Speeders and thieves cause vandalism at Angel Point
As I sat on my neighbors deck, she pointed out how fast the cars and trucks drove this bend in the road. Not only was there potential for an auto accident, but three out of the five houses on this south to east corner of Angel Point Road live little children. Bicyclists, dog walkers, and wild animals also utilize this curve.
From the conversation on the deck that day, a decision was made to act and act fast as vacationers are arriving, adding to the traffic on this single lane curve. The urgency came only too real when an image struck me of the darling little 3-year-old girl, riding her wheeled toy, losing control down the steep driveway and falling under the tire of a passing vehicle before an adult could catch her, it shuddered me to my soul!
I spent the entire morning on the phone, Chamber of Commerse, Flathead Planning and Zoning, Flathead Road and Bridge with the only suggestion being that a tube extended across the road could be placed to research how fast the traffic took that corner. There was more urgency required than research would allow.
“As long as it is on your property,” I was assured, “you are not in violation of breaking any ordinances or codes. Go to the Kalispell Copy Center and have them make you the signs you want.”
Calling the Kalispell Copy Center was helpful. Charlie, who works there, emailed me sign possibilities that were available and I presented them to the neighbors. We selected two signs with a man pedestrian and a little man running ahead to indicate a child, had them painted on a 24-by-24-inch squares in reflecting yellow paint. The neighbors endorsed the idea, signatures and pledges for donations toward the project were collected, signs were ordered and placement for them was selected on private properties, both entry ways to the blind corner.
Three weeks later, the Saturday morning prior to Mother’s Day, two of the neighbor men placed the two signs in position. Five mothers, with a collective sigh of relief, celebrated that we had done something good for the protection of these little children on our watch.
Twenty-four hours later, the signs were pulled from the ground and taken away! Five households now, rather than celebrating their Mother’s Day, were in shock, disbelief and terribly disappointed. Three weeks of collaberation reduced to one individual(s) crash on the intended impact, occurred with the tug on two poles!
The sheriff’s office was notified of the theft. Those of us on the early 200 block of Angel Point Road would like the return of our signs. It would be helpful if this issue could be resolved before any more of the sheriff’s time be directed to solving this crime.
Jerrie H. Newton,
Lakeside