Triangle observes National Night Out

Marcus Williams decided to join the neighborhood walk Tuesday for National Night Out because he sees the difference it makes on the streets.

"We're finally winning the neighborhoods back from drugs," the 26-year-old said. "And it's about time."

On Tuesday evening, Williams slowly walked beside about a dozen other Chapel Hill-Carrboro residents in the 90-plus degree heat in the mile-long walk between Carrboro and Chapel Hill. They were on their way to meet up with about 100 others. The two towns dubbed it "Neighborhood Night Out: Unity, Street by Street."

Police from both towns escorted them from the Pine Knolls Community Center on Johnson Street to Hargraves Center on North Roberson Street, passing four neighborhoods -- Carr Court, Lloyd Street, Northside and Pine Knolls.

"This particular area has had more problems to solve than others. It's had some issues: crime-related and drug-related," said Sgt. Jack Terry of the Chapel Hill police department's community services division. "All have gotten better -- they've all improved -- but there's always more to do.

"We need the community's help; information is what we thrive on," he said. "The more community involvement we get, the easier our jobs are."

"A lot of people complain [about dangerous neighborhoods], so this is a chance for them to do something," said Linda Carver, 57, who used to be president of her Lloyd Street neighborhood association. "It's just to let them know that people are interested in their neighborhoods and want to keep them safe."

The rest of the Triangle had other ways of bringing awareness to the streets.

In Durham this year, the anti-crime celebration lasted two nights, starting with a kickoff party at the Durham Bulls baseball game Monday night.

On Tuesday, a record number of Durham community groups -- 83 -- were scheduled to hold their own National Night Out events. Most started after dinner-time and offered dessert, crime-prevention tips, music and games for children.

The Park Ridge Estates community on Park Ridge Road hosted a Hawaiian luau-themed party. Residents of East Durham were drawn to the Samuel & Sons Barbershop on Angier Avenue in part because of a night of discounted haircuts.

In Southeast Raleigh, residents gathered at the Community and Safety Club for an evening of games, music, food and community togetherness. More than 100 people packed the newly renovated community center, which was one of three National Night Out locations around the city.

Kids zipped around the room wearing white National Night Out T-shirts, while senior citizens looked on from their bingo cards. Everyone was munching on chili dogs, popcorn and cookies.

The night was designed to make residents feel safer about going out in their neighborhoods at night, said Jeanne Tedrow, executive director of Passage Home Inc., one of the event's sponsors in Raleigh.

"We do this so people have a place to call home," she said.

At the end of the night, Marcus Williams went home knowing he had done something to better his neighborhood.

"It's giving the kids something positive to look at," he said, "something to do instead of going out and being on the streets."

(Staff writers Eric Bishop and Samiha Khanna contributed to this report.)