Update

Robert has been driving the neighborhood at night for the last couple of nights and reports:

NOTHING.

Very little activity. A single car at the old drug house and a drunk this morning by the park. Way down from what we have had.

However, keep your vigilance up. These things come in cycles.

Water

As I walked to the bus this morning, there was a man on the sidewalk by the park pounding things in the sidewalk. I asked what he was doing. His reply was that he was setting points for a survey. I asked who for and he said he thought it was for the City of Dallas and a new water line.

I would suspect that if they are considering replacing the water line, it may have something to do with the "dirty water" report of last week.

So we have now enjoyed our newly resurfaced street for 2 years and it will soon be wrecked.

All suppositions on my part.

Code Compliance Inspections

Code compliance was out last month inspecting our alleys as many of us know since many of us received code compliance letters asking us to remove weeds, shrubs, and trash from within our sections of alley as required by code. From what I have heard, the majority of the letters sent were involving the alleys, but I am aware of one of our neighbors being asked in the letter to repaint their house as paint had been chipping off of the gables.

This morning I took note that code compliance was back out again to follow up on these letters. I watched him re-inspect the alley between Culver and Fairview as well as the alley between Culver and the Freeway.

According to Zillow.com

These are the sales in the neighborhood

2910 Spurlock 35,255
3211 Kinmore 43,646
3426 Culver 69,911
3507 Culver 35,000
3226 Culver 68,075
3118 Fairview 42,750
1334 Fairview 25,852

1526 Fairview 20,000

3522 Fairview 52,739

Water

Both last night and this morning, the hydrant on my corner was open and running full blast.

This morning a water employee was there and I asked him why they were "wasting" water.

He told me that there had been a report of dirty water on the street -- 3103 Culver -- so they were flushing the water. This is physically dirty -- as looking brown in a white container. Also, he said the chlorine level was low so they were trying to bring that level up.

So that is why you see all the water running down the street.

Honor among Thieves

Robert drives the neighborhood regularly and last week saw a known drug dude apparently peddling his wares at Spurlock and Dolphin. He used to be at 3218 Culver.

On the second morning he saw him, he alerted the police who stopped him and found bags and powder -- but the powder didn't test positive for drugs.

The police told him that we didn't want him in the neighborhood.

I expect though that if someone figures out that he is selling them fake drugs -- he isn't long for this world.

There is absolutlely no honor among thieves and drug dealers.

may 21

Vic got out of jail on Friday -- and in fact rode my bus home so I had an opportunity to chat with him and impress on him that my patience was running pretty thin.

He told me he is planning on fixing up the house a little at a time and kicking everyone out. I tried to convince him that he might be better off spending his money somewhere else since there is $15,000 of back taxes owed -- a sum he doesn't have.

My admonitions apparently didn't have much effect because I saw a bunch of people there over the weekend -- Could just be welcome home visits, but somehow I don't think so.

So be on the lookout for the hangers on and scuzz buckets.

Crime Stats

I received the crime stats from ICP. They cover 2 police beats and there about 40 offenses, but only a few are actually in our neighborhood. Most are on the freeway or in the neighborhood south of us.

5200 block of St. Charles -- the 2 breakins previously reported here
1600 block of Kinmore -- Burglary, at night, window, door unlocked
5600 block of Culver -- Theft over $200
3000 block of Jerome - Robbery individual, carjack, hands, fist, feet, bodily force,public street
Dolphin & Kinmore - Robbery individual, hwy, knife, cutting, stab instrument
1600 Kinmore -- Theft, attach auto parts/accessor ($20-49), res. yard
5200 Beeman -- Theft, unattached prop. inside vehicle/under $5
5600 Culver -- Chev. Pickup truck -- (I think this is the code for stolen vehicle)

Thefts is when there is no break in, Burglary includes breaking in.

lots of aggravated assaults and car thefts in the neighborhood south as well as on the freeway.

So according to this, we are pretty safe or people are not calling the police to report offenses.

Finally some response

Today, May 8, I actually got a call back from ICP -- Officer Walls. I had left a message concerning help in closing down the former drug house (the one with all the windows broken) and both brothers in jail.

There currently is only a tenant Chester (harmless and not a part of the problems) who is holed up in the back room. There is no water or gas and the electric bill is $1300 -- so I expect that to be cut off soon (may already have been and is routed around the meter as previously).

Officer Walls went by and issued tickets and told him he needed to move out. He has indicated in the past that he planned to, but inertia always gets in his way and he says he has no way to move. I talked with his neighbor and she is going to relay to him that we will help him -- he only has a bed, TV and some miscellaneous items.

So hopefully, this offer will help dislodge inertia and Chester.

Frustrating

On Friday, May 4, I saw the car involved in last weeks break in on St. Charles at 3231 Culver. I immediately called the police -- who basically were no help at all.

They can't/won't impound the car -- supposedly the owner said "someone else" had been using it and he just got it back. And that person supposedly has been picked up on parole violations.

But during the time that the car was there, a lot of people and prostitutes showed up at that house -- one prostitute left but not before ramming the car and knocking off the bumper.

Suffice it to say that the entire episode of dealing with the police was useless and frustrating. They have added the information to the original break in report and maybe that detective will do something, but if yesterday was any example, don't hold your breath.

It appears that the drug action has moved to this house as confirmed by the girlfriend of one of the brothers from the original drug house.

Cars still occasionally pull up at that house but are told "not anymore".

Burlary Culprit

The man in the security guard uniform that broke into the house on Sunday was in a red/maroon buick (or similar) sedan. The license plate on the car was P28-LFB.

The homeowner said that the police haven't seemed to have done anything about this - despite the license plate number, description of the car, and description of the burglars.

Update

The drug house in the 3200 block of Culver has been extremely quiet -- with, we believe, only one harmless guy living in the back bedroom. He said he was moving on the first of the month when he got his check but he has said that before. There is no water and no gas. I have seen lights, but we believe that they are bootlegged.

That is the good news, the bad news is that Vic is supposed to be released on the 18th (he was picked up for pimping) and it could start all over again. We understand that Ronny was picked up on a federal charge and that usually involves more jail time. (Ronny and Vic are the brothers).

The code violation at this address goes to court sometime in June and the unpaid taxes suit is scheduled for sometime this summer. If it is forfeited for taxes and the City becomes the owner, hopefully, we can get it demolished or at least shut down permanently.

The house at 1334 Fairview (down by the triangle park) has finally been tax forfeited. This after years of it being boarded and City Code unable to find a responsible owner to make repairs. The Code Inspector will have Mow Clean mow it and has emailed the City's Excess Property Division about their intentions for the property. Apparently, the City can't give itself a ticket to fix the house or demolish it.

In checking tax records, it appears that the prostitute house in the 3200 block of Culver has been sold. My guess is that it was a foreclosure or purchased before the foreclosure took place. Since she has not had water service for 2 years and the electricity has been turned off, one wonders how she would have money to pay a mortgage. I plan to write the company in Wisconsin and appeal to them about the conditions. There are still "women" staying there and hanging out between this house and the house across the street (whose attraction is that it still has water service).

Car theft

!Sunday morning I was wakened by a puppy yelping on my porch. Brad and I were walking around trying to find it's home and we noticed the mercedes parked out front of our house was broken into. The car belongs to one of the college girls on the corner of Fairview. I went and told the landowner (whom lives next door) that the car was broken into. He thanked me and said that the mazda SUV was broken into as well, not long ago.

I just wanted to let you all know to be vigilant about what you leave in your cars. The thieves are taking whatever they can to fetch a bag or two of drugs.

Also, I have been watching the Kinmore house. The people staying there are odd and oddly matched. Haven't seen anything reportable, but I am watching.