Uncategorized

Since 1865, Gilroy's St. Mary Roman Catholic Church has had an important role in the life of the South Valley through its parochial school and numerous other ministries. With the retirement in December of longtime pastor and community icon Father Dan Derry, a new pastor was appointed to lead the huge parish (with 4,000 registered members and eight Masses each weekend). Due to his background and talents, The Rev. Robert Brocato seems well-suited for this challenging position.

And weighing in at a staggering 20 pounds, please welcome, TomTom the bichon! Our little bundle of puppy love was born Sept. 22, 2011. This day changed our lives forever.

As you and your friends and family get set for the Independence Day celebrations here in the South Valley, I hope you’ll take a moment to think about the great American experiment we are a part of today. The word “experiment” to describe our republic is a fitting one. Many of the leaders who founded our nation were scientifically astute and understood the principles of carrying out tests to prove or disprove revolutionary ideas – including political ideas.

Brides-to-be braved the heat on Sunday, April 22 to attend Ever After Gilroy Dream Wedding Expo at Gilroy Gardens Theme Park, which hosted the extravagant affair for more than 300 attendees. The event, presented by Visit Gilroy, was sponsored by The Knot and showcased...

The Santa Clara County Fair begins a four-day 75th birthday celebration Aug. 1 at the San Jose fairgrounds, 344 Tully Road, highlighted by a new stage, new murals and fireworks every night. Opening day admission will be just 75 cents, 1-5pm, in honor of the...

A local business woman found an innovative way to repurpose an accessory now used by many people and to give back to nonprofit organizations at the same time.Lanyards - thin pieces of cord usually found draped around the necks of students and attached to their school IDs - are  common sights on school and business campuses around the world. An easy way to keep ID cards from being lost, they serve a simple purpose.Gilroy resident Jamie Hernandez had the idea to put them to another good use by creating a lanyard that can serve as a safety tool in emergency situations. In return, the lanyards helped Hernandez in her own time of need when she was recovering from a debilitating illness.“I get migraines and I became paralyzed,” she said. “I was in a wheelchair for two and a half years. Then I got better and I wanted to do something that kept me busy.”Hernandez, who is originally from Morgan Hill, taught herself how to knot and tie paracord to create colorful lanyards, key chains, jewelry and other accessories.Paracord - or parachute cord - is a thin rope made of nylon or polyester most commonly used as suspension lines for parachutes, according to www.paracordplanet.com. For each lanyard, Hernandez uses about 30 feet of paracord 550, which can hold up to 550 pounds. The cord never mildews, according to Hernandez.As a former athlete, she knew the safety value of the lanyards.I did a lot of rock climbing before, but then I got sick,” Hernandez said. “A few years ago in 2007 I broke my hand, so I feel fortunate to be able to do this.”Starting as a hobby, Hernandez’ lanyard creations eventually became a business when her daughter, Jasmine Yanez, was on the Gilroy High School wrestling team. The school lost its funding for buses, Hernandez said, so she sold her lanyards at the Mid-California Wrestling Championship Tournament to raise funds for team transportation. She also made all the first place lanyards for each of the 14 weight classes in the two-day tournament.“It’s rewarding because if (the wrestlers) win first place, they get the lanyard and I’ve seen them around town,” Hernandez said. “We put a dog tag on it with their (place) and their class. To see the kids still wearing it, and using it and coming back for more is good.”Hernandez’ new business endeavor, InkBlossom Designs, became a big hit when her daughter left home to pursue her business management degree at Menlo College in Atherton. Yanez took the paracord lanyards to sell to fellow students. By then, Hernandez had added another safety feature: whistles to use to attract attention in case of emergency.The rest of her family also became involved in the business. Hernandez’ son, Solar, helps his mom by measuring and cutting the paracord before she begins knotting the cords for lanyards. And her husband, Steven Hernandez, is charge of sales and marketing.“My husband is my biggest cheerleader,” she said.  “He saw something I like to do and I’ve made it my own.”As her business grows, Hernandez continues to donate 40 percent of her profits to community organizations. To date, InkBlossom Designs has donated a total of more than $3,000 to the Fallen Hero Memorial Scholarship Fund, South Valley Middle School wrestling and cross-country teams, Santa Clara Valley Wrestling Association, Los Gatos Rugby Club, Pop Warner football leagues and Christopher High School sports.“If I can help bring a smile to someone’s face and help an organization, that’s the best thing for me to do,” she said.But Hernandez’ community outreach doesn’t end with InkBlossom Designs. She also volunteers as an assistant coach at South Valley Middle School and created the school’s annual Sumo Feast Fundraiser with dinner, live music and inflatable sumo suits for wrestling.Her contributions are greatly appreciated by the South Valley Middle School staff.“Ms. Hernandez is always around to lend a hand and is a valuable team player,” Athletic Director Jami Reynolds said.A handy way to keep track of those important items, lanyards serve a simple purpose..But Gilroy resident Jamie Hernandez cm to put them to another good use by creating a lanyard that can serve as a safety tool in emergency situations. In return, the lanyards helped Hernandez in her own time of need when she was recovering from a debilitating illness.“I get migraines and I became paralyzed,” she said. “I was in a wheelchair for two and a half years. Then I got better and I wanted to do something that kept me busy.”Hernandez, who is originally from Morgan Hill, taught herself how to knot and tie paracord to create colorful lanyards, key chains, jewelry and other accessories.Paracord - or parachute cord - is a thin rope made of nylon or polyester most commonly used as suspension lines for parachutes, according to www.paracordplanet.com. For each lanyard, Hernandez uses about 30 feet of paracord 550, which can hold up to 550 pounds. The cord never mildews, according to Hernandez.As a former athlete, she knew the safety value of the lanyards.I did a lot of rock climbing before, but then I got sick,” Hernandez said. “A few years ago in 2007 I broke my hand, so I feel fortunate to be able to do this.”Starting as a hobby, Hernandez’ lanyard creations eventually became a business when her daughter, Jasmine Yanez, was on the Gilroy High School wrestling team. The school lost its funding for buses, Hernandez said, so she sold her lanyards at the Mid-California Wrestling Championship Tournament to raise funds for team transportation. She also made all the first place lanyards for each of the 14 weight classes in the two-day tournament.“It’s rewarding because if (the wrestlers) win first place, they get the lanyard and I’ve seen them around town,” Hernandez said. “We put a dog tag on it with their (place) and their class. To see the kids still wearing it, and using it and coming back for more is good.”Hernandez’ new business endeavor, InkBlossom Designs, became a big hit when her daughter left home to pursue her business management degree at Menlo College in Atherton. Yanez took the paracord lanyards to sell to fellow students. By then, Hernandez had added another safety feature: whistles to use to attract attention in case of emergency.The rest of her family also became involved in the business. Hernandez’ son, Solar, helps his mom by measuring and cutting the paracord before she begins knotting the cords for lanyards. And her husband, Steven Hernandez, is charge of sales and marketing.“My husband is my biggest cheerleader,” she said.  “He saw something I like to do and I’ve made it my own.”As her business grows, Hernandez continues to donate 40 percent of her profits to community organizations. To date, InkBlossom Designs has donated a total of more than $3,000 to the Fallen Hero Memorial Scholarship Fund, South Valley Middle School wrestling and cross-country teams, Santa Clara Valley Wrestling Association, Los Gatos Rugby Club, Pop Warner football leagues and Christopher High School sports.“If I can help bring a smile to someone’s face and help an organization, that’s the best thing for me to do,” she said.But Hernandez’ community outreach doesn’t end with InkBlossom Designs. She also volunteers as an assistant coach at South Valley Middle School and created the school’s annual Sumo Feast Fundraiser with dinner, live music and inflatable sumo suits for wrestling.Her contributions are greatly appreciated by the South Valley Middle School staff.“Ms. Hernandez is always around to lend a hand and is a valuable team player,” Athletic Director Jami Reynolds said.

The stabbing of a Gilroy pizza restaurant last week by a homeless man with a criminal record fueled a special public meeting Jan. 17 with city officials to discuss issues with the city’s homeless population. The hosted the special study session at 6:00 pm at...