CRIME ALERT!

From our fearless President of AVNA: At 4:30 pm this afternoon on a nice sunny day an even nicer lady who has lived on Terra Vista between Barcelona and Anzavista for years was robbed of her purse right in front of her house as she was about to open her gate. She was returning with groceries from Trader Joe’s and was apparently followed. Again, please always try to be aware of your surroundings. Talking on cell phones and listening to music can be a distraction and don’t leave your garage doors open unintended. If you should come across a discarded black purse, please be in touch.

AVNA UPDATE

Annual Meeting Just a reminder that our annual meeting is: This Saturday, May 12th from 10:00 am to Noon The meeting will be held in the Mall in the area vacated by Mervyn’s. Enter through the doors directly below the Mervyn’s sign on the same level as Payless Shoes. In addition to elections and addressing our neighborhood issues, there will be two guest speakers. One of the owners of the Mall will update us on the pending tenancy of Target and our own Dan Flanagan will provide an overview of Friends of the Urban Forest and how they can help us green our neighborhood. Please plan on attending as this will be a great time to meet and spend some time with your neighbors. Annual Dues Membership in our association is open to all residents and annual dues are $10 per Owner household and $5 per Tenant household. Dues can be paid at the meeting. For those of you who cannot attend, but would still like to support our organization and receive correspondence about what’s happening in our neighborhood, please mail a check payable to either the Anza Vista Neighborhood Association or just AVCIC to Mark Sander, 15 Fortuna Ave, San Francisco, CA 94115. Include your name, address, phone number, and if you have one, email address. Make it a Day After our meeting, you can walk down to Lyon Street between Hayes and Grove where NOPNA (North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association) is hosting their annual Block Party. This is always a fun event with a BBQ, Food Trucks, Live Music, Games and lots of children activities including a Bounce House. Arbol Lane and the Sonora Steps Mark Sander and I recently met with Principal Cheryl Foster at Wallenberg High School regarding complaints from our residents about students loitering and sometimes smoking pot on both the Arbol and Sonora Steps. Principal Foster was very concerned about any students disrupting our neighborhood and, while there may not always be school staff immediately available, offered to send someone out from the school if she is notified that there may be Wallenberg students engaged in any inappropriate activity. A couple of weeks ago based on a phone call from one of our residents, Principal Foster, herself, walked over to Arbol Lane and found three students behaving very inappropriately. Those students were severely disciplined and Principal Foster emphasized the incident at the following PTSA meeting. If you witness what appear to be students loitering on the steps, notify the school at 749-3469. If you suspect they may also be smoking pot, call the non-emergency police number at 553-0123 as well. Please bear in mind though that both steps are open to the general public and that not all teenagers that use them may be students at Wallenberg. New Red Curb Thanks to Paula Spooner and Elisa Sciaroni, co-chairs of the Fortuna Neighborhood Watch, who obtained enough signatures to submit a Traffic Calming Request to SFMTA, we now have a new red curb at the northeast corner of Baker and Turk Streets (by the Church). Since cars were usually parked right on that corner, making a right turn off Turk onto Baker often meant you had to swing wide into the middle of Baker Street and hope that there was no oncoming traffic. The new no-parking area should make that turn a lot safer. Residential Break-Ins While burglary arrests have risen 100%, residential burglaries have risen in the Park Police District as well as in other areas of the City by 73%. More troubling is that the number of “Hot Prowl” break-ins have also spiked. Hot Prowl refers to burglaries that occur when the thief expects someone to be home such as when the burglary occurs in the late evening. Needless to say, these types of break-ins are not only scary but dangerous. Suspects are getting into residences through a variety of ways; open windows (especially bathroom windows), climbing scaffolds and, on one occasion, breaking open a wall from an adjacent unit in the same building. With the current trend of warmer weather, it’s even more important to keep your windows closed and your doors locked. I’m attaching the latest Newsletter from Park Station which lists several tips (page 3) for keeping your home safe. It also describes an incident (page 4) which I won’t elaborate on that occurred on Terra Vista. You can request a copy of these Newsletters at SFPDParkStation@sfgov.org. Bay to Breakers Volunteers Bay to Breakers occurs on Sunday, May 20th. Last year, several neighborhood organizations initiated what turned out to be a very successful program called Neighborhood Ambassador Volunteers. Neighborhood Volunteers work in either the Panhandle or the Alamo Square corridors along the race route. They assist with monitoring conditions at the usual trouble spots and report unsafe conditions. They also provide information on the location of restrooms, trash receptacles, EMS services and other general information to keep the race flowing and to help avoid participants and onlookers flowing into adjourning neighborhoods including ours. Volunteers are on duty for only two hours. Last year, some of our residents participated in the program and if you might be interested, go to http://www.doitsports.com/volunteer2/jobs-by-date.tcl?event_id=214079. Food Truck Some of you have asked about the food truck that is periodically seen in our neighborhood. As many of you already know, food trucks have become increasing popular and over 100 truck owners are members of Off the Grid which schedules participating trucks at 15 various locations throughout the Bay Area. This particular truck, the Phat Thai, is owned and operated by a family on Anzavista. I had the opportunity to sample their food fare when their truck was operating next to old Kezar Stadium the other night. They definitely had the longest line and I found the food to be quite good. One interesting story that the owner relayed to me is that, when they were originally operating in the East Bay and the 1989 earthquake struck, there weren’t any restaurants open as there was no electricity so they cranked up the truck and provided food to their neighbors. (Sounds like they might be part of our own emergency preparedness plan.) At any rate, if you’re interested in where the truck is located from time to time, you can go to www.phatthaisf.com.

Halloween is Almost Here!

Halloween is Almost Here
I’m forwarding an email from “The Barcelona Family” who is sponsoring a Halloween walk again this year for our children. This is a great event which keeps our kids close in our own area where our residents designate their homes as safe “Trick or Treat Houses” (see below for a list of residences).

If you would like to participate by either opening your home up to Trick or Treaters or by volunteering to be a “crossing guard” – basically an adult or teen, not in costume, who can stand on a corner with a flashlight between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm greeting kids and families and helping with safety please email barcelonafamily@yahoo.com or call Kari Lee at 748-3555.


Block Party Kudos
Last week’s Block Party was another success with a lot of comradery and good food. I’d like to thank Ellen Farrell, Jeny Smith and Gary Robichaud for working so hard to organize the event as well as those of you who helped set up and put together those tasty dishes.

A very special and grateful Thank You also to Vanita and Austin Louie of Barcelona Avenue who gave us a very generous donation which covered all the Association’s food costs as well as some of our other incidental expenses. That was very much appreciated.



Neighbors Fighting Back
Last Wednesday, someone spotted a man looking in car windows near Turk and Masonic early in the morning. The Police were alerted and determined that the man was already on probation for possession of stolen property and had on him tools commonly used for burglary plus a collection of 23 vehicle keys.

Whether or not this was one of the persons who has been burglarizing our own cars isn’t known for sure but what this does show is that it really does pay to call the Police anytime you see something that doesn’t look right. Looking in car windows certainly fits that criteria. Just call the non-emergency 553-0123 number and do so while the person is still in our area. The Police will respond more rapidly when they know a suspect is still around.

AVNA Update

Block Party October 15th
Please join us for our annual Block Party this Saturday, the 15th, on Anzavista between Barcelona and Encanto. Our event kicks off at 11:00 am and runs to 2:00 pm (Please see attached Flyer). It’s a great chance to meet and mingle with your neighbors. Morgan St. Clair, our newly assigned SAFE coordinator will also be there to answer any questions you might have about setting up a new Neighborhood Watch or infusing a little more life into an existing one.

We’ll provide the basics: hamburgers, hot dogs, soda, water, etc., but it would be great if you could bring one of your favorite dishes as well. We’ve had some exciting food fare in the past and it’s always fun to see what people bring. You don’t need to bring a lot; just enough that maybe 10 or 15 people can sample.

Please let Ellen Farrell know early next week (415) 771-6998 maudesp@yahoo.com if you’re able to bring something. We also need chairs and any small tables. If you need help getting them there, please give me a call at 931-8988.


Some Good News
Two cars that were stolen out of our area in the last month have been recovered. Additionally, one of the very expensive bikes that were stolen from a locked garage on Barcelona was tracked down by the owner when it was advertised on CraigsList. He notified the Police and the ad brought them to a Pawn Shop on 6th St. where the Police obtained the name and address of the person from Bernal Heights who had pawned the bike and arrested him. You can read the full article at http://www.sfexaminer.com/blogs/law-and-disorder/2011/09/new-san-francisco-police-strategy-leads-bike-theft-arrest.


Nike Re-Use-A-Shoe Campaign
It’s that time of year again. That’s when Marcia Sprinkle sponsors the Nike Re-Use-A-Shoe Campaign.

Over the years, Nike has collected over 25,000,000 pairs of running and other types of athletic shoes. They then grind the various parts and use them to provide ground cover for playgrounds, tennis courts and running tracks for schools and recreation departments. It is a great way to recycle, provide new surfaces for places that are all cash-strapped right now and keep those old shoes out of the landfill!

Marcia facilitates the collection of these old shoes and delivers them to Nike. Just drop off the shoes in her driveway or at her door at 57 Barcelona any Saturday in November. Please remove any mud and dirt from the shoes and again, only athletic shoes can be recycled (CROCS can’t be used.). Also, this year the wrist bands from the Live Strong Foundation (Lance Armstrong) are being collected.

For a first hand look at how the grinding process is done, go to www.Nikereuseashoe.com.


SAFE 5K Run
Just a reminder that San Francisco SAFE, the organization which helps us set up our Neighborhood Watches is sponsoring a 5K Run Sunday, October 30th at 11:00 am at Peacock Meadow in Golden Gate Park. This will be a fun event which includes a BBQ, Music, the SF Mounted Police and K-9 units, a talking Police Car, a Bouncy House and face painting. To signup for the race or sponsor a friend, go to sfsafe5k.dojiggy.com. Additional information can be found at 5kfunrun@sfsafe.org or by calling 553-1984.

AVNA update

Block Party Set for Oct 15th
Our Block Party will be held on Saturday, Oct 15th on Anzavista between Barcelona and Encanto. Please save the date and join us to meet and mingle with your neighbors.

A planning meeting will be held on Thursday, Sep 22nd at 7:00 pm at 140 Terra Vista Ave. Please attend to provide your support and ideas on how to make this year’s Block Party another success.


New Speed Limits Around the School
A public hearing was held earlier this month to establish a 15 mph speed zone around Wallenberg High School when children are present. The streets involved include:

All of Nido Avenue

All of Vega Street

O’Farrell between Masonic and Anzavista Avenues and

Anzavista between O’Farrell and Barcelona Avenue

At this point, it’s not clear when the new speed limit will begin or what signage will be used but you can be sure that, when the new limit does go into effect, it will be aggressively enforced initially so that everyone is aware of the change.


Speed Humps on Anzavista
Independent of the new speed limit, I have received a couple of requests to install traffic calming speed humps on the level portion of Anzavista between the turn on Anzavista (at the end of the 100 block) and Encanto to discourage speeding. I’m not sure if that strip qualifies as a candidate for speed humps but I’d like your thoughts as to whether we should proceed with a request to SFMTA. Other than directly around the school, the rest of our neighborhood is relatively hilly so I don’t know if speed humps would be allowed on any of our other streets.


Doggie Poop
It’s clear that there has been a spike in some dog owners not picking up their dog’s poop and, in some instances, bagging it but then leaving it on someone else’s lawn.

This is a tough one. I assume its people who transit through our area because I don’t know of any dog owner in our neighborhood that doesn’t pick up. In fact, some of you pick up even when it’s not your own.

If you do come across someone who’s disrespecting our area by not picking up, you might consider asking them to do so without being confrontational. Hopefully, they’ll be embarrassed and pick up or, at least, know that they’re being watched and stop coming though our area.


Wallenberg Car Wash
There’s a car wash at Wallenberg High School this Saturday, the 17th to help raise funds for the Senior Prom and other graduation expenses. Food and drinks will be available while you wait and the Seniors will happy to “spiff-up your ride” anytime between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.


Car Registration Tags
There have been a few thefts of car license plate registration tags in our area lately. While there are a lot worse things that can happen, the loss of a registration tag can be annoying as, besides having to fill out paperwork with DMV to get it replaced, there’s also an accompanying fee.

SFPD offers this tip: “Don’t let your old tags pile up too much on your license plate.” That just makes it all the more easier for someone to peel off the new one.

Please give me a call if you have any questions.

CAR BREAK-IN UPDATE!

Here’s some welcome news from the Park Police Station Newsletter covering incidents that happened last Friday (the 12th).

”First block of Anza Vista Ave. 1:55 am Auto Burglary - Arrest Made.

A resident called to report a parked car with a broken window. Officers Jackson and Wong found the car, but could not locate the owner. They remained in the neighborhood. The same resident called again when he saw a man enter the car and rummage through its contents. The resident confronted the man when he tried the handles to the resident's vehicle. The burglar fled and the police were called.

Officers Jackson and Wong recognized the description of the thief as a convicted burglar who lived on the 700 block of Lyon Street. They searched the area and found the 53 year old man carrying a gym bag containing shoes and clothing at Lyon Street and Golden Gate Avenue. They detained the man and the Anza Vista resident identified him as the burglar. The burglar was
arrested and the bag was seized. A pick up truck with a broken window and a similar gym bag was found on the first block of Anza Vista Avenue, too.

Sergeant Remedios took over the case later in the day and located the owners of the vehicles with the broken windows. One of the men reported his gym bag and its contents missing. Both men gave formal statements and the
case went forward. The burglar was on parole for a similar crime (he had been released from prison in July 2010) and a parole hold was placed on the man (meaning that he cannot be released on bail or on his own recognizance). Case 101050665”


This was a great job by the Police Officers and the resident who took the initiative to call the Police even though the first car wasn't his. That’s the way to be proactive against these thieves.

The suspect’s description sounds like the same person that was arrested last year in a car break-in at Anzavista and Terra Vista where an envelop containing cash was taken. After that arrest, there was a noticeable decrease in break-ins around our area. Hopefully, we'll have a similar result this time as well.

Anza Vista Neighborhood Association Newsletter 11-11-10

NIKE REUSE A SHOE Campaign
This Saturday, November 13th is the final day of the NIKE REUSE-A-SHOE Campaign. Please drop your old running shoes in the bin at 57 Barcelona Ave between 10:00 am and Noon so that Nike can grind them up and turn them into resurfacing materials for schools and Recreational Centers.

AUTO BREAK-INS
There was another break-in of a van parked overnight last Tuesday at the corner of Anzavista and Terra Vista Avenues. I also noticed fresh glass this morning at the corner of Anzavista and Baker.

Jim Grossman, who attended the community meeting at Park Police Station Tuesday night, reports that our new Police Captain, Captain Denis O’Leary, stressed that all vehicle break-ins need to be reported so that he can get a full understanding of what’s going on up here and react accordingly. There is an easy-to-use, on-line reporting facility at:

http://www.sf-police.org/index.aspx?page=778

Please remember not to leave anything on your seats or even on the floor in your vehicles regardless of whether it’s day or night. And always call 553-0123 if you notice anyone behaving suspiciously in our area particularly if they’re looking into car windows or entryways. It’s important that you call immediately while the person is still here so you can provide an adequate description and direction the person is taking. If you do see an actual crime in progress or other activity that, in your mind, poses a threat, call 9-1-1.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS AT PARK STATION
Community meetings at Park Police Station, which often include interesting guest speakers, are held on the second Tuesday of every month and are a great vehicle for getting up to date on what’s been happening in our general area. Park Station is located at 1899 Waller Street off Stanyan in the old Kezar complex.

If you’d like to receive a copy of Park Station’s Newsletter, send an email request to Captain O’Leary at denis.o’leary@sfgov.org.

BURNED OUT STREET LAMPS
One way to be proactive in preventing car break-ins is to keep our streets lighted. There’s been at least five burned out street lights that I’ve been aware of over the last couple of months and it’s really easy for us to get those bulbs replaced. Just call 3-1-1 and the operator will notify the department responsible for replacing the burned out bulbs and give you a tracking number.

Each lamp post has a number stenciled on a metal plate partway up the light pole which identifies the specific pole but really all you need to get the process moving is the nearest street address. Normally bulbs are replaced within 48 hours.

Thom Dempster and Iris Woo have been kind enough to call in outages, even when they’re not on their own street, but we all should be more responsive in reporting outages that are right in front our own residences.

Please call me if you have any questions.