Dear Editor,
Outstanding, comprehensive coverage of the serious situation
that is facing maintaining our visual and performing art programs
in the schools! Bravo, again!
Great article about protecting the arts in our schools
Dear Editor,
Outstanding, comprehensive coverage of the serious situation that is facing maintaining our visual and performing art programs in the schools! Bravo, again!
Can’t thank you enough for continuing to educate the community.
Carol Peters, GilroyÂ
Gilroy speed demons making a mockery of the road laws
Dear Editor,
What is going on in Gilroy? I have lived here all my life (I’m 35 now) and use to love living here. In the past eight years I have seen such reckless driving: butt crawlers, race car drivers, drivers getting in other lanes due to texting, teenagers driving reckless near schools and near hang outs like McDonalds and Starbucks. It is ridiculous out there.
I’m afraid to drive in Gilroy – it’s worse than San Jose! I lived right across the street from Rod Kelley school and USE to walk my kids to school but had to stop due to fear of getting hit. My daughter was nearly struck in the crosswalk while holding my husband’s hand! Now my children go to two different schools and I carpool everyday with a 6-month-old baby in the car, and everyday someone is crawling on my butt almost hitting me when I have to stop at a red light or a stop sign.
Don’t these people have a clue that they could seriously hurt somebody, hit a child, or even kill somebody? Something needs to be done or more people are going to get hurt. I respect the police officers in Gilroy, however, I don’t feel their priorities are in line with the communities. More police officers need to be visibly enforcing traffic laws near schools during pick up and drop off times. Today I had a lady in a big black SUV crawling on my butt and had to wave to her to back up.
My 6-month-old nephew was in the car when she nearly rear ended me at a stop sign. Then she gave me a dirty look? Apparently because I was not exceeding the speed limit enough to get her to whatever important place she must have needed to get to. Who’s death will we be reading about next in the paper? Who’s child will be getting hurt next? Will it be mine? Yours? How many more children will loose a parent a loved one? I know their are budget concerns, however, I recently got a ticket for not parking straight on a curved court. I saw police officers giving parents tickets at Christopher High School near the misleading and confusing Day Road/Santa Teresa intersection. Perhaps those resources can be diverted to the schools.
If the GPD cannot afford to have an officer at every school every day perhaps they can rotate so every school gets watched once a week. Perhaps we as a community can send e-mails to the police department letting them know the safety of people and children at high traffic areas near schools are important to us. I’m sure they will want to intercede … especially in light of the recent tragedy. My thoughts are with the family of David Vogel.
Angela Berteaux, Gilroy
Spend money on alternative energy instead of another war
Dear Editor,
Last summer we had the Gulf oil spill that reminded us that that with oil there’s a price to pay. They said that drilling was safe – but it wasn’t. Now we are looking at nuclear meltdown and it’s not just one reactor – it’s four of them. I don’t see any way they are going to explain that away.
It’s time to get real. If we invested just the cost of one war for oil we could develop solar, wind, and clean fuels and not have to evacuate areas of the planet for hundreds or thousands of years or go to war to protect a limited and shrinking supply of oil.
We need to look at what will actually work and fully evaluate the risks and consequence based on science. Bad choices have consequences and if we are going to survive we have to stop making these kinds of serious mistakes. The penalty for poor judgment is extinction. I urge everyone to choose existence!
Marc Perkel, Gilroy
A real grassroots effort to help the homeless and our city
Dear Editor,
Sure times are tough. Coffers are dry. Layoffs loom. Gloom and doom.
Vision is the ability to see through the conditions of today and to identify a path of success into tomorrow. Faith enables us to believe our vision. The Gilroy homeless population needs healing and hope. Implementing a homeless shelter program which actually functions to serve both the communities need and the homeless people’s needs is a tough task. It involves a myriad of government programs, gleaning of some “outdated” concepts, a consolidation of non-profit efforts and lots of work.
It requires a crisp new look at how best to offer a path to recovery for our local homeless population. It includes mature objectives and guidelines which insure a successful program. It requires the build out of a basic shell building into a functional shelter. It requires on going funding. It also requires the support of our city government.
Our City Council will soon meet to discuss the proposed shelter program at 8425 Monterey St. Questions will be asked. What level of support will the city give the shelter program? Waiving permit and inspection fees is one item to consider. Funding is another. Expediting of permit applications through dedicated and enthusiastic city staff is already ongoing.
Please consider:
Community Benefits
1. A shelter will actually save the community money. We heard an estimate that one homeless person’s cost of police services, last year was close to $100,000.00. This is worst case scenario, but still our police department knows how much we can save with a shelter program.
2. Savings at local hospitals and medical emergency services.
3. Aides in panhandling code enforcement as the shelter provides a location for police to transport violators for help.
4. Improves community attraction both to new and relocating businesses and to families relocating to Gilroy
5. Provides a high performance program that encourages volunteerism.
6. Reduces redundancy in present homeless service efforts through coordination and possible consolidation.
7. Minimizes loitering at places of business. Provides a good location for homeless people to gather.
Benefits for the Homeless
1. Focused location for services – more organized and accessible.
2. Beds not mats on the floor.
3. Actual programs including Alcohol Anonymous, medical and psychiatric referral, showers with handicap access, postal address, job referral, clothing inventory, nutritional food program, etc. etc.
4. Will not put homeless people out at 6 a.m. into cold and wet weather.
5. Eventually longer stay than 4 months. Longer term available for employment connections.
6. Pathways to real long-term help will be provided.
7. Families and women will not be lumped in with the unverified male population.
8. Job location and generation.
Project Needs 8425 Monterey St.
1. Public and corporate support.
2. City of Gilroy support.
3. Collaboration of existing care giver non-profits.
4. Volunteerism and donations for building improvements (need volunteer or reduced rate sprinkler contractor and HVAC especially).
This program could be eligible for federal and county funding grants as they become available. Also local donors will be crucial to initial and ongoing operations.
We expect to start this program with a minimum and grow based on our success and community involvement.
But we need to get a foothold to make this work. We need Gilroy’s help in order to help Gilroy.
Jim Currier, Gilroy
If you’re interested in volunteering to assist this effort you may contact Jim at jc******@fl******.com
