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Remodeling at a Gilroy low-income housing complex has left apartments with bathrooms inaccessible to handicapped residents, a violation of federal law according to one man.A city inspector signed off on upgrades at the Plum Tree West apartments on Montebello Drive, but the work does not comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) designed to ensure access indoors and outside for the handicapped, resident Tim Holliday alleged.Holliday, 41, has been wheelchair bound for 30 years because of an affliction that causes spasms that paralyze his legs.“They took away the showers and put in bathtubs and they put plates over emergency buttons so we can no longer use them,” Holliday said.“A young man in a wheelchair fell down in his tub and now he uses a neighbor’s shower, another man is 94,” said Sally Armendariz of the Community Agency for Resources, Advocacy and Services, or CARAS, the Gilroy nonprofit assisting complex residents, some of whom have live-in caregivers.At least 15 residents whose apartments have been remodeled so far in the 70-unit complex met last week to compare notes, which mostly concern bathrooms but include other complaints, such as access to stoves.Violet Guliza is 90. She has severe arthritis in her legs and needs a walker to get around. Before the remodel, her one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit had a walk-in shower that made getting in and out easy despite her disability, she said.But showers were replaced by tubs with shower heads and Guliza cannot lift her legs high enough to step over and into the tub, she said.“I can’t even understand why they remodeled it,” Guliza said, noting her apartment was in good condition before the work.Residents were given checks for hotels and meals then moved out of their units during the initial two-week project, according to Holliday and Guliza. They stayed with relatives.Their units were remodeled in early May and others are under construction now, they said.At Gilroy City Hall, community development director Kristi Abrams said the city “absolutely” will revisit the apartment if residents request a re-inspection. She said none of the residents have called her about the issue.However, she said, “There is no code requirement that the city can enforce so the units are accessible. We have no legal remedy, the code has no requirement for all units to be accessible in any type of complex.”She said the city inspector who approved the remodels is its specialist on such matters, although she said he still is working at getting official certification as an access specialist.The complex is for income-qualified people age 62 and over. It’s insured and operated under rules administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is owned by Preservation Partners Management Group Inc. of Torrance, California.That development group specializes in the acquisition, rehabilitation and preservation of HUD and California Housing Finance Agency insured and assisted affordable housing developments, according to its website.“PPD provides the opportunity to rehabilitate and permanently preserve existing affordable housing assets by offering owners the opportunity to realize ‘market values’ upon sale. Since our formation in 1999, we have utilized low-income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bond financings to acquire and rehabilitate 29 properties representing 3,130 rental units in Washington, Virginia and throughout California,” the website reads.The firm did not return calls requesting comment on complaints by the Plum Tree West residents.To support his contention that the newly installed features do not comply with federal law, Holliday cited a top federal law enforcement agency on the matter of bathtub controls.“I found a 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design from the Department of Justice,” he wrote in an email. “According to section 607.5 it reads: ‘Controls, other than drain stoppers, shall be located on an end wall. Controls shall be between the bathtub rim and grab bar, and between the open side of the bathtub and the centerline of the width of the bathtub.”The newly installed tubs all have control knobs on the far back wall. They are unreachable by people with disabilities, according to Holliday and Guliza.Other problems involve shower heads that are mounted just over four feet off the floor, which Holliday says is too low; inaccessible garbage disposals and ovens whose design make it impossible for him to reach the racks from his wheelchair when the door is open.Abrams said she wants to review the Justice Department citation. She cautioned that such sections cannot be taken out of context and have to be considered along with other parts of the law.“I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. We cannot just take little abstract out, we have to look at the whole (ADA),” she said.

For many, being a top-notch varsity athlete and managing a high GPA seems like a challenging task. However, that isn’t the case for Christopher High School’s Christa Arroyo who was named Athlete of the Year.

Christopher High School two-sport athlete Matt Adamkiewicz was just awarded the Male Athlete of the Year and a glance at his resume makes it quick to see why.

Gilroy High School Principal Marco Sanchez summarized the Class of 2016 Commencement Ceremony with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."‘If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving forward,’"Sanchez quoted. “Well, Class of 2016, today you’re moving forward and on to the next step of your life.” The theme of progress carried on throughout the June 8 ceremony was in Centennial Circle at the center of the GHS campus. Music Director Jonathan Souza led the Gilroy High School Band in playing “Pomp and Circumstance” as graduates proceeded to take their seats. The graduates teemed with excitement, their blue and white gowns gliding around with each movement.Class President Ileana Garcia Jimenez, a California Scholarship Federation member, led the audience in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Jimenez is headed off to UC Santa Barbara in the fall. According to Sanchez, the Class of 2016 earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships and grants. Over 95 percent of the graduating class is heading off to college in the fall. Sanchez individually recognized the groups heading off to colleges, vocational/trade schools, and the military in his welcome speech. “You’re here today because you made each day count,” Sanchez said. “Except for that Senior Ditch Day in May.” Jimenez returned to the stage to welcome the audience and graduates. The ceremony marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, she said. “No matter what obstacles we’re faced with, I know we will not cower,” Jimenez said. “We will succeed. I wish you all the best and encourage you all to be as persevering as we have been through high school.” Moises Alvarado Partida led the Spanish welcome after Jimenez. Partida is headed to Gavilan College this fall.Gilroy Unified School District Board of Education President Fred Tovar echoed the speech he gave the day before at Christopher High School, except he quoted an African proverb instead of Muhammad Ali."‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,’ Tovar said. “Remember these words as you venture out into the world, where you’re always stronger together.”Among other accomplishments, this class did over 20,000 hours of community service, said Athletic Director and Community Service Coordinator Julie Berggren.She asked 29 students, who completed over 160 hours each, to stand. “These students alone have completed over 6,361 hours!” she said. CSF Advisor and physics teacher Matt Hungerford recognized the 15 CSF members in the Class of 2016. Hungerford noted that students had to have outstanding grades in order to receive CSF honors. GHS Biomedical Science Academy Coordinator Jennifer Spinetti recognized “a very special group of graduates who chose to focus their high school studies in the science arena.” They are the second graduating class of the academy. “Most people say that it is intellect that makes a great scientist,” Spinetti said. “Well, it’s character. These BSA graduates have great character and we would like to honor them today.” There were two Salutatorians at the graduation: CSF members Nicole Holder and Elaine Sausen. The title marks the second highest ranking student in a graduating class, after the valedictorian. Holder, a singer and athlete, is headed to UC Berkeley in the fall to study biology. She graduated with a 4.2 GPA. Sausen, ASB Media Relations Commissioner and field hockey team captain, is headed to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to study English. She graduated with a 4.32 GPA.Holder and Sausen spoke separately. Holder compared high school to running the mile in track and field, with each lap representing a different year. She said that the Class of 2016 had made it to the finish line: graduation. “If there’s one thing this school has taught us, it’s to persevere and push yourself,” she said. Success doesn’t come without hard work.” Sausen spoke of her upcoming journey to Johns Hopkins University with hopes of becoming a writer. “Looking back on our high school career, it roughly follows the pattern of a book,” she said. “We’re all characters in this book, transitioning from awkward teenagers into young adults. Here’s the SparkNotes version: life is full of challenges. Sometimes you’re dealt cards that are not in your favor, but you can always find a reason to keep going. Never tell yourself something is impossible. If you do, you’ve quit before you’ve even begun.” Valedictorian and CSF member Andy Garcia is headed to UC Berkeley in the fall to study political economy. He graduated as Rotary Club President with a 4.6 GPA. Principal Sanchez noted that Garcia is just one of a couple students in the school district to receive the National Hispanic Scholar recognition. “I came to high school feeling incomplete, lacking much purpose, and definitely not thinking I’d end up here tonight,” Garcia said. Garcia spoke of how high school changed him and his fellow graduates. “Now that high school’s over, let’s exercise passion, curiosity, and love in what we do. This is the best way we can open doors for ourselves. And if we can open doors for ourselves, we can open doors for others.” Keynote Speaker and English teacher Zachary Powell spoke after Garcia. Powell was chosen to speak by the graduating class. He told a story about how he witnessed two men help a complete stranger push his broken down car out of the road to a gas station. “No one asked them to do it, they knew they had to,” Powell said. “They saw a stranded driver and they took action. And that is what you should be doing. Sometimes humanity occurs right in front of your eyes.” Powell ended his speech with some advice. “Don’t be afraid to be perceived as overly sensitive, because the only people we should try to impress are ourselves,” he said. Music Director Souza led the Chamber Singers in a rendition of the song “Go the Distance” from Disney’s animated film Hercules. Class officers from the future graduating classes of 2017, 2018, and 2019 acted as ceremonial diploma bearers. They handed out diplomas as graduates proceeded along the stage to shake hands with Principal Sanchez and the school board. Superintendent Dr. Deborah Flores officially graduated the Class of 2016 at the end of the ceremony. Graduates tossed their caps in the air as fireworks went off behind them. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” played as the audience exited the campus, a pleasant reminder to keep moving forward.

Gilroy school board president Fred Tovar cited late boxing great Muhammad Ali in his speech to 433 of Christopher High School’s graduating seniors Tuesday night and urged them to take risks.

Gilroy Gardens has become an outpost for exotic Chinese artists who have set up a village and kitchen while they do six weeks of work preparing for an international art exhibit that will be displayed at the park for six months.

Email is for work, Facebook is where you find out about local events and Instagram is where you go to learn about new products by millennial brand ambassadors.

 Tired of the same old cover bands? Saturday is a night to support original music played by area musicians at Gilroy’s District Theater. San Jose’s MobLand headlines. The melodically metal band is releasing a new CD, which fans who buy tickets for the show will get for free at the door.MobLand is a four-piece featuring singer Rayne, guitarist Alan Kuczer, bassist Bryan Lujan and drummer Bill Mickesh. They’ve been compared to Scorpions, Def Leppard, Led Zep and Foreigner, with a mix of metal, rock and catchy tunes. We hear some Alice in Chains in there too.According to their bio: “After jamming with some local rockers for several months, Alan met Rayne (former singer of the Burnpool and White Noiz) through a Craigslist ad. In the first jam session, it was clear they made a powerful and cool guitar/vocal combination.”They take metal to some surprising places, like a cover of Billy Joel’s “Big Shot,” you have to hear.Also on this triple header is MAXX12, a San Jose band that doesn’t just bring hard rock, but has a whole apocalyptic world view. Check out the trio’s bio, which places it in a world where every nuclear reactor on the planet malfunctions and the survivors unite: “From the blackened sand of a fallen land, from a slaughtered people rises hope! Enter now the metal warriors, defenders of the MAXX12 Nation.“Rooster crows fiercely at dawn’s light awakening our sleeping minds, Mongoose quickly strikes the snake long cold in the grass coming to steal the warmth of our homes.”We said original, right? Yes, it’s good to see bands doing something new and not the same old covers.The third act of this triple crown is San Francisco’s Bradford, a name to which we are partial. They are a solid heavy-hitting five piece, whose members are Bret Bradford, vocals; Mark Randall, rhythm guitar; Tom Spencer, lead guitar, Scott Garbutt, bass; and Bill Morrissey on drums.They sound like a modern version of Van Halen and with some Pearl Jam thrown in. These are the kind of bands you used to have to drive to San Jose or Campbell to see, but they are right in our backyard at the District Theater. Don’t miss it.The show goes from 8-11 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10, a steal of a deal.

The Gilroy Unified School District will receive $170 million from city property owners to build a new elementary school and update two middle schools.