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No need to rack up the PG&E bill by running the air conditioner all day long, as South County temperatures—which reached highs of 95 in Morgan Hill and 94 in Gilroy on Wednesday—will cool off Friday and into the weekend, according to meteorologist Larry Smith from the National Weather Service.

While Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, in California it is also a time when friends and family celebrate by attending parties and barbecues where alcoholic beverages are served abundantly, which means some of those party-goers end up driving home in an impaired state, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.For that reason, the sheriff’s office will join with police agencies throughout the county comprising the Avoid the 13 DUI Task Force to remind Cinco de Mayo celebrants that drunk driving should never be a part of the party plans, according to a press release from the task force. As part of a weekend Avoid the 13 crackdown on impaired driving, DUI saturation patrols will be deployed in Morgan Hill, Cupertino, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale, police said. Officers will be looking to identify and stop suspected drunk drivers. “Cinco de Mayo has unfortunately become one of the most dangerous days of the year, all because of drunk driving,” said Sheriff Laurie Smith. “Some people have this misconception that they can drink a little, and drive safely, but that’s just not true. Everyone needs to remember that buzzed driving Is drunk driving, and there’s never an excuse for it.” From 2011 to 2012, the number of people killed in drunk driving crashes on Cinco de Mayo more than doubled, according to the press release. In all fatal crashes in 2012, 71 percent of the drunk drivers involved had blood alcohol concentrations of almost twicethe legal limit. Authorities remind Cinco de Mayo revelers to plan your ride ahead of time by designating a sober driver before the party begins, calling a friend or taxi for a ride or using public transportation. Sober motorists can report drunk or reckless drivers by calling 911, police said. And friends are encouraged to prevent each other from driving drunk by taking their keys and helping them make other transportation arrangements. “It’s a real tragedy that 10,322 people were killed in drunk driving crashes in our nation in 2012,” Smith added. “We’ve got to put a stop to it.”The Avoid the 13 DUI Task Force is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to authorities. The next countywide DUI task force deployment will be for the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, May 23 to May 26.

California's total population increased by nearly one percent in 2013 to 38.3 million residents, and most of the growth is happening in the Bay area.

Brianna VanBuren is no stranger to winning. The Gilroy mixed martial artist has countless titles and belts, but her most recent proves she’s the real deal.

Looking for a local family outing? Curious about flying? Want to explore an aviation museum filled with antique aircraft?

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South County’s first legislative summit, hosted by the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce on April 25, was a who’s-who of local elected officials from congressional representatives to both mayors of Gilroy and Morgan Hill.

For the past year, Gilroy Mayor Don Gage and Council Member Perry Woodward have been individually meeting with owners of downtown’s 18 unreinforced masonry buildings and city staff. The pair claimed a victory this month; two buildings have been officially taken off the list of structures deemed unfit to survive a high magnitude earthquake after sufficient retrofitting.