Community

Hundreds of locals and visitors lined up outside CineLux Tennant Station movie theaters hours before the first Dec. 17 screenings of the latest installment of the storied and wildly popular “Star Wars” franchise.Some spectators, who have been anticipating the opening of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” for months, were eager to show off their fandom by dressing up as the film’s fictional rebel leaders, dark side antagonists or wookie friends.The film, directed by J.J. Abrams, continues to show on three screens at CineLux Tennant Station. The earliest weekend screenings take place at 11:55 a.m., and the latest show is at 10:15 p.m. At least one of the theaters is showing “Star Wars” in 3D.For more information or to purchase tickets to a film in advance, visit cineluxtheatres.com, or stop by the theater at 750 Tennant Ave.

With weather experts predicting a strong El Nino winter approaching, the city of Morgan Hill reminds residents that now is the time to ensure they and their property are prepared for strong rain storms ahead.

Celebrate the upcoming 50th NFL Super Bowl with a “Morgan Hill Loves SB50” party at Outdoor Sports Center, 16500 Condit Road, Saturday, Jan. 9. This date is a postponement of the same event previously scheduled for an earlier date.Organizers previously said it would be held at Sobrato, but switched back to the soccer fields.The fun includes live entertainment from the Hitsville Soul Sisters, games, a photo booth and refreshments. The party goes from 4 to 6:30 p.m.Admission and parking are free.Registration is requested. Register by visiting morganhilloutdoorsportscenter.com/sb50.htm.And in a once-in-a-generation chance to show Morgan Hill’s Super Bowl spirit, residents will be able to participate in the creation of a giant light display on the OSC’s soccer fields. Participants, friends and neighbors will hold their gold-lit cell phone screens to the sky, spelling out “MORGAN HILL LOVES SB50.” An aerial photograph will be taken of the display at just the right moment, according to a press release.Super Bowl 50 will be played Feb. 7, 2016 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Morgan Hill is represented on the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee, a nonprofit that acts as a liaison between the NFL and communities expected to be impacted by the Super Bowl.More than 150,000 visitors and 1 million people altogether in the Bay Area will participate in some form of Super Bowl-related activities the week leading up to the NFL’s biggest stage.

Child Advocates of Silicon Valley has been awarded a $10,000.00 grant from the eBay Foundation Corporate Advised Fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

“Everything is the same,” said the grief-stricken older brother of an 18-year-old Ann Sobrato High School alumnus who is in a medically-induced coma at Stanford Medical Center—the same state he has been in since early August.

Droves of families began forming a line outside the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center Dec. 11 as much as two hours before the Cathedral of Faith’s fifth annual holiday extravaganza was scheduled to begin.

Trail Dust BBQ will host Berkeley’s renowned sour beer company The Rare Barrel and esteemed Capitola brewery Sante Adairius for a beer tasting event billed as “Funk N Dank” from 2-6 p.m. Dec. 19.

Twenty-two members of the local Boys & Girls Club of Silicon Valley made a special Dec. 10 visit to the headquarters of Morgan Hill-based Specialized Bicycle Components, where employees guided them on a campus tour and treated their guests to some holiday craft-making.

The rain is here to stay with gray skies and showers expected tonight and through Friday, according to Forecaster Diana Henderson of the National Weather Service.

Thousands of residents and visitors kicked off the winter holiday season Dec. 5 with the 30th annual Kiwanis Club Morgan Hill Holiday Parade.The parade route traversed Monterey Road through downtown Morgan Hill. Local young dancers, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, high school marching bands, public officials and other nonprofit service organizations joined the procession of holiday lights, characters and music.Santa Claus on his Magic Ship, manned by Boy Scouts Troop 799, brought up the end of the parade. Spectators and performers joined Santa and other community members after the parade for a tree lighting and live music at the Community and Cultural Center.