Business

Amazon recently launched new “community funds” in Gilroy, offering grants up to $10,000 for local nonprofits. Applications are open now through Jan. 8, 2026.  The announcement comes as Amazon celebrates the impact of its previous round of funding, which supported 31 local projects with a...

Santa Clara County planning officials have walked back controversial proposed land use policy changes that would have reclassified animals as non-livestock, following fierce opposition from equestrians, ranchers and agricultural advocates who warned the amendments could devastate rural businesses and displace thousands of horses and...

Full CalFresh benefits have now been issued to all California recipients whose November payments had been delayed by the federal government shutdown, says a press release from Santa Clara County. The payments follow an order by the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island requiring...

A Bay Area nonprofit launched an emergency weekend meal program last weekend in partnership with the Gilroy Unified School District, and is planning to serve 500 children and their families every Saturday and Sunday in November.  The program, led by Community Seva, was launched in...

Food pantries across South County are experiencing unprecedented demand following the suspension of SNAP benefits due to the federal government shutdown, with lines wrapping around blocks and new families seeking assistance at rates not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Reach Out Food Pantry in...

The owner of a 23-acre property on Highway 101—where the Betabel Commercial Development proposal has been the subject of an environmental study and lawsuit—recently filed an application to change plans to allow hundreds of new homes.  Property owner McDowell Family Trust and architect Henry Ruhnke...

South Valley Civic Theatre’s production of “Fun Home” explores how one woman revisits her fractured childhood with a closeted father through the lens of memory, blending humor with heartbreak in a wandering journey through family secrets, missed opportunities and, ultimately, forgiveness and acceptance. Based on...

The Latino Family Fund de Gilroy (LFF) this week announced the launch of a new, impact-driven grant model designed to better align with the organization’s mission, strategic plan and the findings of the 2025 Santa Clara County Latino Health Assessment.  This  updated approach reflects LFF’s...

The Rotary Club of Gilroy celebrated its 100th year milestone on Oct. 21 with the reading of a letter written by the founder of International Rotary, Paul Harris in October 1925.  To put a historical context on the milestone, a reporter for the Gilroy Advocate...

What started as a childhood passion has transformed into a professional haunted house operation run by two local teenagers who are proving that age is no barrier to entrepreneurship. Jack Teresi, 19, and Luke Conor, 18, are the co-designers behind Ethereal Acres, a home-grown haunted...