It's my right

Many times, a person's opinion about a particular subject can be shaped or changed when the issue hits close to home. In an effort to put a more personal spin on an upcoming California ballot initiative, you should know that support of Proposition 8 would directly hurt several people in your own community.

I'm one of those people, the neighbor who has worked hard and given my own time and money to help keep you and your families safe, to make our community a better and safer place to live.

Proposition 8 would take away my fundamental civil rights and would legitimize discrimination in the California constitution.

I believe that everyone in the Alden Park area should be treated with dignity and respect and that each of us should be afforded the same civil rights, regardless of age, gender, faith, race, or political belief. Don't you?

I also feel that because of this, it is my duty to urge you to vote NO on Prop. 8.

As the volunteer who created and maintains this website, it is my right to do so on this blog. Some of you may not agree. Deal with it.

In memoriam...

More than 30 residents of the Alden Park community came out at 8:00pm tonight to remember and honor the life of Steven Klent.

We were joined by Steve's father Jim, his mother Alice, and his sister Suzanne, and together we took the next steps in healing our hearts and our lives, following Steve's death on September 9, 2007.

Rest in peace, Steve. Your life made a difference.

__________________________________

To read the article in The Tracy Press on our event and the life and troubled times of Steven Klent, click here.

Later Sunday afternoon...

Officer Rose responds:

I received this e-mail and was unhappy you were not told what we can do. The dispatcher was right; it doesn't have any evidential value at this point, but we can put a "72 hour" notice on the vehicle, and if it isn't moved in that time period, it will be towed.

You are very right we are in this together, and I am here to help where ever I can. Please call me anytime you have a question.

Your Crime Prevention Officer,
Irene T. Rose

Drive-by shooting in our neighborhood?!

Has anyone else seen the black Acura Legend automobile, California license place 2PRM997, parked on Beechnut Avenue at the corner of Sequoia Boulevard?

I suppose you can't miss it, with the back window smashed out and the series of BULLET HOLES along the driver's side. The car was reported to the Tracy Police Department last night, with a promise from them to call back, but no call came. (Some of you would say, "As usual...") Another call to the police this morning confirmed that the car has apparently been sitting there FOR OVER A WEEK in its current condition, and it may have been shot up as it sat at the curb!

One would think that such a vehicle would be impounded as part of a crime scene investigation, but apparently, that's not happening. In fact, because the vehicle may still be operational, it's not considered "abandoned," and it can sit at the curb forever.

"It's up to the owner to get it repaired," noted the person who answered the Tracy Police non-emergency line (which is 831-4550, by the way). "If it's not an abandoned car, there's nothing we can do about it."

REALLY?!

So, a bullet-riddled eyesore on a street in YOUR neighborhood would be allowed to sit there, announcing the entrance to Gang Land? Haven't property values in our community dropped enough?

Now, be clear, I hope to God that no one was in the vehicle and seriously injured when some ________ decided to fire off several rounds at the car. I also understand that the registered owner of the vehicle lives here in our neighborhood, so they're one of our own.

But something has to be done about this. If anyone one knows who owns this car, let's get together and see if there's anything we can do to help. Does a family in our neighborhood need support or, at worst, our condolences? At the least, I'd be willing to pitch in and buy a car cover so we can make the car less conspicuous while the owner decides if he's going to get it repaired. Or I'll pay part of the towing charge if he's going to junk it.

We need to remember that we're all in this together. Please help do your part. And while you're at it, call the Tracy Police and the Mayor's office to tell them that "doing nothing" is not an option.

Nearly one year later...

On September 9, 2007, Steven Klent was found murdered in Alden Park.

Less than a week later, on September 13th, more than 150 residents came together to take back their park and their community, making the first steps to form our Neighborhood Watch.

In the nearly one year since, we've reached out to our neighbors, made new friends, and seen significant progress in reducing crime in our community. We have a lot to be proud of.

On Tuesday, September 9, 2008, however, we'd like to take a moment to pay tribute to event that started it all.

Please join us in Alden Park at 8:00pm that evening for a Candlelight Vigil in memory of Steven Klent.

Bring a candle, and help us light up the night.

National Night Out, August 5, 2008

Tuesday, August 5th was "National Night Out," the one night each year that thousands of communities across the country send a message to would-be criminals to let them know that we’re organized, we’re watching out for each other, and we’re fighting back!

It was our Neighborhood Watch’s first year participating in this important event, under the theme of “Caring for Our Community,” and many people attended.

With more than a dozen representatives from the Tracy Police Department along with the Mayor's wife, Lynda, neighbors in the Alden Park area came together to celebrate our success in reducing crime and creating a greater sense of community. People gave of themselves by participating in a potluck dinner and bringing canned goods and clothing for the local shelters.

In all, it was a great success. We hope to see you at our next event and throughout the year. Keep up the good work!

Winds of Change

Thanks to all who participated in the Alden Park Community Garage Sale on Saturday, April 19th. Here are a few pictures of neighbors selling their wares along Sequoia Boulevard, from 8:00am til 1:00pm.

And thanks to those who braved the high winds later that afternoon to attend our first Neighborhood Watch meeting of the year.

Didn't make it to the meeting after the Garage Sale? Well, here are a few highlights of what you missed...

Officer Irene Rose reported on the success of our Neighborhood Watch program since it began last fall, following the death of Steven Klent on September 9, 2007. She shared some very specific crime statistics for our community, for the eight months before we began looking out for each other, and in the eight months since. Take a look:

Incidents of THEFT 1/1/07 - 9/1/07 = 9

After our Neighborhood Watch, 9/1/07 to present =2

Incidents of BURGLARY 1/1/07 - 9/1/07 = 17
After our Neighborhood Watch, 9/1/07 to present = 1

Incidents of VANDALISM 1/1/07 - 9/1/07 = 13
After our Neighborhood Watch, 9/1/07 to present = 5

Incidents of VEHICLE THEFT /1/07 - 9/1/07 = 5
After our Neighborhood Watch, 9/1/07 to present = 1

Mayor Brent Ives was also on hand to congratulate all the members of our community for having such a dramatic and positive effect on reducing crime in our neighborhood. Representatives from City Code Enforcement also passed out magnets with the Hotline number for reporting violations of the Tracy City Code. It's (209) 831-4646. The Office of Code Enforcement can be reached at (209) 831-6410.

In a brief update on the Steven Klent murder, Officer Rose noted that the case was still open and that community involvement would be key to solving the crime. "What you might remember about that day might not seem like much," she said, "but it could fit together with other pieces of the puzzle and add up to solving that terrible crime." She reiterated that anyone with any information, however small or seemingly insignificant, should contact Crime Stoppers at (209) 831-6847.

In the news...

The resilience of our community has made headlines today in our local newspaper, The Tracy Press. Be sure to pick up a copy before they sell out!

And check out the pictures of our local celebrity, Elia Yniguez, of Sequoia Boulevard. A 36-year resident of our neighborhood, Elia and her dog, Dinky, posed for the paper then trouped over to the park with her daughter, Vicky, and two grandchildren.

Don't forget to clean out your closets and get ready for next Saturday's community garage sale. Following the sale, we'll have our first Neighborhood Watch meeting of the year, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm in Alden Park. See you there!

Time for Spring Cleaning and a Neighborhood Watch Meeting!

The holidays are over, and most of the rain has gone away, so let’s get together for our first Neighborhood Watch meeting of the New Year!

Mark your calendars now, and get ready to come together on Saturday, April 19, 2008.

We'll be coordinating our meeting on the same day as the City of Tracy's "3rd Annual City-Wide (West Side) Garage Sale." As we did last October, the Alden Park Neighborhood Watch will register our entire community for the event, so we’ll be listed on the City’s “Garage Sale Map” published in advance. Individuals can also register their specific home address by calling (209) 831-4331, requesting an application, and mailing it back by April 3rd, or by sending an email to jennifer.cariglio@ci.tracy.ca.us.

The Garage Sale will be held from 8:00am – 1:00pm, but this time, neighbors are encouraged to “set up shop” in their front yards or garages so you don’t have to haul your stuff to the park. As before, a suggested $2.00 donation can be made at 732 Sequoia Boulevard so we can continue to cover expenses related to the Neighborhood Watch program. Also, “Family Data Sheets” will be available for completion by each household so that we can have the most up-to-date information necessary to watch out for you and your family.

After the Garage Sale, we will conduct a formal Neighborhood Watch Meeting at Alden Park, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. It will be a time to catch up on happenings in our community as well as to plan our events for the upcoming year. We’ll also have our famous and fun Raffle Ticket event, where everyone can enter to win a cool prize for the low, low price of $1.00 per raffle ticket. We hope to see you there!

Brothers in arms...

Here are a few kind words of encouragement from a reader of our blog:

Hello-

As a Law Enforcement official here in the Midwest, I’m very impressed with the efforts of your organization. I just-so happened to come across your website, and I really like the design. Good luck on your efforts to thwart crime, and continue to motivate others to stay involved.

Lieutenant Troy R. Doyle DSN 2583
St. Louis County Police Department
7900 Forsyth Clayton, Mo. 63105
Office: 314.438.4604

Thanks, Lieutenant Doyle. Keep up the good work!

We're looking up

Have you seen them?

Our Neighborhood Watch signs quietly went up this week, affirming for anyone who walks, peddles, or drives through our community that we're on the lookout for suspicious activity.

Thanks to your generous donations to-date, we were able to purchase five of these signs.

Want one closer to your own home? A donation of $25 will get you one. Make checks payable to "V.I.P.S." -- the Volunteers In Police Service program of Tracy, and mail them to: Alden Park Neighborhood Watch, P.O. Box 380, Tracy, CA 95378.

Be sure to indicate which electrical pole you'd like to see it on (use the PG&E number, posted high on the pole) and which direction (North, South, East, or West) it should face.

Rain, rain, go away...

An open letter to the City of Tracy:

This weekend's series of rainstorms have been a true test of the repaving job done last Spring on the alleyways behind Sequoia Blvd. and Palm Circle. The City Planners, construction company, and everyone else involved are to be congratulated on the great job done in regrading and reconstructing the drains, curbs, and pavement around our homes.

The few weeks of construction in March through May 2007 were but a small inconvenience for the payoff we're now enjoying. Instead of the usual complaint that our tax dollars are going down the drain, one need only step outside their garage to see that it's not their money but the devastating rainwater heading into the sewers. Previous issues of flooding and cracked, worn asphalt are a thing of the past. The drainage system works perfectly.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Gamble on behalf of

The Alden Park Neighborhood Watch community

We've got a mailing address!

The Alden Park Neighborhood Watch now has an active Post Office box for you to send traditional mail to. To correspond with us the old-fashioned way, write to:

Alden Park Neighborhood Watch

P.O. Box 380

Tracy, California 95378

For those in the neighborhood who you know don't have email or Internet access, pass it on! Let's stay connected.

Winter rains got you all wet?

Just a few of the benefits of an older neighborhood like ours include all the tall, mature trees that stand throughout the landscape, and the sturdy, settled homes on the streets of our community. With age comes wear, however, and many of us are dealing with the results of the storms that ripped through the Alden Park area and drenched our houses this weekend.

Some merely have a few leaves, broken branches, and tree limbs to clean up, following the hurricane-force winds that whipped through here. Others may face having to remove a severely damaged tree before it weakens further and possibly falls down. One or two may even have a broken window to replace, while others simply have to locate a trashcan that blew down the street.

A final few, including yours truly, are having to contend with a larger issue such as roof repair, from replacing a few missing shingles or tiles, to patching, resealing, or replacing a larger section of their structure overhead. Your roof is one of the most important parts of your home: it keeps you dry; it keeps you warm; it keeps you safe. When it comes to fixing something that important, you may want to seek the help of a professional. I know I am.

My roof began to leak last year, letting rainwater in through the ceiling of my living room when the occasional storm came through. A quick-fix tar patch seemed to hold it for a while, but the last rain in December showed me that it wouldn't be permanent. That's when I called around to get an expert assessment on what to do before the big rains hit.

I searched the Yellow Pages for someone local because I want to support Tracy businesses whenever I can. I'm a sucker for something that catches my attention, so I called a company with a cute name: Kanga Roof. (If "cute" didn't work out, I could always resort to the one with the big ad.)

I'm typing this in between the series of storms that are making news across the country, and the sun is shining for a moment. The good news is that I'm dry, and the leak has been contained by the professionals at Kanga Roof. They came out just hours before the first rainfall to do an inspection, make repair recommendations, and expertly wrap my roof in plastic to keep the water out this weekend before a more enduring solution could be put in place. They even checked up on me and came out once to re-tack the plastic that had loosened under the high winds yesterday.

Chris, Dann, and Shelley have been great. If you need any repair work on your roof, give them a call.

Kanga Roof, also formerly known as BetterBuilt Roofing, can be reached at 1-800-NEW-ROOF, or (209) 832-1500. They're here in Tracy at 320 W. Larch Rd., #7. Check out their website by clicking here: http://getbb.com/.

Signs of the times...

Happy New Year!

To kick off 2008, I placed a call to the Tracy Police Department to order our first set of official neighborhood watch signs. With the contributions raised to-date, we've been able to purchase three of them, and I've donated enough to get two more.

On New Year's Eve, Officer Rose and I made the rounds to determine the best locations to hang the signs. Be on the lookout for our first five signs to go up along the periphery of Alden Park, on the following streetlight poles:

• at the Alden Park entrance on Sequoia Blvd.


• at the Alden Park entrance on Palm Circle


• at the intersection of Sequoia Blvd./Palm Circle/Centre Court Drive/Cypress Drive


• at the intersection of Chestnut Avenue and Willow Way, and


• at the intersection of Sequoia Blvd. and Beechnut Avenue.

The signs cost $25 each, so as we raise more money, we can add more signs throughout the neighborhood. We'll need some at Birch/Hickory, Hickory/Cottonwood, and Locust/Hickory. Other signs can go up closer to your own home if you want to make donation to cover the cost. And remember, we also have Neighborhood Watch Stickers available for your front windows at $2.00 each.