Laurel/Redwood Heights Neighborhood Council News

by Kaye Stewart

Mayor Brown in the Laurel The next general meeting of the Neighborhood Council will be held on August 12, 7 to 9 p.m., at Redwood Heights Recreation Center. On September 9 the NC will host Mayor Brown at a forum. Any community group wishing to address the mayor about its work may get time to speak. E-mail Darryl Stewart at thestewarts3\@prodigy.net or call Renee Sykes at 535-5691 to share in this event. Motels Laurel residents living near the Oaks and Highlander Motels continue to express their frustration with constant drug trafficking and prostitution in and near the motels. Activity may have increased because of the Dimond community's insistence that the Hillcrest Motel make changes and hire a private security guard. The Intervention Agency security force was hired by the Hillcrest. Mr. Len Montalvo and his partner of the Intervention Agency came to our July meeting to tell about their work at the Hillcrest. We will be working with the NCPC in that area to help organize the community surrounding the Highlander and Oaks to make the same demands that were made of the Hillcrest Motel. We wholeheartedly support collaboration between OPD, the City, community groups and Councilmember Dick Spees' office akin to that being used by the NCPC that focused on the Hillcrest Motel problem. Anyone wanting to work on this issue should contact Traci Corcran at 535-5687. Pay Phones We are making it clear to OPD and City government that the concentration of pay phones along MacArthur Blvd. In the Laurel is making drug sales easy. We encourage the City to take steps to regulate the number of phones that can go in and where they can be located. Currently, the deals are transacted by consumers calling drug dealers and punching in a code (to a pager) that indicates which pay phone they are at. Shortly after making the call, the drug dealer comes by with the goods. If you see drug sales at pay phones, please report all details to Community Police Officer Kevin Reed, 238-2054 ext. 7639. Trucks on 580 We oppose truck traffic on I-580 and will continue to make our position clear to CalTrans. Sidewalk Sale Volunteers are needed to help out at the September 11 Sidewalk Sale being headed up by LuTillian of Showin' Out Hair Salon. She will be assisted by organizers Gerry Goeres, Heather Hensley, and Traci Corcran. We are excited for a repeat of LuTillian's awesome efforts last year and are determined to provide as many volunteers as possible. Volunteers will pass out balloons, monitor children's activities, pass out Laurel merchant flyers, and make sure shoppers are comfortable. Please call LuTillian at 531-0600 to sign up. NCPC Grants Laurel/Redwood Heights Neighborhood Council 25X voted to fund the following in 1999: Castco's II Martial Arts Academy Scholarships (2), $198 Alameda Arts Council Matching Funds, $150 YMCA Step Up Snacks, $100 Laurel Elem School Basketballs, $50 Ora Lee Brown Foundation (college fund), $50 Our philosophy is that money raised by our organization should be turned around annually and put back into the community as designated by the Steering Committee. We welcome alldonations and leads for matching-fund applications and small grant applications. Resources for youth in our area are extremely depressed. We need to provide activities that engage youth at an early age and empower them to take part in their community. As YMCA Step UP mentor Waynetta Bush so aptly put it, "Everything sounds good when you are bored!!" We appreciate all who have supported our endeavors and welcome feedback, contributions and financial leads. Telephone 535-5691.