Holiday parade
The Morgan Hill Kiwanis Club’s annual Holiday Lights Parade will take place 5:30-8pm Dec. 3 along Monterey Road in downtown Morgan Hill.
Events start at 5:30pm with the holiday procession featuring local organizations, businesses, clubs, public agencies and Santa’s Magic Ship. After the parade, festivities continue with the City of Morgan Hill’s tree lighting and photos with Santa in front of the Community & Cultural Center.
The events will be held “rain or shine,” but could be subject to cancellation if the weather becomes too inclement by Saturday afternoon, according to event organizers.
The downtown holiday events are sponsored by the Kiwanis Club and the City of Morgan Hill.
For more information, visit https://morganhillkiwanis.org/Page/52410.
First Aid training in Morgan Hill
Safety Training Seminars, an official American Heart Association Training Center based in San Jose, has expanded its footprint with three new CPR training centers, including one in Morgan Hill, according to a press release. Each of the new locations offers paths to certification in various lifesaving skills, including CPR, BLS, ACLS, and PALS.
In alignment with its existing centers, Safety Training Seminars’ new training centers provide daily training courses with flexible schedules to meet the needs of busy healthcare professionals, says the press release. The new locations are open at 15585 Monterey Road in Morgan Hill; 236 North Santa Cruz Ave. in Los Gatos; and 1400 Coleman Ave. in Santa Clara.
Each location offers CPR, BLS, ACLS, and PALS certification courses. Programs consist of online learning components and on-site skills testing, which leads to certification in the relevant area.
“Safety Training Seminars’ mission is to make life saving training programs more accessible to Californians so they can advance in their careers or feel confident to step in during an emergency,” said Laura Seidel, owner of Safety Training Seminars. “Our three new locations help us continue to advance this mission by offering flexible training schedules at locations around San Jose.”
Safety Training Seminars is a woman-owned business offering essential lifesaving training and certification courses since 1989, says the press release. With over 32 locations throughout Northern California, Safety Training Centers is committed to offering affordable, flexible training in comfortable classrooms.
To learn more about the courses offered at Safety Training Seminars’ locations and to register, visit www.bayareacpr.org.
Swearing in
Morgan Hill’s next mayor and two recently elected city council members will be sworn in at the Dec. 14 special council meeting, which starts at 7pm at City Hall chambers, 17555 Peak Ave.
Local city officials will also plan to certify the Nov. 8 local election results at the Dec. 14 meeting.
Elected to the council in the Nov. 8 balloting are Mark Turner as mayor, Yvonne Martinez Beltran for Council District B and Marilyn Librers for Council District D.
Air District offering buy-back program for older vehicles
Local residents with a vehicle made before 1999 can receive up to $1,200 as part of a buy-back program to improve local air quality, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced Nov. 28.
The buy-back program will pay owners of older cars and small trucks to voluntarily get rid of them. Vehicles made before 1999 often lack modern carbon emission controls and have higher air pollution rates than newer vehicles, according to the air district.
To qualify for the program, vehicles must be the 1998 model year or older, registered in the Bay Area for the last 24 months and currently drivable. Vehicles must also be smog certified.
“Transportation remains the largest source of air pollution in the Bay Area and scrapping older vehicles helps limit harmful tailpipe emissions in the air we breathe,” said Sharon Landers, the air district’s interim executive officer.
The air district has retired more than 90,000 vehicles via its buy-back program since 1996, removing an estimated 75 pounds of air pollution per vehicle per year.
Information about the buy-back program can be found at bit.ly/3F9eBE1.
Copyright © 2022 Bay City News, Inc.
State warns of tax refund scammers
California residents should be aware of scammers targeting the state’s one-time payments aimed at reducing the effects of inflation, state Attorney General Rob Bonta said Nov. 28.
Residents should avoid giving their personal information or paying money in order to receive their payment, according to the attorney general’s office.
Payments also cannot be sped up and do not need to be activated if distributed in the form of a preloaded debit card. Payments are being distributed through Jan. 14, 2023, in the form of a direct deposit or a debit card.
“Unfortunately, there are some bad actors hoping to take advantage as Californians patiently wait for their direct deposit or prepaid debit card to arrive,” Bonta said. “Do not be fooled. Know what to expect and when, and take precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones from falling victim to a scam.”
Payments total between $200 and $350 per person, with amounts varying depending on household size and how many dependents are included on a person’s 2020 tax return.
Information about how much eligible state residents should receive can be found at https://www.ftb.ca.gov/about-ftb/newsroom/middle-class-tax-refund/index.html.
Copyright © 2022 Bay City News, Inc.
