Off My Game

Last night shortly before 10:30PM, my "Tagger Spidey-Senses" were tingling so I popped my head outside to find two kids failing miserably trying to marker-tag a real estate sign just down the street. I guess these morons didn't realize that trying to vandalize a damp surface with a crappy marker gets you nowhere–frakin' rookies.

"HEY YOU F*CKING C*NTS! TAKE THAT SH*T SOMEWHERE ELSE!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

The two wannabes nonchalantly glared back at me, looked at each other, then continued to walk West down Santa Ana Boulevard.

I considered chasing them down for some extra exercise (not to mention Christmas cash), but for some reason, I decided against it and just stood there.

What the hell Ben?! This is so unlike you? You didn't have the urge to give them a face full of mace?
 
Perhaps it was due to the fact that I was wearing flip-flops, or that I'm currently out of pepper spray, or maybe because I didn't see any additional damage around the neighborhood. Or perhaps it was the fact that my top-of-my-lungs shouting didn't stir one neighbor–causing a single light to be turned or a front door to be opened in curiosity.

Figuring I should at least call the cops to make sure these kiddies got home safely, I rushed back in to grab my cell phone (which I hadn't yet programmed SAPD as speed dial–idiot) and called SAPD dispatch.

Fumbling with my new phone, I hurried back out to the street only to find that the two hoodlums were nowhere in sight. Getting the dispatcher on the line only added more frustration to the situation as the dispatcher couldn't keep up with my well-paced and well-trained caller-to-dispatcher dialog.

"Hi, I've got two teenage taggers–both Hispanic males around 14-16 years old walking westbound down Santa Ana Boulevard, just passing Garfi....".

"WAIT WAIT WAIT–slow down sir", the dispatcher said.

"UGH! I should have just chased them down THEN called you" I said. I then began to walk down the Boulevard in hopes of seeing where these f*cktards went. As I passed Garfield Street I thought back to the last time I caught a tagger around here and that it took SAPD over thirty minutes to arrive.

It was only after wrapping up the phone call with SAPD did I realize that I had walked too far down the street without my usual post-10PM tagger-chasing accompaniments (pepper spray, Jesus Stick, etc).Even more frazzled, I gave up the search and headed back home.

The thing that's eating me is why didn't I react like I normally do? Am I getting soft? Geezus, what's happening to me? Unprepared and non-reactive just isn't my style.

Or have I finally begun to succumb to the apathy that eventually plagues everyone in Santa Ana?

I mean, why risk my life when I haven't even beaten Modern Warfare 2 yet, right?

Man, when did I stop caring or even worse, when did I come to my senses? I'm hoping what happened last night was just a glitch in the Matrix and I'll be back on track in no time.

On a side note, can anyone recommend a decent-priced paintball gun with good distance?

Ooh! The Colors!

About a month ago, this "peace" caught my eye as I was driving south in the car pool lane on the 55 freeway. To get a better look at the work, I had to pull off the freeway and backtrack being that it wasn't exactly facing the commuting traffic.

Graffiti of this caliber is rarely seen in Santa Ana. Luckily, I had my handy-dandy point-and-shoot cause I knew this one was a keeper.

The businesses along the 55 freeway are frequently subject to gawdawful "attempts" at graffiti art. The Pool Tables USA building alone (facing the southbound side of the 55 freeway) is often abused by graffiti of sub-par standards (at best), which are eventually painted over only to be a clean canvas for the next amateur waiting in the bushes.

Note: In the last two years, I've seen this building having been painted over several times. I wonder when the property owner will consider a wall-crawling vine to help reduce the all too frequent attacks and help cut back on his/her trips to the Home Depot paint department.

If the "KND" (Kings Never Die) signature on the top right looks/sounds familiar to you, then you probably remember the infamous "22 Tagger" who a few years back, terrorized CalTrans and the 22 freeway with his mark.

Now I'm not trying to justify whether or not this should be considered art (though I personally think it is), or whether "nicer" graffiti should be condoned, but rather wanted to share an interesting photo of true graffiti culture existing in Orange County.

I'm sure if this artist were to shift their talent onto a stretched canvas, they'd be able to make some serious money at our monthly Art Walk.

Crime Does Pay!

If you recall a couple of weeks ago, a tagger decided to take a gamble and spray paint a unit at the Santiago Street Lofts. Well, that gamble he took paid off—me that is.


Mixed in with my usual magazine subscription renewals in yesterday's mail was this nice little "refund check" from the city of Santa Ana's Graffiti Reward Program.

I was shocked to see the reward arrive so soon after the incident. The last check from the previous tagger I caught with the help of an awesome neighbor (yes, catching taggers is now a part-time job for me) took about 9 months to process.

I'm really hoping that this was the last time a kid decides to deface someone's home in our community—but it probably won't be.

I'm tired of hearing the lame-ass excuse that they tagged our homes because they "thought our homes were businesses"—it’s vandalism and it makes no difference to me.

I wish that they would stop trying to explain to me that all they are trying to do is get some "respect", when they are blind to see that defacing someone's property is probably the worst way to achieve that goal.

You want some respect? Don't write on the walls, sidewalks, buildings or trees, and you've got my respect.

Oh My G'OSH

Back in November, a friend of mine was shopping at Kragen Auto Parts (Grand Avenue and Seventeenth Street) when he noticed the case for the spray paint was left unlocked.

Usually these cases are clearly labeled with signs that read something similar to, “Keep case locked at all times”–reminding employees to help keep loss at a minimum.

This past weekend while picking up a few things at OSH on Seventeenth Street, I noticed that one of the cases for the spray paint was left unlocked and unsupervised and wide open.

As I was finishing up my transaction at the register, I asked if I could speak with the (weekend) manager on duty. When she arrived at the front of the store, I notified her that the case was left unlocked and kindly asked if she could remind the employees to lock the door after the customer gets what they need from the case–you know, being that Santa Ana has somewhat of a tiny problem with graffiti.

The manager told me that the lock in question was a tricky one and that they have someone coming out this week to fix it. Hmm, it really didn’t seem all that tricky to lock when I did it with the tip of my shoe.

The next day I headed back to OSH to grab an item that somehow missed my initial list.

I walked past the aisle where the spray paint is located, stopped, turned around, and was shocked to see that a different section of the case was left wide open once again!


Again, with the tip of my shoe, I clicked the push-lock closed and secured the cabinet. I didn’t even bother asking for a manager this time.

The next day, I phoned OSH corporate headquarters where I shared my story and concerns with the representative. She notified me that this was unacceptable and that the district manager will be addressing this issue directly with the manager of the OSH on Seventeenth Street.

After reading about the graffiti problems occurring at the nearby Monterey Villas community, one can only hope that the folks at OSH remember that their carelessness affects all those around them.

OSH corporate headquarters can be reached at:
6450 Via Del Oro
San Jose, CA 95119
(408) 281-3500

Strength in Numbers

About ten days ago, an individual using a moniker of Cyrus the Virus contacted me about the Santiago Street Loft blog.

Cyrus recently moved into the Monterey Villas (located off 17th street and Cabrillo) and it just so happens that the folks over there are experiencing similar difficulties with graffiti, vandalism and theft. They even have someone stealing laundry from the community laundry room!


Communication was limited to flyers hung in the laundry room and limited face-to-face interaction with neighbors that seemingly comes paired with the southern California lifestyle in which we’ve become accustomed.

Cyrus saw an opportunity much like I did and that was to create an online voice to help raise awareness among neighbors, develop a sense of community and inspire others to help turn the city of Santa Ana around.

In a very cordial email, Cyrus asked permission to use content and ideas from this blog to help develop his. Needless to say I was honored and thrilled by this individual and his efforts to do in his community what we at the Santiago Street Lofts have established so far.

Do what you have to do for the greater good of the community my friend. Recognizing and celebrating your small victories will be key to your happiness and success.

At the Santiago Street Lofts, we are very fortunate to have passionate and active individuals living here such as: El Diablo Blanco, Dr. Jason and Urban Messiah just to namedrop a few.

They are some of the prime examples as to why this community is so great and worth fighting for. The Santa Ana Justice League is slowly forming and just you wait…

Check out the Monterey Villas blog!

You Lived Here Longer Than Me, But I’ve Got More Pride

Every week for the last year and a half, I’ve placed a call into the Santa Ana Graffiti Hotline (speed dial 11 on the cell) and reported graffiti that I see all around the city. Call me odd, but I think it may have had something to do with watching Captain Planet and the Planeteers when I was just a wee lad.

For some reason though, I could never get the clean-up crews to clean the graffiti off the freeway signs near Santa Ana Boulevard and Grand Avenue.

On a day when I got through to an actual operator (due to my high-frequency calling, we are now on a first name basis) and not the answering machine, I asked her why the freeway signs never get cleaned up. She informed me that CalTrans is responsible for all maintenance in regards to these signs, including graffiti removal.

With my good buddy Google, I was able to locate Glenda Dobbins, a public information officer over at CalTrans. Glenda asked that I simply send her an email stating the locations that needed the clean up. That’s it. No forms, no signatures, just an email.

Within a couple of days of sending Glenda the email, the signs were cleaner than I’ve ever seen them. So clean in fact that I thought that they were brand new signs.

Now here’s what gets me. When I hear the protests from those against the “Yuppie Loft Owners” at the Renaissance Plan meetings, I wonder if these folks even know who or what they are criticizing.

I’ve listened to their stories of how they’ve lived their entire lives in Santa Ana and have nothing but respect and pride for this city?

Really?

So why does it seem like the new guys in town are the only ones trying to clean it up?

Glenda Dobbins can be reached at:
949.724.2644 or via email @ glenda_dobbins@dot.ca.gov

Santa Ana’s (24/7) Graffiti Hotline: 1-877 786 7824

I Love It When They Run

Taking a break from the über-addicting Super Mario Galaxy to walk the dog last night, I zeroed in on two kids; one of which was tagging the wall on the north side of Santa Ana Boulevard. As they crossed Santiago Street and headed towards our complex, I knew right then that trouble was headed our way. I quickly brought the dog inside, grabbed my “usual necessities” and charged out the door.

One of the kiddies that was wearing a USC hooded sweatshirt was supposed to be the lookout while his friend spray-painted the rollup door on a unit across the street. That kid in the sweatshirt had one job and one job alone—and he failed miserably being that I was able to run-up and pepper spray the tagger right between the eyes.

With a face full of searing pain, he amazingly “Froggered” his way across the street through traffic and headed west down Santa Ana Boulevard. In “police speak”, I engaged the suspect in pursuit.

Over the course of my life, I’ve come to accept that I’m pretty much an average guy (yes, you should be feeling sorry for “Mrs. Dayhoe” if you don’t already), average with the exception that I can run—really fast (and swear all at the same time).

In high school, I ran a 4.4/40. That means for every 1.1 seconds, I’ve advanced another ten yards in distance. Making it off the pine, well, that’s another story, a sad one at that.

Needless to say, I caught up to him by the next block (Garfield Street) and at this point, I was terrified—terrified that the Chipotle burrito that I devoured less than an hour prior was going to burst from me like it did from the foil wrapper.

Without even having to tackle him, I forced him to lie down on his stomach, spread his legs, and put his hands behind his back. The problem now was that I didn’t have anything to restrain him with other than my body weight (plus a 5lb. burrito that was churning away).

Luckily, an FBI officer returning from a prisoner drop-off saw me chasing him down the street and took the time after a long day to lend a hand and a set of cuffs, allowing me to place an out-of-breath call to SAPD.

At this time, a neighbor at the lofts, Maglite in hand, also arrived on the scene having heard me yelling when I originally confronted the tagger. I was amazed and thankful that he too came to help out.

The police showed up and had me fill out the standard police report. Let me tell you, since moving to Santa Ana, that’s one form I’ve filled out one too many times.

They asked me “What possessed you to try to take this extreme form of action?”

One thing came to mind*: The Greatest Fight Scene EVER.

The officer stated that very rarely do they catch taggers in the act and commended me for my actions, but not without chiding me of the lesson that I always forget in these situations: These kids could be concealing weapons—is it really worth it?

I say until Jack Bauer is back on the air satisfying my need for an adrenaline rush, then yes, yes it is.

*Okay, this one also came to mind as well.

Why Santa Ana Graffiti Sucks

In my humble opinion, the graffiti problem plaguing the city of Santa Ana is mainly the product of untalented turds that claim trivial ownership to our streets and neighborhoods. This foolish mindset lends itself as to why there are so many shootings and deaths in this sickly city.

Scratchitti and acid etching of glass and window panes is another serious graffiti issue in this city that sends one message, and one message alone: F*ck you for having something nice.


The above photo was taken about a month ago when the wife and I headed up to San Francisco to experience a piece of the “city life” that we hoped the city of Santa Ana would have had established by now.

Not once as I’ve walked the streets of Santa Ana have I seen a noteworthy mural, message or political statement similar to this scribe. There is no art, no message, and no talent in the countless graffiti done on a daily basis in this supposed City of the Arts.

Nonetheless, the work done in the photo is still vandalism, but I doubt that anyone is going to pull a trigger in retaliation.

...But she will be happy to hear from you.

Video Vigilantism in Santa Ana

It seems as if there is someone in the Floral Park area who is as fed up with graffiti in Santa Ana as yours truly. Instead of chasing taggers down the street with a screwdriver in hand, this person has taken a more subtle and creative approach to keeping their neighborhood clean.



If you recall in an earlier post, the city of Montebello was working on installing cameras that begin recording when triggered by the sound emitted from aerosol spray cans.

I hate to keep sounding like a proponent of the Big Brother system, but it might be what this troubled city needs to keep the kiddies from writing on the walls.

Keep up the great work!

2007 Santa Ana Shootings

Red Marker: Homicide | Yellow Marker: Shooting | Blue Marker: Shots Fired

Click Here to View Larger Map with Incident Details

This time of year, people like to write Christmas cards and make plans for New Year's Eve. I like to make interactive maps of tragic events that take place in this gang-infested town.

I'm still missing data from January through April, as well as the month of June, but I wanted to give you all an early Christmas present.

Creating this map was a very interesting learning experience. Here are a few things that I concluded about gang activity in Santa Ana while working on this project:

1. Even if you claim "nothing", you'll probably still get shot.


2. Bangers use all means of transportation to get their job done (Cars, bicycles, own two feet, although, I'd be really surprised to hear about a banger on roller skates).


3. Black SUV's tailgating you usually means bad news.


4. No one ever knows exactly how many gunshots were fired when asked by police.


5. Descriptions of suspects are always too vague.


6. You are more likely to be shot between the hours of 3PM-2AM in Santa Ana.
   

So yeah, Santa Ana is in dire need of a renaissance, but hope needs to begin with the people. And for these folks, hope maybe what they need to stop shooting at each other.

A Desire Named Street Car

While the idea of having a system of streetcars in downtown Santa Ana has generated a lot of criticism, I personally welcome it. One of the many lures that attracted me to moving to Santa Ana was the CenterLine light rail project.

But like many projects that start here in Santa Ana, the light rail project grows further from our grasp. From what I've been told by the folks at OCTA, this project will most likely not come to fruition any time soon. I've heard rumors that the city of Irvine is partly to blame, mainly because they don't want certain elements from within our city to make their way over to their taupe and beige town.

“Go away! There ain’t no monorail and there never was!”

With recent talks of a streetcar coming to this town, my hopes for a fun and successful mass-transit system are slowly being rekindled. Two serious issues that I see as an immediate problem are:

1. The streetcars are without any worthwhile destinations.
Santa Ana seems backwards at times, building new homes and lofts, attracting people like myself to this city, but then doesn't do much by way of supporting our leisurely needs. One can only go to Bowers Museum and the Discovery Center so many times.

Santa Ana seems backwards at times, building new homes and lofts, attracting people like myself to this city, but then doesn't do much by way of supporting our leisurely needs. One can only go to Bowers Museum and the Discovery Center so many times.

2. Streetcars will most likely end up the target of taggers.
Though definitely not the only other problem, the glass on the cars will undoubtedly be etched on a continual basis, and the exteriors will become the canvases for Santa Ana's very untalented spray can jockeys.

My biggest concern about continuing to live in Santa Ana, is that the city will not develop at a pace fast enough to retain the young professionals that have moved into new loft developments all over the city. We all took a big gamble moving to this city, let's just hope it pays off sooner than later.

Here is good pro-streetcar article coming from my favorite city.

The Cost of Living (on the street)

I contacted Kim Dean over at Keystone Pacific, our property management company, about what steps we as homeowners need to take in order to get the glass on the roll-up doors covered by the association. Here is her response:

"We would need to get legal counsel involved in order to make the glass an HOA responsibility. This probably would not happen until the community is built out and off the DRE Budget. The Association currently does not have the funds to cover this expense."

Unfortunately, the extra $60,000 spent to have a unit facing the street has yet to pay off, with the exception of a great view of people who constantly pick through the trashcans and the sidewalk's never-ending stroller traffic.

Monkey Business at Circus Hall

So my friend Thomas Gordon had no chance with the ringleaders of the circus we call city hall. The immediate 6-1 vote in favor of Thomas’ removal was a slap in the face to not only the outspoken citizens who stood up for Mr. Gordon and spoke out on his behalf, but to the rest of the citizens who care about Santa Ana, myself included.

I was amused and amazed as to how fast the council brought this issue to vote, where just minutes before, it seemed as if the unfunny mayor was joking and stalling when presenting awards to the honorable employees who have patiently served the city for more than twenty years. Yeah I said it–he’s not funny, AT ALL.

When the vote was passed, it happened so quickly that I had to turn to the lady behind me to ask "Was that it?" I wanted to stand up and yell that this city is f’ing joke and it’s being run into the ground by monkeys, but that would be offensive to my friends swinging from trees and throwing feces at each other. Those of you who know me personally know that this course of action isn’t completely out of my nature.

With my face red from my blood boiling over, and my palms so sweaty, they rippled the night’s agenda I held in my hand, I jolted up. Eyes angrily closed, teeth clenched, palms now in a fist, I took a deep breath, and said nothing. It was at that instant that I realized that having Thomas Gordon removed was the best thing that this council could do for this distressed city and Mr. Gordon.

Here we have an honorable man, whom many have stated cares more about the city of Santa Ana than our current mayor. Thomas’ removal from the EPIC commission by the 6 of the 7 council members can only be due to personal reasons, and possibly serving a deeper political agenda.

Imagine having a subordinate, who does more, makes more sense, and is liked more than you. Soon enough, people are going to start looking at you and questioning your ability to lead. So what did the city do in this case? They fired him in hopes to shut him down.

But this type of monkey business is totally within the realm of Santa Ana political fashion (there I go again insulting real monkeys). What better way to handle a serious issue than to look the other way, rather than tackling it head on? Over twenty years have Mayor Pulido and City Manager Dave Ream been in office, and the state of the city just keeps getting worse. Okay, so there are less transvestite hookers, I’ll give you that, but at least they weren’t shooting each other and vandalizing the city at all hours of the day.

Why just the other night, I walked outside to see why a homeless guy was throwing trash all over the sidewalk only to be threatened by Santa Ana locals demanding money from me. I guess those guys read this Blog being that they knew my screen name and kept saying it as they threatened me. Not until they got a glance of my jesus stick did they decide that I wasn’t worth the trouble.

By removing Thomas Gordon from his position, the council has now brought even more attention to their poor management and decision-making, which hopefully will result in a drastic and much needed change in the next mayoral election next year. Pandora’s box has now been opened and the city has made a martyr of Mr. Thomas Gordon. By slaying him from his position, they have made his voice all the more louder and clearer.

How Easy is it to Steal Spray Paint?

Section 594.1 of the California Penal Code makes it illegal to sell or furnish aerosol paint containers to anyone under the age of 18; and, requires proof of identity and age through drivers license or other government issued identification prior to sale.

Violation of these Sections is a crime which can result in prosecution and which is punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a fine of $1,000.00.

So I'm guessing that when Kragen Auto Parts on Grand Ave and Seventeenth leaves their spray paint display case unlocked and wide open making it easy for people of all ages easy to steal, then that's okay.

This photo was sent to me last night courtesy of el diablo blanco, one of our awesome readers.

Santiago Street Loft's First Police Meeting

Next Thursday, December 6th at 6:30PM, the Santa Ana Police Department will be hosting a community meeting specifically for residents of the Santiago Street Lofts, and any surrounding neighborhood communities.

The meeting will cover topics such as what type of suspicious activities to look out for, whom to call in different emergencies, crime statistics within our vicinity, and a special presentation from the Santa Ana Graffiti Task Force. At the conclusion of their presentation, the officers will be available for a question and answer session.

The meeting will be taking place on the 5th floor in the Santa Ana Train Depot tower. Elevator access is available to the floor if needed.

This is not only a great chance to learn about the problems concerning our neighborhood, but a terrific opportunity to meet and greet with your neighbors as well as local law enforcement.

Like Flies to a Rotting Carcass

The local taggers now smell blood after the events of this last Sunday. Open season has now begun on the Santiago Street Lofts.


Last night at 10:50PM, two hoodlums made their mark on the Urban West loft, the unit on the Southwest corner of Santiago Street and Santa Ana Boulevard.

While one stood as a lookout on the North side of the street, the other, with a can of white spray paint in hand, tagged the usual garbage tag that can be seen all over town.

A call was placed into SAPD at 10:51PM, but by the time officers arrived on the scene at 11PM, the vandals were long gone. Being that no one actually lives in the nicest unit in our complex (which also helps make that unit an easy mark too), no police report could be filed because there was no victim to come forward.

Some may ask why I make such a big deal about graffiti. Other than being a firm believer in the broken window theory (or etched window theory in our case), graffiti is the gateway for more serious crimes. Next comes petty theft like something goes missing from your garage or I don't know, like a plasma television being stolen. Oh wait.
After that will come the burglary of an actual residence and not a model home, then armed assault and robbery are shortly to follow.

Think I'm crazy or a little paranoid, perhaps. But in Santa Ana, you can never let your guard down.

A call was placed into Keystone Pacific's emergency hot line as of this morning informing them of what happened last night. Hopefully this recent vandalism incident will be cleaned up by the end of the day as requested to the operator.

Should Santa Ana Impose a (Harsh) Curfew?

Many feel that the idea of a curfew violates constitutional rights and that the government has no right to dictate how parents raise their children. Several youth-rights discussion groups feel that curfews drive the wedge between teens and authority figures even deeper.

When I was a teenager, the thought of a curfew angered my peers and myself. Not because we thought it was unconstitutional or questioned the possible social ramifications a curfew could cause, we just didn't like anyone telling us what we could and couldn't do.

I personally think that Santa Ana needs to impose and enforce a curfew to help alleviate some of the issues plaguing the city. Not to say that all teens are out causing trouble when the sun goes down, but honestly, are adults the ones lurking around the city and vandalizing at night?

And no, I don't think that parents should be told how to raise their kids, but at the same time, what kind of parent lets their kid run loose in the neighborhood when the street lights have been on for hours? There isn't much for adults to do in the city of Santa Ana after hours, so why are there so many kids out late on school nights?

Many parents aren't home at night being that they work two jobs to support their families. By no means do I imply that this makes for bad parenting, but it does afford their kids the opportunity to wreak havoc in the city.

Santa Ana is fighting a lot of uphill battles and doesn't seem to be winning them anytime soon. Tougher measures are needed to help the city get a grasp on its many problems.

Take the poll and post your comments!

Montebello's Spray Can Cams

The LA Times reports that the city of Montebello plans to install 120 cameras city-wide that begin recording when triggered by the sound emitted from aerosol spray cans. The high-tech cameras then notify the police department as they record the activity.

Interesting, but I'm sure that etching will most likely have a sharp increase as a result of this.

Scratchitti: It Sounds as Stupid as the Act

Sunday nights seem to be the night best night to go tagging. I can’t think of a better way to ruin someone’s week than to start his or her Monday off with some good old-fashioned vandalism.


Sometime last night after 9PM, the glass panes on the roll-up doors on multiple units facing Santa Ana Boulevard were etched. This morning, an Officer came out and after having to be asked to, took down a report (Case Number:07-43666).

Unfortunately people, we are alone in this battle. The City and Police are too busy with the many other problems that plague our City. When it comes to vandalism on our roll-up doors, the Association leaves that problem to the homeowner to fix. When any graffiti isn’t removed quickly enough, the neighborhood soon becomes subject to the Broken Window Theory. Santa Ana proves this theory as fact in my eyes.

So what can we do to try to prevent future vandalism?

• Keeping a light on doesn’t hurt. Giving the illusion of human presence could deter potential vandals.


• Look out the window every now and then. If you see something suspicious, call the Police.


• Go outside and walk around. 9PM on Sunday nights and our community looks like a ghost town.


• If you see graffiti, clean it up. Don’t expect someone else to do it.


• When taggers see graffiti stick around for a few days, they know it will be worth their time to come visit your area.


• Consider investing in products like Vandal Shield that acts as a sacrificial layer in the event of an etching.
  


• Enlist in the Ben Dayhoe Neighborhood Patrol Academy. If you can swing a sack of doorknobs, you’re in. You get a free sack, but you gotta supply your own knobs.

Perhaps at our next Association meeting, we should look into having the glass panes included in what the Association insures. I know for sure I, as well as many other residents would sleep better at night if that were the case.

On a side note, myself and a few other residents recently noticed three or four Hispanic teenagers hanging around the community as of late. They like to ride their bikes throughout the complex as well as after-hours in the Waterline parking lot, the building adjacent to the models (you know, the models that were also recently broken into). Coincidence? Perhaps. But it's never a bad idea to be aware of your surroundings.

Note: Please be respectful when posting your thoughts. I only mention race in this topic to help those who keep their eyes and ears open informed, not to start a race discussion. If the kids seen riding their bikes around the complex were Black, White or Asian, I would still use their race to fit their description. Everyone today is ultra-sensitive when it comes to race and there's always someone ready to pull the race card. Let's not forget that race is always a question asked by the Police when used to describe suspicious individual(s).

Thank you.

Feeling Abandoned

For the last three weeks, this eyesore has been sitting on Poinsettia Street while at night attracting taggers that use it as a canvas.

Last night I walked over to write down the license plate of this truck to report it to Santa Ana Parking Enforcement, where hopefully they could have it removed.

Turns out that what I thought would be the easiest part of having this truck removed was a frustrating experience that made me question why no one bothered calling to have it removed.

To place a complaint about a vehicle, you first need to dial (714) 245-8200, listen to an answering machine while weaving through prompts with multiple options (including pressing #1 for English which irritates many). My first try resulted in me getting hung up on where I thought I was going to be leaving a message.

I immediately called back (having written down the sequence to bypass the prompts made this call go a little faster) and instead of being hung up on, I was transferred to a general operator. There, that person listened to the minimal amount of words before transferring me to another department.

Here, another operator took my call and information, but not without telling me that I should be calling another number, which turned out to be the original number that I dialed in this call! The operator then said that she would be transferring my call to that department. She did so, and I was once again listening to a dial tone.

Normally I don't call Santa Ana Police Dispatch for non-emergencies, but this was getting ridiculous. I explained my reason for the call only to again be told I wasn't calling the right department. I asked the operator if he could just transfer me into the mailbox so I can leave my message and get on with my day. He did so, but no one ever picked up after three minutes of ringing.

I took a deep breath and once again, dialed the number for Parking Enforcement. #1 for English, #2 to report an abandoned car on public property, #0 to leave a message–I've got it down now. Surprisingly, instead of leaving a message on an answering machine (that may or may not be listened to), a very polite Officer picked up the phone and took my call.

After four attempts and thirty minutes, my good deed for the day was done. Too bad the truck will most likely be staying there for another 72 hours. Santa Ana Police must first try all avenues in contacting the mothertrucker before they can have it towed. Ugh.