Our Mission : The Loma Linda Neighborhood Association is dedicated to providing communication, beautification, social activity, coordination and education. We hope these efforts will promote cooperation among residents and foster goodwill in our neighborhood. A Publication of the Loma Linda Neighborhood Association ~ P.O. BOX 10533 Phoenix, AZ 85064-0533 Letter from our Chairman ~ By: Marcos Cerecedes With gas prices on the rise and with no relief in sight, it seems like people are finding other ways to lessen their consumption of gasoline. Some have decided to make fewer trips and others carpool. In either case it does become an inconvenience when we have designed a society of driving with the idea of it being a form of independence. Yet it does not necessarily have to be so confining with other modes of transportation, one of which is riding a bicycle. Yes, this old fashion approach that was invented across the pond over a hundred years ago seems to be coming back in vogue. I myself have looked into purchasing a bicycle for many reasons. The primary is it allows me to keep my freedom from set schedule and dependence of others since I decide where and when I want to travel. Of course my distance is limited, but most of my daily traveling, with the exception of work, is within a two mile radius of Loma Linda. This is one of the benefits of living in an urban community that most amenities like restaurants, grocery stores, parks and other various destinations are so close. Also instead of just driving to a nearby place, it gives me an opportunity to check out what is on the way such as some nearby businesses and homes. Another extra benefit is health; bike riding helps work your cardio vascular system and your heart. So with the New Year with some people making pledges to lose those few extra pounds, this is a chance the help boost your goal. Finally another reason is for the environment and air quality. Bicycles do not need gas and it does not cost much to maintain unlike a vehicle. There are no emissions that pollute the air and no oil to change every three thousand miles. The engine is you and the fuel is well just food and water. So if you are like me and just want to get around to a nearby place maybe a bicycle is for you. Also remember to use a helmet and follow all the safety rules. Squaw Peak Precinct (CWAC) What a wonderful idea. The squaw Peak Precinct had there first Coffee with a cop (CWAC) on February 2nd at Maizie's Café. It was a great turn out I got to talk to several officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants and the commander, Neighborhood Services was also there. I got to discuss issues that I have in the neighborhood and some that other neighbors have addressed with me. This is a wonderful program that they are doing and everyone is welcomed. This will take place the first Wednesday of each month so the next one will be on Wednesday March 2nd at Maizie"s Café and Bistro 8:00 - 9:00 located at 4750 North Central Ave. It is on the west side of Central 1 block south of Camelback you will see lots of police cars not a lot of parking up front but you can pull down the first street and park on the street or there is a few parking spots in the parking lot. If you have concerns or you would just like to talk to a officer one on one or to just meet our neighborhood officers this is the place to be. I hope to see you there on the 2nd.! Gardener’s Corner– By: Annette Weaver How often as we are standing in our backyards do we look up and view the trees that surround our property? I guess some of us do not see many because neither we nor our neighbors have many trees but in this instance I am blessed. My neighbor, Ellen, to the east has many trees eucalyptus, mulberries, Elderica pines and some I do not recognize. Richard next door to her has many some ficus and jacaranda in the front and some in the back I do not know. My neighbor Al, to the west, has many trees too. As a matter of fact my fig tree in the backyard came from him and he has several in his back yard. (These provided me with over 20 jars of canned figs this past season.) Standing in my backyard and just looking up the proliferation of all these trees gives me the feeling of being in a place more related to wilderness than city. Now this is a good thing. Of course the illusion is shattered when you lower your eyes but the short lived feeling is good none-the-less. It would be nice and a heck of a lot cooler in our neighborhood if we did have more trees. I do not know if anyone has traveled down Pinchot about 36 or 37th street. The Aleppo pines line both sides of the street and there is a discernable difference in the temperature when you drive this street on your bike in the summertime. Of course then there is the matter of oxygen. As we all know from our high school biology classes trees manufacture oxygen and take in carbon dioxide. What a beautiful symbiotic relationship for the betterment of both tree and man. Many Midwest cities are encouraging their residents to replant older trees that are dying out. You hear a lot about carbon exchange and these trees will tie up some of the free polluting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere but their production of oxygen is just as important. Now of course who could forget the ability of trees to ground us human beings. I am sure that everyone has heard hugging a tree is something very good for your soul. It may look a little odd hugging that tree in your yard but I believe that the tree has the ability to take negative energy and channel it from you to the Earth who, in all her majestic beauty, does an ancient, alchemic process and turns the negative to positive. So perhaps we all need to hug a tree daily. To plant this month: soy beans, beets, cantaloupe, cucumbers, eggplant, muskmelon, okra, sweet potatoes, summer squash, radishes, turnips. Also check nurseries for tomato and pepper plants and lettuce starts. It’s too late for seeds but you can put out plants. Graffiti Removal Graffiti is costly and destructive, and sends a message that the community is not concerned about the appearance of its neighborhoods. Graffiti is against the law. The Phoenix Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance requires that all sidewalks, walls, buildings, fences, signs be free from graffiti. You can take control of your neighborhood by quickly removing graffiti. Prompt removal reduces the chance of graffiti reappearing and helps maintain a safe, secure and attractive environment. . Remove graffiti within 48 hours of receiving a report from any city resident . Support a zero tolerance approach to graffiti in our neighborhoods. Graffiti Busters crews remove graffiti reported through the hotline and also coordinate with other public and private agencies to re move graffiti. The Graffiti Busters remove graffiti for free, but need a written, signed Graffiti Busters permission slip from the property owner or other responsible party. Graffiti Vandal Catching / Reward program. (602) 262-7327 This is a special Police Department graffiti hotline. If you believe you can provide information leading to the arrest of a graffiti vandal, call this number to make a report. You don't have to give your name or other identification, and you could receive an award up to $250. For more information on this program visit the Police Graffiti Hotline site. Attention Property Owners! If you have been the victim of graffiti vandalism, please contact the Crime Stop hotline at 262-6151 and report the crime! The report may be taken over the telephone OR an officer may be sent to your location, depending on the type of incident. It is important to file police reports on all crimes that occur, no matter how minor they may seem at the moment. Filing a report helps us develop a true picture of what is happening in your neighborhood. If you see graffiti in the LLNA Neighborhood please let the board members know (refer to LLNA contacts on the last page of this newsletter). Let’s work together to keep our neighborhood clean! Monthly General Meeting Our Monthly General Meeting is scheduled for March 1, 2011 and begins promptly at 6:30 PM, at the Loma Linda Elementary School in the Multi-purpose room (off Fairmount, east of 20th Street). We look forward to seeing you. Becoming involved in your neighborhood is a very natural thing to do. Joining and being involved in your Neighborhood Association is a great way to meet neighbors and other people in your community. Meanwhile, you are identifying the issues facing your community, taking an active part in improving conditions, and most of all enjoying what your neighborhood has to offer. Schedule Of Events UPCOMING EVENT Mar. 1 - Neighborhood Meeting Mar 2 -8-9a.m. Squaw Peak Precinct “Breakfast with a Cop” Mar. 9 - Family Picture Night (Everyone is invited) Mar. 9-10 - Parent-Teacher Conferences Mar. 9-10-11 - Early Dismissal, 12:10 p.m. Mar. 17 - St. Patrick’s Day Mar. 14 - 21 - Spring Break (School Resumes Tuesday, Mar. 22) Mar. 1 & 21 - Governing Board Meetings - 7 p.m. March 2011 Burglary Prevention—Burglary Tips to Protect your Home! Information provided by the City of Phoenix Police Department DOORS Exterior Doors : Many residential doors feature hollow-core construction and poor locks, which are easily forced or kicked open. For additional protection, you need solid core doors and quality locks. Arcadia Doors: Many burglars enter homes through improperly secured arcadia doors. Additional locks and security measures will prevent the door from being opened or lifted out of the track. Screws installed in the track above the sliding door frame will prevent the door from being lifted out of the track. Drill a pilot hole in the top track above, and slightly in, from each corner of the sliding doorframe section and install a screw into each hole. Adjust the screws so that the head of the screw just barely clears the frame when it is moved back and forth. Double Doors: These doors need solid security as they are easily jimmied or forced open. Flush lever bolts installed at the top and bottom of the doors are recom mended. Make sure the bolt is long, sturdy and mounted into a solid door frame. Doors with Windows: Doors with glass windows or glass ornamentation require double key deadbolt locks. This prevents the burglar from breaking the glass and reach ing inside to unlock the door. The key to a double key deadbolt lock should be left in the lock at all times when someone is home to ensure easy exit in the event of a fire or other emergency. Garage Doors: Standard locks on garage doors are easily pried, allowing a burglar access to your home without detection. Cane bolts and hasps are excellent pro tection. Make certain each side of the garage door is secured to prevent prying open a crawl space. Any door leading from the garage into the house should be securely locked. The more barriers you provide against the burglar, the better protected you are. Hinges: Many homes have doors that open to the outside, exposing the hinge pins. Despite a good strong lock, the burglar can remove the pins and lift the door from the frame. To prevent this, remove two opposing screws from each leaf of the hinge. Screw a long lag bolt into the frame side of the hinge leaf and saw off the head leaving about 1/2 inch protruding. Drill out the opposite hole to allow the bolt to enter when the door is closed. Do this to the top and bottom hinge plates. The burglar can remove the hinge pins, but the door will remain firmly in place. This technique is good for any door, no matter how the hinges have been placed. Door Viewers: To avoid opening your door without knowing who is there, install a door viewer. This device has a wideangle lens to let you see someone standing outside your door without opening it. LATCHES/LOCKS Spring Latch: Some homes come equipped with this lock. It offers very little protection since the bolt can be slipped with a credit card or knife. This same lock, with a deadbolt latch, provides more protection, but it too can be forced open. Deadbolt Locks: A deadbolt lock can provide good protection. When you turn the key, the lock mechanism slides a strong metal bolt from the door into the frame. When you buy a deadbolt lock, make sure that the bolt extends at least one inch from the edge of the door, the connecting screws that hold the lock together are on the inside of the door, the strike plate is at tached to the door frame with screws that measure at least three inches in length and that the cylinder has a steel guard around the key section. The cylinder guard should be tapered or rotate freely around the key section to prevent wrenching if it is twisted. Single Cylinder Deadbolt: A solid bolt, activated by a key from the outside or a knob on the inside, slides into the doorframe. The lock cannot be slipped or easily pried. Deadbolt locks are only as good as the door and frame they are installed in. Double Cylinder Deadbolt: This lock is basically the same as the single cylinder deadbolt that it requires a key to be used from either side to function. Rim Lock: This lock has either horizontal or vertical deadbolts. It cannot be easily slipped, pried or forced with a wrench. This lock, like all others, requires a strong mounting surface and hardware to be effective. Padlocks: When selecting padlocks to secure your garage door, storage shed, fence gate or toolbox, do not economize. Low priced locks are made from low quality materials and easily pried open or cut with bolt cutters. Look for these features when purchasing a padlock: Double locking shackle at the toe and heel Hardened steel shackle, the larger the diameter the better Five pin tumbler Key retaining feature (prevents removal of the key when unlocked) A strong steel hasp used with the padlock WINDOWS Sliding Windows: Sliding glass windows should be given the same security treat ment as arcadia doors. Use the same supplementary locks or screws in the frame. Screws installed in the track above the sliding window frame will prevent the window from being lifted out of the track. Drill a pilot hole in the top track above each corner of the window frame and install a screw into each hole. Adjust the screws so that the head of the screw just barely clears the frame when it is moved back and forth. Casement - Crank Windows: These windows are easily secured. The latch should close properly with the window tight. With the latch in a closed position, drill a small hole through the latch frame and handle. Insert a metal pin through the hole to lock the window. For additional security, a small padlock can be used in place of the pin. Key operated replacement latches are also available from a locksmith or hardware store. Keep the key handy in case of emergency. Double Hung Windows: An easy, inexpensive way to secure your windows is to use the "pin" trick. Drill an angled hole through the top frame of the lower window partially into the frame of the upper window. Then insert the pin (a nail or an eyebolt that is slightly smaller in diameter than the hole). The window can't be opened until you re move the pin. Make a second set of holes with windows partially open so you can have ventilation without inviting intruders. Area A : 1924 East Indianola Area B : 2240 East Mitchell Area C: 2150 East Mulberry Home of the Month March 2011 Each month Area Representatives of “A”, “B” and “C” choose one outstanding home in each area for beautification, home improvement, a well-manicured yard, etc. Of course, there must be NO zoning violations. The homes chosen will receive a gift certificate from local businesses. Certificates will be mailed as soon as this announcement appears in the Loma Linda News. This month’s certificates will be honored at : Two Hippies Outrageous - 4034 North 24th Street Congratulations to this month’s winners! *CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE START PAGE*