Community

City of Morgan Hill and Silicon Valley Clean Energy officials will host a community meeting March 30 to provide more information about the renewable energy program for local electricity customers that will start in April.Enrollment in SVCE is automatic for PG&E customers in Morgan Hill, and will take place over a six-month period in two phases—one starting in April and one in July, according to city staff.SVCE is a nonprofit public agency formed in 2016 by a dozen South Bay communities to source clean electricity at costs below PG&E’s comparative rates. PG&E will remain an “essential partner” as the utility company will continue to deliver electricity over existing power lines, maintain the infrastructure, send bills and provide customer service, according to city staff.The March 30 meeting will start at 7 p.m. at Morgan Hill City Council Chambers, 17555 Peak Ave.For more information, visit svcleanenergy.org or call (844) 474-SVCE.

It’s Relay season.

Morgan Hill’s supercentenarian Belle McCormick passed away March 1 at the age of 110, according to the retired educator’s daughter Annie Saso.

Arlene Biala is an award-winning poet who has participated in poetry performances and workshops in the Bay Area for over 20 years. She is currently Poet Laureate of Santa Clara County for 2016-17. Her poetry has been described as “grounded in ritual object and ritual practice, mantras that resonate within the body, and plant the body firmly in the world.”

The Morgan Hill Community Foundation’s El Toro Culture and Arts Committee and Morgan Hill’s Recreation and Community Services Department will host the 17th annual Art a la Carte, a children’s art fair  from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 29 at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.

U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, who represents Morgan Hill in the nation’s highest legislative body, was “preaching to the choir,” according to one attendee, at her March 4 town hall that brought a packed house to the council meeting chambers on Peak Avenue.

A report showing that Morgan Hill has the second highest suicide rate in the county among “youth” between ages 10-24 was released March 3 by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.

U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren will host a town hall meeting, with a focus on immigration, 10 to 11:30 a.m. March 4 at the Morgan Hill City Council meeting chambers, 17555 Peak Ave. Due to limited space, anyone interested in attending is asked to register by visiting lofgren.house.gov or calling (408) 271-8700. Lofgren represents Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Jose and all of Santa Clara County.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival is now accepting online applications for the 2017 Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen Pageant. Young ladies between the ages of 18 to 24 who live in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Martin, Hollister, San Juan Bautista or Aromas are eligible to enter.

Every year, Morgan Hill’s Chamber of Commerce honors a select group of individuals for their dedicated service to the local community with the nonprofit’s annual Chamber of the Year Awards.