Dangers and dying trees were the topics of the recent Melrose Heights Neighborhood meeting Monday May 11.

Officer Calloway spoke on the dangers of the upcoming summer. She encouraged the residents in attendance to make sure to take care of their possessions as recent summers have shown a trend of property crimes. More people are out during the summer and the poor state of the economy.

One scam to look our for, Calloway says, is anyone looking to do yard work. The scam works as one person works in the yard while two others steal from the back of the house. While she didn't mention any specifics, Calloway says that there are many operations planned for the summer with the intention of combating the problems, hopefully before they begin.

Fred Easley offered advice to identify suspicious people to police to try to cut down on crime. The system is called SALUTE. It stands for Size, Activity, Location, Uniform, Time, and Equipment. These are some of the particulars that will help police.

Easley also spoke on the state of trees in the Melrose Heights area. A large number appear to be in a bad condition. Easley says that there are indicators to identify if you have a tree that is "weeping", a state that shows a tree may be dying.

1. A tree has a black stripe running down the side of the tree beginning where a limb was removed.

2. There are small animals that appear to be living in the tree.

3. There are a large number of sproutlings on the tree in question.