News

GILROY—The familiar sounds of pads crunching and helmets clashing echoed throughout the Garcia-Elder Sports Complex on Friday evening. That sound could only mean one thing: Mustang football is back.

GILROY—While other football players in California were sleeping and dreaming about the upcoming season, Christopher’s were watching their dream come true and working towards achieving a new one.

The Gilroy Police Department will be looking for drug or alcohol impaired drivers at an overnight checkpoint on Aug. 22, according to a GPD press release.

The Hollister-Gilroy office of the California Highway Patrol will conduct a DUI and driver license checkpoint in San Martin from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Aug. 15.The checkpoint will take place on westbound Masten Avenue at Manna Way, according to a press release from the CHP. CHP officers trained in the detection of alcohol and drug impaired drivers will staff the sobriety checkpoint, according to the release. A CHP Drug Recognition Expert, certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), will be on site to provide assessments of any drivers suspected of drug use. Officers will have use of preliminary alcohol screening devices to accurately analyze breath samples.Drivers passing through the checkpoint will be checked for impairment and arrested if determined to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, police said.This checkpoint is funded by a grant known as Alcohol Enforcement, Reduction, and Traffic Safety (ALERTS), authorities said. Funding for this grant is made possible through the California Office of Traffic Safety through the NHTSA.

The 20th annual Railroad Garden Tour, a fundraiser for the St. Joseph’s Center and the Community Food Pantry, will take place throughout South Santa Clara County and North San Benito County Saturday, Aug. 16. The eight-stop self-guided tour features local model railroad displays and gardens at area businesses and residences. The tour starts at the Llagas Creek Railway on Llagas Road in Morgan Hill, and continues to numerous stops in Gilroy including Garden Accents Nursery, Big Iron Garden Railroad and the Mount Madonna Railroad. The tour concludes at the Smith Family Railroad in Prunedale. Donations to the Railroad Garden Tour will benefit the St. Joseph’s Center in Gilroy and the Community Food Pantry. For more information, call (408) 848-1440 or (408) 842-1843, or send an email to [email protected].

It's almost class time at Gavilan College and this year's fall courses include instruction with film writers, actors and a former reporter, according to a statement from the college. The first day of school will be Monday, Aug. 25. The last day for late registration is Sept. 5. Here are highlights for the new year provided by Gavilan:

Dry farming may be proving fruitful for several Santa Clara area winemakers, who said this year’s harvest may come earlier than in years past with the lack of rainfall stacking up to high-quality fruit and less supply.

GILROY—Kairo Barrosa’s prayers were answered last season. After two years of missing the cut, the then-junior at Gilroy High received word that he would be competing in the Central Coast Section cross country tournament and he found out while sitting in church of all places.

The Gilroy All-Stars will host the Beijing Ducks, the Chinese Basketball Association champions, in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at Gilroy High School.

It's been a year to remember for former San Benito High and Gavilan College standout Paige Miguel.