A Three Million Dollar Community Discussion & Our Community HubWritten by Ray Shay

A few weeks ago, The United States Patent and Trademark Office approved our trademark application for the words, "Community Hub".     I thought now would be a good time to do some explaining.  

I have worked in many different communities across the County of San Diego.  I consistently noticed people in every community, struggle with a convenient and nice place to meet.  A place for teachers, coaches, and volunteers.     

This challenge was even more evident in poorer communities.  As an SDPD Patrol Lieutenant assigned to Mid City Division, I found out it was one of the poorer and most diverse communities in the world.  It is an amazing place where over fifty-three different languages are spoken.  In one ten hour shift you are likely to encounter a cornucopia of beliefs, colors, traditions, and of course foods.

You could arrest a drug addict from east county wearing his Lakeside cowboy boots and later in the same shift hear the high pitched war chant of East Africans immigrants in a crowded apartment complex.  Every shift, day or night, it was an adventure. I recall only being there a week when a Sergeant walked into my office and said a nationwide convenience store chain was complaining about a group of older Somalian men who kept hanging out in a vacant dirt lot next to their business.

It gave me a reason to get out of the office. It allowed me to push evaluations and other paperwork to another time.  I think being promoted on the PD is allot like what a jet jock at Miramar Naval Air Station might experience.  The promotion may be great, but unfortunately it moves you further away from tactical operations.  I suspect whether you are flying a jet with a General Electric or Pratt and Whitney engine or a patrol car with a Ford or Chevy power source, the concept is similar.  You want to be in harm's way.  You want to be challenged.  The real excitement and fun in life is being on the edge, being the first on the scene.

That morning and again several days later, I joined the group of Somalian men as they drank their strong coffee and walked around or chatted in the dirt lot.  Like any community they were talking about local and International politics, their children, their challenges, and their dreams . I ultimately explained to the complainant,  the men were doing nothing illegal.  In this great country, it is not unlawful to people to gather and in fact, it is as natural as the sun coming up.  

A few weeks ago the County of San Diego held a public meeting at the Boys and Girls Club in 4S Ranch.  The workshop was on how to spend three million dollars of our tax money at 4S Ranch Community Park. Disappointingly, only  three community members showed up to meet the architect, his staff and the County of San Diego Project Manager.  County officials then, "blew off" the second planned public meeting due to, "lack of interest".   

I guess, I really don't blame them.  In many ways we are spoiled. We are so busy texting, emailing, and using social media,we really don't meet in person.   It is different talking with another person, face to face.  You get a feel for someone that does not convey in other ways.  

I may be wrong, but I think people who live in the area and use our parks are interested and would like to meet the architect and share their concerns and/or ideas. I don't think it is a leap of faith to believe we might actually have a better final product if the users of the facility can provide input.  

The County of San Diego ultimately agreed to give us a another opportunity to the people bringing this improvement to our community.  We offered to advertise the meeting and host it in our Community Hub next to Brett's Barbecue and the new Baskin Robbins, 31 Flavors.  An important element of the Hub is to help fill the gap since City Government cannot do it all. Our Hub is also offered out free of charge to local non-profit groups. 

This will likely be your last opportunity to comment on the proposal to replace the entire north side of 4S Ranch Community Park with artificial turf.  Do you want more or less trees?    What do you think of the proposed field alignments? What color should the baseball fields be where they inter-connect with the soccer fields?  Will you be able to bring an umbrella and if so how do you use one with the artificial turf?   

The meeting is scheduled for this Thursday at 6:30 PM at the Community Hub located at 10440 Craftsman Way Suite #184. San Diego 92127(Click here for more details).

I could just imagine walking into the old neighborhood off of University Ave and saying there was three million dollars being spent in their community.  I think that dirt lot would be standing room only.  I know they members of that community would have something to say...   

I hope we see you at the meeting and enjoy your week!  

   

 

 

Ray & Theresa Shay  

Info@TrustShay.com 

 
 

  

Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved.  No duplication of this material without written consent of Shay Realtors.  

This Week in Market Trends

Your Local Real Estate Trend Reports

In the past the most popular word in real estate was location, location, location.  It seems lately it should be appraisal, appraisal, appraisal.  The limited homes available and multiple offers seems to be pushing homes up higher then their appraisal amount.  

  

In the attached report which is updated weekly is prepared exclusively for Shay Realtors.  You will find easy-to-read graphs with statistics, and valuable information broken down into bite-size pieces about current market trends specifically for our zip code.  Condo Report and   Single Family Report 

Good vs EvilWritten by Ray Shay

Earlier this week I was working on writing something humorous. That all unexpectedly changed a few minutes before six am on Friday morning when Jimmy, my father in law, told me the terrible news about the tragic shootings in Aurora, Colorado.  After pouring a cup of hot coffee, I turned on the news. The events of the previous evening reminded me of so many other senseless crimes.   I knew immediately this week's story would not be funny.

As I watched the news reports and I-phone video clips, I found my self feeling both sad and angry. Sadness for the victims and their families and anger at the suspect.  Angry that in a few minutes our three boys who are eight, eleven, and thirteen years old would walk out of their bedrooms rubbing their sleep filled eyes and I would need to tell them about the suspect's cowardly actions.  I knew my challenge would be to explain why families enjoying a movie just like we love to do ourselves, were the victims of such random violence.

I recall wishing there had been an off-duty police officer in the movie audience who could have evened up the odds.  Hearing the police radio transmissions from the shooting scene began to rattle the hinges and knock the dust off of the locked foot locker which holds my own personal memories of evil people and their helpless victims.   As I looked at the clock above our stove, it seemed the minute hand was racing to the top of the hour with each passing minute.  I did not enjoy the thought of our children loosing anymore of their innocence.  Raising children is not easy or for the faint of heart.

Like cops everywhere, I think I have been exposed to more evil people than most. As a rookie cop, I was ordered to guard a man who only hours earlier had committed an atrocious crime against all the members of his family.   In the awkward stillness of the conference room there really was nothing for us to say to each other. We just periodically caught each others gaze.. That evening and countless occasions since, I have looked and or spoken with people who have committed unspeakable crimes. Unfortunately, evil people do not have a specific color of skin, style of hair or a certain look in their eyes. You just don't know. You really never know where evil lurks.

A few years ago, a civilian reporter joined me on a ride-a-long. After we left a particularly vicious crime scene, she asked me if I believed the spirit of man was good or evil.  I think I surprised her when I answered quickly, "overwhelmingly good".  She had a surprised look on her face which was illuminated by the red colored lights from the radio and other emergency equipment on the dashboard of my patrol car. She then challenged me, "but you have been going to these scenes most of your career. How can you still believe people are generally good?   I then told her a story.

It was my very first graveyard shift in Logan Heights in the turbulent eighties. I walked into the, "line-up" room and there was only about five other police officers and  a sergeant assigned to work the entire area from Harbor Drive to almost North Park.   An area that included street names names like Logan Ave, Market St., and Imperial Ave.   I remember thinking, "this is it"?  No more cops?  How are we ever going to keep us and the thousands upon thousands of people in this poor neighborhood safe for the next eight hours? I quickly found out the vast majority of people are honest, non violent, caring people, who love their children as much or more than we do. During those years, I did not get very many five finger waives while on patrol, but I think most people respected and appreciated police officers.

Being a cop or citizen you need to look for good. We are constantly surrounded by good if you just look for it. Just this week, an unknown woman who wished to remain anonymous walked into our Community Hub and gave forty dollars in cash towards a fund to help Scott replace his little dog killed last week, (read story here). That is just a glance at the majority of people out there. Don't ever loose sight of that.

I won't let the events of Colorado change my belief in the positive spirit of men or women.  Or stop our family from going to and enjoying movies, just as I will not let terrorists dissuade us from ever flying. I think I will likely remain both mad and sad for quite awhile.  I will start by saying a prayer for the victims and their families.   Even though I will preach how I will not outwardly change my actions or that of our family, I also know for while watching a movie with our kids, I will be glancing periodically at that exit door. That is such a shame.  

    

Be sure to enjoy the goodness in people and your family.  Our family hopes you are having a great summer.   

 

To many of our friends traveling oversees the next few weeks may your hotel rooms be large, the beer cold, and the sunsets amazing.

Warmly,  

 

 

Ray & Theresa Shay  

Info@TrustShay.com 

 
 

  

Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved.  No duplication of this material without written consent of Shay Realtors. 

Adam Sam Sam & The ParrotWritten by Ray Shay

I rarely ever use profanity.  I wish I could say never. I remember a specific time while on SDPD when I cussed like a drunken sailor.   It occurred when I thought it would be a good idea to feel the effects of a TASER.  As a Lieutenant and Deadly Force instructor at the San Diego Regional Police Academy, I felt I needed to know what it felt like to feel 50,000 volts at a very low amperage, coursing through my body.  It was not one of my better decisions.  I found knowledge can be painful. 

When the TASER was finally turned off, (after about two long seconds) I think the sergeants and officers were surprised what came out of my mouth.  I quickly understood why suspects previously intent on causing us mayhem and vowing to send us to meet our maker, would sometimes become docile after being tased and plead, "just don't touch that button again".  Lesson learned. 

   

I was always strict about professional communication between police officers and citizens. I learned early on in my law enforcement career that police officers who used profanity in the course of their duties were not only embarrassing, but they were ineffective. The desire to cuss ratio tends to go up when guns were drawn and pointed at uncooperative people believed to be armed. Some cops with only a few years on who thought they were John or Jayne Wayne would try and rationalize using profanity by saying, "Sarge it is the only language criminals understand".  That is such an ignorant statement. It was usually an insecure police officer who had been improperly trained and his peers and/or supervisor tolerated the behavior.

 

In San Diego we are blessed to have a great police department where the use of profanity is unusual and not commonplace, like some east coast police departments.  As one of my early sergeants explained to me, "If you are in a violent confrontation with a suspect, I can usually justify you removing him from his car via the wing window.  (By the way, whatever happened to those wing windows)?  If you use profanity, you are out of luck. Be ready to spend a coupe days on the beach".  In police talk, "days on the beach" means you were suspended without pay.  If a San Diego Police Officer ever dared to use a racial epitaph, they knew they would be promptly fired. The sooner the better.

As a sergeant, I clearly recall my initial briefing of about a dozen police officers who were hand selected for the first GST, (Gang Suppression Team). They already knew what I was going to say. In the coming months that turned into years they would be facing some of the most dangerous people in the City of San Diego. I told them I had no tolerance for profanity or the use of any excessive force ... ever.

If you must fight, overwhelm your opponent's violent behavior quickly and stop. You never want the battle between good and evil to cross over the line to personal.  When you degrade or impact someone's personal pride they will never forget it. They will then be much more likely to want to try and kill you or another police officer. The SDPD officers in the past are just like the current ones.  They are incredibly brave, professional and they risk their lives to keep us safe.  GST remains as one of the premier units on San Diego Police Department. 

I present this subject matter on profanity as a lead in to discuss what happened Tuesday night at our home in 4S Ranch.  Our eight year old son Ryan, who just lost his second upper front tooth has accused me of using profanity.  This time at the kitchen table with our other two sons, Troy, and Raymond within easy earshot. I will leave it to you, the reader to decide if it was profanity or just a unique communication, "style".

One of my father's favorite sayings when he dealt with someone who was exceptionally rude or just a plain mean person was to call him a, "Horse's ass"!  Last Tuesday night I was talking about an individual who would have easily fit into my dad's criteria.  I was thinking what my dad would have said when I caught myself and stopped. I did not finish the sentence. Theresa stared at me wondering why I had stopped talking. The silence in our kitchen just hung in the air. She probably thought I had a, "senior moment".

I lowered my voice so the kids in the family room would not hear and I whispered, he was a, "Adam, Sam, Sam". Theresa has heard me speak phonetically before and picked up on it quickly as, "ASS".  Of course our elephant eared, eight year old son who hears absolutely everything and never forgets anything immediately picked up on what I said.  

Ryan then began blurting out like a persistent parrot, who is bored in his cage, "Adam Sam Sam". "Adam Sam Sam".  Theresa and I looked at each other and started to laugh as I thought, "oh shit". I mean, "oh my gosh". Of course, Ryan now had all our boys attention as he asked inquisitively, "Dad, what's an Adam Sam Sam"?

Theresa just shook her head with a little smile as I now knew I had to deal with it.  In jury trials there is a term called, "ringing the bell".  It is when jurors hear something they should not have legally heard. Everyone knows once a bell is rung you cannot, "un-ring" it.  Even Perry Mason or Bumper Morgan could not get me out of this one.  I humbly and apologetically told all our boys I was saying, "ASS".  Let the hooting and hollering begin. For the next two hours there were more, "Adam Sam Sams" flying around our home then a dirt corral in Ramona.

At the end of the evening as we tucked Ryan into his bed and our other sons laid nearby, I turned off the light. I knew they were all smiling. As I began to shut their bedroom door and the narrowing sliver of light from the hallway sliced into their room, Ryan of course had to say in a way only a child missing both of his upper front teeth can say, "Adam, Sam Sam, you taught me that dad".  Yes, I did Ryan.  I taught you that.  I thought for a moment how funny our father would have found this conversation. I just wish there was some way I could tell my dad about his legacy and how darn funny today was with his grandchildren.

Have a great week.

 

Ray & Theresa Shay  

Info@TrustShay.com 

 
 

  

Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved.  No duplication of this material without written consent of Shay Realtors. 

Karl Strauss 4S RanchSneek Peek

Shay Realtors is on the scene getting you the up to date information about the Grand Opening of the New Karl Strauss in 4S Ranch. Watch the video below for a sneek peek.

FREE Summer Movies in the Park this Saturday, July 14th

Bring the whole family out to 4S Ranch Sports Park for a FREE Movie in the Park. This Saturday's feature film is Kung Fu Panda 2. Movie starts at dusk.

This Week in Market Trends

Market Update

Like I have been saying, the local housing market is Henry Ocean Tom, HOT! Another brokerage put a Talavera Home on the market last week and it was quickly pushed to full price. We put a Del Sur home on the market at a million dollars and we had similar results.

Increased demand and reduced inventory is the story for this summer. If your looking to buy or sell, put a real estate expert to work for you.  It will keep you from under-selling or over-paying.  Call Ray at (858) 449-4970.

Trend Reports

  

In the attached report which is updated weekly is prepared exclusively for Shay Realtors.  You will find easy-to-read graphs with statistics, and valuable information broken down into bite-size pieces about current market trends specifically for our zip code.   Condo Report and  Single Family Report

Small TownsWritten by Ray Shay

 

Something about an east coast small town is just, "different".  Not necessarily better, just different. I think people talk slower.  They seem in some ways more, "normal" if there is such a thing.  In small towns, breast implants may cause a stir in the neighborhood, but they don't need, "HOA approval".  Life is more about meat and potatoes than sushi, and walnut/raspberry salads. 

More smokers, less fitness.  Older buildings, less shine.  I wonder if the residents of small towns have more substance with less bling? 

This past weekend, we visited a small town carnival in New Jersey.   I admit it.  We walked past the rides and games to get to the beer garden.  I enjoyed joking with the Jet's and Giant's fans, while wearing my Charger's sweatshirt.  They were good people and good fans.  The type of fans we need more of.  The small town carnival was to benefit the local Fire Department.  They even had a picture of a fire engine on a beer poster.  Not something your likely to see in San Diego. 

Many of you may have also noticed they were offering sixteen ounce, ice cold drafts, for only three dollars!  Support firefighters by drinking beer.  Now that's a campaign slogan I can get behind!   No Guinness, or Karl Strauss, but sipping cold beer and hearing the sounds of kids laughing and their high pitched squeals from the carnival rides still indicated, life was good.

While sitting on the old wooden picnic tables sipping my dark beer, I noticed a sign at the entrance to the beer garden, "No one under 21 allowed". The small town had not only one, not two, but three uniformed police officers assigned to guard the entrance.  It seemed like most of the community knew them.  The officers looked sharp, smiled, and were joking with each other as they occasionally adjusted their over sized body armor.  The 9mm's, extra ammunition and second set of handcuffs indicated that despite this being a small town, they still had the occasional big problems of larger cities.   That's too bad.

What I found hilarious was about ten feet past the phalanx of law enforcement officers and the, "no minors sign" was a beer garden which at first glance, looked like a daycare center.  Kids giving parents hugs, sitting on laps.  I would call that small town, "police discretion".  I really like that.  I took another sip of my beer and told my sister in law and her husband, "I love this place".

 

Our three sons wandered in and out of the beer garden to check in.  As darkness fell, the lights of the carnival came alive.  It was good mojo. No pat downs, no metal detectors, retired firemen serving cold beer, pretzels, fresh steamers, and hot dogs.  Volunteer firefighters hawking a fifty-fifty drawing which had surpassed two hundred and fifty dollars. All for a good cause, no hassles, just a sense of family, community, and kids.

Maybe it was the beer.  I began texting Tom and Stacy Brown who are the owners of the best carnival company in Southern California, (click link here).  I told Tom. "I Love carnivals".  Maybe it wasn't as much the beer, but because I wasn't the cop or the host.  If you decide to have your own, carnival or a single ride, call Tom at 760 735-8542.  He will take great care of you.

I knew for sure our family was in a small town when I was playing a game on the midway, trying to win our youngest son Ryan, a stuffed animal.  It was a pink pig,  (something every eight year old really needs).  I tossed the bean bag hitting four of the five cans and they flew clean off the platform. The next throw was like a Trevor Hoffman fastball, but about fifty miles per hour slower.  It was fast, low, and of course off target.  I hit platform. The bag hung their for a second and fell harmlessly to the ground.  

As I started to reach for another dollar bill to try our luck again, the carney, who appeared to be also the owner of the game, threw me the bean bag and said, "ah, try again". I was surprised.  I then luckily knocked the final tin can off the platform.  As the owner handed Ryan the pink pig, I thought for a moment that maybe we were missing something by not living in a small town.  When Ryan ran off kicking the pink pig into the air like a soccer ball, I began to ponder if we moved here, where would be a good location to put a Community Hub?

Have a great 4th of July holiday!

 

Ray & Theresa Shay 

Info@TrustShay.com 

 

Copyright 2012 Shay Realtors All Rights Reserved.