Here kitty, kitty
… seems a very active mountain lion is repeatedly being spotted
near Las Animas School, but police officers who have been
repeatedly called to the scene think it might be a big house
cat
Here kitty, kitty … seems a very active mountain lion is repeatedly being spotted near Las Animas School, but police officers who have been repeatedly called to the scene think it might be a big house cat … So, Principal Sylvia Reyes, how about an interesting life science/art class activity? Making a life-sized mountain lion cutout and placing it where the “real lion” has been spotted. That way everyone around the school will know what a real big cat might look like in the wild and how to distinguish it from a house kitty … and the busy police officers will indeed thank you. (P.S. – We’ll come out to take a picture for the paper when the project’s done.)
Here’s a strange one. Not quite sure how I feel … Santa Clara County is seeking a poet laureate to “raise awareness of the power of poetry and the spoken word.” It’s an honorary post that comes with a $4,000 honorarium for the two-year term. The criteria is almost as long as a Walt Whitman poem (he’s one of my favorites as is Rudyard Kipling – nothing like a little contrast) and Liz Kniss, prez of our supes, has this to say: “Through poetry, the Santa Clara County Poet Laureate will showcase the spirit of the people and the special qualities of Santa Clara County. This is a wonderful opportunity to commemorate the rich and varied culture of Santa Clara County.” Would be cool to inaugurate this new post with someone from Gilroy. Apply at the county Web site – www.sccgov.org under “hot items” – and if you do, send me a poem. Can’t wait to witness the opening ceremonies at the Fest with the Poet Laureate of Santa Clara County, flanked by Supe Don Gage, reading “Ode to the Gilroy Bulb.” Better yet, Don could read it. Either way, it sure beats any sonnet entitled, “Silicon Chip.”
Ode, ode … if you know what an odalisque is go straight to our Web site and re-read all the strip club stories. If you don’t, look it up and salt it away for the next Scrabble game … oh, and there are 14 lines in a sonnet and, yes, my wife’s wildly popular column, Jenny’s Kitchen, is back in today’s lifestyles section, and it’s true that she’s only beaten me once in Scrabble …
Used to have marathon winter Scrabble games at my grandfather’s house in the den with my uncles. Once, an uncle who shall remain nameless, knocked over the Scrabble board near the end of the game – with the kid in the lead mind you – sending tiles all over the floor and scattering memories like fish food in a goldfish bowl …
Speaking of being in a fish bowl, it’s no fun being a member of the City Council these days … times are tough, layoffs abound and the end is not in sight. Take this from a frequent commentator on our Web site … Badabing117 writes, “Since the Dispatch always has some kind of online vote to get the public’s opinion on things … I suggest you have a vote to see how many people think that the Mayor and City Council needs to be recalled … Recall election, wow, now there’s an idea. Let’s spend $50k or so to have that election and find out Gilroy’s just as broke as it was before the election. That’s as useful as …
… The Gilroy’s firefighters’ offer to delay pay increases for six months in a “trade” for no layoffs. It’s amazing that the firefighters seem to lack the ability to judge the heat. It’s a 6-alarm economic fire gentlemen that’s been smoldering for years, stoked by the burden of expensive work rules and extravagant lifelong benefits. Bringing a squirt gun to the negotiating table just isn’t going to get the job done. If the union doesn’t come forward quickly with major, long-term concessions that allow a wholesale restructuring, the Gilroy Fire Department as we know it will soon be defunct. That will be a shame. But it is the reality.
Reality is finally here – new proprieter of Old City Hall, Gary Walton, has ordered the taking down of the hideously cheesy neon Chips ‘n’ Salsa sign which has defiled the Grand Dame of Downtown for far too long. Richard Young, signmaster, is on the removal job this morning …
Now if only Mr. Walton, our very own caped crusader for downtown, could track down that historic statue of rodeo great Casey Tibbs …
“Yippee ki-yay” for the official opening of the Gilroy Dog Park at Las Animas Veterans Park Saturday at 10 a.m. Bring your hound down to romp with fellow beasts and indulge in a few treats. (Note to self: not poet laureate material.) The weather should be fine and local wineries …
Naw, that’s not true, but our local vintners sure did well at the recent San Francisco International Wine Competition, billed as “the largest, most influential international wine competition in America judged by a prestigious panel of nationally recognized wine experts.” Check this out: Fernwood Cellars – bronze, 2006 Chardonnay, estate, Vanumanutagi Vineyard; bronze, 2005 Merlot; bronze, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Martin Ranch Winery – gold medal, 2005 Cabernet Franc; bronze, 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, J.D. Hurley; bronze, 2006 Zinfandel; bronze, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon; bronze, 2005 Merlot. Solis Winery – silver, 2004 Syrah; silver, 2005 Merlot; bronze, 2004 Meritage, Cara Mia; bronze, 2004 Sangiovese, estate. And on a sunny weekend you can be there in 10 minutes tasting and buying fine wine.
