Holiday Home Burglaries Up...My Suggestions To Protect Your Home

Letter from Judy and then my response...

Green Valley Road Neighbors and Friends,
Another residential break-in has occurred on Green Valley Road on the east end.
There is no other information at this time…..except this is a definite downer during the holiday season.
As before, please pass the word to your near neighbors. My e-mail list does not include everyone and everyone does not have e-mail.
Wishing Happy Holidays for all of you…and all your neighbors,
Judy

Dear Judy and friends,

I wrote down a few suggestion after Judy's email. Please pass along as you see fit. This is oriented to country living.

When you live out where we do it is extra easy to be a target. Neighbors can't see your house...people can come in and out of your property without being seen even if you are home.

Jim and I had trespassers last summer who let turkeys out of the pen several times. The birds could be lured back in with the sound of corn being shuffled around in a metal can...but, after the third release, they wandered too far.

The turkey incident prompted "no trespassing" signs for the first time in 30 years. Before that we had installed a gate at the house. "They" will now have a harder time if they try to take large items from the house. Electronics, jewelry, and cash are easy walkaways, however.

Tips:

A big, outside only, barking dog
If you live within an HOA ask to have the covenants allow a front fence
However high, fence the area around the house as inconvenient as this is
Park extra cars in the driveway by the house
When gone for a day place a car in the driveway entrance so a vehicle can not get around it
Have a housesitter (my husband) when shopping (that works out well :o)
Turn the TV on when you leave
Use a timer for lights and TV especially in dark winter months
Have a gate with an over sized lock (one not easily snipped) and be sure to use it
Install alarms
Install cameras and lights at important out buildings
Store valuables in a safety deposit box or home safe
Have movement activated lights in strategic places like the barn, driveway, porches
Do not let mail or newspapers collect if you are gone for more than a day
Post a sign: "NRA member," or, "My .45 cal travels 1000 ft. per second...how fast can you run?"
Have electronics and other items engraved with your ID
Put expensive video games in a locked cabinet
Do not discount family members as possible intruders, especially if you have some that are "questionable"
Move that hide-a-key away from the house...never stow under the door mat
Family silverware has increased in value...do not put it in the china cabinet

In many foreign countries home windows are barred and barbed wire surrounds the home. I have seen some homes with glass shards imbedded atop 10 ft. high walls surrounding the backyards...just a thought for perspective.

What else? Install a movement activated camera that will shoot night shots. Senator Tim Shelden did this on an animal trail at his place. On the first night he got pictures of a cougar! It was fascinating, really. And, you might get a two legged predator on disk! Try positioning a camera in the driveway or on the porch. The government does this on highways or stop lights to catch violators. Take a lesson from big brother. :o)

Another one I like is...put a big dog house on your porch with a big Green Valley Meats dog bone situated by a big water dish and a thick leather leash with nothing on the end of it. Think about it.

Take care everyone! You are constantly on my mind.

Leaving Town

(picture taken at the Iowa Straw Poll

And, THERE HE GOES!!!!

Pam Report Article In Courier Herald

As you know I write all of my own articles. This one was requested by the paper.

OLYMPIA REPORT: State shortfall at $2.2 billion
November 28, 2011

By Sen. Pam Roach
For The Courier-Herald

Monday morning the special legislative session got under way. As expected, the capitol grounds were filled with protesters anticipating severe budget cuts and program eliminations.

Job losses and reduction of services will occur even though the state’s revenues are up $200 million dollars from the 2009-11 budget. The reason for this is not just inflation and increased population. The largest factor is that we will not, again, have $2.4 billion in federal stimulus money to artificially pump up our revenue. Consequently, we have a $2.2 billion dollar shortfall from the previous spending level.

Statewide, this will mean another round of job losses. We have not hit bottom yet. I have been urging reforms at Child Protective Services which will allow for better service and cut spending at the same time. Here at home your legislative delegation has been working together to save operations at Rainier School.

Working with citizens, parents, and leaders, I have prepared “Rainier School: A Report to the Legislature.” This report has been distributed to legislators and makes the case that Rainier School is a positive choice for care and that it has a future, nationally, to be a premier example of community involved care for individuals with disabilities. The report may be viewed online at: SenateRepublicans.wa.gov/Roach.

Economic recovery and oil independence Job creation and expansion of foreign trade are the most important elements of economic recovery. I have been working hard on both.

Washington state has a huge oil refinery at Anacortes. We receive more than twice as much Canadian crude oil as does any other state. And that crude comes from the oil sands of Alberta.

This month I travelled to Ft. McMurry, Alberta, to study oil sands and take part in the national debate we are having over the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline. (No taxpayer dollars are spent on my trips. I was invited by Alberta’s government to join nine other legislators from around the United States.)

Canada has the world’s third largest oil reserve. They are increasing crude production and because our federal government will not allow us to receive more, the oil is going to China. As a matter of national security, energy independence, and just keeping gas prices down, we need to move forward. Instead, the Obama administration has blocked the pipeline project. Thousands of new high-paying jobs have been ignored and our friends in the north are left wondering what in the world the American people are thinking!

I have been asked to make a national presentation on the issue. And, if you want to see some oil sand, just drop by the office.

TRADE GROWTH
We live in the most trade dependent state in the country. Trade means jobs. That is the point of my article printed in the American Legislative Exchange Council’s December publication. I hope to spur local efforts to seek a larger market for goods. Please see my legislative website or my personal blog, pamroachreport.blogspot.com, for the article.

Through the years I have been involved in humanitarian efforts in Honduras and last week I returned from a visit that focused on a trade mission I hope to lead. On this trip I toured a major port, met with elected officials and toured a factory in preparation for leading business people there next year. (Please see my personal blog for more information.)

But this trip was unique in other ways. As our vehicle arrived in Puerto Cortez, Honduras, I saw, for the first time, the new “Clinica Medica Pam Roach.” I am deeply humbled by this. This and other efforts are helping many. Thank you to all the good people here who have helped. I love Americans. We are a very generous people.

I always want to express thank you to the voters who have elected me to represent our district in Olympia. This will be a tough year. My door is always open. My staff knows that each and every one of you is special and we will do our best to serve. You may call me on my home phone, 253-735-4210, or the Olympia office on 360-786-7660 now that we are in session.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season.

Q13 TV Pam Roach Comments On Special Session

Please see video on the Q 13 link. Here is the written text:
State Sen. Pam Roach (R-Auburn)

C.R. Douglas
Q13 Fox News political analyst

4:21 p.m. PST, November 29, 2011
OLYMPIA—
When Gov. Christine Gregoire called a special 30-day session of the Legislature, she gave the lawmakers a blueprint for tackling the state's budget problems.

Indeed, she called them back to town specifically to deal with the latest financial shortfall, not extraneous issues, before the regular legislative session starts in January, when they will have all the other business of the state to worry about.

Thirty days seemed like ample time. Lawmakers were going to cut what needed to be cut and vote on the governor's sales tax increase or some other revenue source. But now it appears that none of that may actually happen.

The Senate’s chief budget writer, for one, is skeptical that legislators will finish the job.

“I don' think it's possible to write a complete budget, make the cuts we have to make, negotiate with the House and get votes for a revenue package before the holidays,” Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, said.

This attitude is a surprise to many people in Olympia. There was a pretty clear expectation that this session was going to get things done.

One Republican state senator feels this could become a big waste of time.

"If the governor is going to call a special session, that plan should be worked out with her prior to convening so that this is the least expensive and less painful way to make things happen,” Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, said. "And that didn't happen this special session.”

So it does seem unlikely that the budget will get done, but Murray said that doesn't mean they aren't going to make progress.

He said the more work legislators do now, the quicker they can reach an agreement early next year. But it was clear Tuesday night: From what legislators are saying, no deal is expected in Olympia before they adjourn in 28 more days.


kcpq-leaders-in-olympia-dont-expect-to-reach-budget-deal-during-special-session-20111129

High Point In Honduras

under construction

San Pedro Sula, A Factory, And Growing Fears

I left the coast and all the kids at the orphanage and went to San Pedro Sula to visit good friends and a factory.

I began to become very aware of the growing dangers in Honduras. Since part of my trip has been to prepare for a trade mission I have not wanted to write too much about the fears here. But, I must. People I love here are living in fear. (I will write without using names or identifying information as I can.)


This is a factory owned by a family that built the business from the ground up. The owner's wife gave me a beautiful tray that she had hand made. She stays at home except for her bodyguard driven trips to work each day. So she has time for hobbies.

When I arrived at the factory there were the ubiquitous armed guards at the gate. My friend had been shot in her home. She survived so now has guards at her home...which is in a gated neighborhood with an armed guard at the entrance. The last time I visited the gate guard had not yet been hired. Everyone in the neighborhood fears that their cars will be stopped and their children taken for ransom.

From the house next door, I have taken a picture from my downstairs bedroom window. Bars are on all the windows. Outside you can see the razor wire on the fence. There is an electronic gate in front of the house. You do not get out of the car until you are within the gate.



I have kept up on Honduras politics. So, it was exciting while driving in San Pedro Sula to notice the lone helicopter in the air. President Pepe Lobo was in town. I lost the great pic of the helicopter but have it somewhere. The helicopter landed in a field and a long third world motorcade complete with 25 year-old ambulance left for a meeting we were told by the guards. Everything went very fast...armed guards...Pepe Lobo was in sight. I will meet him on my next visit. In this picture they are closing the gaate after he left. I was not quick w=with the camera! Sorry.

Making Cookies For 80 Kids

If you are poor in Honduras, cookies are a rare enough thing even if you didn't live in an orphanage.

Today, Bryn and I made enough cookie dough for 1,000 sugar cookies.

I am leaving for San Pedro Sula in the morning so will miss the rolling out of the dough. I predict difficulty. It is so warm here the butter will melt down before the kids can roll them out! But, they will improvise.

I tutored a boy named David this afternoon. He is unusual because he is English speaking. Born with a sever club foot he was helped 100% by the Shriners who paid for operations over a five year period. He was in the states long enough to learn English and was young enough to forget his Spanish. I helped him with his math.

Tonight we took a "lancha" (boat) out across the lagoon. The sunset was amazing.

It was a quick but productive trip to Puerto Cortez, Omoa, and Tegucigalpita. In a later blog I will announce something from this area but I want to get the picture for you first