Community

Citing “unfair business practices” as their biggest concern, 18 California lawmakers urged California Attorney General Kamala Harris to reject the sale of six hospitals in the Daughters of Charity Health System to Prime Healthcare Services. That includes Gilroy’s Saint Louise Regional Hospital.U.S. representatives Mike Honda (D-San Jose) and Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) spearheaded the effort in which a Dec. 11 letter addressing their concerns over the sale to the controversial for-profit healthcare system was sent out to the attorney general’s office. The group asks Harris to reject the transaction.“It is our belief that under Prime, patient care and healthcare worker rights will suffer at these hospitals,” the letter states.Lofgren represents the 19th U.S. Congressional district, which includes Morgan Hill.The letter goes on to note that Prime’s history of unfair business practices “have resulted in civil and criminal investigations by government agencies for allegedly overbilling Medicare as well as violations of patient confidentiality.” Furthermore, California’s need for additional safety net hospitals as a result of the expanded Medi-Cal services provided under the Affordable Care Act “is incompatible with Prime’s business model of minimizing the amount of care it delivers to low-income patients.”The highly-scrutinized DCHS sale to Prime has supporters in the California Nurses Association, which worked out a one-year agreement with the new owners that came with full pension assurances prior to the acquisition.However, the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West have campaigned against the sale to Prime even before it was announced in early October. The union believes “Prime puts profits over patients and doesn’t share Daughters’ mission of serving the poor,” according to an SEIU-UHW press release.The Dec. 11 letter from lawmakers also joins Santa Clara County officials in the chorus of concerns over the pending sale, which requires approval from the attorney general’s office and the Vatican before it becomes final.“We are not going to roll over and risk watching Prime Healthcare cut services, raise prices and layoff caregivers like they’ve done in so many other communities in California and other states,” SEIU-UHW President Dave Regan said.Prime Healthcare founder, President and Chief Executive Officer Prem Reddy has stood firm that the hospital chain he founded will infuse $150 million in capital improvements at the DCHS facilities, protect 7,600 jobs and assume more than $300 million in pension guarantees for more than 17,000 union and non-union active and retired workers.DCHS officials have also said the hospitals, including SLRH, are in danger of closing if the attorney general does not approve the sale to Prime, which they have said was the only viable bidder for the system which went up for sale in January.The congressional representatives who penned the Dec. 11 letter are not convinced, however. Prime Healthcare Services has a history of cutting services, raising prices, and laying off workers. The questionable history of Prime Healthcare combined with the mission of these hospitals to serve the most needy residents raises doubts as to the sensibility of the sale, according to the Dec. 11 press release from Honda’s and Lofgren’s officesHarris may reject the sale based on any factors found relevant, including whether the sale is in the public interest; whether it would create significant effects on the availability of health care services in the community; or whether the proposed use of the proceeds from the transaction is consistent with the charitable trust under which the hospitals have operated.Harris’ office has blocked two of four potential sales of hospitals involving Prime Healthcare, including its attempt to purchase Victor Valley Community Hospital in Victorville in 2011.The attorney general is given an initial 60-day review window on transactions and, in cases of multi-facility sales, Harris can opt for an additional 45-day extension. The Charitable Trusts Division, which focuses on nonprofits and charities conducts the review process. In the last four years, the division has conducted 20 to 30 such reviews.Reps. Honda and Lofgren were joined by Representatives Sam Farr (D- Carmel), Mark Takano (D- Riverside), Janice Hahn (D- San Pedro), Anna G. Eshoo (D- Palo Alto), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D- Los Angeles), Xavier Becerra (Los Angeles), Doris O. Matsui (D- Sacramento), Tony Cardenas (D- San Fernando Valley), Jackie Speier (D- San Francisco/San Mateo Counties), Barbara Lee (D- Oakland), Loretta Sanchez (D- Garden Grove), Juan Vargas (D- San Diego) Mike Thompson (D- St. Helena), George Miller (D- Martinez), Alan Lowenthal (D- Long Beach), and Maxine Waters (D- Los Angeles).“In closing, we do not believe an acquisition of Daughters of Charity hospitals by Prime is in the best interests of patients or healthcare workers in California,” the letter concludes. “Given Prime’s troubled past and regulatory problems, and its incompatibility with the historic safety net mission of Daughters, we urge you to protect the rights of patients and healthcare workers by rejecting this proposed sale.”

Starting Jan. 5, the Gilroy Library will be open six days a week and will expand hours on weekdays to better serve the community, according to a press release from the Santa Clara County Library District.

St. Mary School is hosting a toy drive for St. Joseph's Family Center in Gilroy now through Dec. 12. Spread the Christmas joy this holiday season by donating a new, unwrapped toy for Gilroy children assisted by St. Joseph's Family Center.

Four acres of Christmas trees line Paradise Christmas Tree Farm owner Don Bianucci’s property, where South County residents have come for more than three decades to select, cut and carry out their family’s next living room centerpiece for the winter holiday season.“We have a lot of returning, very nice customers who enjoy the outing,” said Bianucci, who established the choose-and-cut tree farm in 1980 after retiring from General Electric. “We’re kind of a scenic, low-key family farm. We don’t have all the bells and whistles (like other larger operations) … We have a lot of clean air and fresh trees.”Located at 15220 Yvonne Drive (off Edmundson Avenue), Bianucci’s farm—open from 9 a.m. until dark every day except Monday—boasts a large selection of trees well over 10 feet tall. Along with Douglas fir and Monterey pine, Paradise has coastal redwood and incense cedar for customers to choose from.“We were reasonably busy (the day after Thanksgiving),” said Bianucci of the day typically considered the busiest for Christmas tree sales. The local business owner, who moved to Morgan Hill in 1969, declined to say how many trees he has sold thus far.However, the late November and early December rains have kept some customers indoors waiting for a break in the storm to come out and saw down the family’s Christmas tree.“Hopefully, this coming weekend will be dry,” Bianucci said.In addition to selling trees, Paradise offers tree stands, tree netting, flocking and an antique and collectible room, where Bianucci sells a select number of his handcrafted bowls.South County has no shortage of spots to snag the perfect tree, with Battaglia Ranch Christmas Tree Farm—located at 13580 Murphy Ave. in San Martin—and the San Martin Christmas Tree Farm—situated at 13755 Monterey Road in San Martin.Battaglia Ranch, which has been in business for more than 40 years, is another choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm. A 35-foot-tall Santa Claus greets motorists on the west side of U.S. 101 near the San Martin Avenue exit.Customers can chop down trees from a selection of 4-year-old Monterey pines and Leyland cypress, or choose from an array of pre-cut trees, including Noble fir, Douglas fir, Nordmann fir, grand fir and Fraser fir.Those who have frequented the San Martin Christmas Tree Farm each holiday season for any of the last 35 years will see some fresh faces upon arrival this season. Longtime proprietor Steve Ludewig and his family sold their 23-acre ranch, including the tree farm, in June to new owners Abe and Teresa Andrade.“We thank you for the years our family has shared with you and yours,” Ludewig said in the announcement on the business website sanmartinxmastrees.com. “It has been our pleasure to spend our holiday each year providing Christmas trees to Santa Clara and San Benito counties.”The Andrades, who have lived in San Martin for 30 years, renamed Ludewig Ranch to Andrade Country Meadows—where they plan to host events such as weddings and other functions throughout the year.“We actually wanted to keep the tradition alive and keep the San Martin community with a nice Christmas Tree Farm,” Abe Andrade said. “So many people who have come by said this is a tradition for them so we wanted to be able to continue to provide that venue for them.”Friday at Andrade’s tree farm, he said, “From the time we opened the gate, it was a continuous flow of patrons and families coming through and enjoying themselves and finding the right tree.”The Polar Express train rides are still available as well, weather permitting, Andrade noted.Local tree farm owners are in luck with only a 30 percent chance of rain forecast for Friday and no rain, just cloudy skies with highs of 60 and lows of 40, anticipated from Saturday through Dec. 9, according to the National Weather Service.

Volunteers across the nation will be honoring its fallen warriors by placing wreaths on their tombstones, with the goal of carpeting the country’s military cemeteries as a tribute. This year, the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill are participating in the program—called Wreaths Across America—to honor more than 1,000 local veterans.

Gilroy’s Rebecca Dickson has been selected to represent the Garlic Capital in the 2015 Miss California USA contest.

Assemblyman Luis Alejo has proposed a bill aiming to ban the use of "Redskins" as a mascot in California public schools.

GILROY—The Gilroy Browns cheerleaders are headed to Florida.

Nearly 180 emergency shelter beds will be available for Santa Clara County’s homeless beginning Dec. 1 through the cold weather shelter program operated by San Jose-based nonprofit HomeFirst.

Local baseball players will get a chance to sharpen their skills before feasting on turkey.