By Bob Harris
The 107th Precinct Explorers meet Wednesdays from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. They take monthly trips, see movies, go bowling, perform community service (a requirement in many high schools) and conduct fund-raising, among other things. The Explorers Program's goals are to build character by helping youth make ethical choices, encourage the desire to help others, learn life skills such as boosting confidence and mental fitness and develop leadership experience. Its motto is “Our best today for a better tomorrow.”The 107th Precinct has crime prevention programs for members of the community, such as a surveys of residences to detect if they're vulnerable to burglary or robbery. The crime prevention officer checks all security devices, locks, windows, doors and alarms to determine their effectiveness. Some homeowners have the original lock on their door, which an experienced thief can bypass. A written confidential report's provided by the officer after the survey's completed.Other programs available at the 107th Precinct are the Glass VIN, where your vehicle identification number is etched on your windows and recorded; CAT, or Combat Auto Theft, where a decal on your car tells police who should be driving it between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; HEAT, or Help End Auto Theft; and registration of bikes with your Social Security number. Obtain information as to the hours when you can bring your vehicle to the 107th Precinct by calling 718-969-5998.Meeting at the precinct house is the 107th Precinct Community Council. It consists of elected members who invite the captain and other officers to meet with them and the public each month. Anyone can attend and be elected to the council. At the meeting, officers report to the community about precinct events. Residents can bring crime problems and ask questions. Often a guest speaker brings useful information. The meetings usually take place on the last Tuesday of each month. The president's Carolann Foley. Call the 107th Precinct for dates and times at 718-969-5100.The NYPD issued a flier stating that “If a cop calls for money, it's not a cop, it's a con.” The NYPD never solicits charitable donations. If you receive such a call, write down as much information as you can and call the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau at 212-741-8401 or the attorney general's office at 212-416-8401.On Saturday, April 26, there will be a graffiti cleanup presented by the 107th Precinct Community Council, Patrol Borough Queens South, the 107th Precinct Auxiliary Unit, the 107th Precinct Explorers and local community Boy and Girl scouts. There are donations of paint and other materials by Electchester Housing, Patrol Borough Queens South and private donators. Volunteers should meet at 9 a.m. at the 107th Precinct, 71-01 Parsons Blvd. One can always cover graffiti in their neighborhood any time.GOOD AND BAD NEWS OF THE WEEK: An advertisement by Allstate says that every year nearly 6,000 teens die in car crashes. This is equivalent to 12 fully loaded jumbo jets crashing. The ad says parents should talk to their teens about proper driving rules so lives can be saved. Most teens say their parents could influence the way they drive. Teens should not drive after midnight and only have one passenger in their car. Some states have graduated driver licensing programs so teens can gradually gain experience before getting full driving privileges.Our love of the automobile and SUVs and using trucks to carry goods everywhere have made us dependent on foreign oil. Two summers ago, Edna and I rented a car in England for two weeks to tour between cities. We had to pay the equivalent of $70 to fill the tank prior to returning the car. We just have to drive less and move goods using less gasoline.We're now using corn to make fuel, but the price of corn is going up and people parts of the world dependent on corn as a staple food are suffering. Brazil has switched totally to bio-fuel. They have surplus fuel, but we have a tariff on bio-fuel from Brazil. Now I read that bio-fuel increases global warming. I've written in the past that our green grocers and supermarkets produce tons of bio-waste every day. Then there are summer grass cuttings and leaves in the fall. Why can't we use all this green mass to make fuel?
