Readers question the city’s fireworks citation law, thank
volunteers for the downtown car show, laud the paper for it’s
coverage of the steelhead trout issue and appreciate the efforts of
those who helped find their pet dog
Former Munitions Officer in Vietnam Cited for Fireworks Violation Points Out Why Gilroy Law is Terribly Flawed
Dear Editor,
I am now a “cited” homeowner in the City of Gilroy; cited for owning a home in the proximity of where illegal fireworks were being set off.
This really makes my angry, since I said to the officer (one of four present) I was not aware of who was setting them off, much less permitting them to be, because I was busily setting off my own legal “safe and sane” fireworks at the time. He accused me of lying which I most resented. Further, he told me that if any fires happened “in the vicinity”, I would be responsible. I held my tongue out of respect for the badge, not the individual, since he was being unnecessarily belligerent.
Now I understand the concept of a driver being cited for an unbuckled passenger (seat belts are a good thing), but the “AT” (… on or at their premises …) part of the law, meaning, according to the dictionary, “… at or near”, really feels completely like a loophole in the law to mean whatever the officer wants it to mean! For example, there are SEVEN homes that I think qualify for “… on or at their premises …” that abut the cul de sac of Snowberry Court, so why was I singled out?
For that matter, I still don’t understand why with the manpower present (did I mention that there were four officers present?) why the other officers were not pursuing the true perps! And all three stood around acting menacingly as possible, while one office took my information of home ownership. They finally left and illegals continued to be set off. So, I called 911 to report that fact and was told that they would “get around to it.”
The real problem lies in the fact that now I’m cited and next year, if I decide to stay home and celebrate the Fourth of July, I can anticipate the officer showing up to cite me again, because it’s easy, and I “did it” (didn’t do it) before, so let’s pin him again.
But don’t read me wrong here; while I definitely have “an attitude” about what’s happened, I don’t condone illegal fireworks, since even the safe and sane ones really aren’t. This latter fact is why I insist on being the guy with the lighter (which I was that night). Oh, did I mention that my tour of duty in the USAF, I was a munitions (translates of very big explosives) officer and had the honor of cleaning up a badly damaged bomb dump filled with half exploded warheads in Vietnam? So, the officer was preaching to the choir!
And finally, I’ll pay the fine despite not being guilty, primarily because it comes down to what the officer says vs. me – and you know how that goes, eh? Incidentally, the citation said that there would be a form in the letter for appealing the action; why was I not surprised when I didn’t find any such form contained therein.
Robert Bischoff, Gilroy
City Unresponsive to a Relatively Simple Neighborhood Traffic Safety Issue Despite Repeated Requests
Dear Editor,
The 25 mph speed limit sign and the “not a through street” sign near the corner of Westwood and Third Street is still placed too high, still too far back from the corner, and is still completely ineffective in serving the needs of our neighborhood.
After a huge lack of understanding by city traffic engineer Don Dey’s office on this subject, we have a nice big black tar reminder on our block that the Westwood Drive/Kentwood Court 40-mph+ driver problem is of no interest to city leaders and has disappeared completely from the city’s radar.
In addition to residents driving too rapidly, miscellaneous cars come to our end of the street in error, only to find they can not continue through (Westwood dead ends). The drivers either circle around Kentwood rapidly or simply use whatever space they find to make a u-turn and zoom back toward Third Street.
I am awakened at least three times a night by such cars, and have completely lost count of those coming through from 5 to 8pm each evening while children are outside at play.
Mr. Dey, his team, and any related department have completely failed to properly analyze this problem. The continued fear among residents is that a child will be hit crossing the street by a speeder thinking it’s a through street before anything is actually done. And sadly, we all know what occurred on 10th Street at the unprotected turn, and yet that signal has still not been changed! How insane is that?
In this instance, the easiest “fix” would be to MOVE the existing signs from their current pole location onto the electrical pole closer to the corner of Westwood and Third Street. The “better” solution would be to move them, LOWER THEM, and change the “not a through street” sign to one of the new style brighter colored signs so it “stands out.”
To continue to do nothing is at best offensive to taxpayers’ and residents’ needs, and at worst a physical threat to the children of our neighborhood.
C. Taylor, Gilroy
President, VP Should be Impeached
Dear Editor,
Both our president and vice president have demonstrated absolute contempt for the law, the truth, and the American people. They have violated their oaths office repeatedly. No members of the executive branch have ever committed so many high crimes and misdemeanors.
If they are not subjected to impeachment how can anyone else ever be. It is time to put impeachment back on the table and for all other elected officials to uphold their oaths of office to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. George Bush and Dick Cheney are enemies of our Constitution and all real friends of the Constitution, all real patriots, will fulfill their obligation and act for the good of America.
Andy Hsia-Coron, Aromas
Happy Ending for the Lost Shitzu Puppy and Her Worried Family
Dear Editor,
Dahli Lama, Ali Baba, Leo and I wish to express our appreciation to all of our San Martin, Morgan Hill and Gilroy neighbors, friends and relatives, who showed such sincere care and thoughtfulness; and to those who personally joined in our three-day search for Dazee our 6-month-old Shihtzu puppy who found herself “lost” after playing “chase me” with her brother and sister, Ali and Dahli.
We would like to extend our gratitude to Linda and John of Hot Spot Printing in Morgan Hill for printing 200 flyers and for their concern and thoughtfulness. And, to all those who carried and displayed these flyers (including telephone poles and mail boxes!)
So, in the name of all animals, large and small, who are lost, afraid, hungry, hurt, mistreated, abused and in need of human assistance, love and care, I am forever grateful.
By a miracle, a neighbor a few blocks away happened to see Dazee lying in a pile of cement blocks in his work yard. She was dirty, weak, dehydrated, in shock and suffering with a broken hip and pelvis. Her name tag with our name and phone number on it got her back home.
Judi Ludewig, San Martin Christmas Tree Farm
Steelhead Rescue Stories Really Highlight and Help a Serious Wildlife Situation
Dear Editor,
The Coastal Habitat Education and Environmental Restoration (CHEER) Board of Directors wish to thank the Dispatch staff for the excellent coverage on the plight of the steelhead trout in our streams. Special thanks to staff writer Perry Shirley and photographer Chris Riley for the Dispatch article “Steelhead Saviors” on June 23, 2007.
Central Coast Steelhead are a threatened species protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act and a focus of CHEER.
Volunteers are dedicated to the protection and restoration of our natural resources. Presently, volunteers continue to conduct recovery and relocation of fish stranded in watershed streams such as Uvas, Little Arthur, Llagas, Blackhawk and Bodfish.
CHEER is permitted by the National Marine Fisheries Service under the guidelines of our permit to conduct rescue and relocation of steelhead. South County residents can assist us by monitoring streams in their neighborhoods and notify CHEER when fish are in eminent danger, stranded in disconnected pools. The inadequate rainfall this past winter has created dry back conditions in our streams four months earlier than last year. Rescue Team contacts are Herman Garcia 220-5658 or Bob Brem at 489-9521.
The June 23 article reported 810 steelhead rescued. Since then, the new numbers are nine adults, 82 smolt and 1,031 juvenile steelhead trout for a total of 1,122 in the past 10 months.
CHEER is an all volunteer 501c3 nonprofit organization. Your support or contribution would be greatly appreciated.
Herman Garcia and Eleanor Villarreal, Gilroy
Smashing Downtown Event Success Credit to Many Who Lent a Helping Hand
Dear Editor,
The Gilroy Downtown Business Association thanks all of the many volunteers that helped to make this year’s car show a huge success. A special thank you to our many raffle prize donors – Checkered Flag Classics for the beautiful bicycle, Gilroy Tire and Brake for the sets of tires, Napa Auto Parts and Gilroy Automotive Machining for the gift certificates, and Joyce’s Antiques for the vintage rocking horse.
The new car dealerships participation was an added attraction and a real crowd pleaser. The use of a shuttle vehicle from Sanchez VW was a great plus. Granite Rock provided the large boulders that the “rock crawlers” used to entertain a large crowd. More special thanks to Christopher Ranch for the use of their trailers for our stage backdrop and to keep our food and beverages cold, Nob Hill Foods for ice and Cresco Equipment Rentals for a long list of things. Events this size don’t happen without the generous support of sponsors like the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association, Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, Bruce’s Tire, E-Z Clean Car Wash, The Dispatch, Out and About Magazine, Rabo Bank, Rossi’s Engine and Drivetrain, The James Group, Heritage Bank, McDonalds, Mission Controls Co. THANKS TO ALL!
Last but not least to the 300 Hot Rod Owners who brought cars downtown, THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING, you make this an incredible event and we hope to see all of you next year!
John Tomasello, Downtown Business Assoc. Event Chair
