Rogers latest post

Guys, I had a few items I needed to get out to you, so this is going to be a rather short report. I'll try to address the rest of the "inbox items" in the next report. 1) Weekend of 4 July 08-One of our watch folks reported a house break-in between Tuckerman Drive and Fairbanks Ct. Entry was gained by breaking out a back bedroom window. Games, sneakers, and X-Box were stolen. Rest assured, the house now has a burglar alarm! Please do not hesitate to call 911 or 410-222-8610 for any suspicious people or vehicles in our communities! 2) One of our watch folks in the Harmans Woods Townhomes recently sent me an e-mail. Their home backs up to the AmTrak railroad tracks on Fairbanks Court. If any of you guys are having problems like this, please let me know. Here's what she sent me: "I'm writing to you to ask a question and to hopefully get answers. What I'm ultimately looking for is if anyone living in the townhouses that back up to the railroad tracks have had any issues with water/mold problems in their basements. I've had a problem with a leak in my basement along the back wall that faces the railroad tracks. The water is actually seeping through the middle of cinder blocks, not necessarily in between them where they are cemented together. I've tried numerous things to stop the leak, but nothing has worked so far. My husband and I first noticed a small spot of mold (about the size of a softball) on the drywall. Upon further investigation, we ended up tearing down one entire wall and half of another wall to get rid of the mold. This included drywall, insulation, and studs. It was a mess. There is a house that is up for sale in one of the sections of townhouses that backs up to the railroad tracks and I was told by the real estate agent selling it that the basement of that townhouse also has mold in it and it's being sold as-is." After receiving this e-mail, I talked to someone who had accurate historical information on that area of the townhomes. Here's what he had to say: "Roger, I know some of the homes along the track had water problems with the knoll the builders raised to put the fence and plant trees. There were a few that were constantly fighting wet back yards and installed drain fields. If the pipes fill with dirt the water will not drain. All the rain drains down the slope towards the homes. A bad idea on the builders part. Since it has been over 20+ years there would be little that can be done to the builder (my guess). Why the county signed off on them with the slope towards the house is beyond me." 3) One of our watch folks reported a missing pet (dog). You may have seen the signs posted on light poles around the community. The pet is a light brown (golden), labrador. His name is Comet. I am scanning in a picture of the family dog. If you have seen him around the community, please let me know. As you can imagine, the family is very upset and is hoping someone in the community knows where he might be. He has been missing since 11 July. A few years back our watch folks (Jim Scoggins) was able to find another missing dog which turned up at a residence near Severn Road. Sure seems like Jim is always doing something good in the community! 4) Due to the rash of car thefts in the County, PCRC (Police-Community Relations Council) President Dave Daughters sent out a car theft prevention guide to PCRC members. Jim Scoggins also received it through another e-mail venue. I gotta tell you the county-wide neighborhood watch efforts are working pretty well! The guide is attached to this e-mail. Please read it when you get a chance (good info). By the way, Prince Georges County had the distinction of being the #1 car theft region in the country a year or two ago! I wouldn't be surprised if it is again this year. 5) In the last report, I mentioned folks doing local newsletters. I forgot to mention 2 other newsletters that are also active in the community (see below). There are a lot of folks working hard in our communities to get the word out. If anyone knows of any other local publications, please let me know. a) Peach Orchard Association President Chuck Levay writes "Peachy News" for the Peach Orchard community. b) Linda publishes the Ridge Commons Community Newsletter.