With the increase of FATAL shootings this calendar year in Oxnard, SEVEN so far since JANUARY 2003 - what can we expect - 7 per Quarter...for a total of 28 FATAL by Christmas. ¿What is the Problem and where is the source? ¿Is it the Police's Job to prevent these bullet-driven deaths? - Can the Cops spot check all suspicious cars - - "IN OXNARD ????" - Can the Cops do Sobriety Check Points with metal detectors and Gunpowder sniffing Dogs? The City Council did a major and bold move a few years back when they said "NO" to allowing a gun show to be held in the Performing Arts Center - now instead we have the bala doing the ballet on the street stage of deforming arts. Oddly enough, I had the opportunity to sit with Chief Art Lopez last year when he was discussing his scheduled meeting with a reporter from the LA Times. The Times wanted to write a story about the shootings and violence in Oxland (circa October 2002). The Chief didn't see the need for a story as he said,[para] "There is no violence problem unless the newspapers print stories about it." Well, the newspapers are printing stories again and Oxnard, being the biggest city in the County and still growing thanks to the planning commission and city council, is again beset by shootings. What's the answer? Prayer - Greater control over our young people - - enforcement and strict enforcement of laws with - follow thru in the DA's office and not just handing off cases like a cold football -&- cracking down on Grafitti Vandals with a program similar to what Simi Valley does to the youthful spray-paint and marker armed thugs. Oxnard needs to send out the word that business will not be as usual and I feel that this may already be underway with the Police having more visible presence this weekend ( 3/8~3/9 ) and doing more proactive pulling over of some shady suspects, being more responsive to radio calls and doing more patrols. So even though the Chief's former concept of the Crime Problem was based on media attention to sparce events as reported, this year is different and perhaps Chief Lopez has secretly given orders to his crew to crack down and see what they find. Let's pray for peace in Oxnard - Prayer is powerful and it changes things - Let's pray for protection and discernment upon our Police and wisdom and guidance for our Police Chief as he and his force  CONTINUE TO BE THE FIRST & ONLY LINE OF DEFENSE WE AS CITIZENS HAVE. /s/ Bill Winter - Editor -