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In case you’ve been wondering, it’s been a year.

When 20-year-old Frank Sanchez was drafted, trained and shipped in 1943 to southeast England to fight the Germans as a machine gunner for an anti-aircraft team, he had no idea that decades later, he would be recognized for his service as a “Veteran of the Year.”

At Shag Beauty Bar, it's hairstyling, talk therapy and beauty treatment all in the span of one 35-minute appointment.

Gilroy’s gangly former mayor with a broad smile, firm handshake and deep voice – a descendant of the city’s founding father and a much-decorated American war hero – died Wednesday morning at his home in Texas with his wife Patricia by his side. Kevin A. “Mike” Gilroy was 77.

Employees Santa Clara County’s emergency medical services contractor reached a deal with their employer last week that improves safety conditions, increases pay, maintains benefits, protects jobs and allows the employees to plan more time off with their families, according to a press release from the AFSCME Local 4911 United EMS Workers. Members of Local 4911 voted overwhelmingly Friday to approve the new two-year contract with Rural/Metro, with a vote of 89 percent of union members in favor, the press release says. The EMS workers were faced with multiple hurdles to a favorable agreement when they sat down at the bargaining table, including Rural/Metro’s recent bankruptcy filing, the press release says. Paramedics, EMTs, dispatchers and vehicle-supply techs took a strike authorization vote in April and reached out to County leaders to discuss the importance of maintaining EMS standards in the county. “We knew it was up to us to hold Rural/Metro accountable,” said Martine Bustamante, an EMT at Rural/Metro 911. “People’s lives and our safety were on the line.” Samantha Tennison, a paramedic at Rural/Metro 911, added, “Having participation at every level is what makes us strong. We’ve never been this united, and it made all the difference in negotiations.” Rural/Metro has been the County’s EMS provider since 2011. Since then, the company has been criticized for failing to meet the response time standards listed in the contract with the County, who imposed more than $3.4 million worth of fines on the provider from January 2012 to April 2013. 

United Way Silicon Valley’s 211 Santa Clara County today launched an online resource center for veterans that offers the latest information about veterans’ programs and services in Santa Clara County. The 211 veterans’ resource center also provides weekly job openings, news updates, upcoming events for veterans, and videos.

Students from low-income families on the east side of Gilroy were able to attend a Sharks game in box seats and meet one of the players, thanks to the collaborative efforts of several Sharks employees.

When someone walks through the doors of the Gilroy Compassion Center, they are instantly considered family to the staff and other patrons who share or have experienced similar plights.

Shirley Temple and Fred Astaire danced into the hearts of millions of Americans through their television sets, and dazzled a young, impressionable Lana Wright.

San Ysidro Park may soon offer affordable Zumba classes, soccer practices and other lifestyle-minded programs thanks to a federally funded effort to help South Santa Clara County families live healthier, disease-free lives.