Red Phone: Low branches need to be cut


I have been wondering for a very long time about a guy I have
seen every day standing against his black Ford Thunderbird in the
Safeway parking lot, facing First Street. He is there all the time
and all day. He’s never talking to anyone and just stares as we,
and all the other drivers, pass by. It has been well over a year.
It looks kind of creepy and I’d like to put my mind at ease, as
well as the minds of everyone else who wonders the same thing. What
is he doing?

“I have been wondering for a very long time about a guy I have seen every day standing against his black Ford Thunderbird in the Safeway parking lot, facing First Street. He is there all the time and all day. He’s never talking to anyone and just stares as we, and all the other drivers, pass by. It has been well over a year. It looks kind of creepy and I’d like to put my mind at ease, as well as the minds of everyone else who wonders the same thing. What is he doing?”

Dear Creeped Out,

Red Phone appreciates your concern for the safety of you and your family. However, it is still a free country, and people do still have the right to remain creepy as long they are not violating any laws.

“We know this individual and he has been contacted by the police department,” said Sgt. Jim Gillio. “We have attempted to get him assistance, but he refuses. He is not breaking any laws by being in the parking lot, unless the owners of the lot want him removed and he refuses.”

So there you have it. But you still may want to avoid the creepy guy just to be safe.

Crack in city policy?

“I was just wondering why Yorktown Drive hasn’t been repaved. I went down to the city one day and they said it should be repaved every 10 years, but it has been 14 years since they repaved it last time.”

Dear Tired and Broken,

The city examines roads periodically to determine whether roads need to be repaired. In the case of Yorktown Drive, the road was deemed to not need repairs.

“That is our practice for streets like Yorktown,” City Engineer Dey said. “If it is weakening, then we go with a chip seal every eight to 10 years. The pavement (on Yorktown) is in a good strong state.”

In addition, the repair program has been put on hold due to uncertainty as to whether the state is going to seize the city’s portion of the state gas tax, which funds such repairs, Dey said. The earliest the city will re-examine the program will be next summer.

It’s not music to my ears

“I was wondering, what can be done about loud obnoxious music that plays three houses down?”

Dear Living in T-Pain,

Red Phone in general advocates communication (it is a phone, after all), and this is no exception. You should talk to your neighbor and asking him or her to turn the music down a notch. Your neighbor may not realize how much the sound travels, and may be receptive to your concerns if approached in a non-confrontational way.

If that fails, you can call 846-0264 to file a complaint for vehicles or noise. If the noise occurs between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., you can call the police at 846-0300.

Broken door at post office

“The front doors at the Gilroy Post Office have been broken since before the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Not only do we have to put up with a building that Gilroy has outgrown, but now this is a complete eyesore. When will it be fixed? Thank you.”

Dear Don’t Leave Me Swinging,

We’ve got good news and bad news for you.

First the good news: The doors at the post office were fixed a few weeks ago, said Gilroy Postmaster Penny Yates. The frame broke, so new hinges had to be added.

Now the bad news: There are no plans in the next several years to expand or revamp the post office. Hopefully, that issue will be one that gets opened again soon.

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