There are moments when a community gets to see itself through someone else’s eyes. Friday morning, Aug. 7, was one of those moments.
KTVU’s Mornings on 2 brought its Zip Trip to Morgan Hill, turning the spotlight on our little corner of South County and giving viewers across the Bay Area a chance to see that Morgan Hill is a special place.
The format is about discovering the people, places, food, history and little quirks that make a community different. On Friday, viewers got a taste of Morgan Hill through local businesses, community personalities, trivia and stories that don’t necessarily make the evening news but are every bit as important to understanding who we are.
For a few hours, the cameras were rolling, the anchors were out and about, local people were telling their stories, and Morgan Hill was the star.
They visited Andy’s Orchard, the Dennis Kennedy Aquatics Center, Luxe Flower Bar, Rosy’s at the Beach and Craft Roots. They also took a ride on the Morgan Hill Wine Trolley.
They spoke with Mayor Mark Turner; Business Engagement and Events Manager for the Downtown Morgan Hill Improvement District, Gabrielle Crescini; and Morgan Hill Historical Society Board Member Tere Johnson.
We sometimes take our community for granted. We drive down Monterey Road without thinking about the history that surrounds us. We pass restaurants, parks, farms and businesses on the way to somewhere else.
We know the people who make things happen, but we don’t always stop to appreciate how much they contribute to the character of this place.
There wasn’t a major crisis to report. No breaking news. No controversy. Instead, there was something we don’t always see enough of on television: a community simply being a community.
That is something worth celebrating and it’s something the KTVU reporters found out first hand.
“There are so many good places to eat here,” said reporter Sal Castaneda. “You have it made. You could spend a few weeks eating your way through town and have a lot of fun.”
“I love it,” reporter/anchor Frank Mallicoat said. “The people, the community, the vineyards, the downtown is quaint and fun and the people in the North Bay should visit.”
Meteorologist Bryan Gallo compared Morgan Hill to his home town of Rohnert Park.
“A great, small town community,” he said. “I could see myself living here.”
Yes, Morgan Hill has grown considerably, but it has managed to hold onto a sense of place. We still gather downtown. We still turn out for concerts, festivals, fundraisers and school events. And we still have small-business owners who know their customers by name.
Those are the things that don’t always show up in statistics about population growth or economic development. But they are the things that make a city home.
As a publisher, I see that every week. Our pages are filled with stories about the people who coach our kids, open businesses, volunteer for nonprofits, serve on boards, teach in our schools, organize events and quietly make Morgan Hill a better place.
KTVU gave many of those stories a much wider audience.
And perhaps that’s the greatest value of a Zip Trip. It reminds the people who live here of what they have—and reminds people who don’t live here that Morgan Hill is worth getting to know.
So, thank you to KTVU for coming to town.
And thank you to everyone who opened their businesses, shared their stories, cooked their food, answered the trivia questions, waved to the cameras and helped show the Bay Area what we already know.
Morgan Hill had its moment in the spotlight Friday.
I think it looked pretty good.
