‘Miss Saigon’ reaches, misses
From producer Cameron Mackintosh of Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables fame, along with original music and lyricists Claude-Michel Schonberg, Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, Miss Saigon came in as the costliest of all his productions at $12 million.
Count every day a blessing and carry on a fine Gilroy tradition – give
I hadn’t seen Karen – or her sister – in a while, but she was a thought that popped up a few times in my mind before getting buried by “the next” of a busy American life. Then, I got an email that directed me to a site and the news written by Liz Fortino Glass: “Karen Covington Fortino had an active, vibrant life as an aqua aerobic instructor, manager of a coffee house, barista and waitress at night. Then, during a routine doctor appointment on June 14, she was diagnosed with extreme hypertension … But that didn't get her down; she picked up the pieces … found another job at a doctor’s office and began a new journey … a few months later, Karen noticed a suspicious lump in the back of her throat … more bad news; there was a large mass and the diagnosis had progressed to stage 4 (cancer). The only good news: it was 90 percent curable.” “Barista” Karen – I use the term loosely and with affection – made my morning for years at the coffee shop downtown on Fifth and Monterey. Her personality, friendly greetings, banter on the Gilroy issues of the day and hearty laughter coupled with a “cup of Joe” were a true pick-me-up. Her insurance, of course, won’t begin to cover the treatment, so there’s a website called gofundme.com where you can help. A direct link is www.gofundme.com/4wlztk. There’s $6,500 in the help Karen kitty and every bit truly helps.
Church welcomes football players, cheerleaders
Well, the days are getting shorter, schools are preparing to start and leaves will soon be changing color and falling off trees. These signs all point to the conclusion that it must almost be … football season.
Cheerleading grandmother closes career with Cowboy tryout
After 10 years of trying to become a National Football League cheerleader, Hollister’s Susie Sanchez’s dream came true as a member of the Oakland Raiderettes in 2011 as a 37-year-old grandmother. After missing the cut for the team in 2012, Sanchez thought her days of a cheerleader were over.
