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If you use one of these articles
in your newsletter, please give credit to
the author of the article. Also please let Pat
Carstensen know so we can
assess how useful this service is.
DIsaster
Supplies
Would you be ready in a disaster in which you are not evacuated
and are
staying in your residence? These items can be stored in a box
or container
such as a disinfected garbage can with a tight fitting lid and
placed next
to your Disaster Suitcase.
Flashlight and extra batteries (lanterns and candles are not recommended
due
to fire hazards). Check batteries every 6 months and replace as
necessary.
Battery operated radio and extra batteries (to listen to newscasts
and
weather reports). Check batteries every 6 months and replace as
necessary.
Back up oxygen tank should be kept full at all times, A three
to four day
supply of your current medications. Ask your physician or pharmacist
how
long each of the medications can be stored.
Ice - fill coolers with ice.
Water - water can be stored in empty containers and/or a bathtub
that has
been disinfected and the drain plugged. To disinfect the tub,
use a 10%
bleach solution (9 parts water and 1 part bleach) to clean the
tub - then
rinse well with plain water. Bottled water is another alternative.
Non-perishable foods that can be eaten at room temperature such
as: ready to
eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables; canned juices, milk,
soups; staples
such as sugar, salt, pepper; high energy foods - peanut butter,
jelly,
crackers, granola bars; comfort foods - cookies, hard candy, instant
coffee
and tea, tea bags, etc.; manual can opener; disposable plates,
utensils,
cups and bowls. (The foods put in your disaster supply kit should
take into
consideration any special dietary needs of the individual.) Rotate
your
stored food every six months.
Due to health and safety dangers:
Do not operate a generator inside the structure
Do not cook or heat inside the structure with gas grills or charcoal
For more advice on how to prepare for a disaster, see:
www.durhamcountync.gov/departments/emgt/Documents/Pre-Disaster_Plan-ENGL.pdf"
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
The Community Emergency Response
Team (CERT) Program educates people about
disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and
trains them
in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light
search and
rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using
the
training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members
can
assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an
event when
professional responders are not immediately available to help.
CERT members
also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by
taking a more
active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.
For additional information
please visit https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/,
to sign up for the training contact:
Betty S. Moore, CFI
EM Coordinator / CERT Program Manager
Durham County Fire Marshal's Office
bmoore@co.durham.nc.us
919-560-0660
Ride
Along
Risa Foster
Trinity Heights
We left the Central Station
Police parking lot with lights waving, and the
siren yelling. There was an automobile accident at the corner
of Duke and
Club. Three ambulances were called. Sgt. Gunter arrived first
on the scene.
He was calm, caring, and clear-headed as he took charge. Almost
within the
same moment, EMTs and several more police officers arrived. The
intersection
was closed, cars were re-directed, or stopped, while the fire
truck and
ambulances maneuvered in and out.
I still become emotional over
the scene. Not because of the horrific nature
of the accident, but because of the awesomeness these professionals
demonstrated. People were hurt, confused and scared, perhaps in
shock. The
van was crushed in the front and jammed up onto the shoulder of
the street.
A person was trapped inside the Honda that was still in the intersection.
The car was cut apart to free the victim. It was amazing to watch
all these
trained professionals converge on this chaos. They aided the injured,
as
they verified others were not hurt. While checking with accident
witnesses,
they also directed the traffic. All the while, preventing additional
accidents from occurring, and arranging for tow trucks, ambulances,
fire
trucks, and even more police officers. I watched the ambulance
speed away
with the injured. I watched the tow trucks haul the damaged cars
and the
traffic begin to flow again. Passersby were probably unaware of
the dramatic
scene there just a few minutes before. Unaware of the efficiency
and heroism
of the officers, the EMTs, and fire rescue workers. Unaware of
the lives
saved, and possibly lost.
The officers and I grabbed
a quick dinner at Elmo's. I was determined to
buy these guys dinner. I think we all should spend a night with
them, and
buy them dinner. They were very appreciative, and it humbled me,
to have
them acknowledge my effort after witnessing their actions at a
lethal
accident. Before we finished eating, we were off and running,
lights and
sirens blaring.
Our next call was a fifteen-year-old
boy, shot and laying in the middle of
an apartment complex. Officers where on the scene when we arrived.
As we
drove up, Sgt. Gunter prayed aloud, "Please don't let him
be dead. Please
don't let him be dead." And he wasn't. The young man was
shot twice in the
leg with bullets that take flesh and muscle with them when they
exit the
body. Sgt. Gunter got out and started working. I stayed in the
car. The
ambulance was on its way, and the yellow caution tape was already
drawn.
People were being interviewed, and the police where trying to
make sense of
what happened, and re-enact the senselessness. They traced the
path the boy
ran down and tracked the many bullets and casings that were fired.
So many
bullets. A bullet was even found lodged inside a DVD player in
one of the
apartments near by.
Detectives took pictures and
searched for clues and crimes, and even used
the canine unit. I stared as the young boy lay in the street wrenching
with
pain, flailing from side to side. I don't know what inside of
me has changed
sense watching that boy lay there, but when I'm still and quiet
and that
scene plays in my head again, I think, "How could I not be
changed?"
We then did some radar detection
on the 85. A woman was flying at 96 miles
per hour with a small infant in the backseat. A teenager was speeding
along
in his Daddy's new truck. The young man was far more upset and
scared than
the mother endangering her child's life.
We then were called to George's
Garage as there was some kind of fight or
altercation. When we arrived, I saw over a hundred young people
mulling
about in the parking lot. Their energy was erratic, and if felt
uneasy to
me. Cars were pulling out recklessly while people where slurring,
as they
got into the cars. It was with this crowd, I felt the most uneasy
of the
entire evening. It felt to me as though it could become a volatile
situation if the slightest of slights were made.
After George's we were able
to do some pro-active things. Sgt. Gunter drove
through our neighborhoods and stopped and talked with some of
the college
kids. He ticketed a car parked in front of a fire hydrant. He
enjoys his
job and really enjoys his interaction with the neighbors, especially
the
students, and they seem to enjoy him also.
Our last stop for the evening,
was a young man (nineteen years old) in a
Honda. He had an unregistered 45-millimeter gun in his car. In
a tense, but
quick moment, the boy got down on the ground as Sgt. Gunter instructed.
The
gun was taken to the central station. I was taken home.
I encourage everyone to consider
doing a "ride along" with the Durham City
Police Department. You will learn a lot about your community,
the police
department, as well as the emergency medical response workers,
and the fire
department. You will also learn something about yourself. I did
as I viewed
most of the happenings of my community from the safe confines
of a Durham
City Police car.
Beaver
Pond Business Bound
Kara VanDam
Originally published in Duke Park's newsletter
I'm a native Michigander,
coming from the land of northern trees ripe with
fruit, and, um, Ted Nugent. So this time of year, I suppose it's
only
natural that I begin to have strange cravings for fresh meat and
deeply dark
sweet cherries. With advance apologies to the vegetarians, let
me just say
that a good steak is a hard thing to find. And cherries? They,
like my
fellow Michigan fruit the blueberry, can be found, but they are
mushy and
lacking flavor, and wow, they can be yours for only 5 bucks a
pound. I've
often wondered why people in North Carolina bother even eating
those fruits
(much like I didn't understand the glory of the peach before moving
here).
But the other day, I stumbled upon a miracle. Perchance it was
a dream?
Ripe, sweet cherries for 99? a pound? A juicy T-bone, ready for
the grill?
Was I back in my homeland with a Vernor's or Faygo Red Pop in
my hand? No!
I was in the Red & White grocery on the corner of Club and
Roxboro!
Surprises like these await us mere blocks from our neighborhood,
and as the
I-85 construction (finally) draws to an end, sidewalks and crosswalks
on
Roxboro will get us out of our cars and guide us to the finds
that await us.
But ripped-up roads or a lack of sidewalks haven't been the only
things
keeping neighbors away. Concerns about vagrants, crime, and drug
use, as
well as large vacancies have also played their part. A new tide
is turning,
however, and our neighborhood businesses need our support as they
embark on
this exciting new venture, the Beaver Pond Business Association.
Over a dozen businesses have joined with local neighbors to form
this
business organization which will focus on building these businesses,
controlling vagrants and crime, and working with local neighborhoods
to form
a more cohesive community.
The first step is to support with our feet and our wallets by
realizing just
how much of our shopping needs can be met locally--really locally!
The second step is to understand, as the Chair of Colonial Village
Neighborhood Association's Safety and Crime Committee points out,
that
"businesses can't do it alone" when it comes to vagrants.
"They can't just
rely on the police department." Neighbors need to be a presence
in the
business district.
Gasch also points out that those interested have also been empowered
by the
Beaver Pond Business Association to be "agents of trespass,"
meaning that
neighbors (acting as an agent of the owner) can ask trespassers
to leave a
property. They can also swear out warrants for repeat offenders.
For more
information on this aspect of local involvement, contact Ken at
ken.gasch@hldproductions.com or Bill Anderson at TheOcean1@aol.com
Whatever you choose to do, be it dropping off your cleaning, buying
baked
goods, or actively working to decrease crime, every contribution
is
important and vital. Our neighborhood has everything to gain from
the
success of this business district, and everything to lose with
its failure.
So make a stand and head on over to the other side of 85 this
weekend!
A
Stroll Down la Rue Cler
Kara VanDam
Originally published in Duke Park's newsletter
A clear, crisp night, the
anticipation of what the city has to hold still
before us. After a stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens, we make
our way
down la Rue Gay-Lussac, turning onto curved and narrow streets
towards la
Rue Mouffetard. A corner bistro, candlelight, and delicately and
deliberately prepared cuisine await us, each bite a new pleasure
adding to
the ethereal experience of all time spent in the City of Lights.
Recently, my husband and I
have been pining for a return to Paris, to those
evening strolls and wonderful meals. To our great delight, a piece
of Paris
has come to Durham in the form of the new restaurant, Rue Cler
(http://www.ruecler-durham.com/). Located at 401 Chapel Hill St.,
across
from the downtown post office, this corner bistro and its caf?
next door are
an incredibly welcome addition to Durham's restaurant life. Better
yet,
well Rue Cler is certainly French-inspired, it doesn't limit itself
to
strict Parisian bistro fare. The creativity and variety offer
the best of
French cuisine without the limitations.
The bistro offers both and
a la carte and a prix fixe menu. We opted for
the latter and started with the truffled potato soup and the saut?ed
pumpkin
slices. I'll admit: I'm a foodie. When I go out to dinner, I splurge
and
go places that will tempt me with flavors I would not think to
make myself.
Both these dishes delivered on this: Remarkable flavor and texture
combinations. Every dish that followed, from the asparagus with
b?arnaise
and egg, to the veal loin with gnocchi was perfectly executed.
Rue Cler has managed to round
out the Parisian culinary experience with its
caf? and bakery. It's the perfect place for a scone and coffee
(their
selection of pastries and hot drinks is wonderful). If you come
at
lunchtime, they also have a variety of sandwiches. Don't forget
the bread
and cheese: wonderful local cheeses and artisanal breads area
available.
Thank you, Rue Cler, for bringing
us a new wonderful place to munch, lunch
and dine. We will be back?often.
Rue Cler's restaurant serves
both lunch and dinner. Lunch is served Monday
- Friday, 11:30 AM - 2 PM. Dinner is served from 5:30 PM on, Monday
-
Saturday. Phone 682-8844. The bakery and cafe are open Monday
- Friday
from 7:30 AM - 6 PM. Phone 682-6879.
Redcedars
Pat Carstensen
Originally from Sierra Club newsletter
Many Southerners grew up with an Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)
as
their Christmas tree. Redcedars (Yes, I am assured that it really
is a
single word) are a local tree with a nice fragrance and a shape
close to
what folks expect in a holiday tree, though the flexible branches
won?t
support really heavy ornaments.
Redcedars grow in every state
east of the 100th meridian. They are
technically junipers, not cedars. They are singularly unfussy
about the
soil they are growing in. My husband's word is "versatile".
So you find
them on ridge tops and in swamps, in alkaline and acidic soils,
and even on
barrier islands subject to saltwater flooding. I see them more
on alkaline
soils, where they face less competition. The one place you don't
find them
is near apple orchards since they carry cedar-apple rust; apple
farmers cut
redcedars down.
If you don't look closely,
you would think the fruits are berries, but they
are cones. They change color as they ripen, becoming first greenish
white,
then whitish blue and finally blue. These fruits are high in fat
and total
carbohydrates and are eaten by many wildlife species, including
waxwings,
turkeys, rabbits and even coyotes. Redcedars also supply shelter
for
nesting and roosting.
Redcedars are also called
pencil cedars because 19th century American
pencils generally used the splinter-resistant wood. Since there
was no
thought about sustainability, manufacturers were reduced to trying
to buy
redcedar rail fences from farmers when the supply ran out. Today
pencils
are mostly made from (they say, sustainably-grown) incense-cedars
from the
Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Did you know you could harm a wild animal, even if your intention
is to
help, if you touch or feed the animal incorrectly? Be a true friend
to the
wild birds, mammals and reptiles in your neighborhood: before
you pick them
up, call the Piedmont Wildlife Center at (919) 572-WILD (919-572-9453).
The
wildlife veterinarian and staff at the clinic will advise you
what to do
next if you?ve found injured or orphaned wildlife.
PWC is open seven days a week,
9-5. If you find wildlife in need at other
times, place them in a well-ventilated box lined with a towel.
Do not offer
food or water (this can cause injury or death, and may prevent
them from
being reunited with their parents). Keep the box away from pets
and children
in a warm, quiet spot until you can reach PWC for more information.
Visit us at www.piedmontwildlifecenter.org
to learn more about our
non-profit work on behalf of native, North American wildlife.
Thanks for helping us help
wildlife!
Piedmont Wildlife Center
Domestic
Violence
Originally published in Colonial Village Neighborhood Association
Newsletter
Domestic Violence is chronic abuse by a current or former intimate
partner
against another.
Some characteristics of a Battering Personality
1. Whirlwind Courtship
2. Jealousy - as a "sign of love and concern."
3. Controlling Behavior (economically, making decisions for partner, etc.)
4. Unrealistic Expectations ("You're everything to me.")
5. Isolation from family and friends
6. Blaming others for problems or feelings
7. Hypersensitivity - Abusers tend to have low self-esteem.
8. "Playful" use of force in sex
9. Cruelty to animals or children
10. Verbal abuse
11. Jekyll/Hyde personality
12. Past battering (His ex said he hit her but she's just vindictive.)
13. Threats of violence
14. Breaking or striking objects - intended to frighten the woman into submission.
15. Any force during an argument
IPV Victims are particularly vulnerable to medical problems such as:
1. Injuries
2. Reproductive Health Problems (increased risk of battering when
pregnant)
3. Vaginal infections
4. Chronic Health Problems (headaches, chest pain, anemia, abdominal
complaints, hypertension)
Psychological Effects of Domestic Violence:
1. Low self-esteem
2. Doubting their own sanity
3. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
4. Depression
5. Substance abuse (self-medicating)
Economic and Other Problems of Daily Living:
1. Monetary impact of leaving the batterer
2. Child care
3. Employment
4. Social Services
5. Safety Plan
The Durham Crisis Response
Center is the only agency in Durham that provides
free, confidential services to survivors of domestic and sexual
violence.
Support services include a 24-hour crisis line, emergency shelter,
hospital
response, legal advocacy, survivor support groups and safety programs.
These
programs are provided by the Durham Crisis Response Center in
its mission to
end domestic and sexual violence through advocacy, support services,
education and prevention. We have opportunities for volunteers
on the
crisis line, as legal advocates, for hospital accompaniment and
for
community education, as well as short-term opportunities to help
out at our
facilities. Our thrift store, Pennies For Change, needs donations
of small
electronics, kitchenware and small furniture. All contributions
to Durham
Crisis Response Center are appreciated and tax deductible. Help
us continue
to be the sole provider in Durham County of these valuable services.
Come to the Durham Crisis
Response Center at 3:30PM, Thursday, April 5 to
view the Emmy award winning video "Gonna Make It" by
J-Saint, featuring
Kelly B, and join in the discussion led by our Teen Advisory Board.
Call
919-403-9425 or visit HYPERLINK
"www.durhamcrisisresponse.org"www.durhamcrisisresponse.org
for details about
any of the above programs and opportunities.
24 HR Crisis Line 919-403-6562
Save
some dough this holiday season
By Ken Gasch
Originally Published in the Colonial Village NA Newsletter
Some Colonial Village neighbors have recently been fined for different
violations of city codes. In an effort to save everyone some cold
hard cash,
here is a list of the most common violations for which people
are fined.
Too much noise: The most common citation is for loud music or
barking dogs.
If your dog is outside and barking a lot, bring it indoors. If
your music
can be heard in your next-door neighbor?s living room, it is too
loud. Noise
produced by lawnmowing or construction will not result in a ticket
unless
they are done at night. To report a noise violation, call the
Durham Police
Department at 911.
Parking in yards: No portion of the yard space other than the
designated
driveways can be used for the parking of vehicles. Parking on
grass causes
trees and grass to die, sewer pipes to collapse, increases rain
water run
off and detracts from the value of your property. You must park
in a
designated driveway unless you submit a site plan to the planning
office
showing something different. Violations can be as high as $500
per day. To
report a yard parking violation, call the Durham Department of
Planning at
560-4137.
Inoperable vehicles: Parking vehicles on your lot that no longer
run will
not get you a ticket, but the city can come and tow them away.
If you can
start your vehicle and it is properly licensed, you should be
alright.
Otherwise, you should try and get it running or sell it to a salvage
yard.
To report an inoperable vehicle, call the Durham Department of
Housing at
560-4570.
Weedy lots: According to city ordinance, any high grass and noxious
weeds
shall be kept mowed or cut to a height of not more than six (6)
inches. To
report a weedy lot, call the Durham Department of Housing at 560-4570.
Trash cans: According to Durham City Ordinance Section 10.66,
?No private
refuse receptacle of any kind shall be placed or remain upon any
public
street or sidewalk, on Sunday or on any other day that is not
a collection
day. The Solid Waste Department actually cuts the citizens some
slack by
allowing people to put their bins out the night before trash pickup
day and
does not expect them to be removed until the following morning.
The fine for
leaving a cart out has not yet been determined, but the city is
hiring an
enforcement person within the next month. To report a trash can
violation,
call Durham One-Call at 560-1200.
Thinking
of adopting a stray dog? Read this first!
(The following article was adapted from the Old North Durham Neighborhood
Association web site.)
(Add your neighborhood here) has many different kinds of stray
dogs. They usually fall
into one of five categories:
1. Emergency - Through a very unusual circumstance, the dog got
out and the
owners will immediately start looking and do all they can to find
the dog
ASAP.
2. Escape artist - The dog got out AGAIN! In the past s/he didn't
go far.
Owners aren't panicked, but will go looking and follow the usual
routine
which has worked before.
3. Ambivalence - Dog got away; owners figure that if it doesn?t
come home it
wasn't meant to be.
4. Stray - Dog may have had an owner or may still have someone
who feeds it
from time to time, but pretty much just roams free.
5. Feral - Dog was born to a stray and has never had close human
contact.
There are too many of the last three types, so the sad fact is
that many
will end up being put to sleep in animal shelters. While this
is a shame,
many people argue that it is better than if they all ran wild,
had puppies,
spread disease, got injured, killed cats, got in to garbage, harassed
people, and possibly caused accidents by running in front of cars.
No matter what kind of stray you may encounter, if you do catch
the dog, you
should immediately turn it over to Durham County Animal Control
(560-0630).
If you do not, you can become legally liable for theft of the
dog! Only the
animal shelter can legally take in a stray dog and make your adoption
of it
legal. Feel free to advertise the stray wherever you think appropriate
to
notify the world that the dog is going to the shelter, but again,
it is
illegal to just keep the dog yourself.
Want to make your neighborhood better? Here's how to get involved!
There are many ways to make an impact on the safety and quality
of life in
(add your neighborhood here). For more information on these activities
contact (give neighborhood contact info here).
* Join a committee or help wit h this newsletter! Meet new neighbors
and
make an impact. Join one of (add your neighborhood name here)
committees: Safety and Crime; Welcoming
and Social; Housing and Zoning.
* Participate in a neighborhood project. (add some of your neighborhood
projects here)
* Subscribe to our neighborhood's list server group, a newsgroup
where you can
post messages and read messages submitted by your neighbors:
(add web address here to find the group)
* Attend a Partners Against Crime meeting. Partners Against Crime
for
District (add your district number here) meets on t(ad the meeting
day) of every month at (add the meeting time here) at
(add the meeting place here). For more information, go to (add
webv adress here).
* Subscribe to the Partners Against Crime Yahoo! group to learn
more about
keeping Durham crime-free: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/(add
PAC number here)
* Loose dogs are in danger of being hit by a car and are a nuisance
for
neighbors and their pets. It is also against the law to let your
dog run
loose. To report a loose dog to Animal Control, call (919) 560-0640.
* Barking dog complaints are handled by the Durham Police. Call
911 to
report a dog whose barking is a nuisance.
* Do you enjoy taking Fido for a walk? Don?t forget to bring along
some
trash bags. Cleaning up dog poop is not only important for sanitary
reasons,
but it?s mandated by city litter laws.