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    Sunday, June 29, a “Barn Raisin’ Barbecue” was held at the Demonstration Garden on Eigleberry between 6th and 7th Streets. This was the first public event  by the Save the Miller Red Barn Committee, and it was an obvious success. 

Ah, summertime and the living is easy: long days, warm evenings and relaxing with friends around the outdoor grill. These are my favorite days of the year and the best time to enjoy chilled, summertime wines such as Rosé and Viognier.

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.

Last week we went on vacation. Yes, I know this isn’t earth-shattering news. But everywhere we went, people asked us where we were from. And when we answered “Gilroy,” we always got the same reaction:

When you hear the word “Alcatraz,” you probably think of the infamous people who were imprisoned there, such as Al “Scarface” Capone, Robert “the Birdman” Stroud and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. And usually, that’s about as much as most usually think about. But this small island—one of the most popular attractions to visitors—hovering near the Golden Gate Bridge has an interesting and eerie history.

Live Oak High School graduate Joshua Toch—who will attend UC Berkeley in the fall—was named one of only 10 nationwide recipients of the prestigious 2014 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards for his participation in a student-run, anti-bullying initiative.

Summer has officially begun and with it comes the abundance South Valley has to offer. These products greatly influence the way my summer cooking takes shape and inspire me to use them in new and different ways. This week, I put a new spin on a summer party staple: chips and salsa.

Since New Year's Day, we have been preparing for the hike—no, climb—up Mt. Tallac. At 9,783 feet, Mt. Tallac is the highest peak on the Lake Tahoe rim. We call it the Mt. Tallac Challenge for good reason. As I learned when I recently revisited the mountain, after you climb it, you will no longer be a hiker, you will be a mountaineer.

What would you say if someone told you that for approximately 90 minutes you would be in charge of—no, the driving force behind—approximately 100 children, all kindergarten through sixth-grade age?

Gilroy and Morgan Hill Cherry farmer Ralph Santos said this year he got half of the average total harvest, which workers picked twice as fast, and slim pickings for you-pick cherry farmer Kathy Kraintz prompted the closure of her small-scale Silicon Valley agritourism attraction Lazy K Ranch to the public.