Willow Glen Resident

Letters & Opinions

Speak Out

Tulip tree problem is
nothing new for city

I recently read the article regarding the tulip trees in San Jose ("Tulip tree infestion problem is a sticky mess for residents," Aug. 23). I found it amusing because a number of years ago a neighbor and I went through a very similar situation. What makes it amusing is that the city seems to not remember the events, based on the story.

We organized the neighborhood. I sent many letters, copying everyone from the newspaper to the mayor. We had a community meeting where former city councilman John Diquisto expected less than 10 people. We had more than 100 show up, plus the media and the local community newspaper. Eventually, we had groups that inventoried every tulip tree in every San Jose neighborhood. We collected the health and status of the tree; this was given to the arborist at the time.

Since the city requires permits for tree removal, why don't they know what trees are left? We tried treatment. We tried to get the city to deal with it. Eventually trees on our block and most in the neighborhood were removed. At one point, two new residents to our neighborhood protested my removal of the tree, and a year later, they realized the trouble and both had theirs removed.

Now, five to seven years later our street has some very nice yarrow sycamores, and while they are not as majestic as the tulip trees, they are certainly healthy on Garden Glen Way. Our City Forest helped replace and replant the trees.

The problem is the trees need very cold winters to control the scale. They also have a 50-year life span and were planted in 1950 or so. Therefore, they are old and tired.

This is not a new problem, and it's a shame all the information wasn't retrieved. Additionally, the reason for my letter is that the arborist and the city seem to be losing the information already collected. Why is this happening and, more importantly, why isn't this being reported?

Michael Brooks

San Jose

Union markets were
less than stellar

I can understand the position taken by the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 428 regarding the replacement of the Albertson's Market on Bird Avenue with another unionized grocery store ("Labor leaders want unionized stores to replace vacant Albertson's sites," Sept. 6). They have a natural vested interest in promoting their cause.

However, I cannot agree with the union president Ron Lind's statement that "not only would the union help workers organize, but it would encourage the community not to shop at non-union stores." The flaw in that thinking is that one must take as gospel truth that unionized businesses are synonymous with good product, good service and cleanliness whereas nonunion shops are not.

As I recall, shopping at Albertson's was a somewhat less than favorable experience, and if that is an example of the best that unions have to offer, I will continue to do business with the likes of Zanotto's, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.

Honor Spitz

Iris Court

Tickets should not be
sold for 9-11 concert

This letter is in regards to the article in Steppin' Out section ("Memorial concert to mark the anniversary of 9-11," Sept. 6). It is my sincere opinion that this day of national grief should be observed with deep thought and recollection, as a day of national tragedy, in many ways comparable with the attack on America on Dec. 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor.

To know that tickets will be sold for $25 and $5 more for a reception, is in my view, extremely insensitive, a disgrace to the memories of those who died, and to the grief and suffering of the loved ones who are left behind and continue to try to cope with their losses.

I wonder who will be making the profit from this concert? Will the money go to a memorial for those who perished? I see no such mention as to how the funds will be used.

Would it not be better to have this concert open to the public free of charge; after all, it will be held in a church, which normally is free of charge. Is it just a way of profiting from our national loss? I wonder.

Robert Kosovilka

Glenn Avenue