CHEERS: To the organizers behind the Avis Kelley Invitational. This year marked the 38th time the event's been held. It's a wonderful track and field competition that highlights a sport that's often overlooked. But that's not all. It's a regional event that brings visitors to town to spend money at local businesses while experiencing our town's many charms.

JEERS: To the ongoing troubles at Velladao Mobile Home Park. Now that the chronic sewer problems seem to be in the past, the community tucked near the intersection of Monterey Street and Luchessa Avenue is mired in controversy over electric bills. It's hard to understand how residents in tiny mobile homes could legitimately have bills that are nearly triple the county average. Other tensions involve park management. We hope that these problems can be solved before tensions boil over.

CHEERS: To the annual Cioppino Feed. The 28th annual dinner benefits the Gilroy High School Athletic Department, funding necessities like transportation, officials, facility fees, and so on. In addition to food, wine, beer, music by the Joe Sharino Band, and dancing, a silent auction will be held. The event will be held on Saturday, May 10, from 5:30 to 11 p.m. at Christopher Ranch. Tickets are $52 and are available at the GHS ASB office or online at www.gilroyhighschool.com/cioppinofeed. It's a good food, a good time, and a great cause.

CHEERS: to St. Joseph's Family Center, which with the help of federal funds, will begin to chip away at the homeless problem. The "housing first" model will target those afflicted with mental illness or substance abuse problems and attempt to cure the homeless problem with the most obvious of solutions - a home.

JEERS: to the latest blow to farmers: A hike in nitrogen-based fertilizer prices. Just like so many other parts of our economy, this price increase is tied to the increase in gasoline prices. Farmers say fertilizer prices are up 60 percent in the last year, and have doubled over the last few years. We can force mitigation of farmland til the cows come home, but if farmers can't make their businesses pencil out, all that mitigation will be for naught.

CHEERS: To Ascension Solorsano Middle School science teacher Dawn O'Connor. She's earned a nomination for the 2007 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. It's a prestigious nomination that earns O'Connor an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., to hobnob with the president. Now if only GUSD had merit pay so that excellent teachers like O'Connor could be rewarded with increases in their paychecks.