For the second time in less than four months, San Jose police have targeted a house in the 1400 block of Hanchett Avenue, making two arrests at the residence on Feb. 4.

Members of the San Jose Police Department's Violent Crimes Enforcement Team knocked on the front door of the house at approximately 8:30 p.m. to conduct a probation check on a known gang member and convicted felon. After seeing an occupant of the house run to the back, officers forced open the door and apprehended the felon, Frank Gutierrez, 23, and Erin Gutierrez, 19.

Frank Gutierrez was arrested and charged with being under the influence of and in possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and the illegal possession of pepper spray, as well as probation violations. Erin Gutierrez was charged with being under the influence of methamphetamine. It is not clear how the two suspects are related.

Police had previously contacted the house following reports of gunshots on Oct. 3, 2003. Although police located five empty shell casings outside the residence following the incident, the house's occupants denied hearing any shots. After interviewing three witnesses said to be affiliated with the Westside Gang, police arrested one occupant of the house on an unrelated felony charge and classified the incident as a gang-related shooting.

Santana Row fined for cutting old oaks

Santana Row management is working with the city of San Jose to replace two oak trees that were cut down at the shopping center without permits in late December of last year.

According to Santana Row General Manager Doug Badia, an arborist hired by Santana Row had evaluated the trees' health as part of a regular landscape maintenance program and determined both oaks to be dead. The trees—one located at Tatum Lane and one at Piazza di Valencia near Maggiano's restaurant—were removed on Dec. 22 and 23, and the city's code enforcement department received a citizen complaint about the missing trees approximately one month later.

The city requires a permit to remove any tree, dead or alive, with a circumference of 56 inches at 2 feet above grade.

Badia says that while he was aware a permit was needed to remove the trees, a member of the Santana Row management team had failed to acquire one.

Santana Row was issued a citation and a $1,000 fine for the tree removals. The shopping center must also obtain an after-the-fact tree-removal permit through the city's planning department and take part in a public hearing to determine the type and number of trees to replace the two oaks that were removed.

The trees were among the 14 40-year-old oaks that had been located on the property when it was the site of the Town & Country Village. After the Town & Country Village closed and Federal Realty Management Inc. made a bid to develop on the property, local residents launched a local petition drive to save the heritage trees. Santana Row voluntarily transplanted the oaks, as well as 26 palm trees, during the construction of the shopping center and integrated them into its design plan.

Santana Row is expected to file a permit application within the next week. A hearing will be scheduled for shortly thereafter.

For more information, contact city planner Erin Morris at 408.277.8578.

Hearing slated for new
Caltrain repair facility

The city of San Jose will hold a public meeting on Feb. 25 regarding a Caltrain equipment maintenance and operations facility being constructed near the intersection of Lenzen and Stockton avenues.

At the meeting, designs for the new building will be presented along with facility materials and landscaping concepts for review. A grade closure at Stockton Avenue will also be discussed, and the citizens committee that monitors the development of the facility will elect new officers.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at San Jose City Hall, 801 N. First St., in Room 204. For more information, contact Micaela Mazzini at 650.624.2730 or mazzinim@samtrans.com.

For urgent inquiries and emergencies related to the construction of the facility, call, toll-free, 877.433.0300.

Free admission to
SJ Tech Museum

San Jose's Tech Museum of Innovation will now offer free admission on the second Sunday of every month.

Thanks to a grant from SBC, all of the museum's exhibits except the IMAX Dome Theater will be open to visitors.

"We couldn't be more pleased that SBC is generously providing free access to everyone who visits the Tech on these dates,'' Tech President Peter Giles said.

The museum features interactive exhibits related to science and technology. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on holiday Mondays through March. Beginning in April, the museum will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.