Local Digest
Get an inside look at the police department
Gilroy residents or people who work in Gilroy are invited to take part in the Citizen Police Academy, a 10-week program put on by the Gilroy Police Department.
The weekly three-hour, Tuesday night classes examine different units in the department, including the mounted – or horse-riding – unit, the K-9 unit and the gang intervention unit. During the session, refreshments will be provided. The program is a prerequisite for people who wish to become volunteers in the police department.
Participants must be at least 18 years old and have no felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions within one year of applying. The program is limited to 25 people and applications are due by Jan. 10.
Details and applications: Maribel Guitierrez, 846-0523.
VTA OKs more transit passes for homeless
Under a new program initiated by Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, more reduced-fare bus passes will available to the homeless.
The Valley Transportation Authority has offered 713 monthly passes, but under the new, quarterly UPLIFT transit pass program, 1,850 passes will be available. The homeless are required to meet each month with their case managers to qualify for the passes.
Gage spearheaded the program in response to a recommendation of the Blue Ribbon Commission he set up to address homelessness in the county.
SJ mayor lobbies for bullet train through Pacheco Pass
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed was in Sacramento Wednesday to lobby the California High-Speed Rail Authority to select the Pacheco Pass route to connect the Bay Area and southern California.
The authority was to consider a preferred network alternative, high-speed train route alignment and station locations for the Bay Area to Central Valley. The recommendation was to set the line through Pacheco Pass and into San Jose, where it will travel up each side of San Francisco Bay to the cities of San Francisco and Oakland.
$1.15 million grant seeks to improve traffic safety
The state Office of Traffic Safety has earmarked the Santa Clara County Public Health Department to receive $1.15 million in funds through Sept. 30, 2010 to continue running Traffic Safe Communities Network programs.
TSCN is a countywide coalition of public health and traffic safety professionals working together to prevent and control traffic-related injuries, fatalities, and health care costs.
‘Swing Shift’ comes to Gav
The City of Gilroy Community Services Department presents Bisceglie’s “Swing Shift.” Please join us for this 1940s all singing, all swinging musical revue, featuring more than 95 local youth and adults. Nine public performances, opens Jan. 11 and closes Jan. 27: Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Performances will be held in the Gavilan College Theatre. All tickets are $12. Reserved seating. Reservations recommended.
Details: 846-0449.
Hwy. 152 Flyover support construction begins
The Valley Transportation Authority will be doing construction at the intersection of highways 152 and 156 beginning next week. Road crews will be putting in steel piles that will eventually support the flyover structure, which will improve traffic circulation at the interchange. The project is projected to cost $34.8 million and be complete by spring 2009.
Three Gilroy liquor stores sold to minors
The California Alcoholic Beverage Control used people younger than 20 years old to investigate if liquor stores in Gilroy would sell to people younger than 21 years old. Out of the 17 stores with liquor licenses in Gilroy, three sold alcohol to the minor. The three stores were Arteaga’s Super Save at 211 First St., AGM 76 at 6991 Monterey St. and Pat’s Liquors, also at 211 First St.
These business face a minimum fine of $250 and 24 to 32 hours of community service for their first violation. They could also have their liquor licenses suspended or revoked.
Send digest items to City Editor Robert Airoldi at ed****@****ic.com.
