Religion: Praying for the dead
July 28 used to be one of my favorite days of the year. On the Roman Catholic calendar, it is the feast day of a minor saint, Pope Saint Victor I, who was martyred by the Romans around the year 199 AD. Pope Victor...
Spoking My Mind: Happy New Gear
Yes, a very happy new gear to all!
Did Santa bring you a new bicycle last month? Spectacular! Send me a picture of you and your new ride—landscape is preferred over portrait—and I’ll try to feature it in a future column.
Have you signed up for...
From My Perspective: Fear, faith and fire
Where do you spend most of your time...in fear or faith? You have a “natural” faith of things: awakening each morning knowing the sun will shine or putting your foot on the brake trusting the car will stop. You have faith when you board...
Guest View: Teaching youth the power of voting
Every generation has grown up being told that they, the youth, are the future. In American society, this means that the youth (theoretically) have the power to sway elections once they are of voting age.
Unfortunately, the youth vote has not always met its potential...
Religion: Ending hate and religious bias
This week, Jews around the world observed Tisha B’Av, a commemoration known only by its date, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av. This year Tisha B’Av falls on the Gregorian calendar on Thursday, July 27.
Tisha B’Av is the saddest day on...
Mayor Marie Blankley: State of the City 2021
Thank you for joining me for Gilroy’s 2021 State of the City address, and as we celebrate Gilroy’s 150th anniversary year.
I’m Mayor Marie Blankley, and I’m honored to be giving my first State of the City, albeit during an historic pandemic.
Vaccinations are in progress,...
Valley Water moves closer to lowering Anderson Reservoir
By John Varela
Early next month, Valley Water will take a significant step toward fixing Anderson Dam so it can safely withstand a large earthquake.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered Valley Water to begin lowering water levels in Anderson Reservoir starting Oct. 1. This effort...
Guest view: Food security is critical to economic and national security on Central Coast
The agricultural stretch of California’s Central Coast along the Salinas Valley is often called the “Salad Bowl of the World,” and for good reason. It supplies more than 60% of the nation’s lettuce and substantial portions of strawberries, spinach and broccoli.
But beyond the fertile...
From My Perspective: We are all grieving in the pandemic
By Susan Mister
As I write this, it is the end of January, the season of gift giving is behind us, and yet, I have been given one special gift that I‘m excited about and want to share with all of you.
This is the first...
Guest View: Counter hostility, bigotry with knowledge, compassion
In a powerful demonstration of unity and a commitment to education, more than 100 South County residents and local leaders, including City Councilmember Yvonne Martinez-Beltran, gathered at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center Sept. 28 for a special program centered on the experiences...






















