Turkeys are all over Gilroy, and no, I’m not talking about the
City Council chambers. Old timers who’ve been around the block will
tell you they never used to spot turkeys in town.
Turkeys are all over Gilroy, and no, I’m not talking about the City Council chambers. Old timers who’ve been around the block will tell you they never used to spot turkeys in town. Now, our little hamlet is a turkey haven. Our esteemed traffic engineering department has suggested “turkey crossing” signs and right of ways on, among other streets, Welburn Avenue. That should help with the traffic flow … just kidding WelburnAV residents (hopefully).
Not kidding … Just a few minutes after we had we posted the story about Gilroy resident and purported Hells Angels motorcycle gang member Cesar Villagrana, 36, being arrested for three felony counts related to a fight that turned into a gun battle mess inside John Ascuaga’s Nugget, a press release from the Silver Legacy Casino popped up declaring that, “Also in for Street Vibrations was Loreal L. from Gilroy, CA playing her favorite Double Diamond machine which netted her $10,000. Her reaction? “I can’t believe it! I have been very lucky this trip, we always come here!” She is putting her winnings to good use to pay off some bills. Meanwhile, Villagrana, also “in Reno for Street Vibrations,” has a bill that’s a little steeper – a cash-on-the-Harley-handlebars bail set at $500,000 against his three counts which include assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a stolen firearm. Too bad we don’t have the “Lucky 7” list in Gilroy anymore. Our public leaders – from the mayor to the police chief – were fed up with gang criminals and spearheaded a multi-pronged counter offensive to make life in Gilroy really, really uncomfortable for them. They were happy to publicize their public safety protection efforts in this newspaper regularly, too, to let the community and the criminals know that the pressure was on and would stay on.
Staying on … and on … and on … and on … are two “magnificent” Gilroy projects. Perhaps we could find a bookie to take wagers on which will be concluded first. A) The rip-’em-up, tear-’em-up sidewalk repairs on Sixth Street which have been been unhappily impacting businesses downtown for almost a full year or … drum roll please, B) the bombed-out-in-1940s-Berlin building at the corner of Fourth and Monterey. It’s a particularly lovely juxtaposition driving into downtown on Monterey Street from the north. One can’t help but take in the beautiful new Tahoe blue “Gilroy, historic district” sign right in front of the breathtaking, bombed-out-in-1940s-Berlin building. Now that’s a piece of history that’s a testament to bureaucracy. Side bet: Will MayorAl be out of office before that abomination is bulldozed? Yes, we know, the city’s doing everything it possibly can, there’s less staff and things take time …
Take time to take a look around in the new Booksmart for Kids store downtown. Wandered in after a tasty chicken salad at OD’s on a recent noon and found the always engaging Ann Marie “Fifth Avenue” Saaks behind the counter. It’s a cool store now with neat, first-tier children’s books for a wide range from toddlers to teens. But that’s not all. There are toys galore, and the toys give a nod to the classics like the Slinky, Kool Kites, a new version of Play-Doh that won’t dry out and a Glee!-themed set of Uno cards. The reinvented retail establishment has a real shot to make it – so, buy an early Christmas present. I socked away “How Rocket Learned to Read” for grandson Jackson. Ice cream and candy are store sidelights for owners Cinda Meister and Brad Jones and, hopefully, there’s a marketing budget to make it all work.
Should work your way out to area wineries this weekend. For $30 you can enjoy the 23 wineries offering vino, music, food, games and even a doggy costume contest at Sarah’s Vineyard on Hecker Pass. Just make sure if you manage anywhere close to all 23 that you’ve got a sober one at the wheel. It’s Passport time and the vineyards are spectacular in fall. The cooling-off weather should be absolutely perfect. We have a map on our website if you need to print out some simple road help. Delighted to see that Aver Family Vineyards on Soma Way off Watsonville Road, is on the Passport list this go-around. Make a point to stop there if you can. It’s a boutique operation offering limited quantities, scrumptious and carefully done Rhone-style blends overseen by John Aver and winemaker Kian Tavakoli, who worked at Clos Du Val and learned Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking at Opus One. Just across the way from Aver Family is Jason-Stephens, home to the most beautiful vineyard in the valley, and a fun place in a spectacular setting to saddle up and ride into for your last stop of the day.
Saddling up is becoming prohibitive for many horse owners in this economy given soaring hay prices and costs of housing and veterinary care. Horses were and are ending up at the San Martin Animal Shelter. It’s a problem that Laura Hensley Trouard of the Hensley Ranch in Morgan Hill decided to do something about, so she started Perfect Fit Equine Rescue. She fostered and rehabilitated horses for the San Martin shelter and now, with her own 501(c)(3) rescue, she can take horses into her custody and raise funds to provide for their care. So reports Brigid Wasson, the shelter supervisor at San Martin. You can check out what’s happening with that wonderful citizen course of action at www.hensleyranch.com.
Citizen courses of action are spurred by transparent governments which gratefully give information to the public. As James Madison noted, “A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.”
