Opinion

I have been a resident of Gilroy for more than 44 years and known Marie Blankley for more than 35 years. Marie does not give up when she commits to a goal. I’ve seen her volunteer as a board member for the Gilroy Chamber...

As a long-time Gilroyan and local business owner, the dysfunctional nature of Gilroy City Hall is extremely frustrating. The poor customer service is not limited to those of us in the business community, however.  Citizens, nonprofit organizations, property owners, city employees and other local, governmental...

Happy October, the month when being a cyclist truly rocks. Our calorie-burning passion pays off perfectly when we’ve partaken in a little too much Halloween candy! And speaking of sweetness, thanks for the feedback on last month’s column item regarding bicycle donations. If you missed...

My name is Ann Marie McCauley and I have been a resident and business owner in Gilroy for 20 years. In January 2023 I started attending city council meetings to better understand Gilroy’s government.  I was shocked to see how few people attended and became...

I am shocked and discouraged by the Sept. 5 opinion pieces by Ron Kirkish and Eric Howard, and by the Dispatch’s decision to feature two bombastic attacks in a single issue. I’ve met Ron on a couple of occasions and know him to be sincere...

As a downtown business owner, I would like to offer my perspective on how we have been treated by city management and the elected leadership of Gilroy.  The rollout of the downtown Gourmet Alley project was poorly done from early communication to laying out expectations....

Glad we voted correctly As a former member of the Gilroy City Council and a columnist for the Dispatch on local issues for many years, city council elections hold great interest for me. Particularly important is a vote for mayor, as that person is the...

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...

Gilroy recently had the distinct honor of welcoming Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren to our town, where she made a special stop at one of our most cherished small businesses, Arteaga's Food Center. Her visit underscored the vital importance of supporting local enterprises and addressing the...

As a candidate for Gilroy City Council, I’m deeply committed to embracing diverse viewpoints and fostering collaboration to create policies that serve our entire community. While endorsements can be valuable, my recent experiences have revealed the limitations that can arise when officials are pressured...