Community

The First Street McDonald’s restaurant in Gilroy donated $950 to Las Animas Elementary as part of their McTeacher’s Night fundraiser, which took place Oct. 23, according to a press release.

Calfire announced a prescribed burn is scheduled for Sunday in San Benito County and that its smoke will be visible throughout the region, according to a statement from the state agency.

Morgan Hill’s haunted graveyard, “Terror on Lassen Way,” will return for the 17th year from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. this Halloween.

Live Oak High School alumna Kassandra Pena, 24, will compete for the title of Miss California Latina 2013 Dec. 1.The competition will take place at Hotel Westin in Pasadena, and the winner will go on to represent California at the 2014 Miss Latina US, according to a press release from the Miss California Latina Pageant. Pena’s family moved to Morgan Hill in 2007, when she graduated from Live Oak, she said. Now a San Jose resident, Pena graduated from San Jose State University in 2011 with a degree in broadcast journalism. She was also a member of Lambda Theta Nu sorority at SJSU. Pena’s platform is gang prevention, according to the press release. She currently writes for LatinitasMagazine.com, an online digital magazine empowering Latina youth through the use of media and technology.Pena is the current title holder of Miss San Jose Latina 2013. Some of her sponsors are DryBar - Santana Row, and Mexico Lindo Restaurant, the press release says. Her parents still live in Morgan Hill, and Pena said she visits them every week. 

The Stuttering Foundation has put together a special DVD entitled, “Stuttering: For Kids By Kids,” to help children who stutter overcome their varying challenges in life.

Did you spend seven hours sewing a furry jumpsuit inspired by the "The Fox" viral Norwegian hit that blew up YouTube? Did you make a conscience effort to beat the hoards of online shoppers by purchasing your Katniss Everdeen "Hunger Games" duds months before the popular ensemble sold out? Have you been growing your whiskers in order to sport an authentic beard like the grizzled "Duck Dynasty" Louisianians?

The South Santa Clara County Valley Memorial Special District, a roughly 250-member club of ex-soldiers who gather for regular meetings and social events, will be electing two directors to its five person board in the Nov. 5 election.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival’s tote board, displayed every year during the world-renown extravaganza and proudly declaring the amount of money distributed to nonprofit organizations during the festival’s 35-year history, has to be replaced next year.

The inaugural Cougar-Q BBQ Tri-tip Dinner Fundraiser will be held Nov. 9 by the Christopher High Athletic Boosters.