Letters

A little after midnight on Friday, July 11, I was awakened by the sound of sirens from many fire engines and a call from a neighbor, saying, “You’re OK, but you need to get out of your house, now. The barn next to you...

As a mom of two kids and a passionate advocate for educational choice, I’m deeply concerned about the potential impact of Assembly Bill 84 (AB 84) on students and families along the Highway 101 corridor. This bill, if passed, would deal a devastating blow...

Imagine a place where children laugh as they pick sun-ripened fruit, where families reconnect with the land and animals that feed us—and where the legacy of South County’s farms thrives for generations.  This is the heart of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight,” and it’s at risk. The...

Since my last housing post in July 2024, Gilroy continues to make strides to plan and promote housing opportunities for our workforce that are typically more affordable.  The state released new income guidelines, stating a household of one whose income is $111,700 is considered low...

Today, nearly 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s, including 720,000 in California. That’s roughly 36,000 in Santa Clara County and potentially 1,440 in Gilroy.  Without medical breakthroughs, this number is projected to nearly double in the next 15 years. These numbers can be...

City Councilmember Zach Hilton recently wrote in a letter to the editor that the commuter rail service Caltrain should “pause” their service out of Gilroy (Dispatch, June 13, 2025). I feel that this action would be taking a step backward and do more harm...

Across the country, a quiet revolution is changing how small towns and cities operate. It’s not led by billion-dollar investments or top-down mandates, but by neighbors with ideas—and local governments willing to say YES. This movement is called “Idea Friendly,” a term coined by the...

Open letter to Hon. Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation: Re: USDOT F.R.A.'s Notice of Proposed Determination 6-4-2025 In my opinion, the reason for the failure of the CAHSRA’s high speed rail proposal is its reliance on the public sector model of transport funding as seen...

I’ve seen the Caltrain South County ridership numbers: Gilroy, 100 riders per day; San Martin, 22 riders per day; Morgan Hill, 120 riders per day; Blossom Hill, 54 riders per day; Capitol, 42 riders per day.  These five stations south of Tamien are not electrified...

May is Preservation Month, a nationwide celebration led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It’s a time to honor the charming neighborhoods surrounding it, beloved landmarks like the Old City Hall, the Gilroy Museum and the Miller Red Barn in Christmas Hill Park.  Each...