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We have had new neighbors move to Southland Neighborhood the last few months! We want to welcome all of you and let you know that we work together to keep our neighborhood safe and crime-free. Don't hesitate to email us: neighwatch at yahoo.com - if you have questions or concerns. Those of you who have new neighbors, please introduce yourselves so that they will be familiar with those who live around them. Let them know that we have a website so that they can keep informed! Some of our newer neighbors wonder exactly what The Southland Neighborhood Watch Association is. If you're not quite sure, go HERE. Remember that keeping our neighborhood safe is a GROUP EFFORT. You cannot expect one or two people in the neighborhood to be responsible for this. Don't be afraid to call 911 whenever you see a crime in progress, or see something suspicious. If there are loud disturbances that are disturbing your peace, call the police AT THE TIME THAT IT IS HAPPENING, no matter what time it is, day or night! They are more than happy to come and check things out for us. It takes them only minutes to get here usually. You are also welcome to email your concerns or suspicions to our neighborhood watch email address: neighwatch at yahoo.com Some of you are confused as to when to call 911, and then what to say, once you've called them. Don't ever be afraid to call the Portage Police if you see a crime in progress or if you think something suspicious is going on. If you're confused as to when to call 911 and when to call non-emergency dispatch (329-4567), go to our How To Report A Crime area HERE Citizens are encouraged to contact the Department with areas of traffic safety concerns. Working together we can make Portage a safer place to live, work, and visit. The Department can be reached at 269-329-4567. All of you have been doing an amazing job, keeping Southland neighborhood plat safe. Although we have a few little problems here and there, for the most part, we've had very little crime. I know that many of you are now calling 911 whenever you see something suspicious. This is great. There have been times when you've called in, and we've been able to catch people with your help. We did have a break-in on Pecan Street last month. Our new police liason said that they have been told of an older red truck seen in the area around the same time that these break-ins (and others elsewhere) have occurred. If you see a red truck, or ANY vehicle that is slowly going around our neighborhood, like it's checking out houses, report this to the police. Try to determine what kind of car or truck it is, if you are able. Many times crooks will "case" a neighborhood and slowly go up and down the streets at night...sometimes, even with their lights off! If you see anything like this, don't hesitate to call the police, especially if they've passed your house a few times, not just once. At any rate, collectively, you are all doing a great job! Keep up the great work! REMEMBER! When calling in a concern, you can request that your name be anonymous. Anytime you think something suspicious or illegal is going on around you, it IS important to call. Even if what you reports ends up being nothing, it's better to be safe, than sorry. Our officers don't mind checking things out for us. It's part of their job. OUR NEXT BRUSH PICKUP IS GOING TO BE COMBINED WITH OUR SPRING LEAF PICKUP! LEAVES THAT ARE BAGGED ONLY IN BIODEGRADABLE PAPAER BAGS WILL BE COLLECTED THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF APRIL. You can also put your brush out at the same time. They will NOT collect loose or leaves bagged in plastic garbage bags, railroad ties, logs, stumps, or branches larger than four feet long and 3" inches around. ANNUAL SPRING CLEANUP - 2012! It's time again to clean our basements, closets and garages and through out anything that isn't good enough for GoodWill or Salvation Army or a yard sale. OUR PICKUP DATE IS MAY 3, 2012. It's important to place your items at the curb by 7 a.m. NO EARLIER than 3 days before May 3rd! The City of Portage has no responsibility for items removed from the curbside by private parties. This means don't leave children's toys and bikes out in the parkway during these times. They may accidently pick up things that you didn't intend to give away! Please separate trash and metals at the curb. WHAT WILL BE COLLECTED: Bed springs and mattresses, metal-piled separately, old appliances, including washers, dryers, stoves, TV's and hot water heaters. Also, lawn/yard equipment but you must drain oil and fuel from them. Other items must be bundled, bagged or boxed. Each package should weigh less than 50 lobs. WHAT WILL NOT BE COLLECTED: Garbage, Animal Waste, brush and leaves, gas cans or fuel containers, large auto parts, paint and chemicals, railroad ties, computers and monitors, tires, sand, gravel or sod, broken concrete, scrap building materials from demoliton, new construction or remodeling, refrigerators, air conditioners and dehumidifiers (because of the fluorcarbons, which are considered hazardous waste!)
FROM CITY HALL - The Portage Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66, Article 1, Section 66-2, prohibits residents from having basketball stands in the city right-of-way (in the street or in street next to the curb). Also, during trash/garbage and recycling removal days, citizens are requested to keep their containers on the curbs verses in the actual street.
Also please remember, that from October 15 to April 15, cars are NOT allowed to be parked in the streets overnight. This is for a number of reasons, but the primary one is that cars left in the streets overnight get in the way of the fall leave pickup (loose leaves, not bagged), and then the snow plows. Cars can get covered with plowed snow and damaged and the city will not take responsibility for any damages if the car is parked illegally. It also keeps the plows from thoroughly plowing our streets because they have to keep going around parked cars and missing large areas. You very well may get ticketed if you park your car in the streets overnight between October 15th and April 15th!
During these winter months, encourage your driving teens to be extra careful while driving to school. It's hard to stop quickly if a person darts out into the road, when it's icy and snowy. If you child walks to school remind them to be aware of where they are walking, and to watch for cars that may not be able to stop quickly due to poor road conditions.
Our new police liason is Craig Begeman and he has kindly agreed to continue sending us maps that show where the recent car and building breaking and enterings have taken place. I have been fighting some severe respiratory issues and have not been able to post the last couple that he has sent me, but am feeling better and should be able to post the newest ones as they arrive. I will also share what the crime call report was for the prior month, when I receive those. So far we haven't had too many calls into the Portage PD, even this summer. Most of the calls have been minor, or registered sex offender checks each month, a few family disputes, and things taken from peoples' yards. If you are curious as to what these maps look like you can visit the area HERE Please keep track our registered sex offenders who live in and around our neighborhood, especially if you have younger children and teens. We recently had a new one move in a couple of months ago. If you aren't aware of area offenders, there is a link on the front page here, that takes you to the Michigan Sex registry site...just type in your zip code...you don't have to give them a lot of info to get in.
Remember that as homeowners or renters, we are responsible for keeping our yards clean and their walks cleared of debrie. This means we mow our lawns regularly and don't allow junk and trash to accumulate in the front yards. It's also against city ordinances to park cars and boats on lawns in Portage. If you park your car or boat in your front or side yard, on the grass, and someone reports you, or one of our officers sees this while making a drive-through in our neighborhood, you could be notified and fined by Portage City Hall, if you don't remove it! DON'T FORGET THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP OUR SIDEWALKS CLEAR OF SNOW AND ICE DURING THE WINTER!
The U.S. Post Office informed me last year that mail carriers are NOT required to deliver mail to mailboxes that are difficult to access. Not only is this regarding snow blocking their way, but also bushes and other plants that may become overgrown in the spring, summer and fall. If you have bushes or plants near your mailbox, be sure to keep them trimmed! Also, in the FALL...when we have leaf pickup, make SURE that you don't pile leaves in front of your mailbox...WINTER is the worst time...try to keep the accumulated snow from your shoveling and the city plows cleared so that they aren't blocking the mailbox...if the truck has a difficult time getting close to your box, they won't deliver your mail! We do have a new mail delivery person who started in July. He seems to be very efficient so far, with few mistakes.
Part of being a good neighbor is making sure that those living around you who are older or disabled are doing ok. We're all busy and have our own agendas, but offering to help those who need the help, is such a positive act of kindness, and it's also a great example for those of you who have kids...teaching them this sort of kindness is invaluable! Offer to help with yardwork, help with a repair, or carry things that may be too heavy for them. You never know when you, yourself, may need help in the future! This will be especially true when the snow starts falling. Make sure that your older neighbors have clean drives and walks and if they need help, please offer!
As the weather is becomes colder, it's important to remind those of you who own dogs and cats, and who leave their them out overnight or outside all of the time, that they ARE responsible for their pet's health and well-being, as well as the peace of those living around you. Ideally NO dog (OR cat) should be left outside overnight, at anytime, however, I know that some of you do leave your dogs (and cats) out all day AND overnight. Be advised that Animal Control feels that anytime the weather gets extremely cold (under 30 degrees), it's inhumane to leave a dog outside without warm shelter, and plenty of clean water and food. Also make sure that your dog has plenty of room to move around, if chained. (chaining is actually cruel) Dogs are NOT allowed to roam around freely in yards without fencing, and in Portage streets and walks, freely, but must be leashed, and if they're outside in YOUR yard, they have to be fenced in, SECURELY. Continue to give your dog its heartworm medicine at least until it starts snowing (some vets now say all year around). If your dog barks too much or too long, it's important to bring the dog inside. Your neighbors WILL call the police or animal control if your dog's barking is disturbing their peace! If you are reported being inhumane to your animal, you could be fined, and most likely lose your pet. If you are concerned about an animal in our neighborhood, you can call animal control at 383-8775, and report your concerns!
As I mentioned in the beginning, we've all been doing a great job keeping crime at bay in our neighborhood...our police have been doing a good job as well. They patrol our neighborhood at different times, both night and day, and there is usually one or more cars within a couple of minutes from our plat. We have a no tolerance attitude when it comes to crime in Southland Neighborhood. If something suspicious or illegal is going on, it WILL be reported! IF CHILDREN AND TEENS ARE ROAMING OUR STREETS AT NIGHT, and are reported, they WILL be stopped and maybe even picked up. We DO have a curfew for kids. Be aware of what it is and make sure you children are HOME, and inside.
In order to keep the great low crime statistics we have, I cannot repeat this enough! CALL 911 whenever something looks wrong or suspicious. Let a trusted neighbor know if you're going on vacation, and make arrangements for your mail and newspapers to be collected or stopped until you return. If you have a cell phone, and an in-house phone, call forward your home phone number to your cell phone...that way, if you're gone, and someone calls to see if you're home, you'll be able to answer, allowing them to think you're in the house. It is IMPORTANT to remember to keep your car doors locked AT ALL TIMES when left in your drive or in the street. If you normally leave your car in your drive, take in anything that may tempt a would-be robber. DO NOT LEAVE purses, laptop computers, or any other kind of electronics, on your car seats! LEAVE A PORCH or POLE LIGHT ON AT NIGHT! LOCK DOORS and WINDOWS on the ground floor of your house before you retire for bed in the evening, OR when you're not going to be home during the day. This is how most who break in are entering...through unlocked doors and windows. They break windows in the BACK of houses, too.
If you use a car pooling parking lot, and have to leave your car overnight, make SURE that there is NOTHING visable in your car that would tempt a would-be crook. The I-94 - Oakland Dr. car pool lot was hit MULTIPLE times this summer. Cars have been broken into and things stolen from 6 or more cars at a time. They won't break in if they're not tempted!
If you have shades or blinds in your home, close them at night, so that no one can see inside. During the daytime, if you're going to be gone, it would be wise to close your blinds slightly, or pull your shades on the windows in the back of your house, and maybe even on the sides...anywhere that your neighbors would not be able to easily see someone breaking in. You can leave a radio on loud too...let them guess...are you home or not! Cover windows on entrance doors and doors that lead into your garage. Anytime you have a window, it gives a would-be thief a chance to look at what's available inside, for him/her to steal. If you have sliding doors off your patio, or a deck, make sure they have curtains or blinds that block well, and make sure to lock them, and insert a pole or bar in the runners to keep it from sliding.
NEVER leave your purse in the kitchen, on the counter or table, where it can be seen from a window, day OR night! Do NOT leave your stove light, or a night light on, on the ground floors, in the evening. This enables a would-be robber to see what's in the room from a window, before s/he breaks in. If you can afford it, install some sort of alarm system in your home and car. Dogs are valuable for protection...just make sure you train, and take care of your dog properly.
The Southland Neighborhood Watch Association hopes all of you have an enjoyable and safe winter. If you have any questions, feel free to email us. We'll get back to you.