City code violators and potholes
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Where are Victoria County's worst potholes? Who owes the city money, and who is violating city codes?
What happens to an extended warranty when the company you purchased it from goes out of business?
We look this week at these questions, posed by curious readers during the last two weeks.
Pothole Patrol
Nobody likes potholes. They damage vehicles and can cause wrecks. That's why I want to document the worst in Victoria County.
I drove the city last week and found a pothole, pictured with this column, that's 3 feet long, 14 inches wide and 3 inches deep - a chasm near the corner of Sam Houston Drive and Missey Lane.
How many others are there like it? None, said Jimmy Roach, the city's public works deputy director.
Of the 128 potholes reported last year, all were fixed, he said. By contrast, San Diego repairs more than 30,000 potholes a year.
Of course, potholes go unreported. And that's where you come in.
I want to document the county's potholes - their dimensions, locations - and track whether they are fixed.
If you see a pothole, e-mail or call me. If possible, e-mail a photograph.
"We try to make an honest effort to repair those potholes as they come in," Roach said. "Major thoroughfares get higher priority than less-traveled streets. We've taken care of all those that have been called in."
Where are those that weren't called in?
Have a warrant out for your arrest?
More than 4,747 arrest warrants are outstanding locally and the amount owed by offenders is more than $2 million, according to records provided by Victoria Municipal Court.
Who is on the list? View the 85-page list by visiting my Watchdog blog, found at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Once a month, we will print the name of a person, selected at random, who has an active warrant and the amount owed. This week is Victoria's Shannon Everett Acton, a 30-year-old woman, who owes the city $554.
The warrants list is valid as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
Put your junk in the trunk
City inspectors verified 78 code violations from Jan. 1-13 - from weedy lots to substandard buildings.
Ray DeLeon's front yard at 504 E. Stayton St. was filled with junk - trashed vehicles, soda cans and other garbage.
DeLeon, 53, told me he recently relocated the junk and planned to store it elsewhere in coming days. We'll check back with DeLeon.
What about the warranty?
What happens to an extended warranty when the company you purchased it from goes out of business?
An Advocate reader, who bought a big-ticket item from Rex TV and Appliance, wants to know. The local Navarro Street store closed as the national chain slams doors nationwide.
Andrew Sattler said this reader, and others like her, may be out of luck. Sattler is a San Antonio consumer protection attorney.
"If the company is out of business, and the warranty is from that business, then the consumers are usually out of luck," Sattler said. "The warranty is only as good as the company."
Products are often backed by limited manufacturer's warranties. But retailers often sell third-party warranties.
"My advice as a consumer would be to do your research, make sure you're buying from a stable, established company," Stattler said. "In this day and age, what does that even mean? Circuit City is going under, and it's a well-established company. Be careful."
Because he doesn't know the specifics of the Rex TV warranty, Sattler spoke in general terms.
"I don't buy the extended warranties. There's often times too many loopholes in it to make it worth its while."
If you do buy a warranty, ensure that it's guaranteed - or honored by another company should the retailer plunder, he said.
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Have a question for 'Watchdog'?
To submit questions, e-mail watchdog@vicad.com, post them to the "Watchdog" blog or call Advocate Public Service Editor Gabe Semenza at 361-580-6519. No topic is off-limits.
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Gabe, Good job with your column and ideas, and also commend you in diplomatically correcting people. Sad to say, some people are quick to criticize.
I encourage everyone, when you lodge a complaint, that it's good to follow up a phone call with a written notice to the responsible parties. Include in your notice a detailed summary (with or without names), specifying times, dates, witnesses, and locations. Not all of this information may always be needed, but it won't hurt. Plus, it'll save time and mistakes on their part. In other words, they won't have to call you back and ask you, "What..?", "How..?", or "When..?".
I've learned from trial and error, and past experiences, I got better and quicker responses when I used this method. Plus, I was taken more seriously. As opposed to when you call up the city and say "That &%$!!** neighbor of mine did this and that, and that's just plain &%%$$# bullstuff!". That sort of complaint may not get priority of most others.
I hope this helps. Honestly, I hope it does.
January 22, 2009 at 7:54 a.m.I've called about mowing a large tract of land before. Apparently, if it's five acres or more the land can fall under some kind of ag exemption and the owners only have to mow the perimeter.
January 21, 2009 at 6:21 p.m.The article was about drainage. It did not address the fact that much of the waste dirt being hauled in may be contaminated with asphalt chunks (oil), or the fact that the land is no longer being mowed.
January 21, 2009 at 1:54 p.m.Ok, Gabe...I was not aware of the previously published story. I withdraw my "neuter" comment. :)
January 21, 2009 at 11:22 a.m.Thanks for the comments, everyone. Regarding the land west of Main Street: I have reported on that before, and on the homeowners north of there who fear the drainage ditch will overflow because of improvements to that land. Pretty complicated story. It published in late 2007, if I remember correctly. If the land is cited by code enforcement, I'll include it in my Watchdog column and blog like any others. Never have this newspaper's owners tried to stop me or anyone I know in the newsroom from reporting on their dealings in the county. I understand the perception, though. Thanks again -- Gabe
January 21, 2009 at 11:02 a.m.Very influential people = McHaneys = Victoria Advocate owners. Nope, doubt that particular eyesore at Main/Vine will receive very much press attention. The "WatchDog" doesn't want to get neutered.
January 21, 2009 at 10:13 a.m.In fact there are a number of properties around the city that never get mowed. I wonder if the code enforce staff actually works or is it that when they are out and about the turn the blind eye.
January 21, 2009 at 10:10 a.m.If we are talking about code violations, why have the owners of the land between Main and Vine not been cited for not mowing. I am speaking of the large dump looking site next to the tractor dealership. I know very influencial people own this property, but it has been so long since it has been mowed that it now has mesquite growning on it. I guess it's who you know.
January 21, 2009 at 9:49 a.m.Over the years, I've had some redneck friends that bought scanners and would listen to it as entertainment while drinking their beer/whisky/home brew. I always thought "how could this be interesting in any way?" "How sad that your life is so empty that hearing the cops calls was stimulating?"
January 21, 2009 at 7:52 a.m.Who would have thought that such still holds the attention of the feable and infirmed?
There it is in the PDF file! And now a pic of the "watchdog". I think that when these articles first appear, and one happens to look at them right away, sometimes the accompanying pics and other info is not yet loaded. Has this happened to anyone else? I thought it was all put on at one time, together. SO.....nevermind, saw the pic of the pothole, and lemme tell ya, that'll throw a car's alignment out for sure!
January 20, 2009 at 11:35 p.m."A pothole, pictured with this column".....And this picture would be WHERE??
January 20, 2009 at 10:57 p.m.Oh wow, I get it, that pothole was SO huge even its picture was too big to fit in cyberspace. Hmmmm....