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I'm often-asked what inspired me to become a veterinarian. I chose this profession after hearing an enthusiastic vet talk about his typical day's work. It was exciting and anything but routine. But my love for animals and for helping people was first inspired by my parents, both very kind individuals. Dad was tough. He taught me important survival skills. And together, we developed a love for fixing things, including some old cars.

“Are you my mother?” the two downy little owlets appear to be asking Owlivia (left). Alas, Owlivia, WERC's non-releasable educational screech owl, can only be a surrogate to the babies who were orphaned last month and will never see their real mommies again.

Idaho gets no respect. If you were to list the eleven western states in the order that you would like to visit them, I’d wager that Idaho would be last. With the exception of Sun Valley, Idaho has no major marquis attraction: no destination casinos, no national parks, no famous mountain peaks.

In July 2000, I was visiting Dublin, Ireland, and went with a friend to the historic campus of Trinity College. There we waited in a queue at the Old Library and were ushered into a darkened room, in the middle of which were lighted display cases.

Colman Domingo's Gil – his hero in “Wild with Happy” (a play he wrote and stars in) – wants to do the right thing. His dynamic mom dies and he has to tie up the loose ends on limited funds and a heavy, guilty heart.

Morgan Hill Cellars is the oldest winery in our region and celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The winery was founded in 1913 by an Italian immigrant named Camillo Colombano who planted Barbera root stock brought over from Italy. From 1945 to 2006, the Pedrizzetti family owned and operated the winery. Changing hands for the third time in 2006, it is now owned by Mike and Maryclaire Sampognaro.

Dear Red Phone, “I'm reading the Dispatch and see there's going to be district budget cuts. What were the taxes raised for? Our taxes have gotten raised three times in the last year so this wouldn't happen. So why is this still happening? Where are our tax dollars going?”

The Gilroy United Methodist Church (GUMC) was the first church formed in 1853 in the area known as “Pleasant Valley,” 17 years before the town of  Gilroy came into existence. In 2001, GUMC became the first mainline church in Gilroy to have a woman senior pastor at the helm when Rev. Alison Berry broke the stained glass ceiling. In 2009, GUMC welcomed its first African-American senior pastor, and in 2010, their first Korean-American senior pastor, Rev. Eric C. Cho, came to serve in Gilroy.