Community

The Exchange Club of Gilroy hosted its 20th annual Blue and Gold Awards Luncheon last week to honor public safety officers who go above and beyond their call of duty in South County. Here are the officers who won awards:

Santa Clara County Library District kicked off their summer reading program June 1, which encourages people of all ages to read for pleasure during the lazy, hot months of June, July and August. 

South County’s very own Andy Mariani – a second generation stone fruit grower whose 1957 orchard thrived long enough to see the surrounding region transform from “Valley of the Heart’s Delight” to Silicon Valley – is featured in a colorful eight-page spread of this month’s Sunset Magazine.

The 24,000-square-foot Shipley Mansion, which is nestled in the San Martin foothills and came on the market mid-May, attracted 15 offers from people all around the world, and is poised to set the record for the highest home price ever in South County. 

Anissa Trujillo's wish list for her ninth birthday was different to most girls her age. She asked her family to buy gifts for less fortunate children: shoes, and lots of them.

The budding directors of the Gilroy Farmer's Market are hoping to cultivate the downtown community with a new location, vendors and activities as the venue kicks off a brand new season Saturday.

It's a breezy, sunny day and Colleen, a 2-year old dog with an endless love for fetch, playfully chases a tennis ball in the grass. The border collie mix is sweet and lovable, but she has yet to find a permanent home. Colleen is just one of the many animals available for adoption at the County of Santa Clara Animal Care and Control. This Saturday and Sunday, Colleen and all of the other dogs and cats at the shelter can be adopted at no cost, thanks to the shelter's participation in Maddie's Pet Adoption Days - America's largest free pet adoption event.

The special library tax that’s been in place for 20 years is expiring in 2015, and the county’s Joint Powers Authority is hoping that Gilroy residents will vote to continue the tax that supports maintaining library hours and inventory.

Hundreds of families congregated on the streets, their faces pointing to the cloudy sky as five synchronized fighter planes soared over 10th and Monterey streets to kick off Monday morning’s Memorial Day parade in Gilroy.

Morgan Hill’s population nearly doubled at times during Memorial Day weekend, thanks to the food, arts, crafts, entertainment and games – not to mention sunny weather with temperatures in the 70s – served up on a platter by the 34th annual Mushroom Mardi Gras festival.