYNE COUNTY

� Prairie A. Abbott, 33, 849 N. Main St., Shreve, was fined $750 and her driver’s license was suspended for 18 months for driving with a breath alcohol content over 0.17. She was sentenced to six days in jail and may serve three of those days in a 72-hour treatment program. She must complete an alcohol assessment, obtain/maintain employment and may not use, consume or possess alcohol or be in any place where the primary purpose of the business is the distribution of alcohol.

� Hayden J. Banbury, 26, Perrysville, was fined $1,000 and his driver’s license was suspended for four years for driving with a breath alcohol content over 0.17, second offense in 10 years. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and may serve 40 of those days under electronically monitored house arrest. He must perform 80 hours of community service, complete an alcohol and drug assessment and obtain/ maintain gainful employment.

� Eddie Dorsey, 57, 110 N. West Lebanon Road, Dalton, was fined $50 and his driver’s license was suspended for two years for driving while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 20 days in jail with 10 of those days to be served under electronically monitored house arrest. He must perform 80 hours of community service and must complete an alcohol assessment and must obtain/ maintain employment. He was fined $50 for failure to obey a traffic control device and $50 for failure to operated on the right half of the road.

� Hannah M. Lauro, 22, 15214 Hametown Road, Doylestown, was fined $600 and her driver’s license was suspended for one year for driving while intoxicated. She must perform 20 hours of community service and must complete an alcohol/ drug assessment. She may serve a mandatory three-day jail sentence by attending a 72-hour treatment program.

� Leslie L. Long, 36, 5122 Ogden Road, West Salem, was fined $600 and her driver’s license was suspended for one year for driving while intoxicated. She was sentenced to three days in jail, which may be served in a 72-hour treatment program. She must perform 20 hours of community service and complete an alcohol assessment.

� Cody A. Mickna, 21, 8046 Cleveland Road, Wooster, was fined $700 and his license was suspended for 18 months for driving with a breath alcohol content over 0.17. He was sentenced to six days in jail and may serve three of those days in a 72-hour treatment program. He must perform 40 hours of community service and complete an alcohol assessment.

 

Divorces

WAYNE COUNTY

� Brandy E.L. Pressler, 6887 Dover Road, Apple Creek from Emillee A. Pressler, St. Marie, Montana. They were married in 2018.

� Penny J. McFadden, 1876 Normandy Drive, Wooster from Steven J. Sticklemaier, Dunlap, Illinois. They were married in 2013.

� Heather Kennedy, 11563 Back Massillon Road, Orrville and Harold Kennedy, 1150 S. Kansas Road, Orrville. They were married in 1995.

� Christine A. McConahay, 3636 Crater Road, Wooster from Paul T. McConahay, same address. They were married in 1982.

 

Dissolutions

WAYNE COUNTY

� Cristy M. Portis, 5974 Cleveland Road, Wooster and Gregory W. Portis, 13752 Kaufman Ave., Sterling. They were married in 2007.

� Brian Sweigert, 14285 Kauffman Ave., Sterling and Christine Sweigert, same address. They were married in 1992.

� Clayton R. Evanich, 7178 Chippewa Road, Orrville and Angela M. Evanich, same address. They were married in 1997.

� Emily M. Carroll, 146 S. Market St., Wooster and Patrick Carroll, Ashland. They were married in 2017.

� Mary L. Speelman, 8558 County Road 373, Big Prairie and Jason P. Speelman, 4120 Columbus Road, Wooster. They were married in 2006.

� Jeffrey L. Pelot, 294 Decourcey St., Rittman and Rebecca L. Pelot, Wadsworth. They were married in 1993.

� Douglas R. Zimmerly, 8738 Fulton Road, Sterling and Genne R. Zimmerly, 599 Stonesthrow Drive, Wooster. They were married in 2003.

� Randy C. Butts, 6297 Cleveland Road, Wooster and Joan R. Butts, 3872 Todd Lane, Wooster. They were married in 1988.

 

Marriage licenses

Wayne County

� Jesse G. Weaver, 26, East Earl, Pennsylvania, teacher and Kristen E. Sommers, 25, 18738 Withrich Road, Dalton, unemployed.

� Perry A. Lanham Jr., 40, 5660 Force Road, Shreve, CNC machinist and Bernadine J. Koval, 50, same address, cleaning service.

� Benjamin L. Rood, 36, 2340 Cardinal Court, Wooster, fork lift operator, and Sarah E. Lake, 31, 2078 W. Smithville-Western Road, Wooster, store manager.

� Leon W. Yoder, 22, 7272 S. Carr Road, Fredericksburg, woodworking and Rosanna A. Kuhns, 22, 5719 Buss Road, Apple Creek, homemaker.

� Charles M. Russell, 28, 257 N. Honeytown Road, Wooster, logger and Abigail A. Thompson, 30, same address, counselor.

� Walter E. Meyer III, 25, Ashland, U.S. Army and Hannah A. Raber, 20, 3777 Spring Run Drive, Apple Creek, cosmetologist.

� Jeffrey A. Quinn, 25, Albuquerque, New Mexico, engineer and Anastasia M. Demor, 25, same address, teacher.

� Sean R. Sweeney, 31, 401 N. Buckeye St., Wooster, sales/ client management and Rachel A. Lewis, 22, same address, server/ student.

� Henry L. Zimmerman, 23, Greensburg, Indiana, lawn care and Jolene K. Steiner, 25, 12683 Emerson Road, Apple Creek, homemaker.

� Christopher L. Bennett, 24, 9 Jasmin Court, Rittman, truck driver and Kayla E. Shue, 21, same address, assembler.

� Monroe E. Miller, 22, 7872 County Road, Fredericksburg, wood worker and Anna R. Hershberger, 20, 6750 E. Moreland Road, Fredericksburg, homemaker.

� Eric D. Horst, 33, 2457 Ruble Drive, Wooster, sales associate and Jesse A. N. Gatchalian, 32, same address, RN.

� Steven A. Miller, 21, 7796 Frease Road, Fredericksburg, roofer and Kaitlyn R. Hochstetler, 19, 2700 Kidron Road, Orrville, secretary.

� Matthew L. Bender, 31, 327 1/2 N. Bever St., Wooster, warehouse worker and Jessica M. Perret-Welty, 25, same address, customer service rep.

� Blair T. Harper, 25, Lodi, banker and Monica R. Wacker, 24, 112 W. Buckeye St., West Salem, bank teller.

� Julius D. Woods, 35, 735 1/2 Spink St., Wooster, heavy equipment operator and Sarah A. Stelmarski, 33, same address, powder coater.

� Michael T.J. Morrison, 31, 11301 Hackett Road, Apple Creek, sales and Hannah M. Crosby, 27, same address, analyst.

� Charles R. Edgell, 227 E. South St., Shreve, CDL driver and Kelsey L. Buren, same address, office. (No ages given.)

� Brandi L. Ferrebee, 25, 6095 Back Orrville Road, Wooster, shift lead and Bethany R. Williams, 23, same address, customer service rep.

My article below is in response the DI Editorial Article June 8 on Rape Statistics showing an alarming 72% jump in rape statistics, and a News Review article on crime trends.

I would like to clarify my position on the rape statistics discussion during a recent budget planning meeting. First, I have a beautiful wife, daughter and granddaughter and I deplore any form of sexual misconduct against women, or men for that matter. I am a big proponent for the excellent job that our Women’s Center-High Desert, Inc. does and particularly their Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). Concerning the meeting, I did not initiate the topic, I was simply following up on alarming stats presented by our Police Chief, followed by several questions by a member of the audience. My concerns during the meeting dealt with clarification of statistics and in no way were my comments intended to minimize sexual assault of any kind. I was trying to determine the cause of this significant jump so that we could try to find a solution.

After the meeting, I asked the Chief to explain. He said, “Historically, rape was defined as forceful carnal knowledge.” In 2013, however, the California DOJ and FBI redefined and expanded the term rape making it more inclusive of many other sexual assaults as well. As a result, the statistics for rape naturally increased significantly nationwide, including Ridgecrest. The FBI article the Chief sent shows an almost 20% increase in reported rapes across the country since the new definition went into effect. But this still does not explain the big jump between 2017 and 2018?

Mayor Pro Tem Stephens during the meeting stated that rape is a rape no matter what, and I entirely agree. She also asked if the “# MeToo” movement could be encouraging victims to come forward leading to increased reporting. And the FBI article confirmed this fact as well. It has increased reporting significantly. In addition, according to the Chief at the meeting, he stated, “of that 31 (reported rapes in 2018) you have to remember that a large portion of those are unfounded…but we have to report it as such…. it’s a high percentage of people meeting people at establishments and the next day coming in and reporting the assault. That’s probably our number one….a large portion are unfounded.” Another point to consider is that high stats also reflect the excellent job that the Women’s Center-High Desert, Inc. and the hospital does in making sure that all rape cases are reported. Many other communities are lax in this area.

During the meeting, a member of the audience spoke up and inquired as to where these numbers come from. He asked, “are these rapes attributed to people the victim knows, or are they from out of town, and are all these claims thoroughly investigated and vetted, and is there a relationship to the homeless population.” I repeated several of his comments in the Mic because he had trouble walking to the podium. I was brainstorming and following up on his comments and considering the option of sub-bullets showing a breakdown of some sort, and this led to the idea of simply showing the percentage of those that were “confirmed” or “founded” versus just posting the larger alarming number “reported.” After the meeting, the Chief said he saw merit to this as well and said he would consider it.

After the meeting, I contacted the Women’s Center-High Desert, Inc. and I spoke at length to Carol Beecroft, CEO and Karin Stone, Director of Client Services to discuss this issue further. I have gained a much broader understanding of this issue and how the increased efforts in prevention have benefited our community. They also mentioned that, ”there are a number of reasons why this number can seem alarming. For example: minors/custody issues, and other medical/mental health issues.” In addition, the Women’s Center-High Desert, Inc. suggested that, “wherever this statistic is presented in the future, that at the bottom of the publication or slide, they would prepare a paragraph that defines this in more detail, so the public fully understands. They would also list a number for people to call their center.” I totally agreed and I asked the Police Chief to please make sure that next year’s slides reflect these suggestions providing a greater degree of public clarification. Lastly, they stated that Women’s Center-High Desert, Inc. and the Ridgecrest Police Department are committed to providing trauma-informed/victim-centered services to any person reporting a sexual assault regardless of the outcome.

In conclusion, if any of my brainstorming comments during the meeting were misconstrued, my apologies. My comments were intended to reflect a need for clarification, not minimization. In closing I would like to commend our Police Chief and his officers for working diligently to reduce the crime and rape in our town; and the excellent job of the Women’s Center-High Desert, Inc. and SART staff. Regardless of any statistics, ONE rape is too many! As a reminder, if anyone in town has an issue to report, please call the Women’s Center-High Desert, Inc. They are here to help 760-371-1969 (office) and (760) 375-0745 24-hour hotline.

— Wallace Martin is vice mayor for the City of Ridgecrest.

•••

The views expressed are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the official stance of the Daily Independent.

    On Thursday, June 6, Curtis Hall in Jamaica Plain hosted the monthly police and community relations meeting organized by District E-13 of the Boston Police Department (BPD).

    Every month, Officer William Jones from the Community Service Office and Captain John Greland use this meeting to update the community about local crime statistics from the previous month. They also take the opportunity to provide common sense advice for how to prevent crime in Jamaica Plain and to answer questions from community members. Also invited to these meetings are officials from MBTA’s Transit Police and Massachusetts State Police.

    This month, Sergeant John Dougherty stood in for his colleague Officer Jones. Sgt. Dougherty provided copies of a chart comparing the year-to-date Part One crime statistics from 2019 with those from 2018. Part One crimes are those that are more serious in nature, and do not include lesser crimes such as vandalism, drug dealing or possession of firearms.

    In order to better interpret the Part One crime statistics, it’s important to know the difference between robbery, burglary and larceny. Robbery is the taking of someone’s property directly from that person using intimidation or force. Burglary, also known as breaking and entering (or B&E in law enforcement shorthand), is unlawfully accessing a building with the intent to commit theft. Larceny deprives someone of their property but it doesn’t include force (like robbery) or breaking and entering (like burglary.) An example of larceny would be shoplifting, stealing items out of a car or picking someone’s pocket on a crowded subway train.

    According to Sgt. Dougherty’s chart, so far in 2019 there were 353 reported Part One crimes in Jamaica Plain, down from 423 this time last year, a 17% decrease. Crimes that saw an uptick in 2019 included rape and attempted, domestic aggravated assault and residential burglary. Crimes that have seen a decrease so far in 2019 compared to the same time period in 2018 included homicide, robbery and attempted, non-domestic aggravated assault, commercial burglary, other burglary, motor vehicle larceny, other larceny and auto theft.

    Sgt. Dougherty also provided a comprehensive list of the individual Part One crimes reported in the area the previous month, including the date, time and location of each incident.

    According to this list, the month of May saw ten burglaries (up from seven in April), six robberies (up from three in April), thirteen aggravated assaults (up from seven in April), five motor vehicle theft (up one in April), and 53 larcenies (up from 36 in April), one arson (up from zero in April). There were no reported incidents of rape, kidnapping or murder in April.

    On his handouts, Sgt. Dougherty wrote notes next to the major incidents, adding more context and detail than is available online. For example, we know that in four of the burglaries, there were no signs of a forced entry, which means that the access to the premises was not properly secured. In the past, Officer Jones has urged residents to properly secure their homes by locking all doors and windows when not home and leaving valuables out of sight from passers-by.

    “Our best advice is to get people thinking about crime as an opportunity and to collectively participate in removing as many opportunities as possible,” he told the Gazette.

            The police and community relations meeting is on the first Thursday of every month at 6:30pm at Curtis Hall at 20 South Street. However, the next meeting will be held on Thursday, August 1, due to the holiday July 4. A Spanish language version of this meeting is also held on the second Thursday of every month at 6:30pm at 155 Lamartine Street. The next Spanish-language meeting is Thursday, July 11. These meetings are open to the public and all interested residents are encouraged to attend.

Rabbi Andrew Baker believes the Jews of Europe today are experiencing a level of discrimination they could not have imagined 20 years ago.

An expert on European anti-Semitism and the director of international Jewish affairs at the American Jewish Committee, Baker addressed the topic at a forum held June 11 at San Francisco’s Congregation Emanu-El.

Notwithstanding some “pockets of Holocaust denial,” Baker said most Jews had “thought anti-Semitism was receding into history. Things are very different. It has re-emerged. And we have to be really clear-eyed, really focused, in understanding its sources, and how it presents itself.”

The forum, titled “The Rise of Anti-Semitism in America vs. Europe,” was organized and moderated by Gunda Trepp, a synagogue member and coordinator of an Emanu-El program that stages forums like this one. It included two short presentations by Baker, who is also a representative on anti-Semitism to the global NGO the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Seth Brysk, S.F.-based regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. 

Brysk used a slide presentation to reveal a number of harrowing statistics, among them that anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. have increased 48 percent since 2016. While the number has decreased over the past 40 years, 14 percent of Americans still hold anti-Semitic views, according to an ADL survey. Globally, the figure is 26 percent, or about 1 billion people.

“Jesus,” a woman gasped from the second row. 

Baker identified three ideological sources of European anti-Semitism today: the far right, Islamists, and the far left. On the right, it’s the populist, xenophobic and nationalist political parties, such as neo-Nazis and skinheads. On the left, Baker described anti-Semitism “wrapped in anti-Zionism,” and among immigrant Arab populations, some European cities like Paris and Brussels see strong anti-Israel sentiment.

In a survey of Jews who live in the European Union, 30 percent said they were afraid of going to synagogue for fear of “having an anti-Semitic encounter” on the way there, Baker said. “The problem is a severe one. It has impacted the way Jews live their day-to-day lives.”

In his work, Baker lobbies European governments to take the threat of anti-Semitism seriously, either by providing funding and manpower for security at Jewish centers, or by securing religious freedoms through legislation. It doesn’t always work.

He said lobbying officials in Copenhagen in 2014 for greater police presence in front of Jewish schools and synagogues was a challenge. “They said to me, ‘Rabbi Baker, we have a relaxed approach to security,” he said. “The public would feel uncomfortable if they saw armed guards. 

Months later, between February 14-15, 2015, a Muslim extremist attacked a cultural center and a synagogue in Copenhagen, killing two.

Anti-Jewish sentiment in Europe takes many forms, and differs based on region and culture, Baker said. In Scandinavia, for example, it may manifest as strongly secular political parties that place circumcision bans or regulations against Kosher slaughter. In Hungary and Romania, it comes from xenophobic, nationalist political parties that are rising to power.

“Here in America,” Baker said, “we would think the basic principles of religious freedom should protect those rights” of ritual slaughter and circumcision. “But you’re really talking in Europe of societies that are quite secular. That really see [religious freedoms] as only something to be balanced by other rights.”

The ADL has used an “attitudinal” survey since the 1960s, called an Index Score, that measures how many individuals hold anti-Semitic beliefs in a given population. Developed jointly with social scientists at UC Berkeley, the survey takes respondents through 11 questions. If they answer 6 or more in the affirmative, they are considered to hold an anti-Semitic attitude. Prompts include, “Jews have too much power in the business world”; “Jews don’t care what happens to anyone but their own kind”; or “Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the country they live in.”

Brysk said that when the survey was first introduced, about 30 percent of the country held anti-Semitic beliefs. Since then it dropped to between 10-14 percent, which still amounts to “tens of millions of people,” as Brysk noted.

Among anti-Semites, Brysk said, there is a fixation on “Jewish control, Jewish power,” in the Index responses. “It’s part of what we were seeing chanted in Charlottesville – that ‘Jews will not replace us.”

Brysk said anti-Semitism is, “at its heart,” a conspiracy theory based on a lie. “If you think about all of those anti-Semitic tropes, it’s all about a lie that’s being told about Jews, collectively or individually,” Brysk said. “That we control this or control that, or manipulate things in certain ways.”

Despite the bad news, Baker pointed out that across Europe, Jewish communities are thriving.

“There’s an irony,” he said. “In the very places where the problem is real, and where the safety and security concerns have been identified, there’s still a very rich and vibrant Jewish life.”

He mentioned Jewish communities in Hungary and in throughout central Europe, as well as in Germany, where there is now a rabbinical seminary. “If you visit there, it is the most remarkable Jewish community in all of central Europe,” he said of Hungary’s Jewish community.

S.F.-based German Consul General Hans-Ulrich Südbeck was in attendance. He said he attended the event to learn about ways to combat anti-Semitism in Germany. “I think we’re all having a hard time figuring out responses to anti-Semitism,” Südbeck said 

“As for the German government,” he added, “we have been showing over the last 60-70 years that part of our raison-d’être is a certain responsibility for the existence of Israel as a home country for Jewish people, given our horrible history. On the other hand, we also have a large population in Germany which is critical of some of the Israeli policies toward the Palestinian people in the region. Therefore it’s always a very difficult enterprise to divide the one from the other, and to criticize something without including anti-Semitic feelings and tendencies. We’re trying to find a good way through.”

Südbeck said he believes the “main cause” of the rise in anti-Semitism has little to do with Israel, but has more to do with xenophobia, and originates mainly from the far right.

“Most European countries have a deep-rooted tradition of anti-Semitism,” he said. “Which obviously can be revived again and again.”