Check your figures
“Good morning Red Phone! I’m calling about the story in Friday’s paper about 10,000 trees to be planted in the Santa Teresa project. 10,000 trees? You probably couldn’t count that many trees at Bonfante Gardens or even at Mt. Madonna. Do you have any idea how many 10,000 trees is? That’s really a lot. You’d better check your facts and I think you’ll find it might be closer to 200 or 300 or maybe even 400 trees. … Unless of course it’s going to be an urban forest or something I don’t know about. Thank you.”
Red Phone:
Though the Red Phone has utmost faith in the Dispatch reporter who worked on the article, it contacted Steve Beams, City of Gilroy Engineering Tech/Inspector, to make sure the facts reported were accurate.
“To be less confusing, there are 10,134 trees and shrubs on the bid quantity to Santa Teresa,” Beams said. This means there are “9,658 large ‘shrubs’ and 476 large trees being planted on the project.”
Beams sent Red Phone some “fast facts,” which state that of the 10,134 trees and shrubs breakdown as follows:
• 59 – 36″ box trees
• 10 – 24″ box trees
• 407 – 15 gallon trees
• and 9,658 – 5 gallon trees and shrubs
Beams said the landscape planting is currently ongoing, as is the signal intersection and streetlight installation. The anticipated project completion date is in December.
Lights left on
“Hi, I’m wondering why they’re leaving the lights on all night at Las Animas Park? The baseball diamond and the park area, on the northside. Usually they’re on most of the night. I’m wondering if someone’s supposed to be turning them off or flipping the switch off after baseball games or what. Thank you.”
Red Phone:
Caller, the Red Phone checked in with the city to find out what’s going on. It was told that the police department requested that the lights at the Lakeside group area be left on overnight until further notice to help with homeless control problems.
Leaves a bad taste
“I’m calling to complain about the lack of taste the City Council has exhibited by putting a Chips N Salsa restaurant in that 1905, beautiful building that was repaired with taxpayer dollars. I think it’s disgusting that the city did that. That’s it, hon, thanks so much.”
Red Phone:
You’re not the only caller who has voiced their displeasure. Thanks, hon, for calling in your opinion!
Brown bag it
“Again, we hear about food availability at Gilroy High School. Sandoval-Garza states in his Oct. 6 letter that his son is among the students who do not have enough time to eat lunch because the lines are too long. He asks for ideas to rectify the situation. Here’s my long standing very simple and inexpensive suggestion: Bring your own lunch!”
Red Phone:
A simple solution to an ongoing complaint. Thanks.
Readers:
Have a question, compliment or complaint? Call the Red Phone at 842-9070 or e-mail it at
re******@gi************.com
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