We went outside to play, just like the Santa Clara County Park
system urges us to do and got tagged by an overzealous park ranger
who, I must surmise, didn’t have anything better to do. When we
drove up to Sprig Lake off Hecker Pass at about 6:30 p.m. I circled
in behind two pick-ups with horse trailers that were loading up the
ponies to leave and parallel parked behind them in a row. An hour
later when we came down from a good uphill walk on the trail, there
wasn’t a vehicle in sight. Hopped into the truck and there it was
on the windshield: a $35 parking ticket issued by Ranger E.B.
something or other. The pick-ups and horse trailers had left, and
lo and behold the previously hidden signs were now revealed
–
”
Parking for horse trailers only.
”
OK, if it were Saturday morning and the horses were coming in
droves, I would understand. But a ticket at 7:05 p.m. with not a
vehicle parked anywhere in sight. C’mon, write a note, take a chill
pill, think karma
…
We went outside to play, just like the Santa Clara County Park system urges us to do and got tagged by an overzealous park ranger who, I must surmise, didn’t have anything better to do. When we drove up to Sprig Lake off Hecker Pass at about 6:30 p.m. I circled in behind two pick-ups with horse trailers that were loading up the ponies to leave and parallel parked behind them in a row. An hour later when we came down from a good uphill walk on the trail, there wasn’t a vehicle in sight. Hopped into the truck and there it was on the windshield: a $35 parking ticket issued by Ranger E.B. something or other. The pick-ups and horse trailers had left, and lo and behold the previously hidden signs were now revealed – “Parking for horse trailers only.” OK, if it were Saturday morning and the horses were coming in droves, I would understand. But a ticket at 7:05 p.m. with not a vehicle parked anywhere in sight. C’mon, write a note, take a chill pill, think karma …
Went to the Mt. Madonna County Park web site and tried to call the ranger station to make my point – a message last Friday said the rangers wouldn’t be answering – they were ALL off to attend a meeting. All off, in the dead of summer, the busiest season. Then, I saw this on the opening page of the Web site, “Showers at Mt. Madonna County Park will be closed from June 1 through October 1, 2008 due to construction of a new shower building.” Brilliant, close down the showers at, by leaps and bounds, the busiest time of the year. Truly it makes one wonder what kind of nincompoops run the county park system. Mr. Don Gage, supervisor sir, when you’re looking to cut the budget you have my departmental recommendation, unfortunately, above – we need to cut the dead wood out of the parks.
Next in the gripe line: Parents who bring their young children to picket lines. When I see pictures of children – presumably walking with their parents – holding protest signs like I saw recently in front of Saint Louise Hospital, I think there ought to be a law forbidding it. The children aren’t employees, and the parents are using them in an unseemly way to manipulate emotions and support a cause that the children cannot possibly evaluate in a critical way. It’s bad form.
There’s bad form and no form at all which describes the clock atop Old City Hall, our fair city’s landmark building downtown. Is Gilroy so clueless that we can’t figure out a way to get that clock wound every six days? Dare I suggest that there be a clause in the lease for the upcoming new tenant that requires the clock to be wound faithfully? Old City Hall is such a striking building, and the clock ought to strike the right time …
Missing striking the perfect note, the County Registrar of Voters labeled the local Gilroy measure that would hand all councilmen another year in office and switch city elections to even years – drum roll, please – Measure E. One letter off. It should have been Measure F, as in FAILURE … and the proposed VTA sales tax – another in a long, exhaustive conga-line of taxes spearheaded by Carl Guardino – should have been duly designated with the same alphabet treatment.
Designated as the new athletic director at Christopher High School – Darren Yafai – who will be in charge of the CHS Cougars. That guarantees not only a killer Cougar football uniform, but a keen eye on the history department. New CHS Principal John Perales gets high marks for a great first hire. Mr. Yafai and his bride will be gracing the decks of the Queen Mary in Long Beach as he delivers a keynote lecture on the incredibly successful WWII video history project he led at Gilroy High. Students delivered 26 compelling video stories based on interviews with local WWII veterans. We’ve been privileged to share those with you on our Web site, and continue to be very impressed with the work as are the folks at the History Channel.
History to be soon – the messy lot across from Nob Hill. As we speak the beginnings of a Walgreens are going up with bulldozers running amok. So we’ll soon have a new car wash and a new drug store on First Street …
That’s where all Gilroy’s Garlic Festival calamari chefs congregate – shopping at Nob Hill – as I’ve found out in the last week after commenting on my distaste for the Fest’s beefsteak cut squid this year as opposed to the thinly sliced, curling mollusk meat that sipped up Val Filice’s fantastic sauce of year’s past. Ain’t it great that these guys care so very much …
Nob Hill Manager Vito Mercado, assistant chair of Gourmet Alley, also told me of the vendor woes that transpired a week before the Pyro dudes were about to fire up the pans. Not to worry, he said, next year the regular calamari will be back. Just don’t change the Nob Hill apple selection, Vito, it’s by far the best around …
And in the how do you like them cute apples category – here’s Charlie Anne Woodward, newly born to Councilman Perry Woodward and his wife, Rochelle. She’s named for her great grandfather – lifelong Gilroyan Charlie Mulch who’s 81. Congrats to all!
