Politics

The Santa Clara County Planning Commission approved plans to build the Cordoba Center in San Martin – a mosque, cemetery and meeting place for the South Valley Islamic Community – at its meeting late Thursday afternoon, according to Hamdy Abbass, spokesman for SVIC who attended the meeting in San Jose.

City Council voted 4-2 to support the Santa Clara Valley Water District's ballot measure for Gilroy's November election during their regular meeting Monday night. 

Gilroy Gardens handed the City a check for $130,000, based on profit from last fiscal year during the regular July 16 Council meeting, inciting a dispute between Council members and staff on how that money should be spent.

The multi-county partnership that was studying the possibility of making Highway 152 a toll road has broken up.

Thirty-four-year-old West Gilroy resident Anna Miyabara, pregnant with twins, moved to Gilroy from the Bay Area a few months ago, hoping to raise her babies away from the air pollution of the big city.

Four City Council members have saved the swimming recreation day for hundreds of children and families on the east side by voting to repair the South Valley Middle School swimming pool and keep recreation opportunities afloat. Community advocate Shawn Weymouth also floated a fabulous idea: name the pool after the late longtime city recreation department employee, coach and Gilroy community volunteer, John Garcia. Just thinking about the idea makes me smile, as I’m sure it does John. His family would be duly honored. Love the idea.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Wednesday authorizing initial construction of California's $68 billion high-speed rail line.