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.

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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!