From the Gilroy High Band to the party-backed campaign mailer
infusion, we go through this week’s list
CHEERS for mighty Mustang Marching Band which will be leading the way in the annual Gilroy High Homecoming celebration parade which takes place today beginning at 3:30 p.m. The GHS band puts in a lot of hard work under Director Joey Fortino and the sound just keeps getting better. Oh, and Cheers, too, for the GHS football team which has a league title potentially within their grasp. Beat Palma!
JEERS for the infusion of political party money into the local races for city council and mayor. Having the local arm of the Republican and/or Democratic party send out slick mailers for candidates as an “atta boy” for being a registered party member cheapens our local elections. It’s soft money that, if possible, should be prevented from infiltrating our elections. It changes the tenor, and not for the better.
CHEERS for a tried-and-true longtime Gilroy business, Goldsmith’s Seeds, featured on the cover of our new business section Tuesday. Business editor Dennis Taylor detailed some fascinating changes in the seed industry and how Goldsmith’s has moved to remain competitive. The company, founded in 1962, is well known for its strong relationships with employees, it’s civic generosity and, of course, the gorgeous flower field displays at its Hecker Pass location.
JEERS for the fatalistic comments from Chips N’ Salsa’s owner Jim Angelopoulos about the inability of a restaurant to survive in downtown Gilroy. We’re not willing to concede that notion, and neither should the city, owners of the historic building. It’s a matter of getting the right business in there and executing a long-term plan. It’s a beautiful building (without the cheap neon), and its located in a downtown area that’s attracting more customers and improving. By the way, a wonderfully successful downtown restaurant is just down the street: Carnitas Michoacan.
CHEERS for the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board which voted 4-3 to decline a 5 percent pay increase. It’s a symbolic vote and we’re proud to say former Gilroy mayor Sig Sanchez and South County representative Rosemary Kamei voted against the increase. The Board did not merit a raise after a hiring scandal and unjustified water rate increases. Other members – specifically, Joe Judge, Richard Santos and Tony Estremera – argued that pay should keep up with high-level Silicon Valley companies. Next they’ll be arguing they should be keeping up with pay and benefit increases for firefighters in Fremont.
JEERS for the tattoo page coming to a Gilroy High School yearbook near you. Geez, it’s one thing if the student paper does a story on tattoos – it’s a fact of life. It’s another for the school to sanction coming out at lunch for a photo session that’s going to end up in the yearbook. How about a little more taste, how about a little more class, how about a school administration that monitors the bulletin and is willing to set a bar for community standards? It boils down to a simple question: Is that how we want to represent the high school? How about another page for the band?
