STINKY CORNER
“Why does it always smell so bad at the corner of East Dunne Avenue and Condit Road?”
RED PHONE
Caller, you are referring to the airborne byproduct of the South Valley Mushroom Farm located at 1170 Diana Ave. Raising mushrooms is a big venture here in the Morgan Hill area and along with it comes some pungent reminders of what it takes to grow the little fungi.
What you are smelling when the wind is blowing from the north is spent mushroom compost. This is the residual waste generated by the mushroom production industry. Its formulation consists of a combination of wheat straw, dried blood, horse manure and ground chalk, composted together. And, yes, it does stink. Sorry.
By the way, a lot of people would not categorize mushroom compost as actual waste. It is used extensively by local landowners to supplement the poor quality soil found in some areas, including clay under the hardpan surface, although the nutrient level in the compost is not very high and it does contain a high level of salt.
TRAFFIC ISLAND IS A
HASSLE
“The new traffic divider on Monterey north of Main is lovely, but a bad and dangerous idea for parents dropping their kids off at Britton. I would bet that a vast majority of Britton students live either south or east of the school. Many of us turned left onto Keystone Avenue from Monterey Road to drop off our students by the gym. Now, almost everyone is forced to drive the opposite direction, since I am sure that the Morgan Hill police would not take kindly to us making a U-turn after the divider. This means that kids are crossing the street, in random and unexpected ways, I might add. This street was already a bottleneck before and after school, and now it will be much worse. What was the city thinking when it eliminated the left turn from Monterey Road to Keystone Avenue?”
RED PHONE
Dave Glittleson, associate engineer at Morgan Hill’s Public Works and Operations, says the island was installed to address safety issues after the city had conducted a traffic study of the area. The island was also lengthened to accomodate a left-hand turn lane for southbound traffic turning from Monterey Road onto E. Main Avenue.
The Red Phone does have a suggestion for you, caller. Make your left turn from northbound Monterey Road onto W. Main Avenue and then turn right on Del Monte Avenue, which will take you to Keystone Avenue. That would get you to the gym at the back of the school.
NO PARKING
“I shop at Radio Shack at Tennant Station at least once a day but I can never park close to the store because all the parking spaces are taken by members of the 24 Hour Fitness gym next door. They are parked in the 15-minute spaces. If these people are going to go work out, can’t they park correctly and walk the extra 30 feet?”
RED PHONE
This kind of disregard for posted limits in parking time irks everyone that needs to use those for quick stops. Businesses rely on parking spaces that are close to their establishments for the convenience of their customers.
Unfortunately, since the parking lot is privately owned, the Morgan Hill police can not enforce the time limits, as they can on public streets.
The Red Phone contacted the 24 Hour Fitness office and they agreed to make an announcement to their clientele that they not park in those parking spaces when using the gym.
When something gets your goat and you need to some answers, remember the Red Phone is here to help. Contact us at (408) 779-4106, ext. 206, or e-mail redphone@morganhill
times.com. Remember to leave a name and phone number when you call or e-mail. The Red Phone will not publish this information and will only use it for verification purposes.
