Dear Editor,
With regard to the Dispatch’s recent editorial advocating for a
dedicated South County representative on the Santa Clara Valley
Water District Board (Opinion, Feb. 11), I couldn’t agree more.
The South County is its own watershed, contains a majority of
the county’s reservoirs, and is home to the County’s agricultural
base
– all unique features.
South County should have its own representative on the water board
Dear Editor,
With regard to the Dispatch’s recent editorial advocating for a dedicated South County representative on the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board (Opinion, Feb. 11), I couldn’t agree more.
The South County is its own watershed, contains a majority of the county’s reservoirs, and is home to the County’s agricultural base – all unique features.
I attended the first redistricting committee meeting held on Jan. 19 to urge the committee’s consideration of these features and remind them of the historical representation of two board members. I was one of only two members of the public to address the committee – and the only one to do so on behalf of the South County – at its first meeting.
I would urge all interested stakeholders to attend the Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 2 in Morgan Hill and voice your concerns; the committee is well on its way to making final decisions.
Teresa Alvarado, San Jose
(candidate for Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 1)
Fabulous fashion show to support GHS Grad Night just a week away
Dear Editor,
Drinking and driving related traffic deaths are the number one cause of death amongst teenagers. As a result of this tragedy, many schools have adopted stricter drinking/drug free codes and began seeking safer ways for seniors to celebrate their high school graduation. The answer is Sober Grad Night. The celebration marks one of the most important events in our student’s high school experience. With the cooperation, hard work and support of parents, friends and the community, Gilroy High School boasts 20 years of successful GRAD NIGHT celebrations.
Parents of the graduating class will provide an all-night celebration on Friday, June 11. Activities will include music, games, drawings, professional entertainment, food and beverages, and above all a “SAFE AND SOBER” environment for our graduates. For the past several months, students and parents have been working toward this goal with various fundraisers.
We have a fabulous fashion show and luncheon fundraiser set for Saturday, Feb. 27 from noon to 3 p.m. Fashions by Saks Fifth Avenue and Mafalda’s, lunch by West Side Grill, models from Gilroy High School staff and students, live auction, raffle prizes and more! For tickets or information, please contact Kim Dunbar at 595-1393 or ki*@********oy.com.
Grad Night has become a way for the entire community to focus on a project conceived to save the lives of our graduating seniors, and help support our efforts to keep our students safe and tragedy free on one of the highest risk nights of their lives.
Marta Dinsmore, on behalf of the entire Grad Night Committee
Hey GUSD, save some money, turn off some lights at Christopher High
Dear Editor,
Christopher High School looks like a homing beacon as you drive down Day Road. You can’t possibly need all those lights for “security reasons.”
And, the sign at Gilroy High School that runs 24/7 … who gets up in the middle of the night and says … wonder what’s going on at GHS and drives by for a look. And, this week, while school is out, part of the sign is blank, but it’s still flashing away.
It may not be much, but for crying out loud … turn off the lights!
Susan M. Baker, Gilroy
The Golden Quill is awarded occasionally for a well-written letter.
ER treatment at Saint Louise for 2 1/2 hours of care: $9,122.60
Dear Editor,
Recently, I went to the emergency room at Saint Louise Hospital here in Gilroy due to rapid heartbeat. I had been told by my healthcare provider to go directly to the nearest hospital if I ever got rapid heartbeat again, rather than driving to their nearest facility 23 miles north in San Jose.
After no more than 2 1/2 hours in the emergency room (after an EKG, a blood test, an x-ray and a shot of medication that brings the heartbeat back to normal), today I received a copy of Saint Louise’s charges to my healthcare provider. The bill for 2 1/2 hours came to $9,122.60.
Gratefully, I only have to pay a $50 deductible. But, my point is this: is any wonder American healthcare is in a crisis condition – $9,122 for 2 1/2 hours?
Name withheld by request, Gilroy
Council needs to figure out a much better animal control system
Dear Editor,
If the Gilroy City Council is still not able to find money within their budget to have Humane Society or SPCA support for incorporated Gilroy for the upcoming fiscal year (San Martin is unincorporated only and Gilroy residents have to go to the Santa Clara County shelter on Ames Drive in Milpitas), and given the high volume of cats out loose and dogs out barking throughout incorporated Gilroy, maybe it’s time the City Council at the very least finally got around to shutting down over breeding in the private sector and retail sales of pets brought in by “puppy” farms?
If we can’t have budget for animal control services (the GPD has two animal control officers and they only handle dogs not cats, and we have no emergency veterinary services on evening nor weekends any closer than south San Jose), can we at the very least take a step into the 21st century and finally shut the farming of animals down?
I’m personally a bit tired of my property being a thoroughfare and feces depository for every animal within three square miles of my home including but not limited to neighbors who don’t pick up after their precious store bought pets (that is, those neighbors who actually bother to walk their animals) and cats that have no collars and no tags to identify them as actually having any owner at all.
Maybe if we can get people to stop buying animals first, we can encourage them to to start taking care of the ones they already have?
And maybe offer them services in the evenings and weekends when they have a critical care situation? If the council can’t see their way clear to budget for that it seems that the very least they can do as a service to incorporated Gilroy is finally get around to passing a “no animal sales” law.
With the glut of animals in Gilroy there is really no reason to not do so, the human society is overwhelmed, if people want a pet the least thing the City Council can do is encourage them to go through the county to do so.
Christine Taylor, Gilroy
Active cooperation in the protection of Uvas Creek?
Dear Editor,
Mr. Tim Filice, could you please provide or refer to examples where the Garlic Festival Association, the City of Gilroy, the Christopher Family, and the Filice Family has invested in or actively cooperated in the protection of the Uvas Creek?
Gary Elia, Gilroy
