The Historic Heathwood Neighborhood Association met Tuesday October 13. Investigator Mark Folding gave an update on a rash of break–ins in the Heathwood area. The most current attempt was at 29 Heathwood Circle. The theme for the break–ins has been for the burglars to cut the phone lines, thus disconnecting the alarm systems from the alarm companies, and hindering the police from arriving fast enough to catch the suspects. Folding says the Columbia Police Department is working with SLED on the investigation.

Captain Buddy Dotson, head of the Criminal Investigation team, says some evidence from the most recent attempt has been shipped off to their lab for DNA analysis. He also says a trend is beginning to appear. The suspects seem to be hitting the houses every four weeks and all seem to be happening between Thursday and Sunday, or Friday and Sunday, but always during the weekends when residents are more likely to be out of town. Dotson advises residents to continue to lock their doors to their houses and their vehicles. Another way, Dotson suggests, to avoid being a victim of a burglary is if you know that your going out of town call either 252-2911 or 545-3500 and put your house on a zone watch. This ensures that an officer checks your house twice a day.

Steve Gantt, the Assistant City Manager, provided some good news concerning the budget for the City of Columbia. He reports that through the first quarter of the fiscal year the General Fund Budget is in the black, or has a positive balance. This is the first time this has happened in five or six years, Gantt reports. He anticipates the second quarter to provide the same positive results as the first. The Parking and Sewer and Water funds are in great shape, according to Gantt.

The next Historic Heathwood meeting will be held Tuesday November 10.