Stagecoach Neighborhood Association (SNA)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SNA Listserve
The SNA Listserve is an email forum for the exchange of ideas and information about life in the SNA
among SNA landowners and renters.
To sign up go to http://lists.laplaza.org/mailman/listinfo/stagecoach and the webpage will tell you how to subscribe.

Your signup will be dependent on the listserve manager, Anne-Marie Hillings, verifying that you are a current SNA landowner or renter. If you need to contact Ann-Marie, her email is sitstay@mac.com

Once you are approved, you can send emails to the list using this address: stagecoach@lists.laplaza.org
Putting it in your email address book will make it easy to use.

To change your list preferences and to look at the archive go here: http://lists.laplaza.org/mailman/listinfo/stagecoach
Each month laplaza.org will send you an email containing your password. Keep it in a place where you can find it again.
Most people do forget their password, so ... :>)

Highway 64 from the Dump to the gorge (within the Stagecoach Neighborhood Association land area)
has been scheduled for Saturday, August 7, 9:00 AM - 12:00 noon. Everyone is invited to help out!
Meet at the mailboxes at the end of Tune Drive & Highway 64.
Trash bags will be supplied by the State Highway Department.
Water will be supplied or bring your own.
Those of you that have pick-up trucks and would volunteer to take the trash to the dump, please let me know.
The pick-up portion of this effort will finish up around 11:00 AM to give those
who are taking the trash to the dump time to get there before it closes at noon.

On this day, make a special effort to pick-up any trash you see on Tune Drive or Calle Filiberto Drive
and it can be taken to the dump with the other trash that's collected.
Thanks in advance for helping to keep our community clean!

Julie LeBlanc, Bonnie Golden, Tony Palma, Aaron Isabel, Ursula Jones, Jerry Hansen, Mary Lane Leslie and Peter Kolshorn
SNA Board Members

Protecting yourself and your home

Hi Neighbors----
Regarding the recent break-in in our neighborhood (July, 2010), here are some practical ideas to protect yourselves from intruders at home----
1. Know your neighbors -- Set up an agreement with a few neighbors to allow you to call them at any time of the day or night if you are feeling threatened. The neighbors should be instructed to call the Sheriff's Department or "911" if this happens, reporting that a possible break-in is occurring. The neighbor should not try to confront the intruder themselves, but wait for the police to arrive. The neighbor should tell the Sheriff's Department that they will meet them at a close entry point to the location of the incident.

2. If you are going to be gone from your home for an extended period of time, ask your neighbors to keep on eye open for intruders.

3. Have the Sheriff's Department's phone numbers handy. They are in the telephone books distributed every year here in Taos, or know you can just call "911" for help.

4. Have a dog (if you can). They will warn you of strange noises around your home.

5. Lock your doors and window at night.

6. Lock your garage, if you have one, especially at night.

7. Be observant, notice your surroundings when your outside, or leaving or getting out of your car, especially at night. Be prepared to fend off an attacker, set off your car alarm. Do anything you can to scare an intruder off, and, if someone trys to force you into your home pretend to faint. Once he gets you inside your house, anything can happen.

8. Install an alarm system in your house. You can quiry the website http://www.homesecuritystore.com for wireless alarm systems.
The wireless system that is recommend can be installed in your house for approximately $185.00. It is the Powermax Plus, and is easy to install. Also, order an outside siren for for $18.00 which requires a wire run to the roof, or a wireless siren which is more expensive. If you order the optional smoke alarm for $80, and, hook up to a central station you will save about $250 per year on your homeowners insurance. You could use Watchlight Corp., the cost is $125 per year. They can be reached at 619 442 9595, and are very reliable. If your alarm goes off they will immediately call your home to see if you need help, or if there is no answer, they will call up to four of your neighbors and the local police. The alarm system comes with a remote, similar to your car alarm, and has a panic button which immediately notifies the monitoring company, and sets off the siren. If you have any questions or need advice as to installation you can contact Tony Palma by email tonypalma@taosnet.com

9. Use your alarm system if you install or have one, especially at night.

10. If you are a woman, you might want to attend a self -defense class.

11. Have a can or two of wasp spray available. Keep one by the bed, and one by the door, to use if an intruder is in your house. It is better than pepper spray because it will shoot approximately 20 feet, so, you don't have to be as close to a person when you spray it to be effective. It will temporarilly blind the intruder and give you time to escape or call 911

12, Run----Get away from the scene. Go to a neighbors and call the police. Don't try to confront an intruder yourself.

13. If you purchase a firearm, attend a safety course, and learn how to use it, and under what circumstances you can legally use it. Remember, if you are going to own a gun you have to be able to take someones life. This is not an easy decision to make, and if you hesitate or cannot do it, you will be supplying the intruder with a weapon that he can use on you or someone else. Also, make sure you have a secure place to store it in your home when you are not there, so, it will not be stolen and end up in the hands of a bad guy.

14. If you are attacked try to get a good description of the attacker. Any distinguishing marks scars, tattoo's, height, weight, color of eyes and hair. Anything, that will help the police identify the suspect is good to notice. If possible, try to see how the intruder escapes, on foot, by car, or whatever.

Let's hope we never have to use any of this information, but, it does help to be prepared if you do need to use it.
Best Regards,
Tony Palma - Director SNA & Julie LeBlanc - President SNA

If you have other SNA related announcements that you'd like to see posted here, email the webmaster.