From the editor
Change in Meeting Plans
I’m sorry to tell you that the speakers we scheduled for our March 15 meeting have unexpectedly withdrawn. As a result, we are going are canceling the March 15 meeting. Rather than have the meeting with only a few items, it seemed better to delay. The next general meeting will be in April, focusing on garden advice and events. WE will have expert gardeners to answer your questions, we’ll have displays, and we’ll have music, too!
One item we will delay until June. This is the issue of private roads in the city, which came up at our January meeting. We will try to find a speaker from the city to address this, and we will provide more accurate information on our neighborhood’s private streets, including Horizon Rd.
Traffic Comment
A neighbor writes: “I have a comment on the curve near Courtney and Storey. Not only are cars going too fast but I nearly got hit driving when someone coming in the opposite direction in a large truck was half way into my lane taking a short cut around the curve. There was no way to go to avoid him but fortunately he reacted quickly enough to correct his course shortly before a near accident.”
Crime Note
A neighbor writes: “A number of slimy, hot pink markings have appeared on/near three houses on Lorane Highway (that I know of anyway, there may be more). The patio door at a neighbor’s house, sn entrance gate, a camper were marked. There also was an orange marking there that said, “no EWEB”. At our house, a dot was marked on steps, a few inches from the house.
One neighbor called EWEB and was told these are legitimate markings, that someone had asked for excavation, and to call 811 for more information. I called 811 and was told these are not utility markings, that pink usually indicates land surveys. When I told the operator where the markings are she said that did not sound right at all and she suggested I check with non-emergency police re tagging.
I contacted EWEB. They said EWEB does not use pink for markings, their markings are red, and these are not EWEB markings. She said there is a request for new water service at Lorane Highway but would not give any information about the location, so I am not sure that is even relevant. I asked about the name of the survey company they use and she would not give that information. I told her we are concerned because these houses are not very close together and we wondered if this could be tagging.
I also talked with a surveyor. When I explained the markings he said that no, they made no sense and if they WERE done by a surveyor, it would be “cause for a serious complaint”.
I am not sure what this is, but it makes little sense for a survey company to go through someone’s gate, walk quite a way into the property, and spray the gate and a patio door with slimy goo. It makes no sense to spray a camper. And there is no reason to come onto our property and spray next to our house. The neighbor who initially contacted me this morning said he was particularly concerned about burglary because they are often away for extended periods.”
Disaster Preparedness Class
I received the following note from the Red Cross. Disaster preparedness is important, and what the Red Cross is proposing fits very well with our hopes of encouraging smaller groups within the neighborhood to meet with their neighbors. It’s a way of getting to know the resources and problems in your own area. So I encourage you to think about finding a group of 15 or 20 neighbors and asking the Red Cross to come and do one of their disaster sessions with you. It might be the start of a new kind of community.
Here’s the text of their proposal; take advantage of it!:
“The Red Cross Oregon Pacific Chapter is offering free emergency preparedness classes to your 15+ person group so they can be better ready to deal with natural and man-made disasters. We cover all potential disasters in the Pacific Northwest but focus on the Cascadia Subduction Zone 8-9 Earthquake and Tsunami as well as home fires. The presentation can be adjusted to last from 20 minutes to one hour, based on your time constraints. The emergency preparedness presentation discusses the types of disasters (both man-made and natural) that can occur in our geographic area and how to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters by establishing family meeting places, addressing emergency communication strategies, making personal and family disaster plans, and building emergency supply kits. Each audience member will receive a Red Cross Prepare! booklet.
Research published in the 2013 Oregon Resilience Plan by the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission indicates there is high probability the Willamette Valley will experience a very large earthquake within the next 50 years; it’s not a matter of if, but when. The 2013 report expects that all utilities in the valley, including water, will be disrupted for at least several months.
For smaller groups and individuals – we offer a *Free Public Red Cross Emergency Preparedness Presentation – the Second Wednesday of Each Month 6-7pm at OPC Red Cross 862. Bethel Drive, Eugene*
Local KEZI news did a report on our emergency preparedness presentation. If you are interested, have a look at this video: http://www.kezi.com/red-cross-teaches-disaster-training/
If you would like to schedule a presentation, you can use this link to select a time that works for your group: http://www.redcross.org/or/eugene/preparedness/schedule-a-red-cross-presentation
Or – email henry.soderberg@redcross.org to schedule a free Red Cross emergency preparedness presentation and ask any questions you may have. You can also reach Henry on his cell at 630-631-6221. We look forward to hearing from you! ”
The Data: Who we are:
Our new name: Southwest Hills Neighborhood Association
Our old name: Crest Drive Citizens Association
Our area of the City: west of Willamette, extending south to the city borders, with a north boundary along 28th to Chambers then along 24th to City View.
Our contact information
For the newsletter: dkolb@bates.edu
For all other matters: vallecomm@gmail.com
The officers of our Association
Chair: Juan Carlos Valle
Vice Chair: Rachael Young
Reporting Sec.: Francina Verrijt
Corresponding Sec./Treas.: David Kolb
Purpose: Our purpose is to promote community at the neighborhood level and improve the livability of the neighborhood, and to educate neighbors and provide a forum for members to identify, discuss, and resolve neighborhood issues by encouraging and facilitating communications and participation among the members on matters of common concern.
How to keep up with news about our area and our activities:
You can check our Web site: crestdriveca.com
You can join the hundreds who receive our weekly email newsletter. Sign up using the form on the web site.
You can join ongoing discussions at our nextdoor.com web page. Sign up at that site.
SHiNA 