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Joseph Barnes’ 108 yards and Jon Castro’s 93 yards in the first half pushed the Mustangs past the Grizzlies on their 40-20 win Friday night, their first playoff game since 2008.

A San Jose man who was driving on a private road in Aromas and reportedly talking on a cell phone, was struck and killed Thursday afternoon by a train at an unmarked crossing, according to the California Highway Patrol.

More than a hundred Gilroyans gathered outside the Veterans Memorial Building on Sixth Street Friday to honor the men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces during a heartfelt Veterans Day ceremony. There was the Presentation of the Colors, by the Color Guard of Post 6309 and American Legion Post 217, a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem by Ted Sanchez and patriotic music performed by the Christopher High and Gilroy High School marching bands, who played together for the first time in five years. Mayor elect Roland Velasco, who served four years in the US Army, was the guest speaker. John Ceballos, past District 12 Commander and past VFW Post 6309 Commander, served as Master of Ceremonies for the hour-long service, which saw Robert “Bobby” Armendariz, Commander of Gilroy American Legion Post 217 named Veteran of the Year, one of eight veterans recognized by Assemblymember for District 30, Luis Alejo. “Bobby is deeply committed to the veteran community, is involved in various organizations, most notably Gilroy American Legion Post 217, where he serves as commander,” said Daniel Dodge from Alejo’s office. “Under his guidance, the post has distinguished itself as a community leader, which regularly gives scholarships and advocates for veterans affairs.” Armendariz began his military and advanced infantry training at Fort Lewis, Wa., gaining knowledge in the armored division as a tank driver and infantry light weapons specialist. He was then deployed to Germany as part of a Ranger Unit with the 16th Infantry, Alpha Company, First Battalion where he supported his unit as a tank driver.After his honorable discharge, Armendariz returned to his native Gilroy and married his wife Lucy. He worked for 30 years at Crown-Zellerbach, a paper products corporation, until his retirement. “The people of California solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly on the seas, in the air, on foreign shores to preserve our heritage of freedom,” recited Dodge before welcoming Armendariz to the podium. “It is appropriate to applaud Bobby Amendariz for the courageous manner through which he’s served and sacrificed to safeguard our democratic principles for this generation and generations to come.” Ushered through the crowd in a round of applause, at the podium, Armendariz thanked the gathered group of servicemen and their families, the American Legion and Gilroy community. “Thank you for this great honor,” said Armendariz, during a brief speech that called for veteran unity. “ We [The American Legion] does as much as we can for the community and for all veterans - no matter who they are. Whether they served in the US or overseas, or were combat veterans.We have to remember that we are all veterans, no matter what, where or who we served with. We need to appreciate ourselves, and devote our time to the community, especially to the young people of this city of Gilroy, so they grow up to be strong and hopefully become veterans that will carry on this work. Thank you very much.” 

Gilroyans have had 210 cars stolen this year, up 60 percent over the last five years in the city, something police attribute to the decrease of prison sentences for property crimes.There were 125 cars stolen in the first three quarters of 2011 and the number has increased steadily, with 154 taken in the first three quarters of 2012; 175 in 2013; 174 in 2014; and 199 in 2015. The 210 stolen so far this year covers one less month than the others because the numbers for the whole quarter weren’t yet compiled.“The interesting thing is you look at AB 109, which gave early releases to prisoners and lenient sentences for property crimes, and you see it coordinates with the increase,” said Gilroy Police Department Sgt. Jason Smith.AB 109, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, dropped the overcrowded state prison population by 25,000 over two years. Nonviolent felons without prior serious or violent offenses were sent to county jail, rather than prison. In 2014, the state passed Proposition 47, which reduced sentences for thefts of property valued at less than $950, and cut sentences for drug use, which Smith suggested put more criminals on the street.“You look at the numbers and there’s been an uptick since then,” he said. “I’m not saying that’s it, but I definitely think it contributes to the numbers.”Gilroy Police say most of the cars aren’t hot-wired, but have keys in them or hidden on the outside of the car. Some have been left running to warm up in cold weather or cool in hot weather.“Car thefts are crimes of opportunity,” Smith said. “People leave their keys in the door; they leave them running or have a spare key attached. Thieves know about those spare keys and can find them quickly.”Most of the cars are older models, with less effective computer security systems. Hondas from the 1990s are the most popular. Thieves can use a key they know how to shave to fit those cars.“It’s harder to steal a car without the key,” Smith said. “You have to know how to override a computer system.”To make matters worse, Gilroy has the 17th highest car insurance rates in the state, according to a study by ValuePenguin.com.The average yearly premium in Gilroy is $1,882, or 13 percent above the $1,661 average price in California. For comparison, San Joseans pay $1,393; Los Angelenos pay $1,624 and San Franciscans pay $1,783.Some tips from GPD to keep your car safe: Know your license number. Have it written down or take a photo of it with your phone camera. Many people forget their license number and can’t get it to police right away to help them find the car.Don’t leave your car running unattended, day or night. Car thefts occur at all hours.Don’t leave windows cracked open and park in well-lighted areas at night.To avoid having items stolen from cars—which is becoming more common in shopping areas like the Outlets—don’t leave goods you’ve bought in plain sight. Thieves are canvassing the area, looking especially at rental cars, where tourists store stuff, breaking windows to make a quick steal and finding valuables such as passports.Install an alarm system.         

It would be hard to find a sillier, funnier way to spend a couple of hours at the theater than by seeing Exit Laughing, presented by Limelight Actors Theater in Gilroy.The comedy, written by Paul Elliott, is best appreciated without much knowledge of the plot beyond the basic setup: Four women in Birmingham, Alabama, have spent the last 30 years deepening their friendship around the bridge table. When one of them dies, the other three mourn her death in an unusual way, involving the “theft” of the urn containing her ashes.Actually, there’s not much plot beyond that, but the story offers some sweet reflections of the importance of friendship (and love) within the gentle comedy.The three surviving friends—Connie (JoAnna Evans), Leona (Rosalind Farotte) and Millie (Christy Wait)—gather at Connie’s home after the funeral. The liquor flows (with Leona happily pouring drinks) but things take an absurd turn when Millie, who is a bit of a ditsy blonde, turns up with the purloined urn for one last bridge game.Over the course of the evening, the three women celebrate their friend’s life and their friendship. There’s some clever, sharp dialogue involving why they are all single, with some of it focused on Connie’s uptight daughter Rachel (Tina Elder-Flores), a college student bemoaning her lack of dating success after being stood up by a classmate (“That girl’s on her own private rollercoaster,” says one of the women).Things get even sillier when a “policeman” (a charming Brennan Perry) starts knocking on the door.The whole business has the feel of a sitcom, perhaps a mashup of Golden Girls andDesigning Women, but in the hands of director Kevin Heath and the entire cast, who all give performances that create the feel of real bonds between the women, the show fulfills the promise of its title.Exit Laughing, by Paul Elliott. Directed by Kevin Heath. Presented by Limelight Actors Theater at the Gilroy Center for the Arts. Playing Nov. 11-13, 18-20 and 25-26. limelightactorstheater.com

Open seatsThis week you had a chance to vote for the people you want to run your city. Now you have a chance to get out and run things yourself.Gilroy has openings for people to serve on city boards, which make policies and recommendations to the City Council about how things should be in the city. For people interested in politics, it’s an excellent first step toward higher office. For people who just want to serve their community, it’s one of the most important things you can do. It’s also tremendously educational.Terms start in the new year and the deadline to apply is Dec. 12. Documents are available at the City of Gilroy website.Here are the openings:The Arts & Culture Commission has one opening on the seven-member board, which advises on all things to do with local art and performance. Meets the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.The Bicycle Pedestrian Commission has two open seats for people to study and advise on matters of two-wheeled transportation. The five-member commission meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.The Building Board of Appeals has two of five seats open on a commission that hears construction and building appeals. It meets as needed.Community and Neighborhood Revitalization Committee has three of seven open seats. It studies needs and strategies for making neighborhoods better. It meets the third Wednesday of each month at 6:45 p.m.Historic Heritage Committee has one of five seats available to work on preserving Gilroy’s history. It meets the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.Housing Advisory Committee has four of nine seats open to study housing matters. It meets the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m.The Planning Commission has one of seven seats open. More than any body apart from the City Council, this one determines how Gilroy will look. It meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.The Library Commission deals with the library and meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. It has two of five seats open.The Parks and Recreation Commission has two of seven openings to determine all things about parks and fun. It meets the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.The Personnel Commission has one of five seats available to handle city staff matters. It meets the second Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m.The Physically Challenged Board of Appeals has two of five seats open. It deals with ways the community can help those who are physically challenged. It meets the second Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m.The  Public Art Commission has two of seven openings to work on matters of public art. It meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m.Don’t just talk about what you want to see in the city: make it happen here.       

Two women who were part of a peaceful prayer vigil say they were harassed, intimidated and lied to, and a California Highway Patrol officer trampled their First Amendment rights, because they inadvertently stood on state property to pray the rosary in the shade.

As the days get cooler and the nights start earlier, thoughts drift to autumn flavors, like the indomitable pumpkin spice, nutmeg and cinnamon that perk up our coffees and desserts.