Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Towson University's "Big Event" - Community Day of Service

 From GTCCA:

 Saturday, April 26, 2014
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

The Big Event provides students with the opportunity to show appreciation and give back to the community. With over 800 student volunteers and 70 service sites in 2013. The Big Event has become Towson University's largest day of service! This year we hope to have over 1,000 students complete over 100 service projects, but first we need your help! The Big Event 2014 is looking for more project sites. Our volunteers can do general yard work, painting fences, washing windows, cleanings, and minor repairs/construction at homes, churches, and other community locations. We prefer our students serve outdoors rather than indoor projects. Supplies may be provided but are not guaranteed.
Have a neighbor or friend who could use some volunteers? Please refer them this form! Thank you!

Deadline for job requests:
April 4
Questions? Email us at TUBigEvent@gmail.com

Click here to request a job!

Friday, February 21, 2014

Area Crime Update From Greater Towson Council of Community Associations

From Sgt Fink:
In the past week Towson Precinct Officers have taken five (5) reports of Residential Burglaries in the Pleasant Plains/Loch Raven Community. I am directing this email to all my Community Contacts along the Loch Raven corridor because this kind of Crime and information is beneficial to all. Please alert your neighbors of this information and to remain alert as to activities in your neighborhoods.

Areas that were victimized include: 1600 block Hardwick Rd, 7900 block Beverly Rd, 1300 and 1400 blocks of Putty Hill Ave and the 8500 block of Pleasant Plains Rd.

Two Burglaries we’ve positively determined to have occurred during the daylight hours but believe all five to have happened during the day.  Entry in all cases was made via basement access. Three (3) were by breaking out a basement window and two (2) by breaking out the glass on the basement door.  Once inside those responsible took computers, televisions, jewelry and in one incident a bottle of alcohol was taken which was then located in another burglarized residence.

Your assistance is needed to get the word out that these burglaries are happening, they’re occurring during the day and the subject/s are attacking basement windows to gain entry. If you or your neighbors hear glass breaking and/or see suspicious subjects in the area please call 9-1-1 immediately so our Officers can respond to the area to investigate and hopefully make apprehensions and recover property.  Thus far our Detectives and Officers have not identified any Suspect information so anything that can be provided to us is greatly appreciated.  Persons may contact the Precinct at 410-887-2361 with information and we’ll put them in contact with the Detectives.  For Suspicious Persons, Activities or Crimes call 9-1-1 immediately!
Thank You, Sgt Stephen Fink, 2815  PC06 COT
sfink@baltimorecountymd.gov


From Wiltondale COP:
I am writing to let you know that yesterday (Tuesday) at approximately 2:00pm there was an attempted burglary on the 7100 block of Bristol Road.  The burglar, wearing a ski mask, entered the house, went upstairs, where he encountered the owner of the house who had been sleeping.  He then fled the house without taking anything.  Although numerous police officers, including a K-9 unit, searched for the burglar, he was not caught.

The same afternoon, a package was taken from the porch of a different house on the same block of Bristol Road.  The package was retrieved by police on Hatherleigh Road.  It had been opened, but none of the contents had been taken.

I want to stress that both of these incidents took place mid-afternoon.  This may not be a time when we expect crimes to occur, but the events of yesterday make clear that crime can happen at any time.  Please do hesitate to call 911 if you see anything that looks suspicious.  The non-emergency number for Baltimore County actually gets answered by a 911 operator, so there is no reason not to call 911, even to report suspicious activity.  Additionally, please do what you can to maintain the safety of your home, including keeping doors locked, keeping some lights on, locking cars, and keeping garage doors closed.  If you are expecting packages and know that you will not be home, you may wish to arrange with a neighbor to be on the lookout for the delivery.

I will do my best to keep you informed of reported crimes in our neighborhood.  Yet, I also want to repeat what has been reported by our COP coordinators; namely, we live in a very low crime neighborhood relative to many local communities.  This is due in part to the efforts of our neighbors, efforts that can always use extra help in the form of COP patrols. 

We are a stronger and safer neighborhood when we look out for each other.

Kathy Fick
Wiltondale COP
410-825-8275
COP@Wiltondale.org

--
Greater Towson Council of Community Associations ("GTCCA")
gtccainformation@gmail.com
www.gtcca.org

Friday, February 14, 2014

Recycling Collections Canceled, Trash Collected as Conditions Permit

From Councilman Marks' Office:

Due to the aftermath of yesterday's snowstorm, recycling collections in Baltimore County are canceled for today, February 14, and any recyclables that were not collected yesterday will not be collected until the next scheduled recycling collection date.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Tonight's RFCA Meeting is CANCELLED

Due to the impending storm, County Parks and Rec have closed all school facilities for community use tonight. There will be no meeting.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Trash/Recycling Collection Status Available Online

From Baltimore County Dept. of Waste Mgmt:

With wintry weather prominent this year, the Bureau of Solid Waste Management would like to remind residents that they can check the County’s trash/recycling collection status online, 24 hours a day, all year round. This message is updated as necessary, depending on weather/road/alley conditions. The message also includes information regarding the status of County drop-off centers.

To view the latest weather-related trash/recycling collection information, visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov/solidwaste and select the “updates” link under the “Holiday and Weather – Related Closings” heading. Please note that haulers determine if and when a particular home or area is safe to collect from; therefore, we often ask residents to leave trash/recyclables out until the hauler is able to access and collect the materials.

Please help us spread awareness of the collection status web page by sharing this message with your entire network of contacts. This is very useful information to pass on to anyone. Thank you!

New Walters Art Museum Exhibit

Dear Rodgers Forge Community,


The Walters Art Museum proudly presents its newest exhibition, Designed for Flowers: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, which opens on February 23rd, 2014 and runs through May 11th. I was interested in contacting the Rodgers Forge Association because I figured maybe you release a monthly newsletter that includes news and events that we could hopefully use to promote the exhibit. I know we would be interested in appearing in the months of the exhibit so March, April, and May - so most likely the spring or monthly editions depending on how often you guys release them. Please let us know if there is a procedure or any steps to follow to get featured in the next one! In addition, it would be greatly appreciated if you could share any sort of contacts that you know would be interested in the new exhibition and collaborating with us.

Attached is our event flyer - and here's a link to the exhibit website with more information: http://thewalters.org/news/releases/pressdetail.aspx?e_id=435

Feel free to contact me with any questions!

Michelle Court-Reuss
Public Relations Intern
The Walters Art Museum
600 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-547-9000, ext. 315
mcourtreuss@thewalters.org

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Phone Scam Info

An informative piece this time to pass along to your friends and neighbors regarding telephone call scams.
 
First is the "missed call' scam that you may have already heard about from the news.  Should you receive a call from a 268 Area Code or other unknown number DO NOT CALL the number back!! Your phone may have been targeted!!  "Scammers' use an Auto-Dialer to call your phone then hang up after one ring so the number shows on your phone as a missed call. Should you call the number back you'll be connected to a Pay-by-Minute phone line that charges $9.00 or more per minute directly to your cell phone bill.  Many times these numbers are based overseas so you may also be charged a steep international call fee.
 
Thus far these area codes have been identified as being used in these scams: 268, 284, 473, 809, 876.  Always be suspicious of calls from numbers you do not recognize especially if no voice mail message is left!! An Internet resource like "who called.us" track complaints about specific numbers and could help in determining the legitimacy of a missed call.
Second is a scam we're seeing Countywide; person receives a call from an unknown number and the person on the other end asks some very basic questions. If the person answering the phone then answers these questions the inquirer gains enough information to tell the person that their son or daughter has been kidnapped and the person needs to forward money for the child's release. Another scenario has the caller telling the person answering that their son/daughter has been involved in an accident and they need to forward money immediately. As with the first scam these calls usually originate from overseas thus tracing it to a location is fruitless. The best way to protect yourself from falling victim to this scam is to make your own phone calls before sending anybody any money anywhere!! Call your children, call your relatives, call friends of yours/theirs to verify the safety/condition of your children before you send money to someone you do not know!!
 
Thus far we in Towson Precinct have taken four (4) reports for this type of fraud with some Victims sending out large amounts of cash.
 
Please spread the word to those around you so that you and they hopefully don't fall prey to these types of scams.
 
Thank You, Sgt Stephen R. Fink, 2815  PC06 COT

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

RFCOP Crime Report - Jan 27th - Feb 2nd

B.C.P.D. Precinct # 6 - Crime Blotter Jan 27-Feb 2, 2014
This is a summary of recent significant police news in your community. For police news from across the entire county, visit our news archive
The victim asked the suspects for a ride home. When they arrived at his home and he opened the door, the suspects forced the victim inside and took money that was on a table.
At 8:14 p.m., the suspects assaulted the victims in the Psychic Tarot Card Readings store. At one point during the struggle, one of the suspects held a knife to a victim's throat. The victims gave the suspects an undisclosed amount of money and the suspects left.
At 10:30 a.m., the suspect entered the Wells Fargo Bank and demanded money. The suspect fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.
Sometime between 9:00 p.m. on January 30 and 7:00 a.m. on January 31, an unknown suspect broke the glass on a bay door at Savco and stole cash form the register.
Sometime between 4:00 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., the suspect entered the rear parking lot of Mr Tire and removed tires form a fenced in area. The suspect was later located and arrested.
Sometime between 1:00 a.m. and 6:45 a.m., unknown suspects gained entry to the Monroe Mufler through a front garage door panel. Cash was taken from the register.
At 2:50 p.m., the victim was walking out of Towson Towne Center with three suspects. He knew one of them but did not know the others. The suspects put a knife to his face and took cash from him. The suspects were located and arrested.
Sometime between 8:00 p.m. on January 28 and 8:00 a.m. on January 29, an unknown suspect broke the glass on a bay door at Savco and stole cash from the register.
Sometime between 10:30 a.m. on January 27 and 7:00 p.m. on January 28, unknown suspects entered an apartment by unknown means and stole clothing.
At 6:40 a.m., the suspect struck the victim in the back of the neck with an unknown object. They both fell to the ground and struggled for the victim's purse. The suspect fled without the purse when the victim sprayed him with pepper spray.
Sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 5:31 p.m., unknown suspects pried the basement door lock to gain entry. Once inside, the suspects ransacked the location and removed jewelry and speakers.
Email Alerts  - Spot Crime.com
2.00 Miles around 222 Dumbarton Road – Week of Jan 27-Feb 2, 2014
Case #                  Crime                                                 Date     Time                      Address
140290675          Theft – Other                                   1/29      12:01 pm             67xx York Road
140310437          Theft – Other                                   1/31      9:00 am               3xx Dumbarton Road
From our Neighbors:

Suspicious activity – Posted - 4pm – Feb 3rd

From - Cedar Croft
A neighbor in Cedarcroft had a young man knock in her door this afternoon saying he was stranded and needed to call his Dad. She didn't let him in but called the number he gave her. He proceeded to wait on her front porch for about 30 mins. until someone in a gray/green mini van picked him up. She called 311 for advice but didn't get too much direction. 
Here is a description of the young man: white male, brown hair, early to mid 20's, ~5'10, medium build, tattoo reading: Heather on his neck, wearing baggy jeans and a sweatshirt. 
Her house is not located on a busy street but in the middle of the neighborhood- a very random place for him to be. 
Just wanted everyone to be alert, and to see if anyone had experienced anything similar.