”
I currently live in Old Gilroy and am aware that it is not the
‘nicest’ part of town, especially with regards to gang activity. I
have noticed in the past two weeks more and more shoes on the power
lines of my neighborhood. This is typically done for either gang
territory identification (most of the shoes are red) and as a sign
that drugs are sold in that area. One set in particular is across
the street from an elementary school, which really upsets me. How
can we go about removing them? The more we can do to show the less
than reputable people that it will not be tolerated the better!
”
“I currently live in Old Gilroy and am aware that it is not the ‘nicest’ part of town, especially with regards to gang activity. I have noticed in the past two weeks more and more shoes on the power lines of my neighborhood. This is typically done for either gang territory identification (most of the shoes are red) and as a sign that drugs are sold in that area. One set in particular is across the street from an elementary school, which really upsets me. How can we go about removing them? The more we can do to show the less than reputable people that it will not be tolerated the better!”
Dear If The Shoe Fits,
Some people have claimed that the shoes are the sign of illegal activity such as a crack house or drug dealer location. Others have suggested that they are used to mark gang territory. There are several other theories as to why people would throw shoes on a wire. Wikipedia even has a whole page devoted the topic of shoe tossing. But they have no significance whatsoever, said Gilroy Police Sgt. Jim Gillio. “They are just urban legends,” he said.
Shoes on wires typically won’t cause outages, said PG&E spokesman Matt Nauman. While he’s heard the theories of why people throw stuff on lines, he hasn’t been able to confirm any of them.
“We don’t have a sense of what motivates people to do that,” he said.
PG&E doesn’t actively look for shoes to remove from lines but will remove them if additional work is being done in the area, he said.
Nauman encouraged people to be careful and not take any chances by trying to remove any type of items that get stuck in wires. If you need something removed from a wire, you can call PG&E customer service at (800) 743-5000.
Las Animas Park in disrepair
“Hello, I’ve called before and you have worked wonders. I am at El Roble Park again. There is now a massive amount of leaves there, and there is a broken bottle. It really needs to be cleaned up, but it is also in a general state of disrepair. There are cracks in the tennis court from roots pushing up. Just wondering what the city’s plan is for this neighborhood park that is used by a lot of families.”
Dear Repeat Caller,
Flattery will get you everywhere. We appreciate your comments. Your question appears to be in two parts – the short term and long term. The short term issues are relatively easy to solve, but the broader general upkeep question is a little more difficult. Leaf removal is a seasonal process that usually runs through December, said Bill Headley, the city’s parks and landscape supervisor.
“We have confirmed with Jensen Landscaping, the city’s grounds contractor, that they have and will continue to remove leaves at El Roble Park,” Headley said. “Park staff will remove the reported broken bottle today (Monday) when found.”
The improvements of the tennis courts, which were scheduled for this fiscal year, got put on hold with the budget cutbacks, he said.
“There are no capital repair funds expected to be available for several years,” Headley said. “The El Roble Park tennis courts will be a high priority when capital repair funds become available.”
