Dear Editor, What started out as an idea became a reality this
past Sunday with the USAF Band of the Golden West performing an
outdoor concert for the Morgan Hill community. More than 600 people
came out on a warm evening to enjoy the excellent music by one of
our countries best military bands.
Thanks to all for supporting USAF Band of the Golden West
Dear Editor,
What started out as an idea became a reality this past Sunday with the USAF Band of the Golden West performing an outdoor concert for the Morgan Hill community. More than 600 people came out on a warm evening to enjoy the excellent music by one of our countries best military bands.
This concert would not have been possible without the following people and organizations pitching in for a great cause. Thanks go out to Maureen Drewniany and the staff at the Morgan Hill Recreation & Community Services Department, Michael and Jana Castelan of Poppy’s Fish, Poultry & More, Independence Day Inc., Boy Scouts of America Troop # 730 and last but not least, the citizens of Morgan Hill for showing your support to our men and women in our armed forces. From the enthusiastic response by those in attendance, we will try and have the Band of the West back again next year. I hope everyone had a great time.
Michael Sanders, Morgan Hill
Yes, a Hispanic on the panel would have been a ‘good idea’
Dear Editor,
We thank the Morgan Hill Times editorial board for its interest in MHAT’s recent “Dynamic Dialog” chat-show looking at lessons our community learned from the Live Oak High School Cinco de Mayo incident. The public access TV show aired on MHAT cable channel 19 the last two weekends and can also be viewed on the Internet at www.mhat.blip.tv.
The editorial board mentioned that no person from the Hispanic community was part of the panel discussion moderated by Councilmember Larry Carr. We whole-heartedly agree with the editorial board that it would have been a “good idea to include a Hispanic on the panel.”
To clarify the editorial board’s comments printed in last Friday’s paper, MHAT producers did in fact try twice to invite Live Oak Vice Principal Miguel Rodriquez to participate on “Dynamic Dialog.” The school district, however, declined our invitation. The reason why is because the district is concerned about potential liability involved with the investigation of Rodriquez’s actions on Cinco de Mayo.
At Superintendent Wes Smith’s suggestion, we offered Live Oak Principal Nick Boden the opportunity to appear on the show. Boden, who is retiring, declined.
In the MHAT broadcast, Superintendent Smith did an excellent job of relaying why the Hispanic community was upset about the Cinco de Mayo situation based on the substantial feedback the school district received.
We warmly welcome members of the Morgan Hill Times editorial board to produce future chat-shows like “Dynamic Dialog” dealing with topics of community interest. We particularly invite the Times board to produce a show for MHAT with local Hispanic community leaders discussing the issues surrounding the Live Oak incident. We see a need for this kind of open and honest public conversation to help the Morgan Hill community resolve the cultural conflict.
Like the Times editorial board, MHAT is made up of unpaid volunteers who give their time and energy to provide a media service to their fellow citizens. If any Morgan Hill resident might wish to participate in developing content of local relevance for our community’s public access TV station, please feel free to contact MHAT at [email protected].
Martin Cheek and the board members of the Media Access Coalition of Central California (The nonprofit organization that runs MHAT-19)
Don’t forget, there is an election Tuesday; vote for John Laird
Dear Editor,
On Tuesday, the State of California is asking that we vote for a replacement for Able Maldonado in Senate District 15 in a “Special Election.” The two front-running candidates are: John Laird, Democrat and former, and very popular Assemblyman. The other candidate is: Sam Blakeslee, Republican and a former Exxon Oil Executive during the Valdez Alaska oil spill. The Blakeslee campaign along with the Governor think that this election date will favor the GOP because even though the Democrats have more registered voters in this district, Democrats historically don’t vote in “Special Elections. We Democrats need to prove the GOP is wrong!
The San Jose Mercury News endorsed Laird, for his stance on the environment, his popularity in the Assembly, his top ratings from youth advocates, seniors and conservationists. He has a 100 percent rating from the major environmental groups in California. Blakeslee claims he is anti off-shore drilling now, but since the 1980s he has voted with the oil companies for off-shore drilling proposals while taking campaign donations from them.
The Mercury News says “Laird is a rare politician. In two years in the Assembly, he stood out for his intelligence, creativity and ability to work across the aisle – which may be why he was scored as the most effective legislator from this region in a 2007 Mercury News analysis, that and his reputation as an incredibly hard worker.” The paper ends with this sentence: “Voters of both parties in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties need to be sure to vote Tuesday and to choose John Laird.” I know John as an incredibly nice man, but a relentless fighter for the environment and human rights.
Be sure to vote Tuesday for the candidate of your choice. I for one will vote for John Laird!
Swanee Edwards, Morgan Hill
