Define dedication: Rose quite early Sunday morning to take the
dogs out before the Sucker in the Bucket Golf Tournament at the
Gilroy Golf Course, our 11-hole gem.
Define dedication: Rose quite early Sunday morning to take the dogs out before the Sucker in the Bucket Golf Tournament at the Gilroy Golf Course, our 11-hole gem. Headed for the ranch area of Christmas Hill Park, but after a mile and a while I realized it wasn’t going to get light enough to fling the tennis ball around for my two fetchers. So, I headed to Solorsano School to catch some light rays. In the dark, around the corner at 6 something a.m. came Principal Sal Tomasello to check on a few office things. “Got to keep moving, worried about what happens if I stop,” he said. And that’s partially why Solorsano, despite being deluged with students because of transfers from our two other middle schools which are designated Program Improvement, keeps moving ahead. Leadership is a precious commodity.
Precious, too, is the top prize in the Great Garlic Cook-Off contest. You have a few more weeks to email your recipe with a photo to cl***@gi******************.com … a thousand bucks fortune and a festival forever claim to fame to the winner.
Fortune and fame wishes to the new Leedo Gallery which is opening downtown in the old beautifully restored Lawton’s Jewelry store. Previous gallery owner Charlie Clark is coming out of retirement to run the shop, and there’s going to be a lovely studio in the back for artists to rent out. The light from the expansive skylight inside bathes the place with warmth. Another great addition to downtown – a local, reasonable frame shop with creative talent inside to help framing customers paired with a gallery and a rentable art studio … nice.
Not so nice are ridiculous tidbits like this from former San Jose City Councilman Forest Williams who is running to replace Don Gage as District 1 supervisor in Santa Clara County. At Tuesday night’s forum in Morgan Hill, Forrest said: “I want to see how we can decrease costs without reducing services. And I think we should create opportunities to generate revenue so we can be more self-sustaining.” Profound, brilliant and absolutely filled with, with … vapor. If that sounds like a 28-year politician talking, well … Maybe Forrest Gump will pitch in with some profits for the county coffers from the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. People, please, find a candidate who doesn’t doublespeak in gross generalizations and vote for them. Period, end of story …
A new story, well a chapter at least, is being written by the new owners of the historic firehouse on Fifth Street. Welcome to the former owners of Dutchman’s Pizza, Bobby and Fran Beaudet. If you need an excuse to saunter in and check it out, put Wednesday, March 31 in your phone, calendar or phonecalendar and help out the Gilroy Relay for Life fund-raising effort for the battle against cancer. A guest appearance from heartthrob Elvis, aka Donald Prieto, is on tap and from 4 to 9 p.m. 25 percent of the gate goes to Relay for Life. Not a bad deal since Mike and Debbie Sanchez are buying pitchers of suds every hour on the hour and MayorAl is on tap to croon a duet with Elvis – “All Shook Up” – a tribute to all the URM buildings dotting downtown …
Dotting the fields around Gilroy are an incredible array of wildflowers. Picked a bunch for my sweetie the other morning and remembered that Saturday is the 7th Annual Wildflower Day at Pacheco State Park from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Hike starts at 10 a.m. Crafts for the kids, Hot Dog Heaven’s lunch cart will be on hand and free Pacheco State Park buttons will be dispensed. It’s $5 per car. Bring water, take the Dinosaur Point Road Exit off of Highway 152, 23 miles east of Gilroy, and follow the signs.
Sign up, too, for a new eatery in Gilroy, the Garlic and Fast Food Capital of the western United States. We’re getting a Wing Stop franchise restaurant. Besides claiming a billion wings sold, the PR says: “Wingstop is not fast food; our wings are made with care and served up piping hot.” Happy to be a judge of that soon. Spent a fun night a few years back in the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, where hot wings literally were invented, while on a scouting trip to see Canisius College with middle daughter Cayla, now an older young adult.
Have a young adult looking for something to do this Saturday night? First Street Coffee is featuring acoustic rock by Trey and Dave from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Grab a Zebra White Mocha Cha Cha Cha, join some friends and have a good time close to home …
Story by Jessica York in the Vallejo Times Herald that hits close to home: “A new Vallejo firefighter contract means no pay raises for at least two years but nevertheless leaves the city about $1.2 million short of its best expectations.
“The contract, approved in a 4-3 vote late Tuesday night, put city leaders to work in rearranging a bankruptcy exit plan for Vallejo.
Mayor Osby Davis said … “One-time monies are being used for ongoing expenses – I always think that’s a recipe for disaster.”
Vallejo public safety jobs are being lost left and right. Gilroy’s firefighters should count their blessings and negotiate now. Three to an engine. Council: Get a real bid from CAL Fire.
Reach Mark Derry at ed****@ga****.com.
