The cold rainy weather Thursday evening, did not prevent a nice turn out of dedicated ,concerned residents.The poor weather did cause postponement of the helicopter landing and display.
Rotary wing aircraft with a few exceptions,
are usually flown VFR
[visual flight rules]
only.Residents will be kept advised of the schedule changes.
Once again we were honored by having Captain Brett Meade as our key speaker. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with the Captain for several years.I assure you that there is not a nicer ,or more dedicated command officer than Brett Meade.
The captains message stressed the need for residents to watch and to help each other. We need cooperation and communication between all of our neighbors and law enforcement.
The Captain went so far as to tell the residents to call him directly, on special concerns and issues.. The Captains CELL PHONE number can be obtained by contacting Fairways Watch. The Orange County sheriffs office has a total of 6 sectors. I know of no other commander that accepts calls from ordinary residents.Believe me our Captain is something special.
The Captain made the point that he knows what goes on in our community. He reads the ''EAGLE'' every month, in addition to Emails and texts from Fairways Watch.Also on occasion he reads this blog.
The one major ''eye opener'' that the Captain gave residents was this---On Monday, January 27--he had NARCOTICS AGENTS dispatched to the Fairways ! He went on to say that narcotics investigations take time. This type of work will be ongoing in our community.Previous to coming to sector 2 ,
the Captain was on the command staff of the special investigation unit.--He is well qualified in recognizing narcotic problems.
After the Captains initial presentation, Detective Christine Shaw spoke about burglaries. My working relationship with Christine, goes back even farther than with Captain Meade. Detective Shaw does not present the appearance of the typical TV detective. She is a very petite , attractive young lady.-- But looks can be deceiving.This little lady is a 19 year veteran officer, with quite a track record. Detective Shaw is also well versed on the Fairways. She is also a pleasure to work with. The detective stressed the locking of your car door. Car burglaries and car thefts are rampant in east Orange county.
In the second segment of the Captains presentation, he spoke of the tremendous growth in our area. The starting of the RT 50 widening was also an issue discussed.
The Captain gave some interesting comments on his SPECIAL SQUADS. He has one unit that visits known criminals after they are released from jail. The deputies goes to the ex prisoners residence, unannounced,---to see how he is getting along, and to just say hello!.
In summary ,we might say this---we all need to get along and work together with law enforcement. We do not need ''hair brained'' ideas like being vigilantes, and running around with some kind of weapons.---Ask George Zimmerman--that does not always go well!
From what we are hearing, we will soon have our COPS patrol, back functional with regular night patrols. --The Captain was glad to hear that.
A special note of thanks to our manager Priscilla Herrick. She went and ordered a great complete ''turn key'' donut and coffee feed from Dunkins
SPECIAL NOTE---DUE TO WEATHER THE HELICOPTER LANDING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY FEB 13 AT 4PM.
COMING THURSDAY! FEB 13
THE SCHEDULED LANDING TIME IS 4PM TAKEOFF IS SCHEDULED SHORTLY AFTER 5PM
All residents will have an opportunity to see this unusual event.
It seems that the Fairways residents have a great interest, anytime a sheriffs helicopter is working in our area. Here is a chance to see one of these amazing ''birds'' outside and inside. You will find the air crew to be open to questions and comments.
This will only be the ''opening act'' of the great program the sector 2 office has for us Thursday evening at 7PM at the MASTERS.
We will have a crime prevention program presentation by Captain Meade and his staff.
After the formal meeting, as always, Captain Meade will be available for one on one conversations with any resident, wishing to speak to him privately.
In the past several weeks there have been rumors and inuendo, concerning drug activity in our community. --Any resident that has seen such, or has direct knowledge of same,can and should talk to the captain. Captain Meade was a narcotics officer, before coming to our sector 2.--HE KNOWS THE GAME !
REMEMBER ALL THIS AND COFFEE AND DONUTS!
THE GATE ISSUE
OTHER KIOSK ENTRIES
FAIRWAYS KIOSK ENTRY
Recently we have had several comments made on our blog about unsafe conditions at the gate [see comments under the ''downside of public'' ] we believe that this is partially due to poor signage ,in the gate approach area.It is becoming evident that HTA is NOT going to revise the entry system.
With all of the increased traffic, created by the ''open to public'' sign,we will have more and more unfamiliar non residents entering the park. THESE PEOPLE NEED DIRECTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS!
The small blue placard on our kiosk is not even visable until after the driver passes our clearance point.
I have sent an EMAIL to our local management ,with the enclosed picture of a kiosk ''stop sign..
UPDATE ON THE LAWSUIT AGAINST US
The court proceedings, seem to be doing nothing, but running up the attorneys fees.It is the same old legal ''jibberish'' that normal folks are not supposed to understand.
It was reported at the last board meeting that the FHOAI WAS CHANGING ATTORNEYS. The new attorney will be working ''pro-bono''--meaning free. The court records do not reflect the change yet.I believe that the attorney, representing HTA is an attorney, being paid by their insurance company,
I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND,--HOW A LONG TIME RESIDENT COULD FILE SUCH RIDICULOUS ACTION ,AGAINST THEIR FELLOW NEIGHBORS!
HOW THEY MAY DO IT---THIS IS SCARY !
A good civic minded resident sent me this link to a video. I was so amazed that I sent it with a note to our good friend Captain Meade at our sector 2.---CLICK THE LINK AND YOU WILL SEE WHY!
Click here: See how car thieves are getting in - YouTube
COMING SOON TO OUR COMMUNITY!
Fairways Watch has been working on our annual security and crime prevention seminar for several months.We are pleased to announce that tentative arrangements have been completed with the Orange County Sheriffs Office to fly in one of their helicopters for display, in the ''cart barn'' parking lot. It is planned that the air crew will fly an approach from the south, over pebble beach, for a touch down in the parking lot in front of the washer and dryer room.The arrival is planned around 4 pm January 30.
The air crew will be available to talk to residents and answer questions.It is planned that the aircraft will depart at dusk.
The OCSO fleet of aircraft is kept in a well secured facility at Orlando executive airport. This facility is not open to the public. Please plan to see this ''bird'' on the ground---it is truly a rare opportunity.
our inside program, will start at 7 pm,at the masters. There will be an educational ''power point'' program, presented by officers from the aviation department as well as a crime prevention program, presented by Captain Brett Meade and his team of supporting officers.
Over the past several months the Fairways has expierenced an
increase in criminal activity. This your opportunity to listen, learn, and ask questions of people who have answers.
The wonderful folks at OCSO are here for us 24/7 --365 days a year ----SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THEM!
ALSO last but not least --COFFEE AND DONUTS!!
YOU ALL COME ON IN!
Your Fairways Watch coordinator would like to share an example of a risk created by the inviting ''public'' sign ,shown above.
It was on Sunday afternoon, January 5, about 1pm. I was entering the park in my truck, when I saw 2 young ,white males, aimlessly, riding their bikes in a circle near the outside of the inbound gate.
Being of a suspicious nature, I pulled into the office parking lot and waited. Sure enough, they ''tailgated'' a car and came down Pebble Beach.
I very politely stopped them and asked their intentions. They replied in broken English that they were coming in to ''play golf'' [no clubs] I played along and asked if they had a T time.They asked what was a T time ? At that point I asked them to leave. The 2 went back out the gate. I knew that they would return. Later I was advised that they re entered the park, and went down Inverary.
Was this ''profiling''?--you betcha--with good reason.
Abiding by the rules of neighborhood watch, there was nothing more that could be done. If this would have happened at night, with the golf course closed, --yes-- 911 would have been called for ''suspicious persons''
In view of the criminal activity in our community, over the past few months, we have every right to be extra observant of all non residents.
The above narrative is a classic example of why we need a reliable security system at the gate. The system offered by HTA does not even meet the basic requirements.
Fairways Watch submitted a sensible gate security system to Hometown. The counter offer was an employee, standing at the gate with a ''clicker'' with a monthly price tag, higher than the cost of the plan we submitted.----''AND THE BEAT GOES ON''
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