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The 2015 Morgan Hill Freedom Fest Parade will be led Saturday by retired United States Army officer James Allen Taylor, a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War, according to event organizers.Taylor, born in Arcata, joined the U.S. Army from San Francisco in 1956 and was commissioned as an officer in 1965. He earned the military’s highest honor while a first lieutenant in Troop B, 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, American Division.On Nov. 8, 1967, Taylor took over after his commander was wounded in action and led preparations for a search-and-destroy mission. During a battle the next day, west of Que Son in the Republic of Vietnam, Taylor repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to rescue crewmen from damaged assault vehicles and personnel carriers, according to Freedom Fest organizers. He was subsequently promoted to Captain and awarded the Medal of Honor Nov. 19, 1968.“His troop was engaged in an attack on a fortified position west of Que Son when it came under intense enemy recoilless rifle, mortar, and automatic weapons fire from an enemy strong point located immediately to its front,” according to a description on the Congressional Medal of Honor Society website. “One armored cavalry assault vehicle was hit immediately by recoilless rifle fire and all 5 crewmembers were wounded. Aware that the stricken vehicle was in grave danger of exploding, Capt. Taylor rushed forward and personally extracted the wounded to safety despite the hail of enemy fire and exploding ammunition.”Taylor reached the rank of Major before retiring from the Army in 1980. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of Tampa.“His actions of unsurpassed valor were a source of inspiration to his entire troop, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers,” according to cmohs.org. “His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.”As the 2015 Grand Marshal, Taylor will lead more than 100 participants in the Morgan Hill Freedom Fest’s Fourth of July parade, which is considered the largest privately organized parade in Northern California and the official Fourth of July Parade of Santa Clara County, according to organizers.Local war veteran Art Gonzales has known Taylor through various fundraiser functions he helped with in the 1980s and lined him up to come to Morgan Hill for last year’s Fourth of July. However, a death in Taylor’s family prevented him from coming in 2014. Gonzales said Taylor is in charge of the western region for the CMOHS.The Medal of Honor has been awarded to 3,495 American combat veterans, and 79 of those recipients are alive today, according to the CMOHS website.“(Morgan Hill Freedom Fest organizers) are very honored to have him here in Morgan Hill and so are a lot of us who know him,” Gonzales said.The local nonprofit Independence Day Celebration fundraises more than $150,000 and encompasses more than 500 volunteers each year to organize and produce the weeklong activities.Along with the parade, the July 3-4 activities include The Patriotic Sing, Street Dance, Freedom Run, Car Cruise ‘n Show, award-winning parade and Fireworks on the Green show.

A local entrepreneur with a flair for Mexican cuisine is hosting a grand opening fiesta for “El Taco Feliz,” his very first taco truck, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 3 at 13320 Depot Street in San Martin.

Pacific Gas & Electric Company is set to conduct “a critical gas safety initiative” later this month above natural gas transmission lines in Morgan Hill that will allow first responders to more quickly get to pipelines to work on them in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.“In an emergency or natural disaster, every second counts,” said Tim Main, Morgan Hill Fire Department Battalion Chief. “Clearing obstructions to a gas line will not only save time, it may help save lives.”In the city limits, PG&E will be replacing about 300 obstructions to pipeline safety, including trees, shrubs and structures such as gazebos and sheds, said PG&E spokesman Jeff Smith.“This landscaping and replanting work will provide Morgan Hill with new trees and vegetation,” Smith said. Replacement of obstructions on private property will be completed at the utility company’s expense.In Morgan Hill, PG&E will work for up to six weeks starting by the end of May and into June between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The work is expected to cause minor traffic delays due to partial lane closures to allow work to be conducted safely, according to PG&E.

Animal lovers rejoice, because free adoption days are here again at the Santa Clara County Animal Shelter in San Martin as part of the annual Maddie’s Fund event.The two-day collaborative effort, which gets under way May 30-31 at the 12370 Murphy Avenue facility, “will be offering free pet adoptions all weekend and for every animal adopted, the shelter will receive grant money from the Maddie’s Fund to provide lifesaving veterinary care.”On Saturday, May 30, the shelter will be open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and, on Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.“This event is a great opportunity for adopters to find the love of their life for free while simultaneously helping other animals,” according to the May 21 announcement from the county animal shelter. “Maddie’s Fund has chosen Santa Clara County, along with five other counties across the U.S., to be part of this year’s event in an effort to work together to empty the shelters and save lives.”This is the third year that county shelter has participated in the event. Last year, the shelter placed 77 animals and raised $45,000.

Are you interested in meeting people from other countries? Do you want to make a lasting impact on the life of an international student and make a friend for life? Do you have a spare bedroom and live in the Morgan Hill/Gilroy area? Then Green Planet’s homestay program in partnership with Oakwood School want you to consider hosting an international student this fall.Through our partnership with Morgan Hill’s Oakwood High School, gphomestay is offering this opportunity to nurturing, qualified families in the surrounding area, according to a press release. The program is currently looking for host families for fall 2015.To offset the costs of hosting a student, families will be provided with a $1,300 monthly stipend. Families also have access to ongoing local support. Students arrive with their own insurance and spending money.The partnership also offers a $300 referral bonus for any approved host family that lists your name as their source of referral on their application, the press release states.You can begin the process of becoming a host by completing an online inquiry form atgphomestay.com.  For more information, please email [email protected] or call (781) 996-0429.  

Thousands of residents and visitors enjoyed the mild Memorial Day weekend weather as they ate, shopped, danced and enjoyed live performances at the 36th annual Mushroom Mardi Gras. The festival took place May 23 and 24 in and around the grounds of the Community and Cultural Center in downtown Morgan Hill. The annual festival raises money for scholarships for local high school students. 

Residents, veterans and their families gathered at the First Street Veterans Memorial in downtown Morgan Hill to honor local service people who died while serving their country.More than 100 people attended the May 25 ceremony, which is organized every year by Morgan Hill resident and Vietnam veteran Eddie Bowers.The remembrance included patriotic songs performed by local students, a singing of the national anthem, a reading of the names of local residents who died overseas since World War One, a prayer and a performance of “Taps.”Veterans raised an American flag that belonged to World War Two veteran Roy Quindt.Morgan Hill residents and veterans Charles Hubbard and Terry Howell laid wreaths at the foot of the downtown memorial, which displays a series of plaques listing the names of local veterans who died while serving in the military.

South County public safety personnel were honored at the May 13 “Blue and Gold” event at the Old City Hall restaurant in Gilroy. The purpose of the 21st annual event, hosted by the Gilroy Exchange Club, is to recognize those public service officers and first responders “who have gone beyond the call of duty,” according to an announcement from the Exchange Club.Presented Blue and Gold awards by their respective department’s top brass were Gilroy Fire Captain Jim Buessing, Morgan Hill Apparatus Engineer/Paramedic David Riley, CAL FIRE Captain Paramedic Jesse Winnen, Santa Clara County Sheriff Sgt. Rick Alanis, California Highway Patrol Officer Lori Gonzales, Morgan Hill Police Detective Jason Broyer and Gilroy Police Department Detective Bill Richmond.In addition, Denise Brown was awarded the Book of Golden Deeds Award to recognize the quiet deeds of America's unsung heroes.

On May 22, the downtown business community and City Hall will celebrate the grand opening of a new temporary “pop-up park” in the parking of the former liquor store, located at the southeast corner of Third Street and Monterey Road. The park is part of the city’s downtown “placemaking” strategy. “The park will be fun, create a family gathering space and showcase many of the mini-grant art projects,” said city spokeswoman Maureen Tobin. The park will include a bicycle repair hub with bike racks, a historic bike map, hydration station and a “fix-it station.” Also featured will be a giant Adirondack chair, tables, chairs, umbrellas, benches made out of recycled propane tanks, festival lighting and artificial turf. The park will also include a “kids’ corner.” Pictured above is another public art mini-grant project, a mural painted on the front of the old liquor store building by Empire 7 Studio in San Jose. Artist Z Mesngr said the characters in the mural are based on one of his favorite films, “The Triplets of Belleville.” The grand opening celebration will take place 12 to 2 p.m. May 22.

The 2015 recreational boating season is already under way, but how long it will continue in Morgan Hill remains a guessing game due to the severe drought progressively decimating local water supplies and a state-mandated deadline to retrofit Anderson Dam.