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Millions of Americans have been watching our federal government wrestle with the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama Care. One side is touting the need for major medical reform that will insure millions of people who currently do not have coverage. They have produced hundreds of commercials and held countless press conferences speaking to our need for humanity and sensibility.

Well, I was going to write a Grinch column and complain about all the pins and fasteners in men’s dress shirts, the cyclists wearing invisible king’s crowns who ride three and four abreast in the roadway and sneer if you honk after waiting for a couple of minutes, or those who fumble at the grocery checkout counter pulling out one coin at a time to get the exact change while six people are in line ... but enough, I’m not really in the mood and that’s a good thing.

Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” has never been out of print since it was first published in 1868. It was translated into a least a dozen foreign languages during Alcott's life and can now be found in 50 different languages including Bengali, Chinese, Indonesian and Urdu.

Students of St. Mary School in Gilroy are supporting St. Joseph’s Family Center in Gilroy this holiday season through a toy drive for local families that the non-profit group assists.

Home for the Holidays:   Adoption fees are reduced for kitties 6 months and older to $50 from now through Sunday, January 5th. (extra donations gratefully accepted).  The adoption fee for kitties under 6 months is still $125.  These fees help offset some of our costs to de-worm, de-flea, vaccinate, test, spay/neuter, and micro-chip.  Please help spread the word so our wonderful adoptable companion animals can find the home of their dreams for the holidays.

The other day I was driving on No Name Uno in Gilroy at dusk when the car in front of me swerved out of our lane into the empty oncoming lane and then swerved back into the proper lane. It was a good thing too. Because of that driver's actions, I noticed the woman in dark clothes facing traffic, walking in the scrubby grasses alongside of the roadway with three leashed dogs. They were very hard to see and only a few feet separated them from cars traveling 50mph or more.

In planning a vacation trip to the UK for this summer, I discovered a charming tradition in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This city was once known for its gun battles and explosions perpetrated by Roman Catholics and Protestants against each other. Now, however, Christmas brings these Christians together to aid the needy in their midst.

Dear Red Phone,

ORLANDO — A combination of injuries, fatigue and simply being outsized proved lethal for the Gilroy Browns.

Where did the year go? It's already time for winter holiday decorating! If that makes you turn into the Grinch, relax and use some of these fun and inexpensive ideas. Decorating for the holidays doesn't need to be a huge or expensive production. Craft and grocery stores are great places to pick up inexpensive ingredients for your seasonal decorating. Here are some easy ideas that will make your winter decorating simpler, less expensive but still seasonal and fun.