Gateway West to Start Crime Watch


(posted May 3)

The Gateway Neighborhood West Association (GNWA) will start a neighborhood crime watch to combat the recent increase in criminal activity in the area. GNWA President Tasha Coe urged people to become involved to stop a reoccurrence of the recent weekend gang graffiti tagging in the neighborhood. Coe said the streets of Lawndale, Diamond, Whitaker, and Bennett were heavily tagged, and she was especially concerned for the single mom whose house was tagged.

Drew Wignall of the County Prosecutor's Office said gang graffiti has increased in the last three weeks and the GNWA area was not alone in being vandalized. He said that gangs also tagged Eagledale. Wignall said it's up to the property owner to paint over the graffiti unless the prosecutor's office is invited onto the property. He said he did not know how much of the tagging was from actual gang members or from kids acting as copycats. There is no better way to stop graffiti other than painting over as quickly as possible to break the cycle of marking a territory.

Wignall said the kids involved in copycat graffiti work are often kids that are suspended or expelled from school. The unstructured environment is leading kids to become involved in criminal mischief or burglary. He said IPS is trying to mitigate the suspension problem by enrolling kids in alternative programs.

Sahara Williams of Desert Moon Equine Academy said she has created a horse program for youth to deter them from choosing the wrong path in life. Williams wanted to obtain more information about the alternative program to see if it would complement her program. Williams explained that on June 14 she is hosting a youth program from 3 pm to 6 pm in which she expects the Mayor to attend.

Association members also had a chance to discuss zoning issues at the May 1 meeting. Zoning Inspector Mark Hughes said Pike Township is currently without a zoning inspector due to a job vacancy. Hughes said that fencing cannot exceed 42 inches in the front yard, but the rear set backs can have a height of six feet.

Trailers cannot exceed 12 feet in length or they are classified as commercial vehicles that violate the zoning ordinance for residential use. He also said that not many people are aware that it is a violation to have take home cars and trucks that advertise a business in a residential area. He said there are many gray issues in zoning that are taken to the code interpretation committee to get a clear ruling. He recommended residents with a home based business use magnetic signs that can removed from the car once it is parked in the driveway.

He said that citizens are welcome to pull signs in the right-of-way because the signs are a violation of the sign ordinance unless they have an encroachment permit.

Alisa Morris, representing Dr. Woody Meyers running for the 7th District U S Congressional Seat, said that Meyers' Committee is paying $250 to people who want help with his campaign and to work the polls May 6. She explained that Meyers is campaigning on education, jobs and universal health care.

Scott Rosenberger asked how Meyers proposed to pay for universal health care. Morris said there is a lot of government money misspent, citing the money that has funded the Iraq War. The money dedicated to the war could be redirected to universal health care. She said the medical profession, insurance and pharmaceutical companies need to work together, including reducing the industry's profit-making ability. She stressed that Meyers is not a proponent of socialism.