Story from staff reports. File photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Everybody in town knows the Scotchman convenience store. It’s on a triangular peninsula of land on East Chatham Street as you’re coming into Cary from the state capital. Last night, it was robbed at gunpoint according to community sources.

The Facts

The following police report came in after lunchtime today from a CaryCitizen community source:

On 11/14/11 at approximately 2317 hours District 1 officers responded to 421  E. Chatham Street (Scotchman convenient store) in reference to an armed robbery.  Two unknown black male suspects entered the store with their faces covered.  One suspect was armed with an unknown type of long gun.  The suspects had the clerk wait in a back room while they exited the store.

Suspect 1                            Suspect 2
Black male                        Black male
5’8” – 5’9”                          5’9″ – 6’0″

A quick search on the Town of Cary website did not turn up any information about this incident.

Got Information?

If know anything about this crime, call Cary Crime Stoppers. Calls kept confidential; cash reward for information that leads to arrest and indictment.  (919) 226-CRIME.

Story by Hal Goodtree. Photo by Jacob Whittaker.

Cary, NC – Don’t be alarmed. Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 2 pm Eastern time is the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System.

This is Only a Test

The test itself should be pretty familiar – an authoritarian male voice, a screeching tone and some bad graphics, all evocative of the Eisenhower era.

The test will last 30 seconds.

First in the Nation

Remarkably, this is the first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System.

States and localities have been using emergency alert systems for decades.

Yesterday’s Technology Today

The test will be conducted by TV stations, cable providers and radio broadcasters. Why not the Pony Express and the Town Crier, I wonder?

The notion is that during an emergency, it is hard to predict what infrastructure will be available. Maybe the internet will be down. Maybe the electrical grid. That’s why it’s called an emergency.

But still – no Google, Twitter, Facebook or email?

Don’t Call 911

The Federal government has asked media outlets to remind people that Wednesday’s test is not an actual emergency. Don’t call 911.

Share What You Hear

Let us know if you hear the test message on Wednesday. I’ll likely be sitting at my computer at 2 pm, not watching TV or listening to the radio. It will be interesting to see if the test actually reaches a majority of citizens.

Cary, NC – This is our favorite kind of crime story. We get to bring out the picture of the handcuffs.

On Wednesday, a man attempted a brazen midday robbery from an occupied car at the BB&T Bank on Maynard. On Friday, the Cary Police had a suspect in custody.

From the Town of Cary:

Thanks to a citizen’s tip, the Town of Cary Police Department has charged a Cary citizen believed to have committed attempted robbery.

Jeremiah Calvin Osterhoudt, 35, of River Walk Circle, Cary, was arrested for Attempted Common Law Robbery. He is being held at the Wake county Public Safety Center and faces up to 36 months in prison if convicted.

Shortly after noon Wednesday, Town of Cary Police responded to BB&T Bank, 848 SE Maynard Road, where Osterhoudt entered an occupied vehicle and demanded money; unsuccessful, he fled the scene by foot. Due to its proximity to the crime and to allow investigators to properly search the area, Cary High School was put on temporary lockdown for about one hour.

Cary, NC – Cary Police are seeking community help in the search for a robbery suspect.

Robbery at Noon

About noon on Wednesday the Cary Police responded to BB&T Bank on Maynard Road, where a white male entered an occupied vehicle and demanded money.

The police state that he was “unsuccessful” and he fled the scene by foot.

The suspect is described as a white male, age 35-42, approximately 5’10-6’0, with short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a dark zippered jacket with dark pants.

CHS – 1 Hour Lock Down

Due to its proximity to the crime and to allow investigators to properly search the area, Cary High School was put on temporary lockdown for about one hour. The suspect is still at-large.

How to Help

Anyone near the areas during the time of attempted robbery is encouraged to contact the Town of Cary Police Department at (919) 469-4012 or Cary Crime Stoppers at 226-CRIM(E). Crime Stoppers pays up to $2,500 for information resulting in the arrest or indictment of those responsible for committing certain types of crimes. All calls will be kept CONFIDENTIAL at caller’s request.

Editor’s Note: Cary is ranked the second safest city in the nation due, in part, to geo-policing and community safety awareness.

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – On Friday morning, the manager of the Fidelity bank in downtown Cary called Clare Sifford, Director of Cary Visual Art. Someone had tipped over the sculpture on loan at the corner of Chatham and Academy. This is the second piece of sculpture vandalized in the last month.

Getawaycar

Getawaycar, the sculpture by Adam Wall was awarded Best in Show this year in Cary. “Last night,” Clare told CaryCitizen, “someone (probably more than one person, as this piece is VERY heavy) pushed it over.”

Damage was evident along the top of the sculpture. A paint smear on the sidewalk showed where the artwork had crashed to the ground.

“I could see that the paint was chipped and the steel was bent,” Clare said. “Fortunately, Adam is semi-local, as he lives in Laurinburg, NC, and will be able to come repair the piece at some point in the near future. This sculpture is valued at $5,000.”

2nd Piece Vandalized

This is the second piece of public art vandalized in downtown Cary in less than a month. “The first one was Collective Conductivity by artist Julia Rogers,” Sifford told this publication.

“It happened on Wednesday evening, 8/24/11. The glass heads of the sculptures were pried loose and dangling by the LED light wires, the glass lotus in the seated figure’s hand was broken, and her large glass hand was pried loose and stolen.”

“The glass hand is not cast,” Sifford said, “it is hand-formed. Each piece is individually made to properly fit the other components in the piece. This sculpture is valued at $15,000.”

Collective Conductivity photograph by Clare Sifford.

Victim #1: The Artists

In most cases, the artists themselves must pay for the damage in repair or restoration.

Cary Visual Art carries liability coverage for the exhibition, but artists are advised to self-insure their work. Few do.

So, in the case of vandalism, the artists are the victim.

Victim #2: The Community

Vandalism has a chilling effect in the arts. “I am so disheartened that it seems like vandals have specifically targeted our exhibition. This is heartbreaking to me, and I am afraid that continued vandalism will discourage artists from participating with CVA, therefore hurting our exhibition further.”

So, in the case of public art, the community is the victim as well.

Standing Up For Ourselves

Naturally, community members downtown and across town are outraged. Police Captain Don Hamilton wrote to Clare Sifford, “I hate that this is piece number 2 to be damaged and I agree that continued problems could jeopardize future artists wanting to participate.”

Cary Police run nightly patrols downtown. One expects they will step up their presence in light of this new challenge.

One might also expect video surveillance to be considered as a way to safeguard valuable artwork on loan to the community.

As our downtown redevelops, now is the time to make sure we have a safety regime commensurate with our community investment and needs.

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Tuesday was National Night Out, billed as America’s Night Out Against Crime. CaryCiitzen visited two event locations in Lochmere and Cary Park.

National Night Out (NNO) in Cary, NC

The 28th Annual NNO brought out citizens, police, firemen, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 15,000 communities in all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide.

In all, over 37 million people participated in National Night Out 2010.

In Cary, we had a good crowd at both locations I visited, too.

Lochmere

My first stop was Lochmere Swim & Tennis where the citizenry was out in force.

How often do you see a painting instructor with a badge?

This youngster was taking it all in.

Target has long been a sponsor of NNO. Local staff was cooking up hot dogs and chilling with the crowd.

Somebody lost a balloon. We watched it fly away to the clouds.

Policemen were the stars of the show at Lochmere, giving out balloons, coloring books, stickers and more. Mostly, it was just hobnobbing with the community.

Cary Park

Cary Park is West of NC-55 off Green Level Church Road. Their NNO was at the community center.

Police Chief Pat Bazemore was at Cary Park.

Mayor Harold Weinbrecht was there as well. He was at Lochmere, too.

KIds love playing in police cars.

Residents of Cary Park got to meet a real police dog. I did not know that in Cary, police dogs live their entire lives with their assigned officers.

As evening crept into the sky, the fire engine turned on its lights and pulled away, bringing an end to the 28th National Night Out.

Story from staff reports. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, N.C. – On Friday, Cary Police Officer Chad Penland was making a routine traffic stop near the corner of NC55 and Morrisville-Carpenter. But a collision between the motorcycle patrolman and an oncoming vehicle almost ended in tragedy. Now the Cary PBA is seeking your help.

The Accident

Late Friday afternoon, Officer Penland saw a traffic violation, flipped on his blue lights and siren, and accelerated through the intersection of NC 55 and Morrisville-Carpenter Road.

Locals will recall that this is a newly opened intersection onto the busy highway. An oncoming motorist did not see or yield to Officer Penland, resulting in a head-on collison between the police motorcycle and a pickup truck.

Penland, 32, flipped over the front of the bike and flew more 20 feet in the air, according to reports.

One of the witnesses was Jessica Elliot, a nurse from Lynchburg, VA. Ms. Elliot stopped and assisted Officer Penland, who remained conscious but was in pain and having trouble breathing.

The officer was taken to Duke University Hospital. His injuries are serious but not considered life threatening. The driver of the pickup truck was cited for failing to yield the right-of-way to a police officer.

Support Officer Penland

The Police Benevolent Foundation and the Cary Chapter of the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association are asking for your support for officer Penland. The Cary chapter hopes to alleviate some of the expenses for his family as they support Chad and his recovery efforts.

Chad is originally from Burnsville, NC and completed Basic Law Enforcement Training at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College before beginning his law enforcement career with the Burnsville Police Department.  He transferred to the Cary Police department in 2003.  Chad is currently assigned to the Traffic Safety Team as a motorcycle officer.

An account has been established under the Police Benevolent Foundation entitled the ‘Chad Penland Fund’. Contributions to this fund can be made at any Wachovia.

The Police Benevolent Foundation will be taking donations online through the PBF website.  Go to pbfi.org to donate. The Police Benevolent Foundation is also taking donations via text messaging.  You can help by texting the phrase COPS PENLAND  to 85944.   A $10 donation will be made to the fund through the contributor’s cell phone bill.

The Cary Chapter is asking everyone to please pass this information along to friends and family and to keep Chad and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Cary, NC – Ever want to get behind the scenes at the Cary Police Department? The Town of Cary offers a free program called the Citizens Police Academy and it’s accepting enrollment now through August 10, 2011.

Investigations, Ride-Alongs and a Trip to the Firing Range

In keeping with the CPD policy of adopting innovative ways of connecting with the community, Cary became the first town in Wake County to implement a Citizens Police Academy. From the Town website:

The Citizens Police Academy offers members of the community a unique opportunity to become familiar with the operations of the department. During this 12-week course, which meets one evening a week, citizens will talk with representatives of each unit and division in the department, including patrol operations, communications, traffic operations, criminal investigations, youth services, animal control and records. The recruitment and selection process for new officers, accreditation, and crime prevention topics will also be addressed.

In addition to classroom instruction, participants will have the opportunity to ride along with a patrol officer and to observe a live fire exercise with the department’s Emergency Response Team (ERT). A member of the traffic team will explain how officers evaluate people suspected of driving while impaired.

The purpose of the course is not to turn citizens into police officers and the town website hastens to add that participants will have no police powers. But it is a chance to see things at the CPD up close and personal.

Program Details

The program is open to all residents of Cary. Classes meet Wednesday nights from 6-9 p.m. August 17-November 2, 2011. Registration is limited; no minors, please.

All applicants will undergo a criminal background check.

The class is a prerequisite for citizens interested in becoming members of the Citizens Assisting Police (CAP) team.

Enrollment

Enrollment forms are available in the Town of Cary Police Department and must be returned by August 10, 2011.

For more information or an application, contact the academy coordinator Officer Kenric Alexander at (919) 380-4218 or e-mail kenric.alexander@townofcary.org.

Story from staff reports. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – According to a press release from Congressman David Price’s office, the GSA has decided to cancel plans to put an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility at an abandoned Kroger supermarket in Cary.

Price Announcement

The following news was received by CaryCitizen around 3:10 PM on Tuesday:

Representative David Price (NC-04) released the following statement today regarding the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) decision to cancel a planned lease of new office space for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Cary.  One of the few options being considered was a former Kroger supermarket off Highway 55, which had elicited many concerns from among Cary residents.  GSA will now re-start the lease procurement process and consider other options for the ICE facility.

“I think GSA has made the right decision to cancel this move and to reopen the consideration of lease options.  It’s important that the Town of Cary and local residents be fully included in any decision about the location of a law enforcement facility of such a significant size in their community.  I was glad to help bring the federal agencies together with the Town of Cary to ensure that all views and options were considered before a decision was made.”

No word on the planned meeting at Green Hope Elementary for Thursday evening.

GSA Announcement

Here’s the text of the GSA announcement, forwarded to us from Rep. Price’s office in Washington:

Atlanta, Georgia – On July 12, 2011 Southeast Sunbelt Region Regional Administrator, Shyam Reddy, announced the Agency’s decision to terminate the current solicitation for office space in Cary, NC on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. GSA decided to terminate this lease action because none of the submitted proposals met the requirements set forth in GSA’s initial Solicitation For Offers.  GSA reached this decision after a comprehensive review of the client’s needs and the offers submitted in response to GSA’s Solicitation For Offers.

Although the current solicitation for space is being terminated, Mr. Reddy stated that “It is our intention to initiate a new Solicitation For Offers in the hope that suitable properties will be submitted for consideration that meet the requirements established by GSA and ICE.   GSA is committed to working hand in hand with ICE and the local community to make sure that ICE can consolidate its 3 locations in the Raleigh/Cary area into one location in the Greater RTP Area.”

In announcing GSA’s decision, Mr. Reddy stated “We are aware of the community’s interest in the location of the new ICE facility and want to work with the local community to make sure ICE is located in an area that will help it accomplish it’s mission and benefit the local community.   Its important to GSA that we be as accessible and collaborative as possible during the procurement process because we truly want to make government work better for the American people.  We look forward to having that conversation with the community in the beginning, during and at the end of the lease procurement process”.

GSA expects to publish a new solicitation for offers in the next few weeks.

 

Story by Lindsey Chester. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

NOTE: We received word at 7pm Tuesday night that this meeting is no longer being held.

GSA has canceled plans for this site. Members of GSA will be present for the Cary Town Council meeting scheduled for Thursday evening at 6:30p to discuss their plans to restart the procurement cycle, and members of the StopCaryICENow core team will also be present to participate as we are invited or required.  We want to ensure that the GSA re-enters the procurement process in a way that appropriately involves the Town and the public they serve.

Cary, NC  – Representatives from the GSA will be meeting with Cary community members at Green Hope Elementary School on Thursday evening, July 14, 2011 to discuss the proposed ICE facility.

ICE at Kroger

Just to recap, folks in Cary recently learned that the Federal Government is looking at possibly locating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)  facility in the vacant Kroger site at the corner of High House and NC 55.  ICE processes people suspected of being illegal immigrants, and those immigrants who have committed a crime. Many are then deported.

Detainees are brought in shackled and handcuffed, and wait in cells to be processed. More background on the story Vacant Kroger in Play as Immigration Enforcement Facility.

Community Mobilizes Against ICE

A community group called StopCaryIceNow has been able to acquire a copy of the GSA Request for Solicitation of Offers. This document is used for all criteria in which to pick a site.

StopIceNow has focused in on some important facts about the GSA process as it relates to the Kroger site. One of the first requirements is that a site not be located near a school.

• Requirement: Section 1.2 (Unique Requirements), Requirement C: “Space cannot be located in close proximity of schools, daycare centers, residential concentration, hotels or areas of high civilian activity or vulnerability.”

Aerial view of the Kroger Shopping Center with nearest school locations sited. Graphic from StopIceNow.org.

• Requirement: Section 1.2 (Unique Requirements), requirement E: “The offered building must have the capacity for a dedicated enclosed entry into the Government space.  There should be no public access or visibility into detainee processing, offloading or transport areas of the building.

• Requirement: Section 5 (Project Overview), requirement 5.1.3: “ICE shall not be located to, in close proximity and/or within residential areas, educational facilities, religious facilities, and/or retail facilities.  FPS and ICE PM shall provide direction during Advertisement for Space and Market Survey phases.”

• Requirement: Section 1.2 (Unique Requirements), Requirement G: “The entire perimeter of the site shall be encircled by a security fencing barrier designed to stop a 15,000 lb vehicle traveling 50 MPH.”

Cary Town Council Opposes ICE

The Cary Town Council met on Thursday June 30 and unanimously passed a resolution which states:

“A Resolution Strongly Encouraging The Federal Government Not To Locate An Immigration And Customs Enforcement Facility Adjacent To Established Residents”. Furthermore, in this resolution, “The Cary Town Council strongly encourages the GSA and ICE not to choose the Kroger site for relocating its Cary office and instead choose a site that is located far enough away from established residential areas …”.

In addition, as mentioned in Harold’s Blog, the town has enlisted the help of other elected officials including Congressman David Price.

GSA Responds

In response to the many inquiries made to DHS/ICE and the US General Services Administration (GSA), the Town of Cary received a response from the GSA indicating that they would officially “pause” the selection process, and according to an e-Mail from John Dennis with the GSA, were “prepared to meet on the 14th”, and further given “the proximity to the initial end period of the 2-week pause we are prepared to extend the pause to the following Wednesday – the 20th to re-assure our good faith to provide reasonable follow-up.”.

As a result, a Community Meeting will be held by DHS/ICE on Thursday, July 14th, 2011 at 5:00pm in the Green Hope Elementary School gymnasium, located at  2700 Louis Stephens Drive in Cary,NC.

According to Susan Moran, Public Information Director with the Town of Cary, the GSA has informed them that “representatives from the General Services Administration as well as the Department of Homeland Security will be on hand to update citizens and answer questions”.

Concerned residents are encouraged to attend.

GSA Community Meeting About ICE

When: Thursday July 14th, 5pm
Where: Green Hope Elementary School Gymnasium
2700 Louis Stevens Drive, Cary