Community

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...

Rachael Gallagher wears the crown as the 2026 Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen, winning the distinction at the festival’s annual scholarship pageant on April 19. Gallagher, 25, is a Gilroy native and a graduate of Gilroy High School’s Class of 2018, according to the Gilroy...

Santa Clara County voters will decide June 2 whether to approve a parcel tax that would generate an estimated $17 million annually for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, funding wildfire risk reduction, water protection and open space conservation across the region. Measure D...

In an entertainment industry that has been overtaken by the artificial, can its writers and performers still find a human connection? This is the question at the heart of “Comic Potential,” opening April 24 at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse. Written in 1999, the play...

Gilroy Foundation plans to invest more than $1 million in grants and scholarships in 2026, including $548,046 in support for Gilroy and South County nonprofit organizations.  The funding for the Gilroy Foundation’s grantmaking program was announced during its annual meeting and Grant Awards ceremony on...

A group of Gilroy High School choir students recently traveled to New York City, where they performed at the famed Carnegie Hall.  The Gilroy High School Choral Ensembles traveled to New York March 29-April 3 and performed April 1 as part of a MidAmerica Productions...

The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters' Office has begun mailing County Voter Information Guides to all active registered voters for the June 2 Statewide Direct Primary Election.   The guide provides information on the candidates and measures on the ballot, along with Vote Center locations,...