Community

Coach Celeste Perales launched the Gilroy girls lacrosse program in the spring of 2023. By the second year, the Mustangs were competitive in Blossom Valley Athletic League play. Year three was another fine season but then graduations hit, and the 2026 outlook was hopeful but...

Gavilan College and the Gavilan Student Workers Union jointly announced that the college has recognized GSWU as the exclusive representative of student worker employees of the Gavilan Joint Community College District.  This is the first time a community college student workers union has been voluntarily...

The office of Gilroy City Council Member Zach Hilton is asking the community to nominate a local resident for “Bike Person of the Year” as part of May's Bike Month celebrations. The office is looking for a Gilroy resident of any age that has...

Meeting Luis Valdez recently was more than an introduction, it was a profound reminder of how powerful culture, storytelling and identity can be in shaping not only history, but also our personal understanding of who we are. In life, we all experience moments of reflection,...

It was a proud moment for the Gavilan Joint Community College District on April 25, as Superintendent/President, Dr. Pedro Avila, received the Man of the Year award from the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce at the 72nd Spice of Life Gala. “I am so proud of...

Federal, state and local officials gathered May 1 at the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve to break ground on a $1.4-million project that will improve trail access for visitors of all abilities. Announced in 2024, the project will widen and stabilize the quarter-mile Heart’s Delight...

I recently organized a show that was held at the Gilroy Center For the Arts, based on the fentanyl crisis and the artistic, creative expressions of grief from the families impacted by it. I cannot speak highly enough of Marianne and her staff. She welcomed...

In my last letter, I used conservative data from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to argue that mountain lion populations are exceeding sustainable levels. But the issue isn’t just mathematical—it’s behavioral. If mountain lions were truly threatened by low population numbers, we would...

Santa Clara County Executive James R. Williams released a recommended fiscal year 2026-27 budget on May 1 that proposes $14.7 billion in spending while confronting unprecedented federal funding cuts, according to county staff. The recommended budget aims to prioritize essential services and protect the...

April is recognized as World Autism Month, and I write this as both a mother and an advocate. Like many parents, my early experiences with autism were overwhelming and, at times, isolating.  In our community, support can feel limited. Many autistic children are often defined by...