Letters

Letters: Thanks to Teen Advocates

After reading Lara Gates’ article [In&Out, Feb. 9, 2012 ] about the assault (“bullying” is too mild of a description) of Johnathan Juliano, I found it is possible to be heartbroken and full of pride at the same time. It is phenomenal that those hero children stepped up to help protect Johnathan, and demanded the perpetrators be held accountable.

This is far more than many adults would do, and shows tremendous courage, maturity and compassion. It is my hope that the perpetrators
will come to a true realization of the harm they caused and change their path in life.

As the mother of a developmentally challenged daughter, I know of the critical need for her to have peers around her who will be her advocates
when I am not by her side (try as I might, I cannot be with her every minute).

A heart felt thank you to the children who stood up for Johnathan, to those who stand up for other children who encounter bullying, and to their parents
for teaching this behavior.

—Margie M. Schnell
Anthem

Caching in on Treasure Hunting

Thank you for the article on geocaching [here]. It is a sport that just about all ages can participate in and it can be a family function. Our children and grandchildren have all been active “cachers.” We have found geocaches in two countries and 14 states, bringing our current total to 607.

Most hand-held GPS units support geocaching, which makes finding and recording geocaches easy. There are over 50 caches in Anthem and easily over a hundred in a five-mile radius. They aren’t all easy to find—some are difficult and others are diabolical, but that is part of the fun.

The motto of geocaching is “Cache in, trash out.” We are encouraged to pick up trash on the way to a cache site and bring it out. Geocaching.com is free and [offers] lots of information for the beginner. Check it out, we are team S/VKokopelli and our profile is on the site.

Ian and Sue LeMair
Anthem

Anthem Community Council Addresses 404 Areas

In response to the letter to the editor published in your January 5, 2012 issue entitled “Where the Wild Things Are,” the Anthem Community Council (ACC), along with both the Parkside and Country Club Homeowners’ Associations, would like to remind residents that the washes in Anthem are protected areas of the Federal Government and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). As such, no disturbance is allowed in these washes off of the designated trails. In fact, walking, biking, hiking or riding All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) in this protected area is illegal!

Letters: Wild Things on the Move

I was out this morning walking on Anthem Ridge and I saw two boys walking off the sidewalk in the natural common area. At first I could not figure out what they were doing, then I saw each one of these boys had a pellet gun.

Then on my way home, I crossed the path of two coyotes on Spirit Drive at noon which is very unusual. I believe these kids are flushing these animals out of their natural habitat trying to shoot them. When I got home, I read [the letter “Where the Wild Things Are,” In&Out Jan. 5 ] but it said nothing about the action we should take when we see these kids doing this. Would you please let us know who we are to call when we see this happening. Do we call the Country Club or the sheriff’s office? Who will actually do something about this? This is wrong on so many levels!

Kathy Warren
Anthem

Who to Call:
Report Illegal Activity
All areas
(if in progress) Emergency 9-1-1

Anthem East, New River: MCSO Nonemergency
602-876-1011

Anthem West, Desert Hills, Tramonto
Phoenix Police Nonemergency
602-262-6151

For the ACC's response to this issue click here.

Letters: Where the Wild Things Are

I live on a view lot facing a beautiful wash. Young boys have turned this into a nightmare with their pellet guns. According to the CC&Rs of Anthem, harming or killing wildlife is not permitted, nor are BB and pellet guns. Also, it is illegal to hunt without a hunting license, or kids must be accompanied by an adult with a valid
hunting license. These boys are killing rabbits, squirrels, dove, quail and who
knows what else.

They are robbing all of us of the gift of nature in our backyards. We had a pair of cardinals that visited daily, but haven’t seen them in a couple weeks. Why is no one doing anything about this? I have received my share of notices of violations in the last 10 years for things like weeds, hose left out, oil spots and one where the cable line at the junction box was exposed. But these kids run around with air rifles and nothing is being done.

Anne Drew Nichols
Anthem

For the ACC's response to this issue click here.

A Gift Not Worth Giving

If the back of the gift reads “Not for consumption—Keep out of reach of children and pets,” perhaps it is not a
gift after all.

Dress S.O.S.

The Christmas season is upon us and it is the time for joy, cheer and giving. I sure hope someone is in the giving spirit this year, because I am on a search for my missing dress. You know, ladies― the dress that fits you like a glove; the one you always turn to when there’s nothing in your closet to wear when you have a nice event to attend.

White Line Fever

I am concerned about the traffic hazard on Daisy Mountain as it approaches Anthem Way. The right turn lane for quite some time simply existed as a right turn lane. Most Anthem residents would queue up in that lane not to turn right into the strip mall (there are two entrances), but in order to turn right at the light onto Anthem Way.

However, several months ago a solid white line was added at each of the two turn locations into the strip mall. The last time I checked the Rules of the Road booklet, a solid white line indicated you could not cross the line. Many drivers are ignoring the solid white line and drive in that lane all the way to the traffic light and then turn right onto Anthem Way.

It’s an accident in the making... because some drivers do honor the solid white line and go into the right turn lane just before the light. The drivers who do not honor the solid white line come zipping up the lane and most assuredly will collide with someone turning right.

—Jeanine Phillips
Anthem

What it Takes for a Great Parade

The 7th Annual Veterans Parade and Family Picnic was an outstanding success, thanks in no small part to all the people who contributed their time, money and talents. I would like to publicly acknowledge those who went above and beyond:

The Anthem Community Council for making available the park, the shuttle, the maintenance department and just about anything else I requested. Your help was invaluable.

Wheres the Law Enforcement Presence?

Four years ago, my wife and I bought a home right by BCHS. For the first two years, we noticed a strong police presence, both before and after school, within a two-block radius of the school. However, the last two years we have noticed that there is now virtually no police presence near the school at all. It has become an every day occurrence that I have kids walking across my yard leaving litter in their wake: Slurpee cups, cigarette butts, water/soda bottles. Every day I come home and have to pick up their trash from my yard. Last I heard, littering is illegal. Just last week, I found a couple wads of gum stuck to the trunk of my car. The kids have also started to loiter in the side yard of people’s homes, behind the bushes, smoking cigarettes. They also hide there in the mornings waiting to meet with friends to skip school. Normally I would address this on my own, but over the summer, my neighborhood experienced a rise in vandalism (i.e.: rocks thrown at cars), people’s windshields smashed in, our garage lights stolen. Thus I fear that if I approach these kids on my own that there would be retribution in the form of more vandalism to my property.

Christian Mittelstadt
Anthem

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