My poor mail carrier just left my office after handing over our
soggy pile of mail. Our mail was so saturated, one package
literally fell apart in my hands.
“My poor mail carrier just left my office after handing over our soggy pile of mail. Our mail was so saturated, one package literally fell apart in my hands. Other checks and bills were stuck together, impossible to open without tearing. Our route requires the mail carrier to walk with the mail in a push cart. Concerned, I called Penny Yates, the postmaster to let her know. When I explained my concerns, her answer was ‘I’m sorry. There is nothing I can do but apologize.’ Seems like there is something else she could do, like get the mail carriers umbrellas or tarps for their carts. Our rainy season has just started. I hope I don’t have to have water-logged, unreadable mail all winter! Maybe you can encourage her to think creatively and solve the soggy mail problem.”
Red Phone: Dear Soggy, Let’s hope this is the exception rather than the rule. It’s not too often you have a storm that comes through the area and drops six inches of rain in some places. Yates said she received two complaints this week about wet mail and said she was surprised she didn’t receive more. The carriers make every attempt to keep the mail dry on each of their 700 stops, but just getting the mail in and out of the vehicle is problematic, she said.
“Even if you have an umbrella over the bags, which are waterproof, they are still going to get wet when they open them to take the mail out,” Yates said. “We had torrential downpours this week. Usually there are only scattered showers, and we can plan accordingly. But they had no choice to go out there, unless we don’t deliver the mail.”
Most companies will resend checks or bills if they got wet, she said. People can also try using a hair dryer to dry wet mail.
Rain brings out termites
“The sun is shining. It’s the first sun after first rain. There are termites everywhere coming from my neighbor’s house, bumping into my historic Gilroy honeymoon cottage. The home in question has been foreclosed, and they just moved out a week or two ago. Before that I wasn’t able to get them to engage in any neighborly activities like termite control. I know there are kits I can buy. But I’m at a loss. I feel like I am being assaulted.”
Red Phone: Dear Assaulted, You should definitely take steps soon to avoid having them jump ship. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as putting up a wall.
“They may already be in the person’s house,” said Travis Mickel, the branch manager for Clark Pest Control. “But there is not any way to know for sure. We do have preventive methods to keep them away. Usually this is not something the average home owner could do with a do-it-yourself kit. The best thing for the person to do is give us a call, and we will come out and look at it for free and then recommend a course of action.”
There are several factors that affect what treatment is used including the type of termite, said Rico Juarez, branch manager for Terminix Pest Control. There are two main types – subterranean and drywood. Subterranean termites usually live under ground, while drywood termites usually feed on old, decayed wood above ground.
“We see lot of colonies moving around with the rain and humidity,” Juarez said.
You can call Clark at 848-6696, Terminix at 842-2952 or Western Exterminator Company (842-8065), which all offer service in Gilroy.
If you haven’t already, contact the city’s code enforcement office at 846-0264 to file a formal complaint. And let the Red Phone know how it goes.
