The Unofficial Chastain of Raleigh Blog

NEW BEGINNINGS!!!!

2009-02-18T22:35:00.002-05:00

The Unofficial Chastain Blog is beginning a campaign to get more people involved to help Chastain residents. We want people to be able to speak their minds about problems the community is facing and give ideas and solutions to help solve these problems. In addition, it will be great to get ideas of various services that are available to the community. Either services people already know about or services they may want to start when they know people can hear about it.

We feel it has been extremely difficult for the average homeowner to be heard over these past few years. We tried to help solve this by two of us working to get the Chastain Newsletter out quarterly last year and we felt we were blocked more than we were helped. So we finally just ran out of steam by bumping heads. This isn't bad blood speaking but it should be said that two people worked very, very hard to get an informative newsletter out with new ideas for the community (like the community yard sale) and it was a lot harder than it should have been. So, we are all hoping this will become a way to bring the community together and talking to each other.

Community Watch Meeting

2009-02-18T22:29:00.002-05:00

There will be a community watch meeting held at the Barwell Road Community Center on Saturday, March 7th from 10am-12pm. Officer Lisa Weber with the Raleigh PD, SE District will be there. Refreshments will be served.

YEARLY MEETING COMING UP!!

2008-10-14T22:32:00.003-04:00

You should have received your notice of the upcoming yearly Chastain HOA meeting. Look it over and remember, if you want change then you need to show up at the meeting or send someone with your proxy and/or questions! Look over the budget and last year's minutes and be prepared with questions/suggestions.

Election time is coming.

2008-10-09T01:49:00.003-04:00

Election day will be here soon. Do you know about the local candidates? I found a couple of places that provide the information we need to see how our representatives have voted for us.

USElections.com
and
OnTheIssues.org

Please use the information at these two sites to make your decision, and then VOTE!

Not registered yet? Register to vote here. Remember, you can't complain if you don't vote.

Signs

2008-10-03T16:14:00.002-04:00

New signs are up! Let's hope these are 'pretty' enough to be left up. So, read what has been posted and post your own replies or thoughts. Or, start a new topic. Feel free to express your feelings or ideas for the community. We all just want to make Chastain the best place to live.

Hurricane Hanna

2008-09-02T01:21:00.003-04:00

Hope everybody had a good Labor Day. Now that it is over, it is time to prepare for Hurricane Hanna which may be here by Friday!

Make sure you have the following items to prepare for the hurricane:

Three-day supply kit

Start with an easy to carry, watertight container – a large, plastic trash can will do, or you can line a sturdy cardboard box with a couple of trash bags. Next, gather the following items and place them in your kit:

Water: 1 gallon per person per day. Fill plastic containers, such as soft-drink bottles.
Water purification kit or bleach (use eight drops of regular bleach per gallon of water.
Essential medications
First-aid book and kit that includes:

20 emergency bandages of various sizes
One 5 x 9 sterile dressing
One roll of self-adhering elastic bandage
Four various-sized sterile gauze pads
One roll of 3-inch cohesive bandage
Waterless alcohol-based sanitizer and wipes
Medical grade non-latex gloves
Adhesive tape, 2-inch width
Anti-bacterial ointment
Cold pack
Small scissors
Tweezers
CPR breathing barrier, such as a face shield
Non-prescription drugs (e.g., aspirin or non-aspirin pain relievers)

Ready-to-eat, non-perishable foods, such as canned meats, granola bars, instant soup and cereals, fruits and vegetables, canned or box juices, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix, bread and any special dietary items you and your family need.
Manual can opener
Baby supplies: formula, bottle, pacifier, soap, baby powder, clothing, blankets, baby wipes, disposable diapers, canned food and juices
Food, water, leash and carrier for pets (If you plan to go to a shelter, remember that most do not allow pets. Make other plans for your pets.)

Sanitary Items:
- Large, plastic trash bags for waste and to use as tarps and rain ponchos
- Large trash cans
- Towelettes
- Bar soap and liquid detergent
- Shampoo
- Toothpaste and toothbrushes
- Feminine hygiene supplies
- Toilet paper
- Household bleach for cleaning
- Rubber gloves

Blanket or sleeping bag per person
Battery-powered, portable radio or portable TV and plenty of extra batteries
Flashlight and extra batteries
Extra pair of eyeglasses
Extra house and car keys
Fire extinguisher (ABC-type)
Cash and change
Seasonal change of clothing, including sturdy shoes

14-Day Supply Kit

The experiences of Hurricanes Hugo, Bertha and Fran have taught North Carolinians to be prepared to live without utilities and basic services for two weeks or more. In addition to the three-day supply kit, these supplies will be good to have if you find your self going 14 days without electricity or running water:

Disposable plates, cups, utensils
Plastic garbage bags
Mosquito repellent
Cooler
Ice
Toiletries
Detergent for dishes and clothes
Clothesline and clothespins
Games, such as cards, and quiet toys
Duct and masking tape
Rolls of plastic
Lantern and fuel (not candles)
Gloves and goggles
Small tools
Cleaning supplies
Brooms and mops
Pails and buckets
Ladders
Plywood and nails
Rakes and shovels
Chain saw, gas and oil
Wheelbarrow
Battery-operated clock
Butane lighter or matches
Axes, hatchets, pruners
Rope

Removing the Board

2008-08-03T18:01:00.005-04:00

It appears that the board didn't like our third sign being displayed, so they removed it again. The covenants don't say that we can't post our signs on the common area, so it seems like theft to me. Looks like it's time to get a new board in place.

Section 3.6 of the bylaws states the following:

So, we don't need a certain number of people from the community to show up to the annual meeting to make this happen. We just need the majority of the people who attend, to vote these people out. Their egos are too big and they need to be dropped down a peg or two.

Jessica's Law Passes and Easley Signs It!

2008-07-29T00:46:00.001-04:00

Yay! We finally have Jessica's Law in North Carolina!

Useful forms for the Chastain community.

2008-07-26T22:54:00.005-04:00

The following are links to the HOA Management company (Omega). There, you can find the following forms:

If for some reason those links break, this one will take you to the Omega HOA Web Site.

Gee, wouldn't it be nice if we could talk to the board at our leisure and not have to go through Omega?

Stolen Signage

2008-07-26T22:40:00.003-04:00

Somebody didn't like our signs with the URL displayed out front. They were taken down along with the "official yard sale" signs. Don't worry, more were put up, but we still need your help getting the word out about this blog.

Chastain Board

2008-06-27T15:39:00.003-04:00

We'd like to know people's opinions about how our Board has been these past couple of years. Almost no one shows up to the yearly meeting and no one ever runs against them come election time so does that mean everyone is happy with what they've done with the community over the past couple of years? I'd love to hear some varied opinions on the subject. Thanks. Please click the comment link at the bottom of this post to voice your feelings. You will need to create a google account to protect against spammers.

Sexual Predators In The Community

2008-06-27T15:16:00.005-04:00

You'd be surprised how many sexual predators are in our neighborhood! We need to take action and get Jessica's Law passed to protect our young. For a listing of the predators, visit Family Watchdog. At the center-top of the page, search for the following criteria as the image to the left shows:
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Zip Code: 27610

A North Carolina based Jessica's Law web site.

What is Jessica's Law? "Named in memory of Jessica Lunsford, who was abducted and sexually assaulted before being brutally murdered, "Jessica's Law" refers to the Jessica Lunsford Act passed in Florida which mandates a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison for first-time child sex offenders."

Raleigh Crime

2008-06-22T13:09:00.001-04:00

Here is a link that shows recent crimes in the area. Click the link and then push the red "Go" button to show the map if it does not automatically display.
Raleigh Crime Map

We are near the lower right corner. You may want to search for "berkely lake, raleigh, nc" once the map shows up to get a better view of our neighborhood.

Greetings

2008-06-15T12:07:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Unofficial Chastain of Raleigh Blog. Why "unofficial"? Because the board is afraid of spammers, etc. However, newsletters only come out once a quarter and there is only one meeting a year for the community. The hope of this blog is to rally together the community to keep them apprised of events, and to get the community's feedback.