Brian Palmer Gilbert to be sentenced Friday
GILROY
– The defense for Brian Gilbert – the San Martin man who in July
was found guilty of in-voluntary man-slaughter for acci-dentally
leaving his infant child to die in the back seat of a hot car –
will argue at his sentencing hearing Friday morning that Gilbert
should not be incarcerated.
But because of the recent court workers’ strike, the sentencing
could be delayed.
Gilbert could face up to four years in prison for the jury
conviction on July 19, which came after an emotional week-long
trial and two days of jury deliberation.
Exchange Club hosts Harvest Festival Dinner and Auction
GILROY – Gilroy Exchange Club will host its annual Harvest Festival Dinner and Auction on Saturday, Nov. 23 at the I.F.D.E.S. Hall on Old Gilroy Street. Tickets are only $15 for a fabulous tri-tip steak buffet and live auction. For tickets and information, call Eleanor Villarreal at 846-2142. Gilroy Exchange began December 1990. Priorities are child abuse prevention, Americanism and community service. All funds raised in Gilroy are allocated in Gilroy to provide food for underserved families, distribute flags at the Memorial Day Parade and fund local youth organizations.
Food drive
GILROY – Dr. Robert Kovacs, in conjunction with Safeway, Inc. and the U.S. Army Recruiting Company of Gilroy, are collecting food for the Adult and Child Guidance Center’s Older Adult Program in Gilroy in order to assure that everyone has a nice Thanksgiving Dinner. The drive will occur on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of Safeway. In exchange for your donation of non-perishable food items (low-salt or no-salt), Dr. Kovacs is offering a certificate for $125 worth of services at no charge. Details: 848-3666.
Pledge a pie
GILROY – Jenny Midtgaard will again be collecting pies on Wednesday, Nov. 27 for two organizations that are cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless and anyone who needs a good meal. St. Joseph’s Family Center will need about 80 pies (any kind) and the Salvation Army needs 25 (pumpkin only). Call 842-9028 or e-mail jd****@****ic.com for more details or to pledge a pie.
FFA Booster Club
GILROY – Gilroy High School FFA Booster Club will meet Monday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m., room CE-17, Gilroy High School, 750 W. 10th St. For more information, call
848-3938.
Gilroy Little League kickoff
GILROY – Gilroy Little League is kicking off the 2003 season with walk-in registration Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Cove Family Restaurant (303 First St.). A copy of a birth certificate is required to register your ball player (copy machine will be on site). If you think you are interested in holding a Board position, or would like to volunteer to make this season a success, plan on attending a meeting at Luigi Aprea on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. Gilroy Little League is run 100 percent by volunteers. Details: me******@***oo.com.
Jolly Walk entry form
GILROY – Join in the magical fun of Santa’s Jolly Walk and share your holiday spirit with the community on Saturday, Dec. 7. The City wide Christmas Program committee is seeking holiday festive participants for this year’s event. Complete details and entry form for the 2002 Santa’s Jolly Walk is available at the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce office at 7471 Monterey St. Deadline to enter is Wednesday, Dec. 4. For more information, call
842-6437.
hike and winery outing
GILROY – Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area’s leading land conservation and urban planning nonprofit organization, is sponsoring a hike through Mt. Madonna County Park on Saturday, Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day will start with an easy hike through redwood, madrone and tan oak forests on the broad slopes of Mt. Madonna and finish with a visit to the Kruse Winery near Gilroy. For more information or directions, call (415) 225-3233.
Holiday Decorating Contest
GILROY – The South County Realtors Association and the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce present the Holiday Home Decorating Contest 2002. A panel of judges will tour the city on Wednesday, Dec. 11 between 6 and 10 p.m. The prize for first place is $75, with $50 and $25 for second and third place, and a special $25 prize for the best apartment or condominium. All residences within the Gilroy City limits are eligible. Decorations must be visible from the street. The deadline for entry is Dec. 9. All entrants will be publicized in The Dispatch. Details: 841-6437.
Vial of L.I.F.E.
GILROY – The Gilroy Fire Department announces the launch of a new program called the “Vial of L.I.F.E.” The Vial of L.I.F.E. is a small plastic container that holds a “Lifesaving Information For Emergencies” (LIFE) questionnaire for fire department emergency medical service personnel.
Instructions in the kit direct the user to place the vial in a prominent spot in their refrigerator to aid in its location in a medical emergency. The Vial of L.I.F.E. is designed for people with medical conditions such as heart disease, history of stroke, seizures, and respiratory conditions. It is also for people who may have life-threatening allergies to medications or other allergens. In an emergency when seconds count, access to critical health history and medication information can save seconds and thus lives.
The Vial of L.I.F.E. is being provided free of charge as a public service from the Gilroy Fire Department and Gilroy Firefighters Union Local 2805 and is co-sponsored by St. Louise Regional Hospital. A Vial of L.I.F.E. kit can be picked up at Gilroy Fire Stations located at 7070 Chestnut St. and 8383 Wren Ave. Details: 846-0372.
Salsa lessons
GILROY – Learn the basics of Latin Dancing at four classes offered by Studio Three in December. Sign up for all four, or just drop in. The classes will be held Dec. 3, 5, 10 and 12. The cost is $50 for all four or $15 per class. Details: 846-5392.
Toy Drive
SAN MARTIN – San Martin Christmas Tree Farm is sponsoring a toy drive to benefit San Martin Emergency Housing Consortium. Bring your unwrapped toy to the sales office at 13865 Monterey Road between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Open every day until Christmas Eve. For details, call Lori Clifford at 778-9951.
Santa visits Battaglia Ranch
SAN MARTIN – Santa Claus will be visiting the Battaglia Ranch Choose and Cut Christmas Tree Farm on Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 and Dec. 7 to 8. Between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Santa will be taking pictures with kids or the whole family. Bring your camera, or let an elf take the picture for you. A large 35-foot Santa Claus greets travelers alongside Highway 101 between Morgan Hill and Gilroy. Exit west on San Martin Avenue, and it’s just a few 100 feet to the main gate. Details: 683-4730.
Holiday Lights Parade
MORGAN HILL – The Morgan Hill Kiwanis, in cooperation with the City of Morgan Hill, is once again bringing in the holidays with the 2002 Holiday Lights Parade. The parade will take place in downtown Morgan Hill on Saturday, Dec. 14. The Parade will begin, rain or shine (or snow!) at 5:30 p.m. The parade will host a variety of local businesses, community groups, bands, and just people (and pets) full of the holiday spirit. The Morgan Hill Kiwanis puts on the parade as a service to the community. In advance of the parade, the Kiwanis, Rotary and other local service clubs volunteer their time to decorate the median strips in downtown Morgan Hill.
Anyone interested in participating in the parade, being a parade sponsor, helping with the decorations or any of these activities should call 776-3222.
‘Lend Me a Tenor’ auditions
MORGAN HILL – South Valley Civic Theatre will be holding auditions for its adult show “Lend Me a Tenor,” on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 23 at 10 a.m. The auditions will be held at the SVCT Warehouse, 8565 Monterey Road, behind Kelly-Moore Paints. “Lend Me a Tenor” is a comedy with a cast of four men and four women. People auditioning may prepare a monologue for presentation, and they should be prepared to read and respond to direction. Details: 842-SHOW.
Gift and Gallery Walk
MORGAN HILL – Fourteen art galleries and gift shops in downtown Morgan Hill are once again sponsoring the popular Downtown Gift and Gallery Walk on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors will have an opportunity to win prizes donated by each participant, as well as enjoy refreshments at each location. Participating galleries and gift shops, all within a four block area, are Belle Cose, BookSmart, Brotin Designs, Continental Stitch, Extraordinary Gifts, Fish Art, Gallery Morgan Hill, the General Store, Glaze Creations, The Goose Pond, Hometown Gallery, Morgan Hill Antiques and Collectibles, Rosy’s at the Beach and The Seed Co. For more information, contact Judy Klinger at 782-5083.
Heritage resource meeting
GILROY – The County of Santa Clara County is beginning an update of its Heritage Resource Inventory and needs volunteers. Local knowledge is critical to the success of the survey update. Help is needed to provide local connections for contacting property owners; locate historical photographs of the area and listed historic resources in archives and private collections; locate historical newspaper articles and similar local sources; identify properties associated with historical themes or building types that are not well represented in the current inventory and may be considered for future documentation; and conduct oral history interviews to augment archival research.
To kick off the project there will be a public meeting on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Gilroy City Hall Council Chambers, 7351 Rosanna St., Gilroy. Details: 229-5798.
H.T. Bee and Salvation Army
GILROY – H.T. Bee, Hometown Buffet’s friendly mascot will be a Salvation Army Bell Ringer on Nov. 29 and 30 in front of Wal-Mart from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Come make a donation to a good cause. Details: 846-2850.
VTA public meeting
GILROY – Due to the declining economy, Valley Transit Authority will hold meetings to discuss proposed transit service reductions. If approved, the transit service reductions would go into effect in April 2003. For Gilroy, there will be two meetings on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 3 and 7 p.m. at the Gilroy City Hall Council Chambers, 7351 Rosanna St. Details:
321-2300.
Megan’s Law CD changes
GILROY – To better serve the public, the Friday viewing hours for the Megan’s Law CD ROM at the Gilroy Police Department will be changed to Wednesdays between 6 and 8 p.m. The Tuesday session from 9 to 11 a.m. will remain the same. The viewing time is limited to 15 minutes per sitting and a total of 30 minutes per business day. Details: 846-0300.
Community blood drive
GILROY – A community blood drive will be held at St. Louise Hospital in Gilroy on Monday, Dec. 16 from 1 to 6 p.m. in board rooms A and B. Give the gift of life to your community at Christmas- donate blood. Details:
1-800-GIVE-LIFE.
NEWS ITEMS: Please fax local news items to City Editor Jodi Engle at 842-2206, e-mail to ed****@****ic.com or mail to 6400 Monterey St., Gilroy.
