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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...

By Mark Turner To Chief Scot Smithee, thank you for a job well done. I can’t imagine it’s an easy job being a cop. There are a lot of challenges that go along with being a member of law enforcement, especially these days. While the cop...

In the past year, Gilroy has made strides to plan and promote more affordable housing opportunities for our residents. This is needed now more than ever before.  According to the State’s recently released new income guidelines, a household of one whose income is $96,000 is...

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...

If you’re a homeowner, you’re about to pay your second installment of property taxes on your home. These taxes need to be paid by April 10. This assessment continues to grow longer, costlier and more confusing every year. This year my assessment has 18...

What would make Gilroy an even better place to live? It’s not billboards, especially not huge electronic ones. But the City is considering changes in our ordinance which would allow them. The Mitigated Negative Declaration should be denied because it claims that our environment won’t...

Happy New Gear! Welcome to 2025! January means new beginnings bicycle-wise. Many of you will start riding your new Christmas presents, the two of you getting to know each other. Many of you will begin looking to improve your two-wheeled talents, logging more rides and...

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...

Spring is an uplifting time to rejoice and watch how the “garden” grows. A true time of renaissance. During Downtown Gilroy’s Art Walk, I had the pleasure of seeing how the seeds of my teaching years blossomed. Like climbing roses with the right support coupled...

And just like that, it’s 2023! Halfway through my first mayoral term, it is my pleasure to share with you all that we’ve accomplished despite the setbacks of Covid, and what we have to look forward to.  In 2022 we began a five-year street maintenance...