CPS Response Today, to Wenatchee Witch Hunt

On the way home from my hearing, I was in the car with two CPS workers, Marie and Michelle. I was upset that CPS had lied to me about advocating for more than 4 hours of visitation with my son per week, and in court didn't give me more time. The monitor had said she felt it was in my son's best interest to see me more but the AG said she couldn't be present at court and they didn't go with her recommendation. The CASA advocate knew this and just went along with CPS and Tomas Caballero. There were about 7 women from DHSH and CPS, poised to testify against me, as "witnesses" if the Judge went ahead with the Contested Shelter Care hearing, but I got a continuance so it didn't come to that. I looked back halfway through the hearing, and saw them looking at me with daggers, and then whispering together, smug, eyebrows raised. When they saw me watching, their expressions changed, and they put on the straight and sweet face. Incredible. I had a group of cats sitting behind me.

So I was in the car with Marie and Michelle, who say one thing to my face, and something else behind my back, and I asked them if they knew who Paul Glassen was. They said they didn't. I filled them in on what had happened to him and his family. Their response is below (I had my notebook and pen out for taking notes):

"They had to do a bunch of stuff to that deck because it's so close to the railroad." (looking over at a hillside).
"You know our P.E. teacher? ...Ted knows him, he's working on the house...and take it out of their pocketbook, working on that deck. Can you imagine...?"
"Funny how people are capable of acquiring new thing and then have to take care of it."
(moving on to vacation)
"...Instead of a double-wide, we had a travel trailer."
(talk about a cabin) "Yeah, your grandma's cabin's nice."
(moving on to cars)
"He's got a red truck like that?"
"It costs $75 to fill up."
"Well yeah, diesel's 4-something right now, and his payments are ridiculously high."
"It's funny, he lives in the ghetoo but he has a nice truck."
(moving on to road construction)
"Yeah, didn't it used to be you could...go...this lane used to be like that in high school."
"I still can't get over..."
(moving on to movies)
"I watched that new movie 'No Country For Old Men'. It's violent but intriguing."
"Watched it at 4:00 at night."
"They rented them all on Netflicks...they bought it..."
"Yeah, back when our parents were growing up."

I said nothing. I kept seeing images of Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum from Alice in Wonderland. I then asked, "So what made you decide to work at the Wenatchee CPS". The one who has known me longer didn't comment. The other one said she did some volunteer work in Wenatchee and then went to college out of the area and decided to major in social work. When she graduated, she called to find out if Wenatchee CPS was hiring.

The saying here is that those born and raised in Wenatchee may leave, but they always come back. Which made me wonder how many of the people know eachother from grade school and know that they have automatic admission to the "Circle the Wagons" club.

Marie asked if I was going back to Bellingham that day. I said no, there was no bus until morning so I had to stay at the hotel. She then announced, for the first time, that CPS wasn't paying for my hotel, even though they have had to every week prior. She said, "We pay for visitation accomodations, not for court hearings." This may be why CPS is refusing to allow me to have more visitation with my son--not because it is in his best interests to see me less, and for only 4 hours a week, but because they don't want to pay for it.

I said I was sick (I was) and had to stay someplace overnight. I said they hadn't told me how their policies were different, and could I have a copy please, and would they set me up for the night this time?

They said they would ask. I asked if she wanted to call from the car. She said no, she would do it in person. Michelle announced it would only take a few minutes to fill out the paperwork so there was no rush.

"Oh!" I said, "So it actually takes a few minutes to fill out the paperwork, but for the last month, I've been told to hop on a bus not knowing where I'm going because your paperwork process is never back in time."

I found out last week that they had the "paperwork" in place ahead of time, but lied to me about it and just didn't want to tell me where I was staying, simply to annoy me and jerk me around. They once had me arrive to be told that since I didn't have a credit card, I couldn't get a room. (this was after I told CPS I didn't have a card). The Supervisor who has been in charge of is Leza Sterbeck. I had thought it was Linda Corrick, but it's not.

I was made to wait until I heard whether I had a room. Marie and Michelle came out together and said they didn't get approval for a room. They were condescending and smirking and told me I could stay at a homeless shelter. I asked to speak to Leza and Leza told me off. She had also arranged for the visitation with my son to be in the middle of the week, interferring with my work schedule. I had asked for something closer to Monday or Friday so it wasn't as disruptive.

They claim they don't have money to allow for my son and I to have more than 4 hours visitation a week.

They also told me they won't allow change of venue because it would cost them money to have their witnesses travel, but they want ME to pay for my own accomodations going to their political hearings.

Their response, today, to the Wenatchee Witch Hunt? It's like it never happened. The people who run this town have a problem admitting when they're wrong. They're not the sharpest tacks in the shed, but it's their turf, and there are two strata: servants, and professionals. If you don't have a part in running the town, you're expected to keep quiet and do what they say. If you speak up, they circle the wagons, even while knowing it's totally wrong. They'll do it just to protect their old buddy whose parents went to school with their parents. They're used to people working in their orchards and then going home, without speaking up for their rights. To have someone speak up about wrongdoing, especially someone who is believed to be inferior in education or class, who they may know is every bit as articulate and smart but hasn't "earned" their position to have a say, is enough to put you on the blackballed list.

Paul Glassen agreed with me. He too, knows this is a peculiar problem with Wenatchee.

These people still use their power to harm. It's not just about the Wenatchee sex abuse Witch Hunt. It's about abuse of power and the tolerance and collaboration of this abuse. No one holds them accountable. They go after people they know have little means to fight them, and know they are an island. They hope no one will find out what really happens here, on a daily basis. They'll go after you if you threaten to tell, and they'll go after your kids. They are unremorseful, unpenitent, and they simply do not care. They don't care about the kids. They care about themselves, their childhood friends, and their families. It's one big "family" that isn't afraid to start a feudal war against individuals who don't "know their place" or who don't go along with the status quo, and the only time they're afraid is if "city people" that they don't know personally from college or high school, get involved. If anyone manages to pick the truth out from the soles of their shoes, and hold it up to the light, they look the other way. It never happened.