I rarely frequent downtown Gilroy even though I live here. But,
I’m positive I would be there a lot if there were many street
vendors. I love that authentic ethnic food.
“I rarely frequent downtown Gilroy even though I live here. But, I’m positive I would be there a lot if there were many street vendors. I love that authentic ethnic food. And let’s not limit it to Hispanic or American food, how about Vietnamese, Greek, Middle-Eastern, and the list is endless.”
Red Phone: Dear Meat Me Downtown, You’re not alone in your desire to see more street vendors downtown rather than less. Many people find them more convenient when nothing else is open, or nothing is near by.
“Personally I enjoy outside venders,” said Eric Howard, president of the Downtown Business Association. “If it doesn’t take away from businesses, I think its a great idea. There are a lot of towns that do it. And our weather is perfect for it. Obviously we have to work out the ordinance. lt would just take someone to spearhead it.”
Mobile vendors currently have to have a Transient Business License filed with the city. Carts can’t be on private property without the owners’ consent, and they can only be in the same area for no more than 10 minutes.
“There are pros and cons,” said Mayor Al Pinheiro, who has seen many street venders in his travels abroad. “We wouldn’t want vendors to replicate what a business is selling. We have rules and regulations in place, and we need to adhere to them. It is something for the community to decide after more dialog.”
So maybe in the near future we could see the ordinance eased a little as it was with the City of San Jose last year.
Why aren’t sex crimes listed?
“In your article regarding the arrest of the Gilroy man for child pornography, you state that he is a registered sex offender. However a search of the Megan’s Law Web site provides no information on him. How can you be so sure and also, how can the public find out about his past sexual crimes requiring him to register?”
Red Phone: Dear Concerned Resident, Some people may not be included because their crimes aren’t severe enough to be in the open database, said Gilroy Police Sgt. Jim Gillio.
Crimes such as solicitation or misdemeanor molestation where the person was not physically attacked don’t show up on the site. Anyone convicted of sex crimes is still required to register with local law enforcement, but about 25 percent are not visible to the public.
Megan’s Law lists 65 sex offenders from Gilroy, but does not list David Melvin Jones, who was arrested Jan. 19 by San Jose police on child pornography charges. San Jose Police confirmed he was a registered sex offender but could not release what crimes he had committed.
To see more of the requirements for being included, go to www.meganslaw.ca.gov/sexreg.aspx.
For more information or to report updates or changes, e-mail
Me*******@do*.gov
or call (916) 227-4974 .
