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A group created to campaign for the Measure E school bond question on the June ballot lists an assistant superintendent of schools’ home as its address.The group, which includes the highest-ranking school district administrators and school board members, has received donations of more than $30,000, mostly from five companies that do business with the district and possibly some that could reap big profits from E’s passage.The pro-E group calls itself Friends of Gilroy Unified School District Supporting Measure E. It’s registered with the state and has a tax ID number.Member and longtime school trustee Jaime Rosso said Wednesday that everything the group does is above board and that it keeps its advocacy activities and fundraising separate from those of GUSD.It’s making the best use of resources available to promote the bond issue, which is sorely needed to meet the communities needs, he said, adding there is nothing unusual about the involvement of elected school trustees.“What we do as school board members is no different from any other community when school bond measures come up,” he said.If passed, the $170 million in bonds would pay for a new elementary school, fix two aging middle schools, upgrade classroom technology and lab equipment and fund other needed facility improvements.According to the district, failure of the measure will mean overcrowded schools and continued deterioration of facilities.The pro-E group last week sent a bulk mailing to voters urging passage. It also has a website and Facebook page promoting the benefits of E, the largest bond measure in district history and the third since 2002.None of the group’s media platforms mentions who’s behind the organization, who funds it or that of the 175 supporters it lists, more than one-third are district employees, school board members and their families.In at least one case, a listed endorser’s $104,000-a-year district job managing bond projects depends on E passing—as do the jobs of at least three other GUSD employees whose positions are paid by bonds in the combined amount of nearly $500,000 a year.The only identifying information on the mailer is an address listed as its headquarters, 1969 St. Andrew’s Circle, Gilroy.That is the address of assistant schools superintendent Alvaro Meza. It’s located in Gilroy’s Eagle Ridge golf club community of $1 million-plus homes in the western foothills.Meza also serves as GUSD’s chief business officer, and is the district administrator who oversees financial dealings with contractors and architects, including the support group’s major donors, all of whom contract with the district, some for projects funded by past bond measures.Measure P in 2008 helped pay for the $158 million Christopher High School. Cost overruns during construction prevented the athletic fields and a theater from being built. The fields were completed with donations, mostly from the Christopher family.Measure E bonds and interest would be paid off over 30 years and cost taxpayers annually up to an additional $60 per $100,000 of assessed valuation on residential, commercial and industrial property.That would be added to property taxes already being paid to retire Measures I and P bonds totaling $219 million plus $122 million in interest.Meza acknowledged Monday that campaigning for Measure E on district time would violate election law. He said his work and that of others in the pro-E group, including school trustees, is not done on district time, uses no GUSD resources and is work they undertake as private citizens.He said that’s “absolutely allowable” and involves nothing “disingenuous.” He agreed to be interviewed about the support group and provide information, but only after work hours and via his private phone line and email address.“Every citizen in the United States has a right to do this on their own time. We live in Gilroy, we care about our schools and we want (Measure E) to be successful,” Meza said.He said the support group includes his boss, schools superintendent Debbie Flores, and school board members, some of whom have walked the city precincts urging voters to pass Measure E. He said board members James Pace and Jaime Rosso are involved.Rosso said trustee Pat Midtgaard also is a member of the group. Some school trustees are not members, he said.The ones involved, are “acting as citizens,” and not in their capacity as elected school trustees, according to Meza.At the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission, spokesman Jay Wierenga said citizens have a free speech right to campaign on their own time.The only way to determine if election law has been violated is for the FPPC to launch a formal investigation. That would be trigged by a formal complaint, which anyone can file, he said.Meza said five private companies are “major donors” to the support group. With the amounts given, they are: Irvine-based LPA, Inc. Architects, $5,000; Artik Art & Architecture of San Jose, $5,000; Bay Area law firm Garcia, Hernandez, Sawhney & Bermudez, the district’s general counsel, $5,000; school food vendor Sodexo, $5,000; and SLS, or Seward L. Schreder, Construction, Inc., of Redding, $10,000.Rosso confirmed that all have contracts with GUSD and that board members vote on the contracts.The contract approval process is rigorous and includes legal requirements, according to Rosso.Asked about possible perceptions that big donors to the pro-E group might get special treatment, Rosso said, “It’s a transparent process, we are above board in how we award contracts.”Two weeks ago, GUSD sent out a Measure E informational mailer to district property owners at a cost of nearly $5,000.It failed to mention the district salaries paid from bond proceeds and that the district will get millions in matching state funds described in the mailer only if a $9 billion state school bond measure passes in September. The Friends committee mailer also mentions neither.Meza said the law allows such salaries for bond administration. When bond money is all spent the positions end, he said.The GUSD and pro-E group’s mailings used the same nonprofit organization bulk mail permit. According to the U.S. Postal Service in San Jose, the permit belongs to a mailing company and can be used by the firm for its nonprofit clients’ bulk mail.

Dazed, Not Confused

Inspired by messages in nature, local artist, Laurie Barmore tells her truth through art. Barmore is an award-winning painter and member of the local Valle del Sur Art Guild. She travels from her home in Gilroy to her part-time job at Valley Medical Center in San Jose, where she has worked as a nurse for 28 years—first in critical care and now in recovery. For Barmore, painting in the abstract with acrylics on canvas permits her to express what words often cannot.

A mural at South Valley Middle School has got back its tiger and a local family’s story has come full circle.Twenty-four years ago, middle school student James Lopez sketched out a vibrant outdoor scene filled with wild animals for a mural on the school’s C-Wing.Painted over a series of weekends and lunch breaks, Lopez, along with a team of student artists, all of whom are still friends today, created a lasting public art piece that has survived unscathed.Over the years, thousands of students have passed by the mural, called “Whispers of Wilderness” with its jubilant deer, rabbits and raccoons frolicking against a sea of blue.The mural covers two classroom doors, and when one of the doors had to be replaced, leaving a plain green rectangle in the middle of the nature scene, Lopez’s son Josiah, an eighth-grader at the school, volunteered to fill the empty space with a tiger, the school’s mascot.“I was very excited to restore the mural,” said Josiah. He is a sketcher like his dad, but had recently taken a hiatus from art to pursue sports. Painting the tiger and completing the mural helped rekindle his artistic side.“This brought me back to art,” he said.   

Trickle down doesn’t work, but trickle up does.

Throughout the course of its celebrated history, Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs (GYHS) has served a variety of purposes. It was a place to buy alcohol during Prohibition, a place to dry out from drinking too much and a refuge for Japanese families who had been interned during WWII.

An eye-popping splash of Chinese culture will light up the nights at Gilroy Gardens from mid-July through the Thanksgiving holiday when the theme park debuts “Lumination,” a one-of-a-kind attraction designed specifically for the location.The exhibit will be open nightly from July 16-Aug.14, then can be seen Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from Aug. 16-Nov. 27, and is expected provide an enormous boost in park attendance.“We're projecting an additional 200,000 visitors, in addition to our regular attendance, which is 400,000 to 450,000 each year,” said Barb Granter, who is in her 12th year as general manager of Gilroy Gardens. “But even if that number turns out to be on the lower end—50,000 to 70,000 new visitors—it will still be a tremendous win for our park, and a huge economic boost for the city of Gilroy.”Each “Lumination” light sculpture will be composed of hundreds, and sometimes thousands of individual pieces, including traditional, hand-crafted silk lanterns, porcelain plates and tiny glass bottles filled with colored water, all assembled into intricate, individual sculptures.About 100 Chinese artisans and technical staff are doing preliminary work on the display in Zigong, China, and preparing materials for shipping. Another team of 40 Chinese designers, carpenters, welders and electricians will travel with the materials to Gilroy, then live on site at Gilroy Gardens for approximately six weeks to construct the exhibits.“We actually have enough space in some unused buildings to house that crew at the park,” Granter said. “They'll bring their own chef, who will cook breakfast, lunch and dinner. All of the workers speak Mandarin—they don't speak English—so we'll have translators on site, and they won’t really integrate into the community while they’re here. And they’ll rent a huge tent, which is where they’ll build most of the exhibits."The light sculptures have been custom-designed for Gilroy Gardens’ 25 acres, winding along pathways, arching over buildings, reaching around and over trees, and integrating with the park’s waterways.Attractions will include reproductions of historic Chinese landmarks and legends (the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, Terracotta Warriors), a 120-foot-long, smoke-breathing dragon, the mythical hooved creature known as the Qilin, and pandas playing in a bamboo forest. A water display will depict carp jumping over ornate Chinese gates.The exhibit will include an artisan marketplace and a troupe of live performers from China. Gilroy Gardens also has converted one of its restaurants into a Chinese restaurant to honor the event.“They've done similar exhibits in North America in Toronto, at the Texas State Fair, and at the Tampa Zoo, which is where I first saw it,” Granter said. “They design every exhibit specifically for the property, because every venue is a different size and shape.“It's actually pretty impressive during the day, because the silk is so pretty, but you can’t see it in daylight without realizing that you have to come back at night,” she said. “You really need to see it at dusk, and watch it light up as the sun sets. It’s absolutely spectacular when these things come on.”That aspect of the exhibit is expected to provide a significant boost to the park, which typically makes its money during daytime hours. Now guests will have a reason to visit Gilroy Gardens after dark.Granter says the company that produces “Lumination” receives a percentage of the gate while the exhibit is up, so Gilroy Gardens is assuming no financial risk.“All we need is attendance,” she said.

There’s not much to Gilroy’s premiere nightclub, the District Theater, from the outside—no marquee, no lights, not much to mark it as an entertainment spot in the center of downtown.Then, when you walk in, there’s a long hallway that looks like it might lead to some kind of warehouse.But, at the end—Lights! Camera! Action!—there are lasers, a purple-glowing bar, a big stage, a 20-foot TV screen and a $50,000 sound system that fills the room’s 300 capacity. It looks as cool as any club you’ll find in San Francisco, New York or—gasp—San Jose.Owner Darin Dixon, 44, celebrated the club’s first anniversary in April and he has big plans for bringing more music and entertainment downtown, something locals say is sorely lacking.In his first year Dixon has brought some famous musicians to Gilroy: Pete Escovedo and his daughter, Sheila E., country artist James Wesley Prosser and Santana singer Tony Lindsay.He’s also staged events including a fight between Darth Vader and Obi Wan Kenobi, had karaoke, line dancing, blues, disco and rock. The District, rebuilt on the site of the old Gaslighter Theater, is a bright light in our small city.“I love seeing the reaction of people who come here for the first time,” said Dixon, while hosting a Chamber of Commerce grand opening earlier this month. “We have zero curb appeal out front and a long hallway. The natural expectation is that we are a small place. When they get to the back, they have that shock and awe expression. They see that DMX lighting, the fog machines, the lasers, all the colored lights and the theatrics.”Besides a range of entertainment that includes an open mic night on Wednesdays, country DJs, and the Chicano All Stars, Dixon leases the space for parties and gatherings, including Mount Madonna High School’s Prom. It can even be used for seminars. The ceiling is high enough to fit a kids’ bounce house and host a weather-proof birthday party.Dixon put his money where his heart is, spending $100,000 to remodel the hall and a year to get it all done.The next step in his entrepreneurial evolution is relocating his music store, the Music Tree, which he has operated for the past decade in Morgan Hill, to Gilroy, where he lives. The store rents and sells instruments and gives lessons. Dixon’s goal is to incorporate both businesses by having students study music at the Music Tree, then perform shows across Monterey Street at the District.The District has one of only three dance permits in town, along with Old City Hall, the Longhouse and the Tequila VIP Lounge.“Gilroy kind of rolls up the sidewalks at night, especially during the week,” said Jane Howard, who runs the Gilroy Welcome Center and has been trying to spread the word about entertainment. “Our visitors are looking for something to do at night.”Around town there are regular live cover bands at the Milias Restaurant (7397 Monterey Rd.), karaoke at the Old City Hall (7400 Monterey Rd.), a summer outdoor Fifth Street music series every Friday night and events at area wineries. One of them, Clos LaChance has a Sunday afternoon music series of local acoustic performers. Sarah’s Vineyard has music every Friday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. featuring local acoustic performers from Memorial Day to Sept. 30. Fortino has a music series that includes a show by local favorite, Isaiah Pickett on May 20.

“Gilroy is a shopping destination,” said Jane Howard, executive director of the Gilroy Welcome Center, a nonprofit that promotes the city as a tourist destination.“It’s regional, it’s international and as for the Outlets, they are pushing now to get more of a local flavor to it,” added Howard.A draw for tourists, visitors from more than 15 countries came to the Gilroy Premium Outlets in 2015.Tour groups coming to the Outlets can include from 15 to 300 guests at one time, with each person receiving a welcome packet.An economic impact study currently underway found that shopping is the number one reason people come to Gilroy.“From a marketing perspective, we oftentimes do lead with shopping,” added Howard.The Outlets continue to lead the way, generating more sales tax revenue for the city than any other group.Heather Roach, director of marketing for the Outlets, said they look forward to continued success.“The Outlets’ big focus now is to promote the center to local shoppers and find out what Gilroyans want,” she said.Roach, who also serves on the Welcome Center’s board of directors, said she regularly goes out to ask shoppers what they would like to see at Outlets.“One of the exciting things about The Outlets,” she said “is the mix of retailers.”High-end retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue and Michael Kors offer discounts, making them accessible to range of shoppers, she said, while sporting brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma and Under Armor are also very popular.And for that sought-after millennial consumer?“Charlotte Russeand Forever 21 are fun and exciting retailers for the up and coming millennial group,” said Roach.The Outlets now have 145 stores and this year has seen some changes.Popular retailers Michael Kors, Converse and Skechers expanded to nearly twice their original size. Tommy Hilfiger combined with Tommy Kids into one large family store.And Steve Madden, the brand that brought the world chunky platforms in the ’90s, is expected to open a store in Building A before summer.Gilroy Premium Outlets is also the site of the only Lululemon Athleticaoutlet store in Northern California.Now local shoppers can finally afford a pair of those ubiquitous yoga pants without breaking the bank.Other exciting additions to the Gilroy Premium Outlets over the last couple years include Kate Spade and Abercrombie and Fitch.Gilroy Premium Outlets hold special events throughout the year. Its two most popular are the Halloween Spooktacular and month-long Mission Pink program. During the month of October, shoppers can purchase a coupon book for $10 redeemable at participating retailers. The cost of the coupon book is tax deductible and the $10 is donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in support of breast cancer awareness activities.The Outlets’ Halloween Spooktacular invites local children to trick-or-treat at participating retailers. The first 500 costumed children receive a goodie bag at the Outlets’ management office.Coming in May are the Mother’s Day Weekend Sales, which include special giveaways and special retailer offers as well as light bites and refreshments for shoppers.