News

VandalismSomeone, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m Nov. 26 on the 14000 block of Sycamore Drive in Morgan Hill, damaged a mailbox, causing approximately $300 in damages.Stolen vehicleSomeone, between 3 p.m and 3:48 p.m. Dec. 2 on the 12000 block of Stevens Court in San Martin, stole a vehicle from the backyard of a residence.BurglarySomeone, between 10 a.m. Dec. 2 and 6:23 a.m. Dec. 3 on the 5900 block of Monterey Frontage Road in Gilroy, broke a window, removed a window screen and vandalized and ransacked the office building. Unknown suspects stole gasoline from the maintenance yard and caused $1,200 worth of damage.Petty theftSomeone, between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Dec. 3 on the 5000 block of Santa Teresa Boulevard in Gilroy, stole a laptop and $15 from a locker.Mail theftSomeone, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Dec. 5 on the 900 block of Burnett Avenue in Morgan Hill, stole mail from a mailbox at a residence.Auto burglarySomeone, between 7 p.m Nov. 20 and 5 p.m. Dec. 6 on the 6100 block of Pacheco Pass Highway in Gilroy, pried open the windows of a vehicle and stole a car stereo, battery and pink slip.Residential burglarySomeone, between 6 a.m. Dec. 5 and 6:50 a.m. Dec. 7 on the 1400 block of San Martin Avenue in San Martin, entered a residence through an open window and ransacked the residence.Grand theftSomeone, between 2 p.m. Dec. 5 and 10:09 a.m. Dec. 8 on Pacheco Pass Highway in Gilroy, cut a chain to the front fence and stole fencing panels for the horse corral, which was estimated at $2,875 in value.ShopliftingTwo male suspects, between 5:10 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. on the 10000 block of Pacheco Pass Highway in Gilroy, entered a fruit stand and stole approximately $157 worth of merchandise.DrugsA 22-year-old male, at 9:23 p.m. Dec. 8 on Monterey Highway at Ninth Street in Gilroy, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and paraphernalia.—All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. Information is compiled from public records.

GILROY—Just hours before his tournament championship game, Nate Schilling was practicing his shooting with his dad. The pointers his dad gave him—keep your elbow straight and get a lot of arch on your shot—resonated through Schilling’s head all game and helped him out his recent shooting funk—not to mention being Oakwood’s leading scorer, too.

GILROY—Alec Cordova saved his best game for last.

GILROY—Both Live Oak and Gilroy had off quarters Friday night in the Bob Hagen Tournament semifinals.

GILROY—The Cougars looked to be falling into the same trap they had against Oakwood—then the second half happened.

The winter holidays are a time of festivity, cheer and, for many partygoers, alcohol consumption. That’s why police are warning Santa Clara County residents that if you’re celebrating with alcohol this holiday season, they’ll be keeping an eye out for you on the roads.The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office warns motorists to “Drive sober or get pulled over.” From Dec. 12 to Jan. 1, law enforcement agencies throughout the county plan to increase their impaired driving enforcement due to the increase in drunk-driving accidents and fatalities at this time of year, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.Increased efforts, organized by the Avoid the 13 Task Force, include DUI/drivers license checkpoints, 38 “roving saturation patrols” and a DUI warrant and probation sweep, authorities said.These efforts include the following in Morgan Hill in Gilroy:—Dec. 12 saturation patrols by Gilroy police;—Dec. 13 saturation patrol by Gilroy police and Sheriff’s office;—Dec. 19 saturation patrols by Morgan Hill and Gilroy police;—Dec. 20 saturation patrols by sheriff and Gilroy police;—Dec. 26 saturation patrols by Gilroy police;—Dec. 27 DUI/drivers license checkpoint by sheriff;—Dec. 31 saturation patrols by Gilroy police.The facts are grim, according to the sheriff. On average, nearly one-third (31 percent) of all crash fatalities in America involve drunk driving. In December 2012, 830 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving at least one driver with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit of .08.On Christmas day 2012, the number of accidents involving at least one drunken driver jumps to 36 percent, the press release continued. Twenty-six people died in DUI-related accidents that day. For the entire year, more than 10,000 people died nationwide in DUI accidents in 2012, with 802 of those in California alone.As part of the national “Drive sober or get pulled over campaign,” law enforcement will increase their number of patrols and enforcement operations, and use local and social media to reach all drivers, the sheriff’s press release said.Authorities recommend finding ways other than driving to get home safely if you have been drinking. These include designating a sober driver ahead of time, calling a friend or family member, using public transportation or calling a taxi.If you see a vehicle on the roads that appears to be driven by an impaired motorist, call 911, authorities suggest.Avoid the 13 Task Force funding is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Office of Traffic Safety offers a free mobile app – DDVIP – aimed at thanking the sober designated driver with perks and free offers at area bars and restaurants.

A Pacific storm that landed in northern California Thursday resulted in a local gain of 2.7 inches in rainfall in Gilroy, according to totals published by the University of California Cooperative Extension program.

 Victor de Groot takes his job of spreading Christmas cheer seriously. So seriously, in fact, the first words out of his mouth after returning from a trip to Holland Aug. 8 was ‘it’s time for Christmas lights,’ his mother Hanneka recalled.

GILROY—While the rain was coming down outside, it was raining baskets inside of Gilroy High.