New Listing 2477 Saffron Glen Escondido

Escape to your very own Tropical Hideway in quiet Escondido. This home of  the gated community, The Reserve, is approx. 3,900 sqft, 4bedrooms, 4bathrooms, loft, lap pool, spa, and outdoor dining area complete with 2 palappas. Com see it for yourself! Call 858-449-7355.

Crime in 4S Ranch (Part 2)Written by Ray Shay

Last weeks article entitled, "Crime in 4S Ranch" generated a buzz of emails and several phone calls. (Click here to read last week's story). People asked me several questions including, what is the level of law enforcement in 4S Ranch?  In an effort to find out, I met with SDSO Lieutenant Scott Miller and a Detective assigned to investigate crimes in 4S Ranch. They are both "straight shooters" and explained they are providing the best level of service with the resources we have assigned.  

Early area residents might recall when the Sheriff's Department substation was first built, it was staffed with Deputies, Sergeants, an Investigator and a Lieutenant. In 2009, SDSO reduced our staffing to two deputies per shift and the Deputies now attend line-ups at the Poway sub station.. Not the best of scenarios or service level. I know we all pay a great deal of taxes and yet our previously allotted Lieutenant and Sergeant were both moved out to work in a higher crime area or another assignment.

I think allot of people are confused exactly how our local area is patrolled. Adding to the complexity, on the same day, or night you are likely to see a San Diego Sheriff Deputy, a San Diego Police Officer, or a California Highway Patrol Officer taking enforcement actions in our community. Let's help sort this out. First, the basics.

In the below map, San Diego Sheriff Department is responsible for the yellow portions and SDPD has the white areas. 4S Ranch is technically located in an unincorporated area of the County of San Diego.   Thus, California Highway Patrol is responsible for all traffic related investigations. In case you may be wondering, "yes" CHP, SDSO, or San Diego Police Department can all write you a ticket in our community. They all have jurisdiction.  It is not like "Dukes of Hazard" where if you can just cross the county line. you will not be ticketed! 

Despite Del Norte High School, being mostly in the County of San Diego, (the jurisdictional line goes down the middle of the Nighthawks football field), under mutual agreement, San Diego Police Department accepted responsibility for the school. Any crime at Del Norte High School and SDPD has the lead.

 

I hope I have not confused you but, It is also interesting to note the apartment building directly behind the Sheriff's 4S Ranch sub station is the responsibility of SDPD.  Why is this all so important? It is because 4S Ranch is unique and complex enough that we need a quarterback.   A law enforcement officer with enough, "juice" and experience to help us through our approaching challenges.  

I don't know about you, but I want Sheriff Gore to give us back our Lieutenant and support personnel. This area has changed a great deal in the last few years. Let's not wait until a crime is so tragic that it awakes this community after the fact. If you have an interest in learning more about our law enforcement staffing and pursuing additional law enforcement personnel for our community, please submit an email to editor@trustshay.com. We will add you to the interest list.

We will keep you updated on crime in the area and our progress in getting back what we lost. It will lead to a safer and more vibrant 4S Ranch.

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.   

2nd Annual Krispy Kreme Doughnut Run 2012

Yesterday's "Back to School" Doughnut run was so much fun! Our clients got a Free box of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Coffee Bean coffee before they dropped their kids off at school. Nothing says we appreciate our clients like Free Doughnuts and Drive-up service. We can't wait for next year. Yummmmm!

Crime in 4S RanchWritten by Ray Shay

Ever since moving to move to 4S Ranch in early 2000, we have heard less and less barking and yelping of coyotes and their pups who roam our canyons and open areas. When our kids were small and we had a puppy, the frequent nighttime yelping and barking made us vigilant. We were alert for the coyotes because of the danger to our children and pets. The advantages of coyotes as potential adversaries, is they are easily recognizable and are also generally predictable. They never attack members of their own pack and each evening they are on a quest in search of food.

In the first few years of 4S Ranch and Del Sur,we were on the edge of San Diego's urban sprawl.   The unstoppable march of humans which brings asphalt, businesses, homes, and needed schools over the previous rolling, pristine hills of San Diego.   A close friend who assists builders in developments jokes, "I own a pave the world, not save the world company". All joking aside, he is saving the world in that he assists builders accomplish their projects properly with sensitivity to the environment.

Maybe It has just been too hot lately, but I have not heard a single bark or yelp of a coyote in over two weeks. But, I have heard and seen things recently which are more frightening to us and our family then a pack of wild coyotes. our newest predator is part of urban sprawl. Unlike coyotes, it attacks members of their own pack, frequently late at night. This predator is harder to identify. It is the worst kind of predator because you might actually see it and not even know it is a threat, until it s too late.   After all, this predator is one of us. He or she is human. 

I became concerned when I received a call from a friend this past week. "There is crime scene tape surrounding a home on 4S Ranch Parkway, south of Camino Del Norte. I saw a woman crying in the front yard". Nothing in the local newspaper. Nothing on the news, so I did some checking. A young man had tragically passed away in the home and SDSO Homicide Detectives are evaluating the circumstances. It may likely be accidental. Time will tell.

 

When I queried further, it seems we aren't any longer, "sleepy 4S Ranch". In the last ten days, two commercial, "window smash burglaries" occurred in 4S Village and 4S Commons Shopping Centers. In police vernacular a window smash burglary is when an idiot criminal throws a rock through a very expensive plate glass window of a local business, rushes in and steals anything they can get their hands on and quickly runs out. Fast, effective, and of course, stupid.

In addition, both inside and outside of LA Fitness there has been frequent thefts from both cars and lockers. Criminal activity in our area has not been limited to commercial locations which is apparent by an upswing in theft related crimes in our local parks.

 

These crimes led to a local shop owner to post a sign on her window that says, "No cash on premises. Alarm and video surveillance". I hate the sign. I understand why the 4S Ranch business owner did it. I don't blame her. It is a plea or warning to the burglar not to make them the next victim after, T Mobile who lost phones, and Pure Barre fitness who lost a cash register and an Apple desktop computer.  I don't like the sign for another reason. If we as local residents do not help identify criminal activity or other people attacking us, and if the Sheriff's Department does not do their part of investigating and arresting our local criminials, we will transition to a siege mentality that exists in other neighborhoods. You will be seeing more of those signs as well as more metal grates that roll down inside the glass to protect the contents of business. .

I visited Kara, who is the owner of Purr Barre Fitness Studio in 4S Ranch soon after the burglary.   She looked tired and I know it wasn't from the exceptional fitness classes she teaches. It was personal. Small business is a daily struggle. When you and your staff are working so hard and something like this happens it is the proverbial, "punch in the gut". I felt bad for her. So, here is my idea.

If you want to tighten your buns, tone your belly, or strengthen your arms, or simply improve your overall health, go see Kara at Pure Barre Fitness. Tell her, "I hate crooks", and then purchase some fitness classes from her. After the recent expense of replacing the plate glass window and the stolen items, she could use the money and even more importantly it will give her some good mojo. Unlike T-Mobile, she cannot pass on the unexpected expense to a few hundred thousand shareholders.

 

As we look forward, how do we keep the community and our residents safe as we face these new challenges? The biggest thing we can all do is to communicate more with each other to include school administrators, teachers, neighbors, religious groups, and law enforcement. Don't leave high value items in plain view. And maybe, just maybe, SDSO should step up their game and fully staff their new sub station in our local community? I think we pay enough taxes and it is a reasonable request.

After all, unlike coyotes, we need their experience, and skills to identify our newest predators. Neither of us can be successful going it alone any longer. Help out. "Our pack" people that want a safe, vibrant and peaceful community to raise our kids.

Enjoy your week with your family.

  

  

Ray & Theresa Shay  

Info@TrustShay.com

  

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

 

BraveryWritten by Ray Shay

I recently saw a women at Ralph's Supermarket as she corralled her young children. I suspect she was a single mom, the wife of an American Warrior, or married to an engineer who, "works all the time".  Her eyes were bright as she made tactical decisions while trying to accomplish the mission at hand.  I smiled, as I recalled Theresa and I trying to control our three boys at those ages.  Even with our, "zone defense" it is still a struggle.  I thought how brave the young mom was to forge ahead, alone. It reminded me of our mom.

Bravery comes in so many forms. It is not limited to Seal Team members as they fast rope from the landing skid of a helicopter to the roof an armed terrorists hideaway, a combat Marine on patrol in Afghanistan, or an Astronaut who is strapped into the seat of a rocket preparing to be launched into outer space.

In my book, anyone who faces adversity in life and hangs in there while refusing to quit, is a hero.   My mom always emphasized keeping, "a stiff upper lip".  I find it kind of funny that I am not sure exactly what our mom was thinking when she would say it. I never thought to ask her.  

I suspect her intent was to encourage all of her kids to be strong during the heat of the battle.  Our mom never did cry during the course of, "home combat operations", but on a rare occasion, I sometimes could see her quietly and covertly wipe away a tear, sneaking away.  I think those few tears revealed the incredible challenges and burdens she faced, often alone.  

During World War II our mom was one of many, "Rosie the Riveters" at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, where she assembled airplanes in the all out American war effort while our father attended flight school and served our country as a Navy Pilot.  My mom's first name was, "Lou Ann", but I always called her, "Mom".  

A high school friend's mom once asked me and her son to both call her by her first name, "Eileen".  I agreed, but it was so weird. I then asked my friend, "why"?   He said it made his mom feel younger.  I of course, went straight home and asked my mom if she would like me to call her, "Lou Ann"?  Boy, was I surprised.

You would think I had just ignited the base of a rocket and I was the astronaut.  My mom's commentary started off with, "Raymond".  Any sentence when I was growing up starting with my complete first name was usually an indication, I would not like what was to follow. It was not a tirade. It was just, well, forceful. My mom looked me straight in the eye from a distance of about twelve inches from my face, "I have worked very hard for the title of mom. That is what you will always call me".  A Marine Drill Instructor would have been very impressed.  Immersed in those words was a sense of caring, but the directive was clear and non-negotiable. My mom had set me straight. I was her sixth child of seven, so as they say, I was not her first rodeo.

My mom consistently showed bravery whether it was raising all of us seven kids or when she was selected to serve on a jury trial for a capital murder case in our hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. A woman was on trial for the killing of her husband. During deliberations, my mom, "hung" the whole darn jury. Twelve fellow jurors voted for guilty while my mom was the sole dissident, proclaiming the woman's innocence.  I remember my mom saying, "The husband was a drunk who regularly beat his wife. I was not going to send her away". To only be a fly on the wall during those discussions...

Though our mother never flew an airplane in battle, (like our dad) she consistently demonstrated bravery and toughness.  She was a warrior of her own right. Her rank only had three letters, "MOM".   She was the one to drive our old three quarter ton, Dodge pick up truck, we called, "Betsy".  She would drive us to baseball, football games, Boy Scout outings, and even drive-in movies.  Once while driving, the floor gear shift came clean out of the floor until it was hanging in my mom's outstretched hand. Despite traveling at about fifty miles per hour, she just jammed it back in and kept driving.   All the time and all the challenges, she kept that, "stiff upper lip".  

 

The more I look back in my life, I wonder why only our dad had a drawer full of medals with the multicolored ribbons intertwined like an unkempt birds nest.  When in fact, it was my mom who deserved some medals of her own.   I think if we added up all her acts of heroism the drawer would be difficult to close. Though my mom and dad passed away just before our first son, Troy was born, I would like to present our mom with a few long, overdue medals:

RESTRAINT

First and foremost, an award for restraint demonstrated when she did not beat all of us when three of my brothers and myself got in a peeing battle just prior to walking into the Officer's Club for  Easter Sunday dinner.  Boy she was mad, but thank goodness for black dress pants.

HUMOR

Award for humor under difficult conditions. With dad frequently gone and money very short, she worked her culinary magic by always making dinner time enjoyable and delicious. It was amazing how often she could cook exceptional Navy beans, ham, goulash, and tuna fish casserole. Mom it was fantastic!

LEADERSHIP

   

So many examples. Leadership award for telling all those dads who tried to give you a hard time for being the only mom in the class where you helped me learn to shoot a 22 caliber rifle. I loved it when in class, you told those chauvinistic, insecure men to, "mind their own business".

DETERMINATION

Determination for you performance under difficult conditions. When the mean old lady in the big, new Cadillac purposely rammed our parked VW Bug in the Sears parking lot, and fled the scene.  You deftly snapped off her car antenna.  I'll never forget the sight and sound of the antenna, hanging by a wire, clanking against her new paint as she drove off.

BRAVERY  

Finally, Award for Bravery.  

I remember the last few things you said to me while we were alone at Scripp's Memorial Hospital,.  As we were immersed in the mechanical sounds of a hospital late at night with darkness flooding into the room.  It was a time we both knew, without saying it, that your life on this beautiful planet was being measured in only hours, instead of years.

 

You of course started with, "Raymond". You then told me how you would not have changed anything and given the chance, you would do it all again.  You concluded with, "You really should get yourself a book, it will make time pass easier".   

You never stopped being our, "Mom".   That is the most important service and job title there is.  

Enjoy your week with your family,

 
 Ray & Theresa Shay  

 Info@TrustShay.com

  

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

TONIGHT FREE Movies in the Park4S Ranch Sports Park

Enjoy a Free Night out with the Family before school starts back up again.

Movies in the Park this Saturday 8/11

FREE Movies in the Park 

Saturday, August 11, 2012  

4S Ranch Sports Park

  

Summer is not over yet! Bring the kids and family to a FREE fun night under the stars. Enjoy a slice from Flippin' Pizza and this months feature film, Cars 2. Don't forget to grab your blanket or chair. Come early to get a good spot. 

For a full schedule of Movies in the park, visit

wwww.SummerMoviesinthePark.com

 Click here for your FREE Movies in the Park Poster!

92127 Mole ReportWritten by Ray Shay

   Theresa, the boys and I were not sure it was the 92127 Mole when we drove past him on Sunday as he was walking in the gated community of Salviati. We had never seen him in his workout attire.  "Is that you Mole"?  "Yeah boss, I partied a little hard last night. You probably heard about it". 

 

"Yeah mole, I did". It sounded like allot of fun. Mole went on to explain as part of his recovery plan, he was jogging.  I told Mole, "You need to lift your feet if your going to jog.  At the most, you got a shuffle working and it's certainly not an Apple". 

Mole ignored my humor and replied he normally works out at LA Fitness in 4S Ranch, but they are closing their doors from August 13th to the 17th to install new television sets and change out the flooring. I told him he should talk with Kara at Purre Barre in 4S Commons if he really wanted to, "tighten his buns".  Mole ignored that comment as well.  He is not as much fun as he used to be.  Maybe it was the party.

Mole continued, "Boss the biggest news, is I am hearing allot of unconfirmed chatter that Target is looking at possibly building a new store near RB Road and Camino Del Sur, across from Santa Fe Valley".  

I warned Mole rumors have a way of getting a life of their own.  Just because it may be being discussed, does not confirm it will be approved or will ever happen. 

 

"Darn boss, I was hoping to upgrade my workout threads".  I told him it was a good idea.  As we drove off our three boys, Troy, Raymond and Ryan yelled out to the Mole, "Hit the gym Mole, your arms look like gummy worms".  Don't worry about it Mole.  They say the same thing to me.  

Keep the tips of information coming in and we will pass them on to the 92127 Mole to investigate.  That is once he feels better!

CSA Board & Public Meeting TONIGHT 8/2/12

Help design a $3 Million Improvement to the 4S Ranch Sports Park.

The meeting will be at our Community Hub at 6:30pm. The Architect and Project Manager will be there to answer any questions. Community input is encouraged.

Shay Realtor's Community Hub

10550 Craftsman Way, Ste. #184
San Diego, CA 92127

858-798-9129

$3 Million 4S Ranch Sports Park Improvement

Community Input Needed  

Thursday August 2, 2012 at 6:30pm 

A $3 million dollar Artificial Turf improvement is scheduled for the 4S Ranch Sports Park CSA meeting will be held at our Community Hub.T he public is strongly encouraged to attend. 

 

The plan is to install artificial turf on the entire north side of the park. The County is seeking  community input on the design to include proposed field orientations, shape and color. Architect and project manager will be here to answer any questions or concerns.  

     

 www.YourCommunityHub.com