Opinion

If you can read this letter, maybe you should thank a teacher. The week of Nov. 2-8 is California Retired Teachers Week, and we all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to those teachers who not only taught us but helped shape us in...

Quick! If it’s the beginning of the 11th month, you have two awesome opportunities. If it’s Nov. 1, check out Gilroy’s annual Día de los Muertos Festival & Wellness Fair. Whilst there, join in the Calavera Bike Cruise!  If it’s Nov. 2, head up to...

Measure A, Santa Clara County’s proposed temporary sales tax increase of 0.625% effective April 1, 2026 and lasting five years is expected to generate $330 million a year for the county’s general fund to help counter large federal funding cuts (especially to Medicaid/Medi-Cal that...

Having a house should not be a privilege; it should be a right. Every individual deserves to have a place they can come home to daily.  Beyond the four walls lies a magical dream that no one deserves to let go of. Once a family...

As educators and community leaders, we share a simple truth—when families are healthy and stable, students succeed.  In Gilroy, we see this every day. Children learn best when their families have access to healthcare, housing and food security. When those supports are threatened, our students...

We are clergy, serving many Morgan Hill and Gilroy residents of various faiths. We work together in interfaith activities throughout South County, and when one among us is the victim of acts of violence, all of us feel it and are aroused to do...

Santa Clara County voters should reject Measure A, which would raise the sales tax rate to a staggering 10% for most residents. This would cost families hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year. Measure A is misleading, regressive and financially irresponsible. We shouldn’t reward...

Nestled in the heart of downtown Gilroy, the La Ofrenda Festival and third annual Día de Muertos Festival & Wellness Fair on Nov. 1 will be an extraordinary event and is more than just a day of festivities. It’s an immersive experience that embraces...

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...

After a quarter century of writing this column for you, it’s going to be difficult to step away. Every month during the past 25 years, my writing routine hasn’t varied too much: spending the first 15-ish days researching, collecting, drafting, editing, rewriting, then finally...