Seats open on city boards
The City of Gilroy has various seats available for boards, committees and commissions.
The following seats are available:
• Arts and Culture Commission: Four seats
• Historic Heritage Committee: Two seats
• Library Commission: One seat
• Parks and Recreation Commission: Two seats
• Personnel Commission: Two seats
• Physically Challenged Board of Appeals: Two seats
• Planning Commission: Two seats
The deadline to apply is Dec. 17 at 5pm. The City Council will interview applicants on Jan. 10 and appointment decisions by council will take place Jan. 24 at 6pm.
For information and application forms, visit cityofgilroy.org/148/Boards-Commissions-Committees.
Applications can also be found at Gilroy City Hall. Applications may be submitted to ci*******@ci**********.org or by mail to City Clerk’s Office, 7351 Rosanna St., Gilroy, CA 95020.
Blood drive set for Nov. 24
Stanford Blood Center will hold a blood drive on Nov. 24 from noon to 5pm at the Veterans Memorial Building, 74 West Sixth St.
In preparation for their donation, donors are advised to eat well, stay hydrated and arrive with their donor ID. First-time donors or returning donors without a donor ID card should bring a valid state-issued photo identification.
Donors with all blood types are always welcomed and appreciated, but there’s always a need for type O blood, according to Stanford. O negative donors are universal donors, meaning anyone can receive O- blood no matter their type, and O- is often used for trauma and pediatric patients.
“Blood donors are essential to the health and safety of our community. You never know when you or someone you know could need blood,“ said Clayton Toller, Stanford Blood Center account manager. “In critical situations, it’s the blood that has already been donated that saves lives at a moment’s notice. That’s why we are asking our community members to step up to come out to the Gilroy Community blood drive. In just one hour, you could donate enough blood to help multiple patients at a time they need it most.”
Anyone who donates at the drive will receive a voucher for a free collectible long-sleeve holiday T-shirt.
Walk-in availability may be limited, so donors are encouraged to make an appointment by visiting stanford.io/3wxEasM or by calling 888.723.7831. Donors will be required to wear a mask.
Next community in Glen Loma opens
KB Home recently announced the grand opening of Ascent, a new, townhome-style condominium community in the Glen Loma Ranch development.
Ascent is located near the corner of Santa Teresa Boulevard and Miller Avenue. The community’s one-, two- and three-story floor plans feature up to three bedrooms and three baths, and range in size from approximately 1,100 to 2,000 square feet.
“We are excited to debut Ascent at Glen Loma Ranch. Our new community presents a rare chance to own an affordably priced home in a highly desirable master plan,” said Chris Apostolopoulos, regional general manager of KB Home’s South Bay division. “These new homes complement our current home designs at Asher and Alina at Glen Loma Ranch. Additionally, homebuyers will enjoy the many planned amenities as well as Ascent’s proximity to retail, dining, outdoor recreation and Silicon Valley’s major employment centers.”
The Ascent sales office and model homes are open for private in-person tours by appointment only.
Pricing begins in the low $600,000s.
For information, visit bit.ly/3wHnDCu.
Seismic retrofit grants available to homeowners
Many homeowners know their houses are at risk when an earthquake occurs, but may not be aware that they can help protect their homes with a seismic retrofit. Those who own homes in zip codes in Gilroy, Hollister and San Juan Bautista may be eligible for up to $3,000 to offset the cost of completing seismic retrofit projects.
The deadline to apply for the grants, available through the state’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program, is Dec. 1. EBB is also offering income-eligible homeowners a chance to qualify for newly available supplemental grants.
Homeowners with annual household incomes at or below $72,080 may qualify for the supplemental grants that could pay up to 100% of the cost of a seismic retrofit, according to a press release from EBB.
“EBB’s growth is a testament to the importance of preparing for the next big earthquake,” said Janiele Maffei, chief mitigation officer of the California Earthquake Authority and executive director of EBB. “Bolting houses to their foundations and bracing the crawl space walls can help Californians protect their families, their homes and their investments.”
The program is open to homeowners in 395 zip codes in California. In South Valley, homeowners in zip codes 95023, 95020 and 95045 may apply for EBB assistance.
Through Dec. 1, eligible homeowners can apply for retrofit grant funding at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com, where they can also find program information, select a FEMA-trained, California-licensed general contractor and view the full list of eligible ZIP Codes. Once registration closes, participating homeowners will be selected through a random drawing and notified via email if they have been selected or if they have been placed on the waitlist, says the press release.
SV Symphony Holiday Concert
The South Valley Symphony will celebrate the holidays with a concert of seasonal favorites plus a belated commemoration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday, at a Dec. 11 performance in the sanctuary of Advent Lutheran Church in Morgan Hill.
Maestro Anthony Quartuccio will preside over “A Holiday Happy Birthday to Beethoven,” which will open with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor,” with guest soloist Kristal B. Kim at the keyboard. The “Emperor” Concerto, written in 1809, is a giant of the classical repertoire.
The symphony’s planned celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, in 1770, was scuttled last year due to the pandemic.
Soloist Kim, who is also a composer and music teacher, has performed internationally. She is on the faculty at Ohlone College.
The concert’s second act will include “The Skater’s Waltz” by Waldteufel, selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” Suite and holiday favorites.
The concert begins at 7:30pm at Advent Lutheran, 16870 Murphy Ave., in Morgan Hill.
Tickets cost $30 at www.southvalleysymphony.org, or free to students with ID. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test is required, and masks are required inside the building.
