Community

South County residents and public safety officers paid their respects to fallen San Jose Police Officer Michael Katherman June 21 by gathering on U.S. 101 overpasses as his funeral procession traveled through the area.  Funeral services for Katherman, who died June 14 in a traffic accident while on duty with SJPD, took place at SAP Center in San Jose June 21. He was 34 years old, and left behind his wife April and sons Josh, 10 and Jason, 8. April teaches at Pacific Point Christian School in Gilroy.After the funeral, his remains were escorted by hundreds of police officers from throughout the state to the Gavilan Hills Memorial Cemetery in Gilroy. Leading the procession were dozens of Katherman’s fellow motorcycle officers.On the East Dunne Avenue overpass, two Morgan Hill Fire Department officers stood atop an engine and saluted the procession as it passed. Residents waved American flags as they lined up along the edge of the overpass, peering through the fence facing the southbound traffic as it passed underneath them.“We’re here to show our respects,” said Morgan Hill resident Cindy Chapman, who brought her grandsons Jonah Roush and Devin McCusker to the procession. “We know that officers give their lives for us every day.”On the Burnett Avenue overpass about the same time, Dave Carney and his wife Monica showed their support for Katherman and his colleagues. Dave Carney lost his leg 16 years after being hit by a drunk driver while he was riding his motorcycle. He makes an effort to support law enforcement whenever he can as a thank you.Katherman’s remains were buried in a private service at 2:30 p.m. June 21 in Gilroy.

For 27 years, Morgan Hill

The holiday spirit is alive and well at Sailor’s Ink tattoo shop, where owner Jen Kelso is offering discounts on ink for customers who donate a present for the shop's Christmas toy drive.

More than 200 people attended the 46th annual Founders Day Dinner, one of Morgan Hill’s favorite long-time traditions that celebrates the city’s first residents.The Founders Day Dinner was first organized by the city, then it was taken over by the Chamber of Commerce several years later, and in recent years has been organized by the Morgan Hill Historical Society. This year’s dinner was held Sept. 19 at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.“The purpose is to honor long-term residents in the community who have made contributions to make Morgan Hill what it is today,” said MHHS President Kathy Sullivan. “In terms of longevity, they’ve all made a difference in the community.”Specifically, the MHHS annually invites residents who have lived in Morgan Hill for 50 years or longer to the dinner. As part of the tradition, those who have lived here for at least 70 years enjoy a complimentary dinner at the ceremony, Sullivan added.Among the festivities Sept. 19 was a video produced by MHHS that highlighted six of Morgan Hill’s long-term residents:Vic Locarnini, 93, is a former rancher. When his family’s farming operation was split down the middle by the construction of U.S. 101, Lacarnini took a job with the U.S. Postal Service delivering mail, which allowed him to see his friends and neighbors every day.Gladys Payne Martin, 93, was born and raised in the house that still stands at the corner of Diana Avenue and Butterfield Boulevard, behind Frank’s Plumbing.Elena Oberg Moreno, 93, is the widow of Morgan Hill’s first chief of police, John Moreno. She is a former kindergarten teacher, and her family had a prune ranch in Morgan Hill.Peter Musachia, 93, is also the son of a farming family who owned vineyards and made wine during Prohibition. He quit school in eighth grade and worked on the family’s farm.Paul Ward, 92, also grew with a farming family. The Ward ranch was located on Oak Glen Avenue, and his grandparents built the house he grew up in, which still stands in west Morgan Hill.Maxine Ryser Edes, 92, was a hair dresser who ran her own beauty shops in town. Her family founded the Morgan Hill Times.DVD copies of the video are available at the MHHS museum for $25, and the price goes to pay for the production of the video, Sullivan said. The museum is located at the Villa Mira Monte house, 17860 Monterey Road.The MHHS keeps a running list of the city’s long-term residents, and Sullivan said anyone who has lived in Morgan Hill for more than 50 years and is not on the list can contact the society at (408) 779-5755.

After a three-year experiment that saw the No Bull BBQ Cookoff take place at two different locations in town, the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce canceled the event this year.