Hoops be gone

Hoops may be the city game, but not the city street game.

After receiving a growing number of complaints, the Police Department is reminding residents that a city ordinance prohibits placing portable basketball hoops and other similar equipment on sidewalks and streets. The not only hinder motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic but also interfere with trash collection, street cleaning and, during the winter, snow plowing.

The police are asking residents to remove basketball hoops and other recreational equipment from inappropriate locations. At the same time, they suggest that parents discourage their children from playing in streets where they are at risk from passing vehicles.