Dead trees are being removed across the state of California
QComing out of Lake Tahoe on Highway 50, many trees are being cut down along the roadside, and huge piles of brush and needles are being made. What’s going on? — Ben McRay, San Jose A State officials and contractors are removing dead and dying trees along Highway 50 from Sly Park to Echo Summit. The contractor is responsible for discarding the brush. Since 2010 over 129 million trees have died due to drought and bark beetles, with the hardest hit region in the Southern and Central Sierra, where 96.4 million dead trees are located. They pose a huge fire hazard. Q One morning on Hillsdale Avenue in San Jose I saw a man in a white Lexus throw a lighted cigarette out around Communication Hill where there’s a lot of dry grass. Obviously the wind could have sent it into the grass. I copied his license plate number down but I don’t think there’s anywhere to report anything like that, is there? We’ve already had a number of grass fires. — Judith Sayler, San Jose A I would have called 911 explaining that it was most likely a nonemergency issue, and let the dispatcher take it from there. If a fire had started, police would have liked that information.
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For years I’ve wondered what the cement sidewalk and pad is for overlooking the hills and ocean at the top of the summit on Highway 17 next to the restaurant. It has had a no trespassing sign for years. I always thought that it was going to be part of an outdoor area for the restaurant. But my girlfriend and I came up with an idea on what it could be — a heliport for taking accident victims off the hill. Are you in the know on this? — Blair Askew, Campbell A This is private property that helicopters have sometimes used for emergencies such as accidents.
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Rather than carrying my passport on domestic travel, do I need Real ID if I have a Global Entry card? — Cathy Miller, Ben Lomond A You are good to fly. The TSA says that a Global Entry card is acceptable. Go to the TSA website at www.tsa.gov/ travel/security-screening for more details. Q When I was in Germany my friend was driving and came up behind someone going slower in the left lane. I asked why she didn’t pass on the right and she said there are cameras along the autobahn and if caught passing on the right it’s a really hefty fine that she couldn’t afford to pay. — Mike Lopes, Ben Lomond A Glad your friend was behind the wheel.