Show of hands...

...if you knew about the Neighborhood Watch meeting tonight (Tuesday 6/30). Yeah; that's what I thought.

I found out at literally the last possible minute, thanks to an email from Barbara Hand. She works tirelessly to promote community action and safety, but it takes more than one person if we're going to organize anything. At any rate, I decided to change my plans for the evening and got right to the meeting. Officer Trulick, who is obviously serious about being available and involved, discussed recent crime activity in the area, and gave tips on how to secure our houses and cars. Various questions were asked and answered, some quite relevant, and some kinda...uh, puzzling.

That's OK; I think the main value of these meetings (don't we know that we need to lock our doors, and not let the mail pile up while we're away?) is that we look around and see that others are interested in getting involved with the neighborhood. When we see that we're part of something, that in itself justifies the effort. If I know that you're going to show up, it's more likely that I'll show up the next time.

I'm hoping that it won't be too long before we hit the streets with the parking petition. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't even come the door these days for various reasons, so I'll try to email or do leaflets a few days before to remind people that we'll be coming over. Please open your doors when we knock. That's a good start.

If you want to be added to the email list, please leave a comment in the "Comments" space below. And tell your neighbors.

Important meeting this Thursday night...

There will be a Disaster Preparedness Community Meeting on Thursday, June 1st at
Encino Community Center, 4935 Balboa from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. Free emergency preparedness starter kit per family plus QuakeHold Museum Putty. This is part of a citywide effort to prepare every community for any disaster.
Speakers from the FBI, L.A. Fire and Police Departments will offer survival techniques to help you and your family prepare for earthquakes, fires, and terrorist attacks. We need to be prepared to survive on our own, as outside help might not be available. Please plan to attend and please tell your neighbors.