Editorial: Drug deal, stabbing raise concerns

An early-December stabbing of two men under the covered bridge in Felton has cast an ugly shadow on the Christmas season in the San Lorenzo Valley.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office reported the stabbing to be a drug deal gone bad and suggested that one of the suspects might have ties to a gang. However, the crime appears to be isolated, and there is no reason to believe large-scale drug deals involving gang members are a regular occurrence under the bridge.
Gangs have not been a problem in the San Lorenzo Valley, especially in Felton, but recent violence in Santa Cruz — stabbings in downtown Santa Cruz and along a levee — heightens our awareness of them.
A couple of questions cause our brows to knit when we talk about the crime in Covered Bridge Park.
First, is this actually an isolated event?
Time will tell. We have spoken with a number of people around town since the stabbing, and not many are terribly worried that there is a new criminal element here.
One longtime business owner pointed out that Felton has always had bouts of violence, from the days when the old Century 21 office on the corner of Highway 9 and Felton Empire Road was known as a bar. The business owner recalled a man being shot dead in the bar during an argument.
Another worry applies to those who spend time in the park and swim in the river. If Covered Bridge Park, especially the back of the park near the playground, becomes a place known for drug deals, families will simply stop using it. As one person said, there is already an unwritten rule that parents keep an eye on each others’ children when they start to wander toward the bridge or the river.
Finally, there is a homeless population that spends time in the vicinity of the covered bridge. They ought not be confused with the people who were dealing drugs. Be wary, yes, but don’t be afraid of these people. They are regulars who simply come and go.
So, what needs to happen to stop this from happening again?
The sheriff’s office is keenly aware of the crime and has already spent significant time and resources on the case. If there is an emerging gang presence in the area, we are confident the sheriff will squelch it.
It may be a worn-out idea, but people should call the sheriff if they see suspicious activity, especially if it’s related to drugs. Our public areas need to stay public and not be overrun by shady characters who create fear.