Category Archives: Neighborhood Watch
Hummingbird Migration in the Mad River Valley
Members love reporting wildlife sightings on Front Porch Forum. Recently, hummingbirds took over the Mad River Valley Forum after one member shared a project tracking the August-September migration through Vermont. Dozens of responses came in (and counting!) over the last four days. Here are just a few…
- “2-3 females and several juveniles are still stocking up for their trip, but the males packed their bags and left days ago. Thanks to Carol for providing the link!”
- “A male hummingbird visited our feeder this morning on White Pine Drive.”
- “Just saw a hummer at my potted flower urns.”
- “Still hanging around Lois Lane this morning.”
- “Hey, Hummingbird lovers, We saw one today at our coneflowers. Looked like a female. I think traveling thru.”
Further, these hummingbird sightings have spawned an interest in Monarch butterflies too…
- “Several hummingbirds are still active on Cider Hill, up at about 1600 feet. They spend much of their time at the Mexican Sunflowers (Tithonia) right now – which should keep blooming until a frost. Our trumpet honeysuckle is still blooming for them, too. Oh, and the Monarchs are loving the Echinacea!”
- “Now that we’ve learned what’s happening with the hummingbirds, what has happened to the Monarchs? Usually I’d be seeing them about now and haven’t seen any. Did all the rain do them in?”
Solving Social Media’s ‘Local Paradox’
A new article in a Stanford University journal underscores various failures of Big Tech social media, and highlights Vermont’s own Front Porch Forum as a better way.
In the bowels of social media giants, like NextDoor and Facebook, live online spaces for local social networks to take hold (e.g., a neighborhood based Facebook group).
One might think a healthy form of social connection would come from these local online networks because they’re grounded in real-world relationships and physical space — you could literally bump into that posting’s author on your way to school drop off — but in practice, as this article points out, local social media can be even more toxic than global platforms. It’s dubbed the ‘local paradox‘.
The solution to this local paradox, they say, is to build networks that are values-driven, closely moderated, trusted, and local. Further, they share Front Porch Forum as a leading example.
A mistakenly taken lawn mower
Frequently neighbors post on Front Porch Forum offering free items. What happens when the wrong item is taken?
“I am hoping this is a misunderstanding, but I posted a listing on FPF advertising free lawn mowers to give away. Several folks contacted me and one gentleman came and picked up 2 while I was here (those mowers are NOT in question). However, 2 mowers were taken that WERE NOT available to take because they are our running mowers. I am asking that if you took them thinking they were free, contact me and return them, no questions asked.”
Shortly after this post, a neighbor responds!
“The mowers were returned and my faith in my neighbors has been confirmed!! Thank you to the person that returned them and, again, I am sorry for the confusion!!! Thank God for good people and Front Porch Forum!!!“ • Bill in Hyde Park
Sasquatch Stolen
Every now and then we see crime report postings on FPF. This one caught our eye!
“Sometime between Friday night, 6:36pm and Saturday 6:00pm, our 8 foot tall 3/4” plywood silhouette of Sasquatch was stolen from our yard. Contact us if you have seen him or her.” • Paul in So. Wheelock
This is also not the first time Front Porch Forum members have posted about Sasquatch:
“I heard from a woman whose son and several classmates saw a Sasquatch behind the Elementary School last winter and a man who has heard house-rattling screams late at night. “ • Christopher in East Calais
Peach theft in North Bennington… brings out the best in neighbors
An FPF member’s peach tree was stripped of fruit in Bennington County recently, so she posted to her neighbors… then followed up a couple days later:
Normally I would say North Bennington is about the nicest place to live. But today I discovered that someone stole all the peaches from my one brand new peach tree. REALLY, how lousy can one be? I do not think there were enough peaches to prevent anyone from starving, but I was looking forward to a tiny peach pie after the first year of carefully tending my tree. To make it worse, the thief broke the branches of the little tree in their haste. There are enough reasons to doubt the humanity of our world these days, and this experience is just totally disheartening. Shame on you, thief.
• Christine, North BenningtonWhat an outpouring of caring comments following my Front Porch Forum posting! I think more people wrote me wonderful notes about my peach loss, than there were actually peaches on the tree! Some thought it was a bear, some said squirrels, some said hungry people, and some just felt badly about the whole thing. But it has all come around and I feel surrounded by very special people, so thank you all. I think I”ll plant several more trees next year, and let life happen. thanks!
• Christine, North Bennington
Stolen snowblower returned thanks to FPF-reading neighbor
AUGH!! My big snapper snowblower was stolen recently from my LOCKED garage. (Thief broke in through the small side door.) If anyone saw anything, knows anything or hears anything please contact the police. I recently moved to Brattleboro – it’s an unsettling ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ to say the least. Thanks in advance for any help that comes my way…
• Susan, Brattleboro FPF
A HUGE thank you to the neighbor who saw my Front Porch Forum posting over my stolen snowblower, took a walk, saw my snowblower in the woods and called the police. I just got it back this morning! I can’t tell you how grateful I am. The police said they hardly ever see anyone get their property back, so I know how lucky I am. A very heartfelt THANK YOU. I’ll be going out to buy a lottery ticket.
• Susan, Brattleboro FPF
IRS Scam Calls
A local police department warns neighbors and provides tips on Front Porch Forum.
“We have received several calls from elderly citizens recently regarding fraudulent “robo calls” (recorded automated phone calls) from someone claiming the recipients of the calls have not paid their taxes. They threaten police action if a payment is not made immediately.
Neither the Internal Revenue Service nor the Vermont Department of Taxes will make contact by phone and demand immediate payment for unpaid taxes. Local police, sheriff’s departments, and state police are not involved in enforcing payments of federal or state taxes.
Should you receive a call like this, do not confirm or give out personal information, simply hang up and make a report to the Vermont Attorney General’s Office at the Consumer Assistance Program site below:
You can sign up for scam alerts from the Vermont Attorney General’s Office at this site:
http://ago.vermont.gov/consumer-assistant-program-scam-alerts/
Information on this specific scam from the Internal Revenue Service:
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-urges-public-to-stay-alert-for-scam-phone-calls
Please contact your elderly friends and family members and inform them of this scam.”
• Michael with the Montpelier Police Department
Share this info on your own FPF!
Who steals a Porto-Let?
Isle La Motte’s Town Clerk reaches out on Front Porch Forum for help in finding their missing porto-let!
“The porto-let placed at the Isle La Motte Rec Field was stolen. It is tan unit, If anyone has any information, please call the Town Hall. Thank you.”
Neighbors keep each other alert on FPF when theft is apparent:
“Hello neighbors, just wanted to let you know that someone broke into my car this past Saturday night. Must have happened between 11 pm – 7 am. They ransacked looking for anything to take. Remember to lock your doors!”
• Jenny in Malletts Bay
“My home was broken into during the day earlier this week through an unlocked window. As the temperatures rise, remember to keep windows and doors locked when you’re away and report any suspicious activity.” • Claire in Burlington
Raising awareness about ticks
FPF members are sharing news in their neighborhoods on how to deal with ticks.
“After talking to area residents we think reporting tick bites will help us know and get a feel for our local situation. It would be helpful to answer all or some of these questions.
– When were you bitten?
– Where do you think you picked up the tick?
– Were you wearing repellent?
– Do you know what kind it was? (Example – Deer Tick/Black Legged Tick, Dog Tick, Lone Star Tick, etc. Google to identify.)
– Did you take the tick to a health center or send it in to be tested (University Of Mass is one place that tests)?
Please report onto your neighborhood Front Porch Forum to help raise awareness. See a very interesting and informative graph for Vermont that updates Every week.” • Susan in Waitsfield
Keep alert and informed during tick season!
BB gun vandalism
Neighbors look out for each other on FPF. There have been two dozen reports since Jan. 1 of car windows being shot out by a BB gun in Burlington, city police say. “Incidents recently were reported on Front Porch Forum” confirms the Burlington Free Press.
“Keep an eye out, our son’s car was shot at several times with a BB gun in our drive way this past week.” • Wendy in Colchester
“heads up that the rear windscreen of our car was ‘shot out’ by a BB Gun – looks as if there’s a rash of these incidents in and around our neighborhood.” • Craig in Burlington
“We just noticed that our car was shot at multiple times with a BB gun whilst parked outside our house.” • Joanne in Burlington
“This is my first post…someone shot our car with a BB gun. We have Damage to our windshield and what appears as three shots above the right headlight.” • Amanda in Burlington
“We’d like to put you on alert that our vehicle parked in our private driveway was vandalized. The likely source of the damage was a bb gun, and the damage was extensive to the body and glass.”
• Nicole in Winooski
Keep your neighbors alerted on FPF and remember to report all incidents to your local police.
About Blog
Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more
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