Neighbor alert- suspicious car

5/23/13 around 2:00 a.m. my night owl son and a couple of friends saw a "low rider Cadillac" go slowly down Mineral Court to the cul-de-sac, come back up Mineral Court, turn and slowly go up Callanan Court, come back down, turn right back onto Mineral Court, leave Barrett Highlands only to do a u turn on Mineral Dr, come back and park near the Barrett Highlands sign with headlights off for about 20 min. Chris and his friends kept an eye on the car during that 20 min. and did not see anyone get out of the car.

Suspicious behavior, including people watching homes from cars that clearly are not supposed to be there, is definitely something to call into the Sheriffs Dept. While someone may not be engaging in inappropriate or criminal behavior, it's important that we watch out for people casing neighborhood homes or looking for opportunities for theft.

Thanks for keeping us up to date, and keep up the great work all!

Notes from last night's Sheriff Community Meeting

Thank you to everyone from our area who attended this meeting and for providing notes to help share with others who were unavailable to attend.

Sheriff Community Meeting Notes

The number #1 thing that Sheriff's Dept. representatives pointed out: 

"Be the squeaky wheel. Call the Sheriff and report what happened... "it's not on our radar if you don't call".

This meeting was the last neighborhood/Sheriff meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Sept 17th, same location

The first part of the meeting covered last month's topics which were:

• There are over 200 massage parlors in Sac County. Some are under investigation as fronts for prostitution. 

• The smoke shops are under investigation for selling tobacco to minors

• The Park Ranger and Sheriff are running the problem youths out of Del Campo Park. Unfortunately, they are going to Jan Park.

• Sheriff Denise again encouraged the neighbors to read Prop 215 and Senate Bill 420 and see what the people voted for. Summer is here and grow houses are popping up and they DO attract crime. 

This month, subject matters brought up were:

Someone mentioned the problem of people siphoning gas and breaking into cars in the neighborhood at which point, an older woman shared her story:

• She said her house was broken into at 7:45 AM a week or so ago while she was taking a shower. The house is located on Heritage Drive. They broke into her garage using a crow bar, then broke into her house. They stole her purse and left. The purse was found on Rustic Way minus the cash. She was able to recover her purse, credit cards and cell phone. These thugs knocked on the door 2 house down at 7:35 AM and a lady answered her door. She saw 2 Caucasian men dressed all in black were outside her door. The second guy was sitting down outside away from the door. The lady did not call in this activity. These guys left and hit the house where they thought no one was home 2 doors down. 

• The Sheriffs warned about burglars scouting houses, banging on the door to see if anyone answers. If not, they hop the fence and break in the the house. Be alert to these people scouting the neighborhood. Call the Sheriff and be sure to get a good description. DO NOT ENGAGE. Let the sheriff get these people. 

Regarding park ranger patrols:

Additional funds were located to have a park ranger patrol Carmichael Park and Del Campo Park. Jan Park is currently not on this list, however we are making every effort to continue to request from the park district help in protecting our park and keeping criminal behavior, loitering, and suspicious individuals from occurring. We will keep you updated here on this ongoing effort.

In regards to the county leash law:

Neighbors who had questions about enforcement were told to call animal control at least to document a complaint. The fines are low for violating the code so people typically ignore the fine.

National Night Out - August 6th  

Side Note: 

We (our neighborhood watch groups) are registered with the National Association of Town Watch who puts this on and will be sharing information soon about what/how to organize a neighborhood event. Check out the link on our left hand sidebar for more information.

Requests for a permit to close off a street for a party must be submitted by July 19th. 

How to respond to police activity:

If a sheriff helicopter is orbiting your area, stay inside and lock doors. Do not go out to see what is going on. If you see a police dog being used, it is because they are trying to locate someone who just committed a serious crime or they are trying to catch a dangerous felon. Stay inside your house. If there is someone in your yard, call 911 so the sheriff can focus their search.

Found Dog- Please Help Us Get Her Home! UPDATE-FOUND HER OWNERS

UPDATE: We are very happy to report that thanks to responsible pet owners who microchipped their dog and the Blue Cross Vet Hospital for checking for it, we were able to reunite this sweet old girl with her family quickly! I'm so glad to live in a neighborhood like this where people care and stop to help animals in need :) Thanks again all!

Hi neighbors,

Would you please do us a huge favor and get the word spread around that a neighbor found a trained and well behaved golden retriever female (who ran right into her garage) this afternoon, 5/21/13, near the corner of Jan Drive and California Avenue. She has grayish/whitish hairs on her muzzle which makes us think she's an older dog and she is currently wearing a collar, but with no tags. Please share these pictures and let us know if you know who her family is-she is obviously a well loved friend!

Please contact me through email to share any news of her rightful owners or tips.

 Thank you so much for your help, it is sincerely appreciated!!

Need For Active Reporting

Good afternoon all,

We are continuing to have reports of cars having their windows removed, suspicious behavior, gas siphoning, garage doors vandalized, and seeing evidence of vandalism and graffiti in the park recently. Warm weather and kids being out of school statistically increases incident rates for these "petty" crimes,  which is why we really need everyone to report all acts of this nature to the Sheriff's Dept. so that they can increase their presence in the neighborhood. Time and time again, our local Sheriff POP officer and  the the local CHP POP officer have advised us clearly that decisions about where officers are going to spend their time daily depends on several factors, including the number of reported incidences in a given area. Although these crimes may seem insignificant, and there is understandable feelings that the Sheriff's can't/won't do anything about siphoned gas, or a kicked in garage door for instance, it's vital that we keep them aware of the problems we face, and that we stay vigilant so that activity levels don't increase to more substantial problems. When contacting local law enforcement, please provide them as much detail as possible about possible suspects, including physical descriptions, apparel, car license plates/make/model, and specifics of behavior. If you experience any negative behavior by dispatchers, stay calm, do your best to give them all relevant information, and report issues to POP officer Dennis Peyton at dpeyton@sacsheriff.com.

Some examples of vandalism reported recently:

Benches found piled on top of each other and in the wrong place on Sunday morning 5/19/2013. Almost a dozen youths were rousted from the park after dark the night before.

This is a serious concern as a fire hazard and trash in the area shows a large amount of cigarette butts and alcohol containers present.

This tagging has been found on trash cans within Jan Park and on several fire hydrants throughout the neighborhoods. We are contacting the appropriate people to find out if these are known gang related symbols and how to remove them from hydrants.

So, how do we battle this?

The most important thing we can do is be active, aware, and vigilant about reporting suspicious behavior and crimes in progress. Trust your instincts. You know who belongs in your area and what is "normal" activity in your neighborhood-do not be afraid to report something that just seems fishy. It is entirely up to all of us to determine the kind of place we want to live in and help local law enforcement be aware of our problems and concerns so that they can do their job. Don't assume that your neighbor will call. If something is wrong, be proactive and pick up the phone!

• Report ALL crimes in progress to 911
• Call the non-emergency number 916-874-5115 to report suspicious activity
• SOME SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES ARE. . . 
  Suspicious activities can refer to incidents, events, individuals, 
  or any activity that seems unusual or out of place. 
  
  
  Common suspicious activities include: 
  • A stranger loitering in your neighborhood 
  • A vehicle cruising the streets repeatedly 
  • Someone peering into cars or windows 
  • A high volume of traffic going to and coming from a home 
  on a daily basis 
  • Someone loitering around schools, parks or secluded areas 
  • Strange odors coming from a house or building 
  • Open or broken doors and windows at a closed business or 
  unoccupied residence 
  • Someone tampering with electrical, gas or sewer systems 
  without an identifiable company vehicle or uniform 
  • Sounds of breaking glass; gunshots; screaming or fighting 
  • Strangers removing license plates or loading valuables into 
  vehicles from a residence, even if the moving truck looks 
  legitimate   
  
  
  
  
• Please report any incidences, great or small to your street coordinator and alert Olivia or I so that we can keep a running log of occurrences in the area. We will be sure to respect your privacy at all times when sharing reports and by reporting to us and your neighborhood watch street coordinators what is going on, we can make sure we educate those around us, and get the attention of local law enforcement so they can act.

This our neighborhood and we love it. If we all work together and take an active approach to safety, there is nothing we can't do!!

New reports in Jan Park Watch and reminder of Sheriff's Community Meeting 5/21/2013

Hi folks,

Be sure to check in for continuing posts regarding Jan Park Watch on the Park Watch- Incident Report page on the right hand sidebar. Now with the weather getting warmer, and given the recent spout of gas siphoning, car break ins, and graffiti in the park and on the hydrants, it's really important that we report any activity in the park that is suspicious at any time of day, and entry into the park at night. If you would like to report anything, please contact the Sheriff's non-emergency line if a crime is not in progress, 911 to report a crime, and let us know here so we can share our efforts to keep our neighborhood safe. We will be requesting Carmichael Recreation and Park District ranger patrols through the park to help support us in these endeavors, so do be sure to keep your dogs on a leash and remind your teens that the park is not accessible after dark. Thank you so much for your help!

One more reminder that day after tomorrow,  Tuesday May 21st at 6 pm there will be a meeting at Del Campo High School Library for the Community meetings with the Sacramento Sheriffs Dept. Our local POP officer, Officer Dennis Peyton will be there to connect with concerned citizens, and to give us updates on their ongoing efforts to provide everyone with a safe community. Hope to see you there!


Location of Del Campo High School
4925 Dewey Drive



View Larger Map

Found kittens in Jan Park - Can you help?

UPDATE: We have been incredibly lucky to find a neighbor who is willing to foster these tough little guys and get them some medical care until we can find forever homes for them. Please do let Olivia or I know if you are interested in them as future household pets, and a sincere thank you to a great local resident who is opening her home to help out these orphans.

I know this isn't a safety issue, but because it does involve the park, and we have posted for lost animals before, I felt like I could share this here with you all and see if we can find a way to help these little guys out.

Someone decided to dump two kittens in a tupperware bin in the creek running through Jan Park sometime recently ( we are hoping we found all of the litter-keep a look out on the trail near the creek closest to Jan) and our dear head coordinator, Olivia, found them this morning. They are two 10 week old males who are very scared, but seem to be in good health and will surely be sweet pets to someone if we can find them a home. One has a missing eye that seems to be a birth defect according to a local vet at VCA, so it's unlikely to be an issue other than cosmetic. Please share this picture and consider if you might have room in your home for these cute little guys, or to foster them until we can find a suitable home for them. Please contact Olivia or myself as soon as possible-we sincerely appreciate any help you might be able to offer and thanks for looking at this post :)


As a general informational point, animals that can no longer be taken care of should never be left to "fend" for themselves, or left for someone else to handle. Feral cats face a very difficult, short, and dangerous life of disease and struggle-not one of freedom and just being cute fluffy predators. If you run across someone who has questions or concerns about getting rid of animals they can't keep, please point them towards the Sacramento County Animal Shelter http://www.animalcare.saccounty.net/Pages/default.aspx 916-368-7387, the Sacramento SPCA http://www.sspca.org/ 916-383-7387, or one of a number of rescues within the area listed here: http://www.sacanimal.org/placement-adoption/rescue-groups/




Thank you again for your attention and stay cool and safe this weekend!

Neighbor Alert: Gas Siphoning and Theft From Vehicles

Gas Siphoned and Personal Theft from Vehicles!!!!

Please share with neighborhood watch participants.

2 incidents were recorded 5/15/13:

Stoney Way

Wanted to pass on that we had gas siphoned out of our vehicle last night.  David found the gas cap hanging this morning and also noticed our neighbor across the street had an open gas cap.  Both cars were parked in the street.  Very frustrating and disconcerting that someone would do that!  Please spread the word to be on the lookout for people siphoning gas or carrying gas cans on the street.

Marble Way

Vehicle burglary and gas siphoned of vehicle. Driver's window was broken and items taken.

2 incidents reported 5/17/13 and 5/20/13:

Jan Drive
Gas siphoned, no obvious damage to car.

Jan Drive
Windows popped out of car and items taken from car.

Please keep an eye out for people siphoning gas or carrying gas cans on the street. Also, make sure to remove all items from vehicle to avoid attracting a thief from breaking into your vehicle. Keep vehicles clear of any belongings. Let's do our part to avoid becoming easy targets of crime.

Remember if you see a crime in progress please call 911 or 916-874-5111 (Emergency from cell phone). If gas is siphoned from your vehicle and you notice it the next day please report it to the Sheriff's non-emergency number 916-874-5115. The more calls and reports we make to the Sheriff's office regarding the crime activity in our neighborhood the better, remember if we don't report it, it didn't happen.

Sheriff Safe Schools Program Alert

SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S SAFE SCHOOLS PROGRAM

SAN JUAN SAFE SCHOOLS SAFETY ALERT SYSTEM

BULLETIN

This alert is part of the on-going effort to keep you informed of events related to safety on

SJUSD school campuses.

Bulletin # 130515-01 Incident

Date/Time 5/14/13 at approximately

1600h (4:00 P.M.)

Location of Incident

Barrett Road near Winding Way

Type Incident Suspicious Activity

Synopsis of Incident

A 13-year old Barrett student reported she was followed by an unknown man

in a vehicle while walking home with her older sister yesterday afternoon,

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at approximately 1600h (4:00 P.M.). The man did not

make any comments to the girls and reportedly followed them for a short

distance down Barrett Road before turning and parking on a side street. The

student and her sister ran to a nearby residence and reported the activity. The

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department was made aware of the incident.

Suspect Information:  Hispanic male adult, late 20’s to early 30’s wearing a gray beanie.

Suspect Vehicle:  Old, rusted, brown Toyota. No license plate number obtained.

Crime Bulletin Completed by and contact number.

Julie Sarell

Safe Schools Dispatcher

(916) 971-7911

julie.sarell@sanjuan.edu

If you see anyone matching this description, please Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department

874-5115. If you see any suspicious activity on or around your school, please contact the Safe

Schools Office immediately at (916) 971-7911, Monday thru Friday 7:30am-3:30pm.

After 3:30pm you may contact the SJUSD Security Dispatcher at (916) 971-7000.

Missing Girl

Daria Clarke has been found and is home safe according to families with children at Rio Americano HS. Thank you to all those who shared her information to help spread the word and get her home.

A Rio Americano High School freshman whose family thought she may have been lured away by someone she met online has been found.

Daria "Dasha" Clarke, 15, has been reunited with her family, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

Last Thursday, Clarke went to algebra class and was also seen on campus about 10 a.m. But when her mother arrived back at school to pick her up at 12:30 p.m., she was nowhere to be found, her mother, Margie Clarke, said on Sunday.

Supporters distributed leaflets in the American River Drive area near the school.

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/crime/archives/2013/05/missing-rio-americano-freshman-found-safe.html#storylink=cpy

Crime Report 5/14/2013

For more information, check out Crime Reports and you can even download their app for your smartphone to stay up to date. Remember, not all crimes within an area are reported here, and it's important that we make sure to stay in touch with out street coordinators, communicate effectively with our neighbors, and be watchful of our surroundings all the time. 

Have a safe week everyone!

These are the most recent reports of the last two weeks:

• Theft from Vehicle
  05/01/2013
  6000 Block WINDING WAY
  Send To Friend
• Breaking & Entering
  05/03/2013
  4700 Block MANZANITA AVE
  Send To Friend
• Theft
  05/06/2013
  5800 Block WINDMILL WAY
  Send To Friend
• Theft
  05/06/2013
  5900 Block RANGER WAY
  Send To Friend
• Theft
  05/08/2013
  4500 Block NORTHAMPTON DR

Important Date Tomorrow to Meet Susan Peters!

I just wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow is Susan Peters Community Meeting with Guest Speaker Sheriff Scott Jones. What a great opportunity to find out what the Sheriff's Office is doing to ensure community safety. These meetings are held by Supervisor Peters to report to and interact with residents of District 3. http://www.bos.saccounty.net/District3/Pages/default.aspx

SHERIFF SCOTT JONES TO SPEAK

Community meeting at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, May 15, at my Fair Oaks Community Coffee Meeting featuring Sheriff Scott Jones as the guest speaker. 

This meeting will be held at the Fair Oaks Water District’s conference room, 10326 Fair Oaks Blvd. near Winding Way. The meeting starts sharply at 7:30 a.m. and Susan Peters will give a brief update on what is going on with Sacramento County then introduce Sheriff Jones followed by questions and answers. 

When: May 15th

Time: 7:30 am to 8:30 am

Where: Fair Oaks Water District's Conference Room

10326 Fair Oaks Blvd, Fair Oaks, CA

View Larger Map

Sheriff Alert!-Have You Seen This Man?

For Immediate Release May 13, 2013

Suspect Sought in Brazen Kidnapping

Sheriff's detectives are looking for a man responsible for kidnapping a seven year-old girl in south Sacramento this past weekend. The incident occurred in broad daylight on a public street, and investigators fear that the suspect may attempt to seek additional victims.

Shortly after 1:00 p.m. on May 11, 2013, the victim was walking with her mother in the 5300 block of 47th Avenue. The suspect pulled alongside the victim, grabbed her, and placed her in the trunk of his car, before driving away. The victim's mother began screaming, which alerted a nearby resident who called 911 to report the incident.

Fortunately, the victim was somehow able to open the trunk of the car from inside, and jump out of the vehicle as the suspect drove away. The victim sustained some minor superficial scratches, but escaped from the event without serious injury. She was transported to a local hospital with her family for treatment, and later released.

The suspect (see attached composite sketch) is described as a male between 25 and 35 years of age. He has light-brown skin, and is believed to be 5'10” to 6' tall, and weigh between 170 and 190 pounds. He has black, shoulder-length hair, which was worn either in braids or dreadlocks. At the time of this incident, he was wearing a black shirt with a white, printed design on the front. The suspect's vehicle was described as a dark green or blue 4-door sedan with tinted windows.

Anyone knowing the identity of this suspect is asked to contact the Sheriff's Department at (916) 874-5115. Tip information may also be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com, by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and entering the keyword SSD, or by calling (916) 874-TIPS (8477).

Sergeant Jason Ramos Sheriff's Spokesman

May News from Susan Peters

May 2013 Volume 3, Issue 5 Supervisor Susan Peters’ electronic newsletter is a cost-effective and efficient method to keep you updated on what is going on in your community and with the County of Sacramento.  Because you previously emailed District 3 on a matter of interest, your email address has been added to distribution of this newsletter (If you do not wish to receive it please click to opt out.)   In This Issue: FIESTA DAYS OFFICE HOURS CARMICHAEL PUBLIC SAFETY FORUM SHERIFF SCOTT JONES TO SPEAK OUT AND ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY APPRECIATION BREAKFAST FAMILY FUN AT THE COUNTY FAIR KIDS DON'T FLOAT REDUCING SPEEDING ON LOCAL STREETS EFFIE YEAW NATURE CENTER GALA ALCOHOL BAN KEEPS PARKWAY FAMILY FRIENDLY NORTH HIGHLANDS OFFICE HOURS CELEBRATE BIKE MONTH ON SCOTT ROAD FREE BAND FESTIVAL FACEBOOK FAN PAGE Supervisor Susan Peters Third District Sacramento County Board of Supervisor 700 H Street, Suite 2450 Sacramento, CA 95814 susanpeters@saccounty.net  PHONE: (916) 874-5471 FAX: (916) 874-7593

FIESTA DAYS OFFICE HOURS On Saturday, May 4, I will be holding “Office Hours” during the Fiesta Days celebration in Fair Oaks Village which is being held during the weekend of May 4-5.  Activities include a parade, a popular Children's Play in the Amphitheatre, one-of-a-kind Toilet Bowl Race, bounce houses and games for children, a pancake breakfast and a huge classic car show (250 cars participated in 2012).  My “Office Hours” will occur on Saturday morning and I’ll be available at a table in front of Dianda’s Italian Bakery and Café after the parade until approximately noon. Residents are welcome to drop by and chat.  No appointment is necessary but visits will be handled on a “first come, first served basis.” Since 2005 I have been holding “no appointment necessary” sessions throughout the area where residents can come by and chat in conjunction with family fun type community events. For more information about Fiesta Days, please visit the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce website or call 967-2903. CARMICHAEL PUBLIC SAFETY FORUM Last month State Senator Jim Nielsen hosted a special community public safety forum at the Carmichael Clubhouse that was well attended.  I participated and other speakers included District Attorney Jan Scully, Sheriff Scott Jones, and Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan. Under the current realignment scheme proposed by Governor Brown and approved by the legislature in 2011, certain prisoners are now being sentenced to County Jail rather than be required to do time in state prison. Senator Nielsen, a former Chairman of the State Parole Board, has been a vocal skeptic of this so-called realignment process and the forum provided a good opportunity to discuss the impact of sending state prisoners to County Jail. Photo courtesy of Susan Maxwell Skinner SHERIFF SCOTT JONES TO SPEAK Please join me 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, May 15, at my Fair Oaks Community Coffee Meeting featuring Sheriff Scott Jones as the guest speaker.  This meeting will be held at the Fair Oaks Water District’s conference room, 10326 Fair Oaks Blvd. near Winding Way, which is a different location than our usual gathering spot at Dianda’s Italian Bakery and Café. The meeting starts sharply at 7:30 a.m. and I will give a brief update on what is going on with Sacramento County then introduce Sheriff Jones followed by questions and answers.  OUT AND ABOUT April was a busy month. My schedule started with a visit to North Highlands to speak to the Lunch Bunch that meets regularly on the first Thursday of every month at Pancake Palace on Watt Avenue.  I provided an update on county initiatives, including the recent changes made by the Department of Transportation at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Hillsdale Boulevard (earlier in January I was contacted by residents expressing safety concerns about the turning radius from Hillsdale onto southbound Madison and that led to SACDOT examining the intersection and the resulting improvements). Later I traveled to Washington DC as a participant in the 43rd annual Capitol-to-Capitol Program sponsored by the Sacramento Metro Chamber.  My involvement dates back to when I was in private business and now the effort has grown to be the largest lobbying effort of its kind in the nation. Cap-to-Cap, as it’s commonly known, provides a unique opportunity for business and community leaders to align around issues concerning our region and to work directly with congressional delegates and federal officials to organize broad-base support for critical initiatives. This year, 14 policy teams developed in excess of 45 position papers including tax reform to incentivize business, flood control, and implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act. I concluded the month by visiting with Carmichael Stake Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who volunteered to help clean up and improve several middle and K-8 schools in the San Juan Unified School District during Saturday, April 27, as part of their Helping Hands Day of Service. Last year the Mormon congregation directed their energy to improving the Effie Yeaw Nature Center. The photo below captures the camaraderie of the Cap-to-Cap experience.  PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY APPRECIATION BREAKFAST District Attorney Jan Scully is sponsoring the Annual Public Safety & Community Appreciation Breakfast on Friday, May 10, at 7 am at the Doubletree Hotel.  The event is supported by Sheriff Scott Jones and all of the area’s municipal police chiefs. The keynote speaker Bobby Smith, a Louisiana State Trooper who was shot in the face at point blank range, will be providing an inspirational message helping those who have suffered trauma to overcome adversity which is so fitting as this year’s event pays special tribute to local public safety colleagues and their families for the sacrifices they have made in the line of duty.  The honorees that morning include the family members of slain Sacramento County Animal Control Officer Roy Marcum and Galt Police Officer Kevin Tonn. Ticket information and details are available inthe news release.     FAMILY FUN AT THE COUNTY FAIR The 2013 Sacramento County Fair will be held May 23 - 27 at Cal Expo. Activities include a carnival, food, barn animals, music, and shopping.   General Admission is only $5. Children age 12 and under are admitted free. Separate special entertainment includes a demolition derby on Friday night, May 24, and the Stars and Stripes Invitational Bull Riding Event on Saturday night, May 25. For more information about hours, general admission entertainment schedules, tickets to the demolition derby and bull riding competition, etc., please visit the Sacramento County Fair website.  KIDS DON'T FLOAT As the warm weather quickly approaches the Department of Regional Parks is anticipating a great summer of recreation on the American River.   To help insure youngsters enjoy the water safely, the American River Parkway Foundation has agreed to generously support the Department once again by funding the life vests which are available at 7 sites along the American River for the 2013 Kids Don’t Float Program. County ordinance makes it unlawful for parents or guardians to allow a child under the age of thirteen to enter the river in the unincorporated area as well as other public waterways without wearing a life jacket.  A similar ordinance is in effect for natural waterways within the City of Sacramento. For more information about the program, please visit the Department of Regional Parks website. REDUCING SPEEDING ON LOCAL STREETS Slowing down speeders on County roadways is a top priority of the Board of Supervisors and recently we approved installing traffic control devices on several residential streets in Carmichael and the Arden Arcade area to make those neighborhoods safer. Under the Department of Transportation’s Neighborhood Traffic Management Program, residents submit a petition request which the department evaluates using objective criteria like volume, speed and collision history.  Each request is ranked by SACDOT and the Board of Supervisors authorizes which streets to include.  Once authorized, residents on each street come up with a traffic management plan that can include calming devices like speed bumps, traffic circles, raised traffic islands, etc. Such devices add restrictions to maneuverability of motorists that should result in slowing vehicle speed.  After a plan is developed the neighbors are surveyed on the proposed devices.  To move forward, majority approval is required with at least 50 percent of the households participating in the survey.  The most recent participation level per street was in the 53-77% range and lowest approval vote was 67% with the highest being 100%. In Carmichael, California Avenue between Palm Drive and Van Alstine will be getting speed tables.  Receiving speed bumps will be Arden Park’s San Ramon Way between La Sierra Drive and Fair Oaks Boulevard plus the intersection of Castec Drive and El Sur Way will be having an all-way stop installed. Other locations receiving devices will be Montclair Street between Whitney and Marconi Avenues; Morse Avenue between El Camino Avenue and Ellington Circle; Mission Avenue between El Camino and Marconi Avenues; Robertson Avenue between Eastern and Mission Avenues; and McClaren Drive between Arden Way and Gary Way, which also is getting a speed bump near Shelley Way. For more information about the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program, visit the Department of Transportation website and click on Projects-Programs. EFFIE YEAW NATURE CENTER GALA Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming Annual Gala and Art Auction benefitting the Effie Yeaw Nature Center that will be held on Saturday, June 8. This special event will feature delicious food, wine, music, and art depicting the American River Parkway and its “wild things." Proceeds benefit the nature center and the American River Natural History Association, a nonprofit organization that supports educational and interpretive activities in the American River Parkway. Your support is especially welcomed since the operation of the nature center has been assumed by the American River Natural History Association as the result of a cooperative public-private partnership with Sacramento County’s Department of Regional Parks. To make your reservations, please call 489-4918 or emailinfo@sacnaturecenter.net. ALCOHOL BAN KEEPS PARKWAY FAMILY FRIENDLY This Memorial Day weekend there will be a complete ban on alcohol consumption and possession both on land and in the water within the American River Parkway between Hazel and Watt avenues.  An exception exists for Ancil Hoffman Golf Course.  In past years summer holiday weekends had become major problems along the American River making the parkway less of a family friendly outing because of fights, public nudity, profanity and littering.  The problem was very apparent Fourth of July in 2006 when hundreds of rafters and partygoers consuming excessive amounts of alcohol created what one observer called a “chaotic scene” along a portion of the parkway -- one person filmed the goings-on and posted a video on myspace.com depicting half naked women and men wrestling in the mud. The Board of Supervisors restored decorum beginning with the 2006 Labor Day weekend and the ban is also applicable for the holiday weekends of Independence Day as well as Memorial Day.  In addition, the Board last year delegated authority to the Director of Regional Parks in consultation with the County Executive the ability to prohibit alcohol in the Parkway on any additional days between Memorial Day and Labor Day when such a ban is needed to maintain order to address excessive alcohol consumption encouraged by social media. Since the restriction has taken effect, families I have talked to have expressed appreciation for making these holiday weekends once again a time for everyone to enjoy the American River Parkway. NORTH HIGHLANDS OFFICE HOURS Later in May I will hold another round of “Office Hours” in North Highlands and be available on Saturday, May 18, during the “Kick off to Summer Celebration” at Freedom Park, which is being sponsored by the North Highlands Recreation and Park District.  The fun at Freedom Park will start at 11 am featuring the splash park,  carnival games, and a bounce house continuing to 2 pm.  I’ll be holding Office Hours” there from 10:30 to Noon.  For more information about the “Kick off to Summer Celebration” please visit the North Highlands Recreation and Park District website.   CELEBRATE BIKE MONTH ON SCOTT ROAD Between 8 am to 4 pm, Sunday, May 5, a 12-mile scenic section of Scott Road will be closed so that bicyclists and pedestrians can enjoy the rolling hills, lush vegetation and impressive views of the Sierra Nevada unhindered by traffic. It’s a very popular and fun event.  Details and map are in the flyer. FREE BAND FESTIVAL The annual Carmichael Park Community Band Festival will be held during the weekend of June 1-2 at Carmichael Park’s amphitheater featuring 14 performances. Sponsored by the Sacramento Valley Symphonic Band Association and the Carmichael Recreation and Parks District, this year’s event is expected to be one of the largest community band festivals in California in more than 20 years.  There will be a community band playing on the hour every hour starting at 12 noon through to 7 pm. both Saturday and Sunday. This free event is perfect for the entire family so pack a picnic, bring a blanket and some lawn chairs -- and enjoy two lovely afternoons of music! Carmichael Park is located at 5750 Grant Avenue off Fair Oaks Boulevard.  For more information call 489-2576 or go online to eitherthe Sacramento Symphonic Winds website.  FACEBOOK FAN PAGE For all of you that have a Facebook account please feel free to check out my Facebook fan page and I invite you to like my page so you can be notified of my postings.  I will be putting information about events, activities and constituents within the Third District on the page periodically.  Also please be sure to check out the pictures posted that commemorate events or accomplishments by citizens in the district.  The page can be found by searching for Supervisor Susan Peters within the facebook site or you can access my page by clicking the link.