News

This Thanksgiving, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero wants to give back to the community that has given him so much.

Mowgli is a 6-month-old domestic short hair tabby who is one of seven littermates found in a box. He is sweet, a bit shy, but hoping for a family of his own. He enjoys treats and pets. For more information, call (831) 634-1191 or visit PetFriends.org.

Santa Clara County officials and animal advocates are seeking responsible owners for 38 unhealthy horses seized from a pair of ranches in Morgan Hill and Gilroy.The owner of the horses, Humberto Rivas Uribe, 51 of Morgan Hill, was charged Nov. 14 with two counts of cruelty to animals—one felony and one misdemeanor, according to Deputy Supervising District Attorney Steve Lowney.The horses—which, after a lengthy investigation, numerous news reports and ongoing complaints from neighbors, which were found to be emaciated and neglected—were seized by county Animal Care and Control Nov. 13. They had been under Uribe’s care on two properties he tended, one on Maple Avenue in Morgan Hill and the other on Center Avenue in Gilroy.Uribe is currently in custody in San Mateo County on unrelated charges, according to the DA’s office. Facing a $250,000 warrant, he will be arraigned at a later date. If convicted of the local animal cruelty charges, Uribe could face up to three years in county jail.The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office did not return phone calls regarding what charges that jurisdiction has pending against Uribe.Lowney said the DA’s office began receiving complaints toward the end of September from members of the public “deeply concerned about the treatment and care” of the horses. In late October, protesters picketed the South County animal control offices on Highland Avenue in San Martin, demanding the county officers take action against Uribe.After reviewing the information obtained from the public and the reports from county animal control, the DA's office in late September assigned a Deputy DA and an investigator to assist animal control in their investigation of possible animal cruelty and neglect, according to the press release.Lowney and Deputy DA Alexandra Ellis met with concerned citizens several times during the investigation, the press release said. Throughout October and early November, investigators and animal control officers interviewed the defendant and witnesses, and collected evidence.Some said they have been complaining about the care of the horses on Uribe’s properties for more than two years.Horse advocates “will be continuing to insist animal control be held accountable for their neglect,” said Trina Hinesar, a resident of Maple Avenue near where some of the unhealthy horses were housed. “Maple Avenue was ignored for over two years and there are neighbors at the Center (Avenue) location that can testify to four years of animal control not enforcing our current Santa Clara County codes.”Earlier this year, a concerned neighbor bought three of the horses, while the Equine Rescue Center and Sanctuary in Paicines purchased a dozen more, according to authorities. One of the horses purchased by ERC, a bay colt, died in September from complications due to intestinal parasites. The colt died the day after Uribe sold it.But Uribe acquired even more horses, according to the DA’s press release.Still, horse people rejoiced at the news of Uribe’s arrest and the seizure of the horses. Members of the Facebook page “Morgan Hill Horses in Need” have continued to post information about the horses and the county’s efforts to find good homes for them.According to the MHHIN page, some of the animals have already been transported to a local horse ranch, but up to 30 remained in the care of the county. “We feel that the horses would be better off in a rescue organization that can tend to the horses’ various medical needs, then be adopted out” to the public, reads a Nov. 15 post on the Facebook page.The horses are now listed for adoption, with a photo of each animal, on the county website sccountypets.org. County officials are seeking qualified individuals or rescue organizations to adopt the animals.“For now, Animal Care and Control has assumed care and feeding of the horses until the horses can be placed in new homes,” said Amy Brown, Director of the Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency. “We will be screening applicants to make sure that potential adopters can properly care for the horses.”

The nonprofit agency that supplies food pantries in South Santa Clara County has reached just half its goal of collecting 13,000 turkeys to help families in need celebrate a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in the their homes.And with the holiday approaching, residents who do not have the opportunity to celebrate at home can sit down for turkey and fixings at locations in Morgan Hill and Gilroy, offered by local charities and churches.Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties needs about 6,500 more donated turkeys to reach their goal.Uncooked birds can be dropped off at Second Harvest’s Curtner Center facility in San Jose, at 750 Curtner Ave., according to Second Harvest spokeswoman Caitlin Kerk. Turkeys can also be dropped off at the organization’s Bing Center in San Carlos, 1051 Bing Street.“Turkey is a traditional holiday meal for many local families, so we are depending on the community to help us meet our turkey goal,” said Kathy Jackson, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank. “We also need monetary donations to help feed our hungry neighbors all year long. Nearly 250,000 people rely on Second Harvest for food every month, and 100,000 of them are kids.”On Nov. 24, San Francisco 49ers starting safety Antoine Bethea will be at the Second Harvest's Curtner Center from 10 a.m. to noon to sign autographs and take photos with anyone dropping off a turkey or a financial donation, Kerk added.Turkeys will be distributed through Second Harvest’s 330 partners at 770 sites in both counties.In South County, these include the St. Catherine Church Reach Out food pantry, 17400 Peak Ave. in Morgan Hill; and St. Joseph’s Family Center 7950 Church Street in Gilroy. Both these facilities offer monthly grocery baskets to local families that meet specific income requirements.St. Joseph’s also offers hot meals three days a week.Thanksgiving dinner will be provided at four locations in South County:—            Morgan Hill United Methodist Church, 17175 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill, 6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 26—            Salvation Army Gilroy, 200 W. Fifth Street, noon Nov. 26—            Gilroy Compassion Center, 8425 Monterey Road, 11 a.m. Nov. 25—            St. Joseph’s Family Center, 11 First Street, Gilroy, noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 27.Monetary donations are also accepted by Second Harvest, as those contributions can be used to feed the hungry year-round, according to Kerk. Second Harvest launched its Holiday Food and Fund Drive last month with a goal of raising $15 million and 2 million pounds of food.“This is a critical drive because Second Harvest raises nearly half its annual revenues during the holiday season,” Kerk said.Last year, the food bank distributed 55 million pounds of food to the community. More than half the food Second Harvest provides is fresh produce. In 2013, Second Harvest distributed nearly 30 million pounds of produce – more than any other food bank in the U.S.The Curtner Center dock in San Jose is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week; from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 15; from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 22; and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 23.The Bing Center dock in San Carlos is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 22. The week of Nov. 24 through 28, the dock will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.For more information about holiday dock hours or to make a donation, visit SHFB.org or call (866) 234-3663. Anyone in need of food can call Second Harvest’s Food Connection hotline at (800) 984-3663.

Two earthquakes hit the Hollister and San Juan Bautista areas shortly after 10:20 p.m. Wednesday night.

Gilroy residents will need to fork over at least $50 to drink alcohol in local parks for the next three years, since City Council breathed new life into an ordinance that was set to expire Nov. 17.

Katrina Carter, 17, senior at Gilroy High School

Well before Daughters of Charity Health System executives announced the sale of all six of its hospitals, including Gilroy’s Saint Louise Regional Hospital, to for-profit Prime Healthcare Oct. 10, DCHS officials threatened that without the right buyer, the hospitals would shut down. As opposition to the sale mounts, mainly from labor groups and politicians, during a state-mandated review by the Attorney General’s Office, their tune hasn’t changed.

For most of us, autumn is the time of year we shake off the lazy days of summer and get down to the serious business of food. Resourceful folks are canning their autumn harvests of pumpkins, pears, persimmons and peppers. People are busily preparing days ahead for sumptuous holiday feasts to share with their families and friends.

It’s not every day you ride around with a famed California wine historian and best-selling author while he runs errands. But I had the chance to sit in Charles Sullivan’s maroon Lexus (with a license plate that reads: ZINFDL) and chat with him about local wine history as we drove around Santa Clara.