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City clears out more homeless encampments
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Manteca on Saturday cleared out at least a dozen makeshift homeless encampments on private property in Spreckels Park where it backs up to the transition ramp from southbound Highway 99 to the westbound 120 Bypass.

The clean-up done by community service crews populated through the court system and overseen by Manteca Police managed to fill much of a municipal garbage truck.

Saturday’s clean-up followed a similar endeavor by Caltrans four days earlier along the transition ramp from eastbound on the 120 Bypass to southbound Highway 99.

Unlike the Caltrans effort that required state crews to cut down trees and shrubs to try and prevent the area from being repopulated, the encampments the city cleared out where in plain view as there are no trees or shrubs in the area.

In the wee hours of Saturday morning Applebee workers going home encountered homeless near a trash bin enclosure backing up to Historical Plaza Way in Spreckels Park. There’s nothing unusual about that. What was different was the fact there were two individuals in sleeping bags  — one on the cement pad in the trash bin closure and one in the actual driveway — sound asleep as it rained.

Then on Saturday at 4 p.m. in front of Manteca High, a reader called about a homeless guy sprawled out across the sidewalk with his head by the school fence and his feet near the curb as he was sound asleep. It was the second time in the past week she had seen a homeless individual in the central district laying in such a manner that they blocked the entire sidewalk.

The homeless hanging around Manteca High is nothing new.

Manteca High Principal Frank Gonzales said his ground crews encounter them all the time. Their favorite spot to crash is around the press box at the football stadium.

 

When will they

ever learn department

There were at least three rear-end accidents — fortunately minor — on the 120 Bypass Saturday.

You would think in rainy weather when the pavement is slick drivers would back off. 

The least expensive solution to stop the carnage on the 120 Bypass is to slow down, back off, pay attention and not cut off traffic so you can save a few seconds.

It’s bad enough when the accidents involve people not familiar with the 120 Bypass’ bloody history. But it’s downright disheartening when those involved are either Manteca residents are those from areas such as Modesto and Ripon that navigate the slinky bypass on a regular basis.

 

Schools out for

week so it’s busy

for district workers

 

Manteca Unified School District’s 23,000 students are enjoying spring break this week.

That means the district’s maintenance staff will be hustling to knock off a long chore list.

Eight classrooms are having their flooring replaced — five at Joshua Cowell, four at George McParland, three at Stella Brockman and two classrooms each at Calla High, Manteca Day School, and New Haven.

There are 29 other projects on the work list for the week. They include including custodial endeavors such as carpet cleaning, stripping and waxing of floors, white board installations, painting as required, heating and air filter and belt replacements and well as clean rain gutters among other things.

Grounds work on tap include tree pruning at Brock Elliott, Neil Hafley, and Joshua Cowell with tree removal at August Knodt, George McParland and Neil Hafley among other chores.

Maintenance work includes minor repairs on the Sierra High tennis courts, installation of sidewalks at Mossdale School, dry rot at various sites, water heater installation at Manteca High, restroom renovation at Manteca High, installing a gate at New Haven School, hardware replacement at East Union High, Golden West School gym scoreboard replacement, East Union High foul pole installation and a pigeon prevention endeavor at Woodward School.

The Operations Department will be conducting a job-walk this week for the upcoming roof replacement projects this summer.

At Sierra High that includes the full replacement of the tile roofing on the mansard roof of seven buildings. The other half of the buildings will have the tile replaced during the summer of 2017.

East Union High this summer will have the full replacement of the built-up roofing in the science wing.

The cost is expected to reach $900,000 for both campuses. It is being covered with Mello Roos taxes from Community Facilities District 2. Staff recommendations will be before the school board in April for the roofing projects.