The City of Frederick would like our water customers to know that the free water testing kits currently being delivered door to door in some areas of the City are from private water treatment businesses which are not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of Frederick. These are private companies seeking to do business with City residents.

Second warning comes from Josh on Twitter by way of Catherine:

Frederick peeps, watch out for visitor [with] Wash Gas badge asking to see [your] Allegheny Electric bill. Fraud, call police.

Apparently the fraudster flashes a badge and asks to see your bill to see if he can save you money on it.

Be careful out there!

Art’s A Ball Public Art Project
Date – 7/1/08 – 8/15/08
Location – Various Locations
Contact – 301-662-4190
The Frederick Arts Council in collaboration with the Frederick Keys will sponsor a public art project entitled “Art’s a Ball!”, which will feature 1,000 artist-decorated baseballs on display throughout the community. The baseballs will be put on public display at various locations in Frederick County from July 1 to August 15, 2008. “Art’s a Ball!” will culminate at the 2^nd annual Art in the Park night, scheduled for August 29^th at Harry Grove Stadium. The baseballs will then be auctioned off or sold outright, with proceeds going to benefit the arts in Frederick County. Professional, amateur, student, and celebrity artists are being engaged in this community-wide initiative.

It’s nice to see that they are continuing these public art projects after the Keys to Frederick project last year got such mixed reviews and had some thievery issues. I’m sure I remember reading recently that one of the Keys is still missing. The only question I have is, how big are these baseballs? Are they actual baseballs? Because if people can steal those giant Keys, than a baseball will be no problem.

Lizfrog

Anyone interested in buying a home facing foreclosure can save time and gas by boarding the Bargain Bus.

Long & Foster’s Mount Airy office launched bus tours three months ago for visits to foreclosed-on homes.

Sharon Crisafulli, who manages three Long & Foster offices, said the tour has been so far a hit. Mount Airy is in a four-county area, and the company puts on one tour a month. So far Frederick, Carroll and Montgomery have been visited. Howard County is next.

“People may say what a horrible thing we are doing, preying on these people (facing foreclosure),” Crisafulli said. “But the sellers are glad to see us working, trying to sell the home for them. It is in their best interest to get it sold.”

Participants get information beforehand about the properties and then get to visit each one. The company charters a 28-seat bus and visits about 10 homes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tourists get a gift bag with water and fruit.

“On the bus we have an attorney, a home inspector and a mortgage person,” Crisafulli said.

Also, kind of related is this article about the rise of crime in empty foreclosed homes. Sorry for the dose of bad news, I think I like the anti-smoking Playboy bunny at the cigar story post much better.

~Guy~

The speed camera bill, which was proposed by Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), allows the state to install cameras in construction areas. The measure also would authorize local governments to use cameras in school zones and in residential neighborhoods with posted speed limits less than 45 mph. Violators would be fined $40 but would not get points on their licenses.

We already have Red Light Cameras at some select local intersections. What do you think? Are you in favor of Speed Cameras?

Lizfrog 

I will be moving to Frederick in January to start a new job. I was there yesterday (Saturday, Dec 8th) looking at an apartment and was wondering if you could give me some insider info on the area. I really like the apartment but I have concerns about the area. They’re called Elmwood Terrace Apartments. It’s off route 40 right next to Frederick Towne Mall on Waverly Rd. I currently live in Philadelphia so I was surprised to see that the first floor patios had no railings and that the buildings don’t have controlled access. I want to think it’s because the area is just so safe that those things are not necessary. But then the leasing agent told me that they have hired security to patrol at night and that “crime has no address.” So I guess my main concerns are related to crime and safety. I will be working at Ft. Dietrick and found these apartments to be a good location and have the qualities I wanted. I’ve looked online for infomation but would really appreciate information from someone who knows the area. Thanks so much for any help!!!

Can you all provide any help in his apartment search?

~Guy~

I’m not going to link to any of the stories because I think we’ve all had enough and need a break.  I know that we had a connection with one of the people involved in one of the stories.  Makes you realize what a small town we really live in.

Personally, I’d like it to stay that way, although I don’t know what I can do to prevent it.

~LizFrog~

Smoking Ban Linked to Bathroom Vandalism

FREDERICK, Md. – Vandals suspected of stealing toilet paper and trashing men’s bathrooms at Frederick Community College have given school administrators an ultimatum: lift the campus smoking ban and the vandalism will stop.

Instead, the college is offering a $500 reward to anyone who can provide information leading to arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.

School spokesman Michael Pritchard says the vandals have struck at least 12 times in the past month.

The college banned smoking, except in parking lots, last spring.

Pritchard says a message left on the wall of the first bathroom vandalized indicated the attacks would continue until the school lifts the smoking ban.

Source: Associated Press/AP Online

Lizfrog

The 30 keys scattered throughout downtown Frederick don’t open anything, but they have proved an irresistible target to thieves.

Police arrested four men yesterday and recovered a six-foot fiberglass key, decorated like an American flag by artist Jonathan West, that had been taken from a downtown sidewalk early yesterday. Witnesses said the thieves smiled and waved as they removed it.

It was the second key to be stolen — there was also a third, failed attempt — since the 30 keys by local artists were unveiled in August throughout Frederick’s historic downtown. Many of the keys have been vandalized with spray paint, and one was broken into pieces during a weekend festival.

And the comments about the story are great to, like this little gem …

Fredneck Retirement Plan:
1. Steal giant key
2. Drive around all night looking for giant lock
3. Profit

Alright that one actually made me chuckle.

~Guy~

Police track red light violations

The Frederick Police Department has tracked the number of red light violations since cameras were placed at seven intersections more than two years ago.

The department recorded a total of 808 violations in September; 507 of those drivers were issued citations.

Police discarded violations for reasons including funeral processions, emergency vehicles with flashing lights, out-of-state vehicles, mismatched registrations or no record of the registration, or an unclear tag or vehicle image.

By location, the numbers break down as follows, with figures in parenthesis representing total citations since the program began:

East Third and East streets: 23 (711)

Motter Avenue and West Seventh Street: 54 (1435)

Opossumtown Pike and Thomas Johnson Drive: 74 (1861)

Rosemont Avenue and Montevue Lane: 122 (5217)

Rosemont and Schley avenues: 106 (4328)

East Patrick Street and Monocacy Boulevard: 84 (1952)

Willowdale Drive and Key Parkway: 44 (572)

Since the program began on May 31, 2005, 16,076 citations have been issued.

Drivers who receive a citation can view the video online at www.cityoffrederick.com. Click “View your red light video.” The password is the citation and registration number.

The Frederick Police Department reminds drivers to stop at the stop line, as required by law, before turning right when permitted to do so.

Violations frequently occur at Rosemont and Schley avenues and at East Patrick Street and Monocacy Boulevard.

I spent some time in Germany on business in 2005-06 and picked up 2 traffic tickets via Red Light and Speed cameras. The Germans don’t even have many road patrols anymore, relying almost entirely on cameras. I think the cameras are a good idea, especially given the evidence of the number of violations. The question is are they more important for public safety than for raising revenue?

~LizFrog~

It was on a busy downtown Frederick street that police say a bizarre crime was committed. An officer witnessed 76-year-old [name removed] standing at his window at his apartment on Market Street, except they say he was naked and taking pictures of children outside.

“One of our officers was in the downtown area of Frederick, on North Market Street, in the 100 block and observed a suspect exposing himself in the window of a residence down there and was seen taking pictures of some juveniles outside the residence,” said Sergeant Bruce DeGrange of Frederick City Police.

Police charged [the man] with indecent exposure. They say this happened Sunday afternoon with plenty of people on the streets.

~Guy~