Eagle Eyes (Forest Hills Grid 18)

July 2011

There have been a number of incidents close to our grid during the month of June. (Have you heard about these incidents? If not, we can get you on the mailing list -- just contact the web administrator @ Aquarius9721@VERIZON.net) A robbery of prescription drugs - as well as cash – took place at the pharmacy up on Bougainvillea across from the bowling alley, and a purse snatching the same evening at Florida Lanes. The suspect for both incidents fits the same description. PLUS, the office at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church (where we hold our meetings as well as where we go to vote) had a lower window pane (of metal) removed; once access was gained, the inside office door was kicked in. Technically these incidents happened in Grid 10 – across Linebaugh – but we’re all the same neighborhood. Only Linebaugh separates our grids from each other, so it may as well have happened to us. It’s too close. Are You Watching?

A few weeks ago, a neighbor up on Linebaugh spotted a van with 3 men inside it, that stopped in front of his neighbor’s house. One of the men got out and began rummaging through the neighbor’s  garbage cans, stopping when he found a piece of paper, which he then proceeded to take with him. This was reported to a passing police officer, along with the information that the van transporting the garbage pickers had proceeded to the car wash and stopped, but no feedback was received about this incident. We can’t be too careful with what information we throw away. It is suggested that you burn or shred documents which contain personal information (such as bank account numbers, credit card receipts, etc), rather than tossing it into your garbage.  Rummaging through your garbage . . . what’s next? Are You Watching?

Guard full circle. Be alert to your surroundings. Walk with a purpose. Keep your eyes and ears open. Watch for suspicious people. Watch for suspicious vehicles. Call the police if you see anything suspicious --- give them the chance to prevent a purse snatching, instead of having to write a report on one.

And if you’re having an issue with a neighbor disturbing the peace – and thereby your sleep -- but don’t feel that you can approach them to discuss the matter for whatever reason, by all means call the TPD non-emergency number and ask to have an officer to speak to those neighbors in your behalf. This applies whether they are playing their stereo too loud, or revving their car engines unnecessarily, or speeding around the block.

• June 25^th brought the 100^th birthday of “The Babe” Zaharias, former owner of what is now known as the Babe Zaharias Golf Club, and a day long celebration took place. Speeches were made by Mayor Bob Buckhorn, and District 7 councilwoman Lisa Montelione was on hand to answer questions about our district’s concerns. BTW, Lisa is tentatively scheduled to attend out September NHW meeting.
• How is your block’s plan for celebrating National Night Out unfolding? NNO is an annual event, this year taking place on Tuesday, August 2nd. Folks gather in their neighborhood &/or on their block, visiting with one another, maybe sharing desert or coffee or a pot luck supper, while burning the porch light in support and solidarity of Law Enforcement and crime prevention. For more information ask your block leader or utilize the discussion posting on this web site.
• We still would like to have more participants in the Mobile Patrol effort. See your block leader or contact the web site administrator for more details. (It’s not a dangerous endeavor – it’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor.)
• Have you noticed the postings on this web site's calendar for low cost/no cost activities for your families? Our idea is to provide community activity information in addition to crime prevention. We try to have them posted enough in advance of the activity that you can take advantage – but if we occasionally are “a day late & a dollar short”, please forgive us  ----  it takes a lot of time to research these deals that will help us ALL get the biggest bang for our buck, and often there just isn’t enough time to get it all together for you.
• We need volunteers to help with distributing announcements and other information. It takes one person who is distributing the announcements of the upcoming meetings over 3 hours to cover this entire grid – assuming he/she doesn’t take time to visit with anyone while doing so. One person covering one block could have their block covered in less than 10 minutes – and walk the dog at the same time. Please contact the web site administrator to be put on our volunteer list.
• Have you trimmed back some trees, and have logs available for use in a fireplace – but don’t have a fireplace? Do you have a roll of fencing that you just took down, but don’t need any more and would like to either give away or sell? Did you inherit a lawn mower or weed whacker that you don’t need? Having a yard sale next weekend? How about posting it on this web site? Give your neighbors first crack at a discounted deal (Neighbor Helping Neighbor) before putting it on Craig’s List or Freecycle.org. All you have to do to post on this site is to obtain clearance from the web administrator. Just follow the instructions on the Home Page.
• Pulling out a ton of bromeliads, impatiens, or some other plant that you’re tired of - or simply need to “thin out the herd”?? Extra flower containers that you ordinarily would just throw out? How about posting this on the web site? Maybe start a plant exchange once a month. Neighbor Helping Neighbor.
• Some of the houses who back up to Linebaugh have done a really nice job of clearing up the overgrowth in front of the privacy fences, and we all want to thank you. It looks really nice! Remember, we all live in this neighborhood; it all of our responsibility to pick up litter along the common right-of-ways. Please do your part!
  

•  This Neighborhood Watch organization is more than a Crime Watch program. It’s about neighbors helping and looking out for each other.

                       Neighbor Helping Neighbor

See you on the sidewalk . . . . . . . . . . . .