Letters to the Editor

Anthony Aguilera’s Statement Was Too Much 

Dear Editor,

I have never responded to any newspaper, but your article on felon Anthony Aguilera really pushed my buttons! First of all, I work in the mental health field primarily with youth that are gang affiliated. As for Anthony, his story plays out over and over with the youth in our community. A family who is in complete denial wanting to blame the jurors, a 22-year-old man blaming others for taking away his “childhood dreams!” I am shocked that you even published the “thoughtful” ramblings of this man. He minimizes his actions by saying he at least didn’t commit rape or murder and that he wasn’t treated fairly due to gang propaganda. If you engage in antisocial behavior that puts the public in danger … REPEATEDLY … what do you think should be done? Those family members and friends around them that cover up, condone and even glamorize their behaviors are not doing anyone a favor. Considering his criminal history started well before this and the things he’s done that he didn’t get caught for, it’s time for him to be removed from the community to keep it’s residence safe. Maybe instead of printing this e-mail from a rambling man in prison you should have written about the good job the judicial system did or the difficult job of being a juror when there are still family, friends and others that can retaliate. See how easily you also became part of the problem? You gave this man over half a page in the community paper to continue his harassment and abuse of the community! I know you have a job to do but you should consider what impact is has on the community. I give credit to Deputy District Attorney Stuart Scott for not responding to the message as it only gives credibility to the article and this man’s delusional thinking.

As for the hope of rehabilitation of criminals like this, the outcome is bleak. He began with a life of antisocial behaviors and likely will continue. The prison will likely make him a better criminal as well as allow his criminal behavior to continue behind bars.

So now that you opened the paper for convicted felons to complain about those in the community who want justice … can we be looking forward to a full page “statement” from Anthony Frausto?

D. Gay, Morgan Hill

‘Lend Me a Tenor’ at Gavilan a Wonderful and Funny Hit Show

Dear Editor,

We highly recommend “Lend Me a Tenor”, the hilarious play now being staged by Gavilan College Theater Department. through May 12. This farce had us laughing from beginning to end.

All the cast was terrific, especially Genevieve Carlino as the very Italian wife of the guest tenor. The beautiful set with all its doors was perfect.

If this is any indication, the rejuvenated Gavilan Theater Arts Department under new full time faculty member John Lawton Haehl, will have many more memorable performances. Kudos to all involved.

Jim and Connie Rogers, Gilroy

Coyote Valley Will Become Disaster if Poorly Planned

Dear Editor,

I agree wholeheartedly with your April 25 editorial alerting South County residents to pay attention to the Coyote Valley draft environmental impact report, especially this: “If it’s poorly planned, development of Coyote Valley would clog our roads, reduce farmland, pollute our air [and] drain our water supply.”

Coyote Valley isn’t the only place to watch out for bad development. Plans for a mega-mall on farmland in Gilroy, would do the same thing the editorial predicts for Coyote Valley. The sprawling retail off Pacheco Pass has created traffic nightmares and polluted air. Let’s protect our remaining farmland from a similar fate. One way to do that would be to strengthen Gilroy’s agricultural mitigation policies, which so far have done little to mitigate for farmland lost to development.

Coyote Valley will have an enormous impact on South County, and so will South County development decisions. In Morgan Hill, San Martin, and Gilroy, we have to get a handle on development with better planning. It’s time to stop annexing land and pushing development out to the edge, and start protecting our farmland.

One positive note: finally, Morgan Hill and Gilroy are starting to invest in their downtowns – it’s long overdue, but well worth it.

Michele Beasley, South Bay Field Representative,

Greenbelt Alliance

Live Oak and Sobrato Offer Equal Opportunities

Dear Editor,

I am writing to respond to Nancy Dronek’s May 1 letter to the editor about the perceived disparity between our two high schools. As a parent of a Live Oak High School graduate and a soon-to-be Sobrato graduate, as well as a school board member, I can reply to some of her concerns.

I would be remiss in not first dealing with the parts of her letter that most concerned me. The following quote, “Such decisions must not be left to our administrators who are often transient to our community, or even worse, may have personal interests and ambitions served by creating false records of accomplishment so that they can land lucrative consulting positions,” needs to be addressed. If Mrs. Dronek has any legitimate knowledge of any of our hard working and wonderful administrators falsifying any records, it is her public duty to produce them so that action could be taken. If she is just saying that for effect than she should apologize and hope our administrators show her kindness.

I know of no administrators who are transient in our district. They are more involved than the majority of our citizens, working many nights taking part in community events and sports activities, as well as putting in a full day administering to the needs of our children.

Mrs. Dronek was right about a population imbalance at the schools, but her numbers are inaccurate. The district office and the board are taking steps to remedy this situation. When the numbers were lower at Sobrato, there was no public outcry as everyone realized that there would be adjustments as our community dealt with having two high schools.

The perceived disparity is just that: perceived. It can also be fueled by a few adults and will do no service to the district’s children. We should be celebrating that we have two great schools that each have many different strengths and traditions to offer. We have twice the opportunities to engage our students in the arts and sports. The schools will never be equal in all of the many different points that add to the makeup of a school, but they will be equal in opportunities for our children. We should celebrate the diversity and use the knowledge we gain from having two unique institutions that will continue to grow and thrive.

Let us resist the temptations to use labels or name calling. It polarizes our citizens and creates a self-fulfilling prophecy that has little to do with facts.

Kathy Sullivan, Morgan Hill

Morgan Hill Unified School District Trustee

Can Rudy Giuliani Reason?

Dear Editor,

George Bush can scramble fighter jets in five minutes to anywhere in the United States. Sworn testimony to a Republican Congress, Bush knew of the first hijacked airliner 32 minutes before its crash into the World Trade Center. Not one fighter was scrambled before 9:38 am, after the Pentagon was hit by a third hijacked plane. Rudy Giuliani claims, “Bush was magnificient on 9/11,” did he mean incompetent, or has this run for president caused him to lose his ability to reason?

Frank Crosby, Morgan Hill

Consider Messages to Youth

Dear Editor,

I felt compelled to write a letter because of something I saw driving through downtown Morgan Hill today. On El Toro Brewery’s window was plastered with “Beer + Hockey + Fun.” I wonder what the middle school students thought as they passed by the sign on their way to Britton. Our community businesses, parents and leaders need to take a look at the messages we are sending to our youth either advertently or inadvertently.

I am working with several youth in the community to combat teenage drinking and substance abuse with an organization called the Community Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership. These outstanding youth are getting involved in the legislative, education and outreach aspects of combatting this issue.  They are in the first phase of an educational and substance-abuse prevention video that will be called “This Place, Morgan Hill.”

We have a nice community here, but, unfortunately, alcohol has tragically affected our youth. We need to be watchful and vigilant to protect our youth from the drug, alcohol, that their developing brains are not ready for.

Please be prudent when you host parties, barbecues, post signs, etc., where alcohol is served. Just like you would never leave out a pound of See’s candies on the counter to tempt a friend, be careful not to trip the youth of our community with carelessness in our approach to drinking as adults.

Sherry Johnson, Morgan Hill

Against Trails Around Jackson Oaks Neighborhood

Dear Editor, 

It is my understanding that the Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee (BTAC) will review a study that proposes the creation of public trails throughout Jackson Oaks open spaces, interconnecting to a trail coming up East Dunne Avenue for use by the general public. The trails would be designed to meet biking, walking, equestrian, and ADA standards and advertised for general use to the general public. On the surface this would seem to be an innocuous proposal whose implementation would provide the community with an additional venue for health-promoting exercise and the study and observation of the area’s flora and fauna. As beneficial as the proposal may sound to the community at large, its implementation must be examined with regard to the specific impacts to the families that make up the Jackson Oaks community.

The impacts to the Jackson Oaks Community would most certainly include, but not be limited to:

• Increased fire danger will definitely arise caused by smoking on these trails.

• Home burglary and invasion made easier by trails in and out of backyard property lines. Many homes in the community do not have fences, thereby affording observation and easy access to private property. Will most certainly impact the already thin law enforcement resources?

• Increase trash and garbage left by users of the trails. Will the city periodically clear the trails or will Jackson Oaks Community members be expected to perform this task?

• Noise pollution will increase caused by sports biking clubs and businesses.

• Erosion and destruction of open space will result by bikes and off-trail foot traffic.

• Increased traffic and congestion will result by public usage of the already limited parking for loading/unloading zones on roads adjacent to the trails.

If equestrian traffic results from this proposal then we have an added waste problem (see item 3).

Who will police the traffic on the trails? Individuals versus bikes, versus equestrians?

When our family moved to Morgan Hill in 1977, we were specifically looking for a community removed from city congestion and traffic. One of the salient selling points espoused by the realtors was that the open spaces (green belts) would never be developed. When a community like Jackson Oaks opens itself to unrestricted movement by the general public with many people that have no vested interest and/or pride in the community unforeseen consequences can arise. The city continues to remind the citizens about tight budgets and indeed the possibility of floating a tax measure to hire additional officers. I, therefore, propose that the funds expended to implement and maintain the trails proposal, better serve all Morgan Hill citizens if applied to our understaffed Police Department, and that public trails be implemented as the funding becomes available in uninhabited areas rather than adjacent to private homes.

Bruce H. Walton, Sr., Morgan Hill

Pro-Choice Women Are the Real Threat

Dear Editor,  

We now know the greatest danger to our American way of life! The threat is American women who believe it’s between them and their doctors to make medical decisions that affect their well being and that of their families. All patriotic Americans know that Republican men have to make these vital decisions. Electing a Republican to follow George Bush will put an end to this terrible danger.

Frank Crosby, Morgan Hill