Library to open on Sundays
The Gilroy Library will resume full service hours on Jan. 24.
The library will be open Monday-Wednesday from 1-9pm, Thursday-Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sunday from 1-5pm.
The public can now reserve community rooms and large rooms, which will be available starting Jan. 24 for educational, cultural, intellectual, civic, or charitable activities that are open to the public. This is in addition to the medium and small rooms, which are already available.
AAUW celebrates Roe v. Wade anniversary
The Gilroy Branch of the American Association of University Women will join other Santa Clara County branches in celebrating the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade with a virtual program on Saturday, Jan. 22 from 2:45-4:15pm.
The program will feature Leslie Reagan, a professor at the University of Illinois, and Christina Krysinski, policy director for NARAL. In addition, State Senator Josh Becker will explain options for California.
Those who want to learn the current status of this issue can request a link to the virtual program by emailing c.******@ya***.com.
Halcón appointed as deputy county executive
Kasey Halcón has been appointed as deputy county executive for the County of Santa Clara.
In this position, effective Feb. 7, she’ll continue her public service career, which has been rooted in services for victims of crimes and the coordination of response and recovery efforts in mass casualty events.
“In many of the recent events that have tested our collective resiliency—including the 2019 tragedy at the Gilroy Garlic Festival and last year’s shooting at the VTA yard—Kasey was the leader behind the countywide efforts to support the victims and our community,” said County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith. “Many of our programs for victims’ services did not exist before she joined the County administration. She knows how to build from the ground up, and as deputy county executive, her out-of-the-box thinking will make even more of a difference for our most underserved communities.”
Currently, Halcón is the director of victim services at the District Attorney’s Office, a program she established, built and grew for the last six years. There, she leads victim services coordination and mass victimization-related programs including the Victim Services Unit, the Children’s Advocacy Center, the Gilroy Strong Resiliency Center and the VTA Resiliency Center.
She has worked in victim advocacy for more than 15 years, providing services to victims of crime and their family members.
“I fought for years to give voice to those who don’t easily have one and worked to develop programs designed to improve access to services for our most vulnerable community members,” Halcón said. “These same goals will stay with me as deputy county executive. Every decision I make and every project I champion will be guided by this vision.”
She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Sonoma State University and is on professional boards for the California Crime Victims’ Assistance Association, the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council, the Santa Clara County Community Corrections Partnership, the Santa Clara County Reentry Network and the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council Realignment Subcommittee.
