Community

The California Attorney General will host a public meeting at 10 a.m. Jan. 8 in council chambers of Gilroy City Hall, located at 7351 Rosanna Street, to gather community input on Saint Louise Regional Hospital as it relates to the pending sale to Prime...

An advocacy organization that represents 40,000 part-time college instructors across California is urging Governor Jerry Brown to make a sea change in how part-timers at schools like Gavilan College—which depends heavily on part-time faculty—are compensated.

Volunteers bustled about in the Community Solutions warehouse in Gilroy on a recent morning, working behind the scenes to make the holidays memorable for South County families with children who have the least.

As the fog cleared on a recent Saturday morning, residents gathered at cemeteries in Gilroy and Morgan Hill to pay a tribute to—and to reflect on the loss of—every veteran buried in South County. More than 250 volunteers at ceremonies in both cities laid pine wreaths near the headstones of approximately 1,000 local veterans as part of Wreaths Across America after raising $16,000 to pay for materials.

When Morgan Hill resident Ari Jarson, 6, heard about last week’s severe storm warning and the city’s call to be a “leaf lifter” to prepare for the coming rain, the kindergartener wanted to help out.The city’s storm warning inspired Jarson, who enjoys raking leaves, to rake up his entire cul-de-sac, according to his mother Maria Elena Jarson.“It is important to rake up leaves before a big storm,” Ari said. “When the rain comes, water will fill the gutters and there will be a big problem. If the leaves clog the gutters, then the city pumper trucks have to flush all the leaves out of the sewer or the roads will flood. The storm will get worse and overflow the town if you don’t pick up the leaves.”

The rain will not be going away anytime soon in South County, as a series of storms are forecast for the area through Friday, according to National Weather Service forecaster Logan Johnson.Following up last week’s stormy weather—which brought between 3 to 3.5 inches to the area—today’s heavy rains have dropped an inch already (as of 3 p.m.) and are expected to add another inch before lightening up a bit.“We’ll have scattered showers the rest of the evening and then we’ll get a little bit of a break,” Johnson said. “The break is not going to be all that long, so things won’t get a chance to dry out.”Temperatures will be in the mid to upper 50s and down to the mid 40s throughout the wet week, according to Johnson.“There are a series of storms lined up across the Pacific (Ocean) set to come this way,” said Johnson, noting they are moving at a fairly good pace as well.After a reprieve later tonight and early Tuesday, the next storm will touch down late afternoon Tuesday and last into the night. The rains will soften up Wednesday. Thursday “is the best shot at a dry day,” Johnson said. “Friday another (storm system) is coming our way.”The City of Morgan Hill and the Santa Clara Valley Water District continue to supply sandbag stations at three locations in the city limits: the City Corp Yard, 100 Edes Court; El Toro Fire Station, 18300 Old Monterey Road; and Depot Street near Fourth Street, in the parking lot adjacent to the railroad tracks in downtown Morgan Hill.

Global Literacy Outreach Ministries’ Gift and Thrift store—located at 16965 Monterey Road, Suite 114, in the Morgan Hill Plaza—will host its annual Christmas Community Outreach event on Sunday, Dec. 21.At the free event, there will be opportunities for pictures with Santa and Christmas gifts for children 13 and under as well as food and beverages for all who join founder Ralph Goduco and his staff.For more information on Global Literacy Outreach Ministries, visit globalliteracyoutreach.com or call (408) 763-1493.