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...
Guest View: A mental health check-in
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...
Guest View: Eligible voters need protections
With our nation’s democracy facing existential threats, California’s duty to protect and empower every eligible voter in the state has never been more urgent. Although we often lead the nation with innovative laws designed to defend voting rights, thousands of eligible voters continue to...
Guest View: Now the work truly begins on housing
I am proud of the future housing plan that the Gilroy City Council, Planning Commission, staff and the public have approved.
We committed to advancing the 40 opportunity sites for multi-family homes, downtown expansion district and First Street mixed-use corridor flexibility program, 429 corner lots...
Guest view: High-speed rail’s salvation may lie in Gilroy
Since Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first State of the State address six years ago, California has stopped pursuing a high-speed rail system that actually connects the Bay Area to Southern California, as was promised to voters in 2008. And in that void, politicians, pundits and...
Guest View, Johnny Khamis: Can we fix CEQA?
If Bay Area housing stakeholders are to ever address factors that have led to construction delays and the rise in costs for constructing desperately needed housing, we must delve deeper into how a well-intentioned law has inadvertently led to difficulty in producing sufficient housing....
Spoking My Mind: Rainy reminders and realistic resolutions
Sheesh, with all the recent rains, it’s been tough getting outside to ride. Still, every rainy day means a greener spring riding season. Until then…are you keeping your front and rear “blinky lights” flashing? When the days turn overcast, we cyclists tend to be...
Guest View: Why recall Councilmember Armendariz?
Diverse communities throughout Gilroy have unified in support of the recall of Councilmember Rebeca Armendariz. She demonstrated extremely poor judgment when she participated and assisted in the planning of a large-scale party where there was underage drinking. At this party, there was a shooting...
Facts wrong and perspective skewed in Israeli-Palestinian column
The timing of Marty Cheek's column published in The Dispatch on
Buyers, be open-minded
The ever-continuous magic question: “Is now the right time to buy?” Is it?
My response has always stayed the same: “if the time is right for you.” How do you determine that in an ever-changing and evolving market? Many considerations, economics, interest rates and of...



















