Community

Jesse Garcia answered the phone huffing and puffing.

Framed pictures with global superstars like Eric Clapton and Andrea Bocelli hang neatly on the walls inside the home of musician Polo Jones, nestled back inside an upscale gated community in Morgan Hill. The patio boasts a stunning view of surrounding hills and the town sprawled below, with the occasional deer bounding through the neighborhood.

Despite losing his mother to breast cancer six years ago, Event Chair Manuel Haro of the Gilroy Relay for Life hasn’t given up the fight to find a cure.

The American Legion Gilroy Post #217 will commemorate Veterans Day at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11 at the Veterans Memorial Building located at 74 W. Sixth St.

Legions of miniature superheros, masked villains, vampires, zombies, cartoon characters, celebrities and more peacefully invaded downtown Morgan Hill with their grownup enablers on Halloween night, while merchants held them at bay with free candy and street games. The Morgan Hill Downtown Association hosted the annual Safe Trick or Treat event Thursday night, closing Monterey Road to automobile traffic allowing costumed children and their parents to safely pursue confectioneries and show off their threads. Mini baseball, face painting and other games were offered throughout Monterey Road, and the Kiwanis club turned an empty lot on Third Street into a haunted pirate’s cove. For the first time this year, Safe Trick or Treat also featured live music, with Blue Dog performing in front of the former site of Simple Beverages. It was also the first night for the new Thursday night farmers market, which will continue year-round from 3 to 7 p.m. at the corner of Monterey Road and Third Streets.MHDA president Brad Jones said the feedback from the trick-or-treating so far has been positive, and organizers were able to work through some logistical glitches including a miscue on the preferred timing of the street closure. “The weather was fantastic, and people seemed to have a great time,” Jones said. “Having the band seemed to be really exciting, and for such short notice on the farmers market, I thought that went well.” 

Following last year’s second annual "Treats for Troops" drive, where Las Animas Elementary students pooled approximately 888 pounds of candy for a good cause, they're at it again and inviting the community to join in on the sweet gesture.

Gilroy native Stephen Hopf is building himself quite an impressive résumé in the world of auto racing.

Every child at Gilroy Unified School District schools will have access to a leafy salad and fresh fruits at a refurbished or brand new salad bar starting in early November, as part of a trickle down effect of First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative to end childhood obesity.