Guest View

Every year I notice some legislators seeking community engagement by requesting ideas for new laws. This year I hope a bold lawmaker produces a program called, “There Ought to be a Law…Repealed!”  The 2018 law, known as the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, signed into law...

I recently pedaled past what used to be Gilroy’s Sunshine Bicycles. Instead of all those shiny new bikes in the windows, all I saw was a lonely, little “For Rent” sign. Truly the end of an era. Shifting gears from sad to happy… A super Cycle...

On April 21, the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association (GGFA) released a statement that the Garlic Festival was postponed indefinitely due to prohibitive insurance required by the City of Gilroy. We stand by that statement. Some of the talk online against the city and council is...

South Valley Civic Theatre’s upcoming production, “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical,” is making its way to the stage Feb. 23 at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse.  The show is based on the popular book “The Lightning Thief” by author Rick Riordan, which was...

In the foothills of Midian, a shepherd watches over his flock. He is responsible for the well-being and safety of every sheep there. Suddenly, he notices a lamb wandering away from the flock. The shepherd gives chase and finally catches up with the sheep—when...

The end of a semester is a stressed time for all our students. From tests to essays to presentations and projects, Gilroy students are being put through their paces.  My student interns who go to Gavilan College regale me with stories of all their end-of-semester...

For our tribe, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Betabel is much, much more than a vacant lot conveniently located by a Highway 101 offramp. Positioned at the confluence of the San Benito and Pajaro Rivers, where earthquake faults also meet, the Betabel area is a place of power where, for countless generations, our people came together for healing and renewal.

My goal in taking on this project and partnering with Mary to create this book was to drive awareness and generate additional revenue for Operation Freedom Paws. I wanted to help Mary continue her mission and grow her inspiring non-profit organization.

As we bid farewell to 2023, I, Fred M. Tovar, a proud member of the Gilroy City Council, would like to take a moment to extend profound gratitude to the unsung heroes who relentlessly contribute to the well-being and vitality of our community—the dedicated...

In March 1870, the California state legislature approved an act allowing Gilroy to incorporate and become a full-fledged city. The Gilroy Advocate, our first newspaper, began publishing a weekly edition only a year earlier. The Dispatch, which came later, absorbed the Advocate in May...