Cheers to 1989 Live Oak High School grad Jill Sudduth Smith, who last Saturday was enshrined in the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She won a gold medal in synchronized swimming team event at the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, Ga.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Sudduth-Smith told Reporter Scott J. Adams last week from her home in Austin, Texas. “It’s one of those things (where) you compete your whole life, and it’s done, and you go on with the rest of your life, and you don’t think about it much. It’s a huge honor. It brought back a lot of memories.”
We’re sure it brought back memories and a sense of pride for your friends and fellow alumni as well. Congratulations.
Jeers to the man going by the name of Michael Oliveira who has reportedly scammed more than 10 South County residents. He gives residents a great deal on pruning or other landscape work, asks for a portion of the cost in cash up front for a dumping fee, then never returns to complete the work. Several victims asked police in Gilroy and Morgan Hill to investigate, but they repeatedly said that it’s a civil matter. However, on April 30, Gilroy Councilman Bob Dillon asked the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office to investigate. The DA’s office would not comment.
“But we did read the article, and these are the kinds of things we take very seriously,” Sean Webby, public information officer for the DA’s office told reporter Carly Gelsinger. Let’s hope that investigation leads somewhere and the man is stopped before he takes advantage of others.
Cheers to West Coast Martial Arts and the 140 or so people who showed up to see a self-defense demonstration and learn techniques to protect oneself. The event – to raise money for the Sierra LaMar Fund – brought in about $1,700 through the $10 admission donations and through T-shirt and jewelry sales. And earlier this month, about $3,000 was raised. Let’s keep the momentum going.
Jeers to the Gilroy man who three years ago saw his fantasy come true when the Make-A-Wish Foundation gave his 1995 Honda Civic a complete makeover, only to find himself part of an undercover sting in which he was arrested for possession of stolen cars, stolen firearms, insurance fraud and gang affiliation. Police busted Jesus Alcantar, who suffers from lupus and is now 21, as a part of Operation Garlic Press, the 18-month multi-agency undercover sting that caught 186 criminals and gang members in Gilroy and surrounding areas.
A judge sentenced Alcantar to 180 days in jail, and three years probation. Police said they didn’t have enough evidence to charge Alcantar with gang affiliation, so the District Attorney dropped those charges. He is now out of jail and seeing a doctor for treatment. Although the Make-A-Wish Foundation won’t require him to repay the $5,000 it cost to upgrade his vehicle, for karma’s sake, he should offer.
