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Up again two places from the previous year, the Town of Cary has been declared the fourth safest of 327 large cities in the nation.That is the finding from the eighth annual Morgan Quitno Safest (And Most Dangerous) City survey of 2000 statistics. Cary comes in just behind Mission Viejo, Calif., and Newton, Mass. The safest city once again is Amherst, N.Y. Detroit was the most dangerous city, followed by Atlanta and St. Louis. Morgan Quitno Press is a publishing and research company in Lawrence, Kan. It bases a city’s ranking on six basic crime categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft. All cities of 75,000 or more population that reported those crime statistics to the FBI were included in the rankings. "We’re very happy with our ranking in this year’s study and with the great job our Police Department does every day for the citizens of Cary," Cary Police Chief Windy Hunter said. Cary police programs include conflict resolution, crime prevention and community involvement. in the night The mother of all workdays is over. The kids are fed, dog too. It’s almost quiet. As if on cue, the doorbell rings. The stranger on your welcome mat inquires as to your well-being, then launches into a magazine offer with a very special price. In response to complaints, Cary is calling curfew on salespeople who knock at the door of homes. In January, the Town Council banned such business before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m., 6 p.m. Daylight Savings Time. Sellers must also display the identification that comes with the Town permit.These restrictions do not apply to Scouts, school groups and other nonprofit organizations. And they don’t need permits. But Police Chief Windy Hunter suggests nonprofit groups call (919) 319-4516 anyway. Police can vouch for them if wary homeowners inquire. Aside from the nuisance, some worry that thieves or other criminals might pose as salespeople. Federal law allows towns to regulate door-to-door sales, Hunter said, but not prohibit them completely. Towns have no authority over restrictive covenants of homeowners associations. We hope so, anyway. With any luck, there won’t be another snow or ice storm, or for that matter, hurricane, anytime soon. But with the weather we’ve had in recent years, there may be times when it is necessary to bring your garbage to the curb. Call (919) 469-4090 or visit the Web site for details. The switch from back yard collection to curbside pickup under such conditions is important for two reasons. First is the safety of the folks who collect your refuse. We want to minimize how much ice they must negotiate or debris they must pick through to get your garbage cans. Second, we don’t want to leave a muddy trail in your back yard. Hopefully, these contingencies for household garbage
collection will be unnecessary. But if the past is prologue ... Davis
Drive workshop If you’re sick of traffic snarls on Davis Drive, here’s your chance to consult on widening plans. State officials will hold a workshop Feb. 21 from 4-7 p.m. in Morrisville Town Hall. They have a prescription for the segment from Morrisville-Carpenter Road to N.C. 54 in Durham County. Citizens can offer comments.The Town plans to widen nearly 3.5 miles between Morrisville-Carpenter Road
and Sherwood Forest Place, beginning in 2002. Paying your monthly utility bill is now even easier. The Town now offers online payment in addition to bank draft and other options. You can also check your account online,whether or not you pay that way. To learn more, check Utility Bills in Shortcuts on townofcary.org. The 10th annual Water for Life will be March 23 at the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill. Cary Public Works and Utilities is assisting with the event, which will help provide a safe, dependable water supply for the village of Las Crucitas, Honduras. To learn more, visit WaterPartners International at www.water.org or contact Jennifer Platt at ncwater@water.org or (919) 462-3872. The Cary Town Band needs people to play trumpet, clarinet, baritone, trombone or French horn. To learn more, call (919) 467-7336. The Town of Cary updates job listings weekly. For postings, check Employment on townofcary.org or call (919) 319-4500, code 283. Route and practice an escape from smoke and flame to stay The buzz of a smoke detector jolts you awake at 3 a.m. You try to focus as your lungs begin to sting. Where’s the fire? Where is everyone else? Are they OK? The choices you make in those few seconds can mean life or death. But it’s a difficult time to think clearly about what to do. Enter EDITH. That stands for Exit Drills In The Home. Draw a plan with two ways out of each room. In a fire, remember to:
For more tips, call Cary firefighters at (919) 469-4056. of attention
The Town is recruiting volunteers for a special committee to help turn a vision for downtown into reality. The Town Council will accept applications through February for the committee, which will review alternatives for implementing the Town Center Area Plan. The council plans to appoint members March 14. The council will decide on specific purposes and goals for the committee during a planning retreat this month. You may apply online at www.townofcary.org. For more information, e-mail the town clerk's office at srowland@ci.cary.nc.us or call (919) 469-4011. The council adopted the Town Center Area Plan in August 2001 to provide a long-range vision for downtown Cary and its neighborhoods. The plan includes recommendations for the long-term pattern of uses, development and redevelopment, transportation, housing, parks, and greenways. The Town of Cary is smoothing the way for pedestrians along Lochmere Drive. Sidewalk construction is expected to begin next year along the south side from Kildaire Farm Road to Cary Parkway. Work will take several months. A privately-owned trail currently curves along the same side of the road. In many places, the trail will be removed to make way for the sidewalk. Grading will minimize slopes to meet federal guidelines for wheelchair access. Some residents have asked for breaks in the curb where the existing trail intersects with side streets along Lochmere Drive. However, town officials do not want to imply that the existing trail is suitable for wheelchairs. The Town must acquire right-of-way before beginning construction. The
required curb breaks will align with the sidewalk. Agreement with Time Warner Cable customers in Cary will save $3.50 per month on the basic service charge beginning this month. That totals to $38.50 for 2002. The Town had challenged Time Warner’s rate increase for basic service to $11.95 effective in January. In a settlement, the cable company agreed to roll the price back to $8.45. Although the Town cannot control other cable charges, Cary citizens pay less for basic service than people in many nearby areas. Learn to reduce yard waste and enrich soil for plants. Register for a free composting workshop by calling (919) 469-4090. Classes for beginners will be Saturday, March 2 and Saturday, April 6 from 10-11 a.m. in the Bond Park compost education center. An advanced composting class and review will be the same hour and place on Saturday, March 16. Compost bins will be for sale. We’d like to brag a bit on one of our own. Joe Moore, engineering services manager, was named Employee of the Year for 2001. Viewers of Bud TV may know him as "Bud man," even "Bud dude." He’s the host of the show. Moore joined the Town of Cary Engineering Department in February 1996. ONSERVATION CORNER Recycling Tip: The annual telephone book recycling program will be Feb. 11 - April 12 at Cary Elementary School at 100 Dry Ave., Ritter Park at 301 West Lochmere Drive, Davis Drive Park at 1610 Davis Drive, and at other sites around the county. The North Wake and old South Wake landfills take phone books year-round. Do not place them in your curbside bin or at the Cary Citizen Convenience Center on North Dixon Avenue. Call (919) 469-4090 for more information.Stormwater Tip : Winter is the best time to prune many trees and shrubs. Within limits, it is OK to prune vegetation within a riparian buffer. It is also OK to remove nuisance vegetation such as poison ivy, vines, and bamboo, and to remove dead trees. For details about vegetation within a protected stream buffer, call (919) 469-4076.Water Conservation Tip: Delay regular lawn watering as much as possible during the cool weeks of spring to encourage deeper root growth for a healthier lawn in summer. Early spring is also the time to give your automatic irrigation system a checkup. A broken spray head can waste up to 20 gallons a minute. Experts recommend no more than 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall. Get a free rain gauge at the water conservation booth during the Spring Daze festival on April 27.Back to the Top |
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