Tag: gilroy foundation

Claddagh unveiled a new menu Tuesday and our lovely waitress, under the watchful eye of hard-working owner Leslie Benson, pitched a mound of “Ultimate Fries” to our weary group. The verdict: “killer.” Healthy? No – but more than a wee bit tasty. Mixture of ranch and blue cheese dressing, Frank’s hot sauce, a few other “secret” ingredients and bits of crispy bacon. Messing with the menu never tasted so good. A tip of the green Claddagh cap  in order …

Not that it really matters, but “Spry” Sig Sanchez’s honor at the Chamber’s annual Gilroy “Spice of Life” community awards dinner should have been the “Lifetime Achievement” award instead of “Man of the Year,” an honor which he probably should have received when he was in his 60s, instead of in his 90s. Sig did a grand job, as usual, with a classy and humorous acceptance speech. Besides that, I got to chat briefly with his two charming granddaughters, Nicole and Jaynie (hope I remember that spelling from filling out the Little League line-up card), who were friends with my daughters growing up. Love it when I talk to young people who I knew when they were “this high” who are blossoming as young adults.

Did you know that before Gilroy became the Garlic Capital of the World it had the distinction of being the Tobacco Capitol of the United States during the 1870s? Since 1850 our fair city has also been deemed the Hay and Grain Capital, the Fruit and Nut Capital, the Dairy and Cheese Capital and the Prune Capital of California.   

Not sure what to make of the Gilroy Political Action Committee, an arm of the Chamber, which erected those borderline insulting campaign signs that scream, “It’s the Gilroy Economy, Genius” that endorse a slate of four candidates. Am darn sure the candidates didn’t give that slogan the stamp of approval even though, in theory, they might concur. The PAC’s motto is of the same political vein, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” What’s so odd is that for decades the Chamber has been unfailingly unwilling to offend. “Preserve and protect” could have been the motto. Case in point: Though it’s Government Review Committee staunchly opposed the binding arbitration clause in the city charter for public safety employees, the chamber politely refused to do public opinion battle and weakly presented the case without a recommended course of action to the City Council after much flapping of wings. Perhaps what we have emerging is the Chamber’s alter ego that has been bottled up for years and now, like a college teenager who’s left an ultra-strict household, it’s time for a new motto: “GilPAC, let the wild child out.”

Ran across a pretty good – and telling quote: “The Ten Commandments contain 297 words, the Bill of Rights 463 words, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address 266 words. A recent federal directive regulating the price of cabbage contains 26,911 words.” That from an unknown author who would appreciate the absurdity of a 2,000-plus-page document seemingly destined to govern land use in Santa Clara County, the Habitat Conservation Plan. Years of meetings, millions of dollars, a plethora of government agencies ... and what do you get? A 2,000-plus-page document that nobody truly understands.

Wow! Toured the new Gilroy Library this week and it’s a knock-your-socks-off facility. Impressive on many levels. In scouting college campuses with the three daughters over time, the importance of a library as a college community indicator became clear. It’s a functional showpiece that has to integrate design aesthetics with purpose. There’s a feel that goes along with the functionality and the new Gilroy library’s got it. It’s airy, it’s pleasing, it has meeting rooms and rooms for tech classes and a children’s story room with a padded carpet and a pull-down projection screen. There are places to study or read with broad street views and an expansive area for teaching reading along with good space for the Friends of the Library to store and sell donated books. Mark your calendar for a grand opening celebration on Saturday, April 28 … this is truly a fine public use addition that will serve the community for many years to come. The grassroots committee that supported the bond effort to get it built, the Gilroy City Council, the city staff and Santa Clara County Librarians have really accomplished something.

Just inside the Dispatch lobby on Monterey Street, a copy of every newspaper printed this year lies fanned in display atop a long shelf.

In between the Christmas tree taking not one, but two crashing tumbles in the living room - yes, it's up for good now albeit with a pronounced lean - there were the happy holiday happenings that salute the season. Christopher Ranch's party, always a warehouse treat, featured a great new band; the Gilroy Foundation kicked things off with an event outdoors on the terrace at Gary Walton's fine Fourth Street building where the Foundation's offices are located; and the Gilroy Assistance League headed up to spectacular view territory at Steve and Teresa Costa's home. Meanwhile, back at the Very Derry Ranch, new strategies were devised to hoist that 14-foot green beauty upright and get it to stay that way.