Opinion

Good news for our California law enforcement: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in your favor! I applaud all our law enforcement officials who have pledged to obey our state law, SB 54.  This law, known as the California Values Act, also referred to as the Sanctuary...

The Interfaith Community of South County offers hope to thousands in Gilroy and Morgan Hill, especially those who may otherwise feel lonely or vulnerable. The kind of trust and respect members of our community have for one another encourages us to love our neighbor,...

PG&E is listening and addressing your concerns. In 2025, customers will see more stable electric rates compared to last year. In January, most residential customers saw electricity costs drop by 4% or $11, helping offset gas price increases. This means that if your usage hasn’t...

Last month, I shared that 2025 would be my final year writing this column; after 25 years of Spoking My Mind, I felt it was time to hang up my helmet. (Let me clarify: I’ll stop bike writing, but never stop bike riding.) Thank...

Re: “Trump takes steps to overhaul CA water delivery,” Free Lance, Jan. 24  “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” To get this message, drive over Pacheco Pass anytime.  At the top is that beautiful San Luis Reservoir that used to exist as a vast valley...

The enjoyable part of serving as president/CEO of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce this past year is working with our board of directors selection committee in choosing the people and businesses of the year. Our committee solicits feedback and nominations from the local business community...

I rise today to adjourn in the memory of Marty Cheek—a beautiful soul, the publisher of Morgan Hill and Gilroy Life, an arts and science advocate, a man who loved his community, and his community loved him.  Marty was born in Hollister and was a...

Distracted driving is a significant danger for drivers, and it can lead to serious accidents, injuries, and even fatalities. Four such accidents occurred nearby in the past month, killing seven people. The fatalities prompted police to emphasize a message to the public about driving...

Gilroy must continue to promote the development of more housing for all income levels while looking at creative policies and funding through our local control to make them more livable,accessible to transit, bikeable and walkable.  I support Gilroy's Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) program in single-family...

Thank you for the Dispatch interview of Zoe Lofgren. She deserves every bit of newsprint. I felt proud of her service on the Jan. 21, 2021 commission so when reading the following quote I wondered how Representative Lofgren would feel now: “I considered President-elect...