The Village Tattler

GOODBYE TO OUR NOBLE FRIEND

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:49:00 +0000

At noon today, February 13, 2013, we lost our beloved furry daughter, Sammi Harris Ferrer.

Sammi, you were a noble and loving friend, a great companion to us and to your brother Scruffy. You were a great teacher to Scruffy during his first days with us, and you accepted him not only as your brother but as your son. You touched the hearts of everyone who was lucky to know you. Your family, Robert, Suncita, Max and Sonya, will never forget you.

Oh Sammi, this is the most painful of goodbyes because we know we are never going to say hello again. The only consolation we have right now is the hope that you are now in a better pain free place.

You will always be in our hearts!

Hartnell

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:21:00 +0000

A neighbor wrote the following:

I've heard that a Hartnell address has also been visited by the Vandals. I have no details.
Report suspicious activities and people!

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:04:00 +0000

Hi, Neighbors,

The Vandals, Goths, and Visigoths have been at work applying their artistic touch in the 700 Alley immediately to our East.

One might suggest that the work displays a total lack of artistic talent but it is, at best, vulgar and displays extremely bad judgment.

It looks like it might have been bored teenagers who did their handiwork on #700, destroying the finish on the garage door. Of course, the Association will pay for repainting the door which means, of course, that we all pay for it.

Please keep the vigil. Be wary of those who appear out of place and carrying paint cans, especially teenagers with blank expressions on their faces. Report them immediately.

Thank you, and Happy 2012!

Was it Fruit of the Loom?

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:36:00 +0000

I hope you all had a peaceful Holiday.

Tonight, around 11:00 p.m., while walking our dogs, we came across one of Capital Security's guards. He asked us if we had seen a man running around in his underwear. It seems he saw his girlfriend sleeping among the bushes in the small greenbelt across the "poop" deposit on Commons Drive. I asked him about how old was this woman. He said that she must have been in her thirties. The guard told her to leave and she said she was waiting for her boyfriend who was running around in his underwear. Could it have been our friend who rides around on a bike playing loud music? I asked myself. Well we might never know. What I do know is that we have to be watchful and report any strange events to Nepenthe and/or the Tattler.

Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite,

The Tattler

A Word to the Wise

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:17:00 +0000

It has been a while since my last post. It's sad that the cold traps us in our own houses and we never get to see each other like we did when the pool was open. Well, I'm back!

This information was relayed to me by one of my neighbors:

"I have a spigot on the front of my place that the gardeners, and Nepenthe contractors use. I have never touched it but when it broke I was responsible for the plumbing repair because it is a part of the water system in my unit. This will become an issue when we get on meters and have to pay for our own water use. And I took issue with the fact that Nepenthe contractors caused wear and tear. I had it capped so now no one can use it now!"

I then proceded to ask her when she had heard the meters would be installed. She said she didn't know but was prepared for the shock. Her friend in a Parkway neighborhood in South Sacramento has a community garden (40x40ft) and after the meters were installed her bill went to $700 for 2 months. She thinks that our HOA is going to get a big surprise whenever it happens.

The Tattler

Thank you Nepenthe!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:58:00 +0000

As you may all know by now, the Dunbarton Pool and spa is closed as of today. We are grateful to have been given the extended use of the Dunbarton pool and spa.

LARRY SIGHTING TODAY!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:00:00 +0000

For all of you who don't know who Larry is, he visited Campus Commons today around 2:30 pm and I was able to take a video of him. He hovered around us at least 4 times. It made us extremely nervous. As usual, he was playing loud music that can be heard in the video. I apologize I could not film him longer but I didn't want to be too obvious to the point of provoking him more than I had to.

Here is the video.

I reported to the Nepenthe office at once. Here is a photograph I was able to take from the video. Sorry it is not too clear.

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:17:00 +0000

Here is one of our neighbors with Sammi the pumpkin and Scruffy the devil.

Sounds Like a Broken Record, but.....

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:08:00 +0000

Today, Sunday, I was informed that the doors to the Dunbarton cabana were locked. This poses a health hazard. As you may recall, this must be at least the sixth Sunday this has happened. I keep asking the same question: who is responsible for opening and closing the cabanas? Since Nepenthe cannot handle such intricate details, I think the solution would be to give all residents a set of keys that would give them access to the cabanas.

Second "Larry" Sighting in Two Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:48:00 +0000

Be on the lookout! Larry is on a bicycle on Dunbarton Circle. This is the second Sunday I see him in this immediate area. Today I spotted him at 1:30 p.m. He has his long hair up in a ponytail. You can also recognize him by the thongs he has on his feet. Not exactly the type of shoes one wears to ride a bike. What business, if any, brings him here?

Please report other sightings through comments or by e-mailing me.

Offer of Shutters

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:40:00 +0000

I received this request.

Hello - This may not be the perfect forum, but... We've just replaced our master bdrm shutters and hate to throw the old ones away as they are in near perfect condition. We have a 5500 model. The shutters just pop into the framing and are FREE to a good home. Anyone interested or know of a quick way to communicate the offering to the residents, call me - 916-240-0192 Thanks, Renee

URGENT: Board Meeting on Wednesday, October 26th.

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:13:00 +0000

Fellow Homeowners:

Please plan to attend the Board Meeting this coming Wednesday, October 26, as the 2012 budget will be discussed. The meeting begins at 5 p.m., but the budget will be discussed at 6 p.m. Several homeowners are very concerned with the increases in homeowner's dues being discussed. Nepenthe's dues are already the highest in Campus Commons. With the present economy and the fact that many homeowners are on fixed incomes, these dues increases will affect sales and cause some homeowners to move out of the Nepenthe area.

In order to remain competitive with the other associations, one possibility is for the association to consider eliminating flood insurance. This would result in an annual savings of $212,000. Each homeowner, of course, could elect to continue coverage under an individual policy. Because the coverage and rates are set by FEMA, the cost to the individual homeowner would remain basically the same. Campus Commons is no longer in a designated flood plain and therefore flood insurance is not required. The California Department of Water Resources states that our area has a one percent chance of flooding which translates to 100-year flood protection.

Nepenthe is the only homeowner's association in campus commons that covers flood insurance. As well, Exeter Square, Wyndgate, East Ranch and University Park do not cover flood insurance for homeowners.

If you are interested in keeping the dues stable, please plan to attend this important meeting.

Halloween Invitation

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:54:00 +0000

Because of a more important announcement regarding a homeless cat, even though we are not crazy about them, we decided to put off our invitation until today.

All our canine friends are cordially invited to dress up for Halloween on Monday, October 31st. There will be biscuits at 100 Dunbarton Circle, and pictures will be taken by our humans to be published in The Village Tattler.

A toy will be raffled off at the end of the day. So come on over and get your raffle number.

Sammi and Scruffy

I NEED A HOME!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:26:00 +0000

I WAS RESCUED AT CAMPUS COMMONS ON 9/28/11. I AM ABOUT 2-3 YEARS OLD. I AM AN INDOOR CAT. I WILL GO OUT IF MY GUARDIAN ACCOMPANIES ME. I LOVE PEOPLE AND ENJOY BEING CLOSE TO THEM. I WILL NOT SCRATCH YOUR FURNITURE AND WILL NOT WAKE YOU UP. I WILL BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR SCHEDULE. MY RESCUER CARES ABOUT ME VERY MUCH BUT HE CAN’T KEEP ME BECAUSE OF HIS NEED TO TRAVEL OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. RESCUE AGENCIES ARE FULL. I SUFFERED BEING HOMELESS FOR A WHILE AND NOW I NEED A GOOD HOME.

IF YOU LOST ME OR WISH TO ADOPT ME PLEASE CALL 916-261-8901

Reversal of Pool Closing Decision

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:30:00 +0000

Dear friends,

This morning there was a reversal of the decision made by the Nepenthe office to close the Dunbarton pool and spa on Friday, October 14th. I got a very nice e-mail from Otis Turner apologizing for the problems caused by this decision and informing me that the board had ordered the pool to be reopened until the weather turns.

He also said that the pool and spa lights have been ordered. I hope they get them soon as the area is very dark for us who enjoy walking at night.

I hope we will continue to enjoy the last days of warmth in our magnificent pool and spa.

They Did it Again!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:36:00 +0000

Yesterday’s heat (85 degrees) sent me to the Dunbarton pool. I wanted to go swimming and use the spa to find relief for my aching sciatica. I was not alone, there I saw the regulars at the pool (about 10) at around 4:00 p.m. To my surprise, the heat in the pool and the spa had been turned off. Another resident pointed to the sign in the door of the cabana. It said that the pool will be closed today Saturday, October 15^th.

We were all disappointed that in spite of a petition made by a resident (see my October 13^th post), made in the name of all of us who enjoy swimming at the Dunbarton pool, to extend the use of the pool until October 31^st, our request went unanswered. I have talked with other residents who have called the Nepenthe office to make the same request and were told that the mentioned petition would be brought up at the next board meeting (they thought it would be the beginning of next week) and that a decision was pending whether to close it on October 15^th or extend the closing to October 31^st. However, the sign on the door shows a disregard for a very friendly petition and for the calls from concerned residents. What is more troubling in all this is that the sign said the closing would be on Saturday, October 15^th and yet, Nepenthe made the pool and spa unusable on Friday October 14^th. It seems that, again, one of Nepenthe’s hands does not know what the other is doing. I would like to remind my readers that Nepenthe had a sign for the longest time saying the pool and spa lights would be fixed by September 30^th, and to date, no action has been taken.

PLEASE KEEP THE DUNBARTON POOL OPEN THROUGH OCTOBER 31

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:41:00 +0000

The following is a contribution from one of the homeowners:

Homeowners and swimmers, using the Dunbarton Pool, would like their pool open until October 31st. The weather is warm and is forecast to remain beautiful swim weather through the end of October.

Fall is a busy time in real estate. Access to homeowner recreational swimming and tennis are important incentives when homes are up for sale. It would be difficult to convince a potential buyer that Campus Commons is a special place to live (and worth the extra investment) if all the recreational amenities have been stripped bare in the interest of saving a few dollars.

Many buyers would opt for a single family home over condominium living if not for the recreational amenities. Unheated swimming pools are evidence of declining prestige. Pool maintenance (filtering, chlorination and regular cleaning) is still necessary, even if unheated. It doesn´t cost much more to keep one small pool open April 1st through the end of October.

Sacramento has weather favorable for a longer swimming season. Homeowners, who swim to maintain health and fitness, need their pool and adjoining spa heated from April 1st through October 31st. It´s a waste of first class facilities to abandon them most of the year.

The Tattler would like to add that the lights in the Dunbarton pool and spa have not been installed to date, even though Nepenthe promised to address the problem by September 30th. Of course, the year was not mentioned.

Dunbarton will be Closed on Thursday and Friday, Weather Permitting.

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:13:00 +0000

As Yogi Berra once said: "It ain't over till it's over". As you may be aware, the paving will continue tomorrow. This time it's Dunbarton Circle's turn. It will be paved on Thursday and Friday and all Dunbarton residents who have to use this street for parking and otherwise and who need to use their cars on Thursday and Friday, are advised to park their cars on Swarthmore, Vanderbilt and Elmhurst tonight. Please note that Dunbarton will be closed from 6:00 a.m. on Thursday until 6:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Cool at the Dunbarton Pool

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 03:28:00 +0000

As it had been planned for over a month, today we, the swimmers of the Dunbarton pool, had our party. We were cool at the pool in spite of the noise and the sickening smell of the tar. Of course, this doesn't mean goodbye until next summer. Weather permitting, we will still have a month to enjoy our pool. Hope the Nepenthe Association doesn't decide to cut the heat off before then.

Here is a photo of our event.

We would appreciate your comments.

Turkeys!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:29:00 +0000

On Sunday, during our daily walk, we counted about 21 turkeys in the neighborhood. It was so nice watching them walk about a worry in the world.

Capital Patrol

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Many residents, including the Tattler, have observed Capital Patrol security personnel at night. Kudos for Capital and Nepenthe!

Interesting Story

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 22:14:00 +0000

I go almost daily to the J Street FEDEX. On my way back I have noticed a bicycle, completely painted white, tied to a lamp post at the corner of J Street and Carlson. It always has fresh flowers. Today I decided to find out why. I would like to share what I found.

RANDY PENCH / rpench@sacbee.com

A "ghost bike" serves as a memorial to Sacramento State University student Arlene Sasse, who was killed near the campus.

Forum near memorial promotes bicycle safety awareness

East Sacramento residents gathered Sunday for a forum on bicycle safety just blocks from where two "ghost bikes" memorialize cyclists killed in collisions with motor vehicles.
One ghost bike – a white-painted bicycle at J Street and Carlson Drive – is a memorial to Arlene Sasse, 22, a Sacramento State University student killed there April 1. Police said the driver didn't see Sasse, whose bicycle lacked lights or reflectors.
The makeshift memorial for the fallen cyclist "speaks to awareness," said Deane Dana, chairman of the McKinley Eastsac Neighborhood Association's Safety Committee.
The association organized the forum at East Sac Bike at 56th and H streets. Sunday was the start of National Bike Month.
Speakers urged drivers to be aware of cyclists, and cyclists to be aware of cars.
Sasse's former college roommate, Brandi McGee, spoke at the event, calling her friend's death a tragedy for those who knew her and for the driver.
Sgt. David Valdez, head of the Sacramento Police Department's bike unit, urged cyclists and drivers to "be courteous. Everybody has to coexist," he said.
Riders must follow the rules of the road, including stopping for traffic lights, Valdez said. Anyone under 18 must wear a helmet. Adults should, too, to protect themselves and set an example, he said. Also, wear bright clothing. Maintain your bike so the brakes work.
Ed Cox, the city of Sacramento's bicycle coordinator, said he'd looked at 10 years of data on collisions between bikes and cars and found a major cause: riding on the wrong side of the road.
Cyclists might feel it's safer for them to ride against traffic to see oncoming cars, he said, but "motorists aren't expecting you there."
Cox said he'd also noticed a huge spike in accidents among riders in their early teens. Parents think the teenagers are old enough to be on their own, yet they lack basic cycling skills, he said.
"They're the ones getting hit the most," he said.
The city is working to add more bike lanes downtown and to build bike bridges, Cox said.

The Motor Home is back!!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:46:00 +0000

As you may already have noticed, this motor home has been parked on Campus Commons on and off for quite some time. While we respect resident´s rights to park, many dog walkers fear going to the poop deposit that is behind this motor home.

It would be very much appreciated if the owner of this motor home is asked to move it forward just a few feet so that it would leave the poop deposit free for all dog walkers to use.

Capital Patrol does it again!

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:14:00 +0000

In their accustomed attention to detail, Capital Patrol locked the doors to the Dunbarton cabana. This is the 4th Sunday the Tattler knows of that Capitol has left us pool loving residents without access to a bathroom. This time, kudos go to the Nepenthe office. Shannon came by to unlock the cabana and saved the day!

I was just informed that the cabana at the Elmhurst pool was also locked today.

TheTattler asks:

noreply@blogger.com (The Tattler) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 05:37:00 +0000

What was all the ruckus about Today, Saturday, at around 10:30 p.m.? It sounded like we were at war.