Scrapbook July 8-12, 2013
ENGAGEMENT: Smith/Para: Amanda Rose Smith and Brandon Joseph Para are engaged to be married.
Red and gold through and through; local crowned ‘Most Dedicated Fan’
Alex Smith and Vernon Davis hooked up for one of the most memorable touchdowns in San Francisco 49ers history last Saturday, lifting the Niners into weekend’s NFC title game. The moment was icing on the cake for super fan Mark Castanon, who scored a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity earlier in the week.
Getting out: Up El Toro
By 1850, life in New York City and the eastern United States had become routine and workaday. Long gone were the wilderness and the pioneers who had tamed the land east of the Appalachians. But out West, the pioneer spirit was being lived by thousands who were racing to a wild and unsettled California in search of gold.
Birds of the South Valley
The South Bay is abundant with an astonishing variety of avian life. The captivating hobby of birdwatching allows you to discover and appreciate the marvelous diversity of wildlife all around us. At the water’s edge you may see a majestic Great Blue Heron or a reclusive American Bittern; you will learn how to tell the difference between Great and Snowy Egrets; you might be surprised by a crested blue-and-white Belted Kingfisher suddenly diving into the water and emerging with a fish.
County recognizes local groups for cleanup
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors this week presented commendations to members of the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance, the San Martin Chamber of Commerce and Greenwaste Recovery, Inc. for their joint efforts in hosting the November 2017 Trash Bash event in San Martin.
Supervisor...
GETTING OUT: Mount Madonna Park – handy yet exotic
One of Mount Madonna's best features is that it is handy. From
Celebrating 161 years of Methodism in Gilroy, part II
The first church of any denomination organized in Gilroy (known as Pleasant Valley back then) held its first meeting on June 4, 1853. The church grew and eventually another Methodist church was built, so that before the Civil War, Gilroy had both a north and south Methodist Church.
‘Tosca’ features searing drama and music
Opera San Jose begins its illustrious 32nd season with "Tosca," Puccini’s most melodramatic opera. “Tosca” is based on Victorian Sardou’s 1887 French language dramatic play La Tosca. The play starred Sarah Bernhardt, who played the lead in over 3,000 performances. Puccini became obsessed with turning the play into an opera. Librettist Luigi Illica advised Puccini against trying to turn the play into an opera because he felt it could not be adapted to a musical form and was too violent.
