Always remember to lock your vehicles at night

February burst upon us with lots of moisture. The rain has certainly cleared away our snow quickly.  The crews are still working on making sure storm drains are functional.  

 If you do have an area where the storm drains appear to be clogged, please call and leave word at the office so they can be checked.  

 Lots of debris collects around the basins and causes pooling in the heavy rain.

 There were reported vehicle burglaries this weekend on the west side of town Saturday night while our officers were dealing with a serious incident a few blocks away.   

 The burglaries took place in the alleys of West 3rd Street and West 4th Street. The vehicles were not “broken” into but were vehicles that were left unlocked or had hidden keys.   

 Please remember to lock your vehicles at night and if using “hidden keys” make sure the location is unique to you so not easily for someone to locate.  

 Leaving valuable items, such as electronics, money, firearms, etc. are a great draw to those who choose to steal.

 If you see someone or something unusual, call and report it. Neighborhood watch activities are some of the best deterrents to lowlifes that choose to steal from others.  

 Call the local Crime Stoppers phone line (208-414-2677) if you have any awareness of who the culprit is and don’t wish to be identified or dispatch (208-414-2123) or WPD (208-414-2244) if you see something amiss.

 It takes a village to keep our village safe.

 Tax season is fully upon us. With preparation and filing of tax returns, comes a range of old and new scams to get your money. (And no, I don’t mean the government.)

 I recently received another notice regarding being cautious about those who contact taxpayers regarding IRS issues. 

 The IRS will not: 1) Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill. 

 2) Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe. 

 3) Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card. 

 4) Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. 

 5) Threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying. 

 6) Remember, too, the IRS does not use email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue involving bills or refunds.

 If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. 

 The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue. If you’ve been targeted by this scam, contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484 or report it online at the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting Page.

 City crews continue to keep trimming trees away from power lines and along street fronts to cut down on damage.  They are primarily working on the westside of town this week.  

 Yearly maintenance continues in all our departments waiting for the sunshine to begin some major projects to take place this summer including the West 9th Street project and the East Galloway Street project.

 Lots of Valentine’s Day activities being sponsored throughout the community over the next couple of weeks. Check the local media and grab your Valentine for a little celebration.