Guest view: Giving thanks on Thanksgiving
As we draw nearer to Thanksgiving, I am reminded of this holiday’s origins and significance. There are some interesting and noteworthy parallels with today’s world, two years after Covid-19 began.
While Thanksgiving has only been a national holiday since it was established in 1863 by...
Guest View, Zach Hilton: Transit-oriented projects improve quality of life
I write on behalf of my Gilroy City Council Member Office, in support of Valley Transportation Authority’s Transit Oriented Development in Gilroy and in response to a recent letter from Gilroy Growing Smarter (Gilroy Dispatch, May 21).
1. Downtown Gilroy is the urban core of...
Guest View: High-impact measures headed for 2024 California ballot
Recently, the secretary of state’s office announced that a referendum aimed at overturning California’s landmark law to regulate wages and working conditions for fast food restaurants had qualified for the November 2024 ballot.
While it’s the first measure to qualify for an election more than...
Guest View, Marie Blankley: VTA’s 10-year outlook still threatens local streets and roads
By Marie Blankley
On Jan. 7, Valley Transportation Authority staff presented the VTA Board with a revised Draft 10-year Vision that allocates 2016 Measure B revenue among the categories of projects to be funded by Measure B over the next 10 years. Among these projects...
Rabbi Mendel Liberow: What I learned from a pastrami sandwich
We recently hosted a pop-up Jewish New York Deli experience. There were knishes, half-sour pickles, Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda, matza ball soup, and of course, hundreds of pastrami sandwiches on rye bread.
As I watched customers come and go, picking up their deli to enjoy...
Guest View: Highlighting unsung heroes
Growing up in Gilroy and coming from a campesino family, viewing such an impactful and humane story this past August, via a short documentary film, “Campesinos, America’s Unsung Heroes,” was an emotional and very moving experience. The audience reaction, many so personal, will forever...
Rabbi Mendel Liberow: How to create a violence-free world
In Uvalde, one person changed the world.
A single individual—whose motives remain unknown—chose to commit a heinous act, and young lives full of promise ended abruptly. Twenty-one people whose journeys were cut short. Seventeen more wounded. Families plunged into grief. All because of one evil...
Guest View: Valley Water gathering feedback on expansion of Pacheco Reservoir
The first few months of this rainfall season were below average across California, with drought conditions evident statewide. Although the Golden State received a much-needed soaking in late January, moderate drought conditions remain across Santa Clara County.
Valley Water remains focused on preparing for future...
Guest view: Public transit is cleaner, faster
Growing up in San Jose, public transportation was not as widespread and commonly used as other cities. While many use and rely on the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), this system is not as efficient or as popular as it should be.
The main choice of...
Zach Hilton: Cleaner air for all
For the past 10 years Gilroy has been a part of the South County United For Health Leadership Team with the focus on addressing health challenges such as poor nutrition, smoking, diabetes and lack of exercise that are the highest in the county. We...





















