Community

City Councilmember Zach Hilton recently wrote in a letter to the editor that the commuter rail service Caltrain should “pause” their service out of Gilroy (Dispatch, June 13, 2025). I feel that this action would be taking a step backward and do more harm...

In an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle crashes, the California Highway Patrol Hollister-Gilroy Area will deploy additional officers July 4-5, within south Santa Clara and San Benito counties. Officers will look for violations by both motorcycle riders and drivers that make roads...

It’s July! Congratulations, all you recent graduates! Happy birthday, USA!  Only one more year until the big 250th! Until then, is anyone else thrilled that the Gilroy Garlic Festival is returning this year, nestling into Gilroy Gardens on July 25-27? Bittersweet (but understandable) that the...

Every teacher in California wants their students to be able to read. But too often, we’re not given the tools to provide effective reading instruction.  While serving as an English language arts/English language development teacher on Special Assignment for Gilroy Unified School District, our Las...

A Gilroy man was arrested in Watsonville for reportedly selling illegal fireworks as law enforcement agencies continue to ratchet up efforts to snare people involved in such unpermitted activities.  The Watsonville Police Department said officers discovered a variety of fireworks in a man’s car, which...

Across the country, a quiet revolution is changing how small towns and cities operate. It’s not led by billion-dollar investments or top-down mandates, but by neighbors with ideas—and local governments willing to say YES. This movement is called “Idea Friendly,” a term coined by the...

Anyone driving through the cities and unincorporated areas of southern Santa Clara County will immediately notice its diverse and vibrant landscape. For many, the area evokes memories of the region’s rich agricultural heritage.  However, South County's location and topography also make it particularly vulnerable to...

The following Gilroy residents graduated from Stanislaus State’s Class of 2025, during commencement ceremonies held May 27-30: Yoanna Garcia, with a bachelor of arts in anthropology; Theodore Alvarez, cum laude with a bachelor of arts in child development; Indra Aradillas, bachelor of arts in...

A large medical tech company based in Sunnyvale recently signed a lease on a giant new industrial building at McCarthy Business Park, according to the City of Gilroy. Intuitive, a pioneer of robotic-assisted surgery and a global technology leader in minimally invasive care, will soon...

Sawyer Keys, who was recently diagnosed with an extremely rare form of liver cancer, got an experience of a lifetime when he got to throw out a football prior to the Bay Area Panthers’ June 7 game against the Tulsa Oilers. The 9-year-old Gilroy resident...