Editorials

As we get head into 2015, we reflect on 2014 and make resolutions to hopefully carry us through the upcoming year. We promise to eat healthier, exercise more, be a better person and pray for world peace. But instead of searching for that magic cure, or constantly working toward fulfilling New Year's resolutions, just be happy—it's not that hard.

For the most part, holiday traditions are very similar across the world. Families come together to share the holiday spirit, gifts are exchanged and there is usually food involved. Generosity is spread to those less fortunate, and there tends to be a feeling of being uplifted.

All around the country, families and friends are gathering to celebrate Thanksgiving. Here at the Gilroy Dispatch, we’re celebrating too.

Amidst current discussions and controversy about the merits and challenges of the new “Core Curriculum,” a less dramatic yet equally important issue is the trend away from teaching “cursive” in our schools. As a retired teacher and current voter, genealogist and sports fan, I think the loss of the ability to write (and therefore read) cursive is another step in the increasing “depersonalization” of our culture with potentially disastrous consequences. I was further reminded of this as I went to vote by mail, where, on the envelope, you are told emphatically to sign your name (not print it) for your vote to count.

School is back in session, and our local athletes are back in action. Tuesday’s Central Coast Section Sportsmanship game between Christopher and San Benito High Schools (see B1 for the story) serves as a reminder of what prep and collegiate sports are all about. Our local athletes are learning about more than just offensive and defensive strategies; they’re learning how to work with others, remain humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors recently voted to oppose the half-cent general-purpose sales tax measure in a 9-1 vote—a gutsy and important move.

In May of 2013, Mayor Don Gage first introduced the idea of a “Quality of Life” bond measure for the November ballot. “It's not for education, it's not for police officers. It's for capital improvements,” he told a Dispatch reporter.

Awaking to a garlic monsoon was a welcome start to Monday morning. And the clove’s fragrance isn’t just in the air; it’s on the horizon for the 36th Annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, and along with it, some digital enhancements.

Summer is the time of year that most of us flock to lakes, rivers, and ocean beaches to enjoy the numerous recreational opportunities California's waterways have to offer. When the weather heats up, most of us want to cool down and one of the most popular recreational activities is boating.

The votes are tallied, and the anticipation builds: Who will Gilroy Dispatch readers select as this year’s best of?