Programs geared for Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE - A meeting to create programs to deter gang activity among youth and reform active gang members is tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the National Guard Armory.

The armory is located at 6500 32nd Ave., near Moses Lake, by Big Bend Community College along state Route 17.

Director of Barrios Unidos (United Neighborhoods) Alex Santillanes plans to discuss how to create the programs and will address challenges facing starting the programs.

"I'm tired of going to funerals," he said Monday.

Santillanes said many youth squander their lives through gang association and many die as a result of their affiliation. Trying to prevent at-risk youth from joining a gang is why he works with Barrios Unidos.

"The gang situation has gotten way out of proportion," he said about Moses Lake.

Santillanes said he plans to identify gang activity in the Columbia Basin and will propose engaging the community to start their own programs to prevent and intervene gang activity.

"We can't do it by ourselves but we can do it together," he said. "I want to let the community know there is still hope."

He said his group has been working with gang intervention for about 10 years and seen success with many communities including Sunnyside, Wash., and Grandview, Wash..

Santillanes encourages gang members, educators, families, pastors, students and law enforcement to attend the meeting to provide testimony about gang activity in Moses Lake or to listen to discussion.

For more information, contact Santillanes at 509-469-7138, Randy Moore at 509-771-0127 or Joe Alfaro at 509-766-4366.