Community

Oakwood School will host the 2018 South Valley Science Fair on Jan. 11, 2018, in partnership with the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and other STEM advocates and professionals.

Organizers of the Morgan Hill Relay for Life will host a “Jingle & Mingle Holiday Boutique” with a slew of local vendors lined up for the Nov. 18 event at the Masonic Center, located at 380 W. Dunne Ave.

A large contingent of conservationists kicked off a campaign Nov. 2 to permanently preserve Coyote Valley—which serves as a buffer of open space between Morgan Hill and San Jose—from the threat of future development.

Gilroy resident Frank Louis Masoni died in combat just two days after landing with the U.S. Marine Corps at Tarawa Atoll in the South Pacific in November 1943. Nearly three-quarters of a century later, in the summer of 2017, his remains were positively identified by military officials, and his South County descendants will finally get to bury him.The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is in the process of transporting Masoni’s full skeletal remains—which were in an unnamed grave at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu for decades—to his 90-year-old brother, Richard.Richard, who still lives in Gilroy, and his sons, daughters and other family are planning a Nov. 18 burial service.“I’m so happy he’s getting a chance to return home after all these years,” said Gilroy resident Lanna Sandoval, Frank Masoni’s niece and Richard’s daughter. “It’s so emotional. I wish his other brothers would have had the chance to be alive during this time. And I’m happy my dad has the opportunity to see this in his lifetime.”Frank Masoni was the oldest of four brothers who grew up in a home on Chestnut Street—now Lewis Street—in Gilroy. Their parents, Clorinda and Salvatore Masoni, were Italian immigrants. All four of their sons served in the military.Frank Masoni enlisted first at the age of 20, and went to Marine Corps basic training in South Dakota before his deployment to the South Pacific theater of World War Two.Richard, the youngest of the four siblings, was 16 when he dropped his oldest brother off for his trip to basic training at the bus station in Gilroy.“He didn’t realize that would be the last time he would see him,” Sandoval said.Sandoval and her sister Clorinda Sergi shared these details of their family history one recent afternoon at Sergi’s Morgan Hill home. Although Masoni’s nieces and nephew never met their uncle, they grew up hearing stories about him and confirmed he was a dutiful older brother.“He always looked out for Dad,” Sandoval said. “He smoked, but he wouldn’t give Dad any cigarettes.”The government notified Frank Masoni’s parents in December 1943 that their son, an Assistant Cook in the Marine Corps, died in combat Nov. 21.Although his death was confirmed, the location of his remains was “unknown” due to the massive number of casualties on the battlefield, and the lack of sophisticated identification methods at the time, according to Masoni’s official government file, copies of which were provided to his brother and nieces in August.‘Horrendous’ battleDuring the Battle of Tarawa, Masoni was assigned to Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. Specifically, he participated in the invasion of Betio Island.“Its personnel, men primarily in support jobs, were not normally used as infantry, but during the first two days of fighting on Betio, every man supported the fighting in any way possible,” reads the DPAA’s narrative of the battle and Masoni’s involvement.Sandoval added, “The battle was so horrendous. He survived day one, and died the second day.”As soldiers died during the battle, the living gathered their bodies and moved them to collection points for burial. The bodies received temporary burials on the island or, in some cases, burials at sea.“The Marines just buried as they went, and made makeshift graves,” Sergi said. “He did not have his dog tags on him when he died.”The remains of hundreds of American soldiers who died in the Tarawa Atoll were then transported to other locations in efforts to identify them, according to Masoni’s file. By 1949, “after every effort available at the time to identify the remains,” the bodies of Masoni and other soldiers were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the “Punchbowl” cemetery.Then in October 2016, DPAA gained authorization to re-examine the remains of soldiers who died at Betio Island and exhumed numerous graves, Masoni’s among them. Officials identified Masoni by comparing dental x-rays, a chest radiograph and other records with his skeletal remains.‘Been a long time’That led to DPAA’s contact with Richard Masoni this summer, and the promise that the family will finally be able to bury Frank Masoni’s remains—as his parents wanted.The government’s file on Masoni’s service and death includes copies of six hand-written letters sent by his mother to the government between 1944 and 1948, reminding officials that she was still waiting for his remains.“I am very much interested in having his body returned home. Would appreciate all you can do,” reads a November 1946 letter from Frank Masoni’s mother to the General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C.Frank Masoni didn’t have any children, but he has a large crew of surviving nieces, nephews and their families, many of whom still live in South County.“The Masoni family can now have closure as we ponder the fact that freedom isn't free,” Sandoval added.Richard Masoni’s daughters said the return of his brother has been too emotionally overwhelming for him to speak extensively about it. But he said in a written statement delivered by Sandoval, “It’s been a long time and I’m glad it’s happening.”

Community Christian Church, located at 305 W. Main Ave., is the local dropoff site for the Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child—joining nearly 5,000 U.S. locations collecting gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need around the world.

A new county-funded animal shelter is on its way to San Martin in a long-overdue project that proponents say will significantly expand South County's ability to house, rehabilitate and find homes for countless rescued animals.

Do you have a story burning inside you that you’ve always wanted to write? Are you a writer who just needs a little time to get some words on the page?

Hundreds of small heroes, villains, cartoon characters, farm animals and more—along with their costumed parents—took over downtown Morgan Hill for a brief outing the night of Halloween. Shop and restaurant owners held the invaders at bay by donning their own disguises and offering candy payoffs.Luckily, the looters meant no harm and nothing but fun and good times were reported. The Oct. 31 scene, known as the annual Safe Trick Or Treat event, was organized by the City of Morgan Hill and the Downtown Association.Monterey Road and downtown side streets were closed to vehicle traffic in order to give the costumed families free reign of the neighborhood and maximize their treat stores and partake in street games.

Former volunteer firefighter Ascencion Gonzalez, 74, said he was treated “like a VIP” when volunteers from Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley visited his west Morgan Hill home Oct. 28 to make some repairs.On this clear, cool Saturday morning, the nonprofit organized the “Rebuilding Day” at 38 homes throughout the valley. Three of the homes—including Gonzalez’—were in Morgan Hill. At Gonzalez’ home, the volunteers led by Rotary Club of Morgan Hill installed a new fence and gate leading to the back yard, painted the exterior and interior, installed a new overhead light in the master bedroom and put in a new stove in the kitchen.Even though Gonzalez is almost completely blind—due, he thinks, to years of welding in a previous career—the new light in his bedroom will allow him to watch his beloved Dallas Cowboys on a small flat-screen television.“The people that were here were beautiful,” said Gonzalez. “Too bad I couldn’t meet every one of them. They did a fantastic job!”Gonzalez purchased the single-story Morgan Hill home with his late wife Carmen in 1977. That was after the couple moved here with Ascencion’s parents in 1960, to “pick the easy money from the ground: prunes.”Since then, Gonzalez has worked in a variety of labor jobs, including farming, construction, mechanics and leather crafting. For about 15 years, he sold NFL merchandise at the Capitol Flea Market under his own “Cowboy Sporting Goods” label.For about nine years, during the 1970s and 1980s, Gonzalez volunteered for the Morgan Hill Fire Department.Now retired, Gonzalez enjoys spending time with his great-grandkids, to whom he is trying to pass on his knowledge of leatherwork.Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley makes it a mission to help homeowners like Gonzalez, who are elderly, disabled and low on income. The nonprofit thrives on its volunteers to perform the work at various home rehabilitation projects.Also in Morgan Hill Oct. 28, Rebuilding Together made some improvements at two homes at Hacienda Valley Mobile Estates on Burnett Avenue.At the home of Audrey Henderson, 78, the crews installed some safety and mobility features, including hand railings and steps. They also painted and did some cleanup, according to Rebuilding Together spokeswoman Terry Gallo.Also at Hacienda Valley, volunteers did some repairs at the home of Julie Gresham. Work there included unclogging the kitchen sink, repairing the carport door lock, installing handrails and half-steps, and some landscape maintenance.Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, which has overseen numerous rebuilding days in Morgan Hill in recent years, is preparing for a big push into South County, particularly Gilroy, in the coming months, Gallo said.“We want to let South County know we’re available and we want them to utilize our services,” Gallo said.She added that the Oct. 28 projects in Morgan Hill “went very smooth,” thanks largely to the Rotary Club and sponsor Mission Bell, which is based in Morgan Hill.Homeowners in need of repairs must meet certain income requirements in order to qualify for a Rebuilding Together project, Gallo explained. All the projects are completed at no cost to the homeowner. Interested homeowners can gain more information and apply for a project by visiting rebuildingtogethersv.org, or calling (408) 578-9519.

Haunted Graveyard creators Bob Johnston and Scott Janssen are back to once again convert Lassen Way in Morgan Hill into a delightfully frightful display of horror. The creative duo is offering free admission to the public.