Sometimes, it’s the little things that make this neighborhood so special. For example, have you noticed how clean and beautiful the light posts in WG are?

You may know that posting personal signs on light posts and stop light poles — for garage sales, craft boutiques, concerts, or even websites — is technically illegal. It’s certainly low priority for our city … but a few volunteers around here give it their own high priority. We noticed some cleaned and painted poles back in December, but couldn’t catch the good samaritan. Earlier this month, we caught him removing fliers from light posts at Curtner & Lincoln. With a yellow safety vest and green paint provided by the City of San Jose, “Good Samaritan Ralph” works his normal circuit, circling up Lincoln Avenue to San Carlos over to Bird and south again to Curtner, removing paper, scraping tape, touching up paint, and notifying the City if more signiificant maintenance is needed.

Ralph was quick to credit San Jose’s Community Activity Worker, Art Ramirez, who organizes volunteers to battle graffiti and petty vandalism around the City. Art’s business card holds a veritable phone book of graffiti report tiplines:

Vandalism (in progress): 9-1-1
… from cell phones: 408-277-8911.
Vandalism after the fact: 3-1-1

Graffiti
Libraries, Parks, and Community Ctrs: 277-4741
Painted Curbs and on the Street: 277-3626
Street Signs: 277-4691
All Expressways: 494-1307
Bus Stops: 321-5800
Lightrail: 321-2300
Highway Signs: 510-536-0413
Highway Roadways: 436-0930

Anti-Graffiti Hotline: 408-277-2758
Taggers can also report anonymously: 947-7867

The sheer quantity of phone numbers makes it look like a huge task, but Ralph says it’s easier when you tackle it one pole at a time. By the way, Ralph plans to retire from his cleaning duties next year – when he turns 80. Hopefully someone younger can find the energy to takeover on Ralph’s route sometime soon. If you’re the one, contact Art!