Religion: Celebrating Thanksgiving in difficult times
Every year the Interfaith Clergy Alliance (ICA) and Interfaith CommUNITY of South County (ICSC) host a Thanksgiving service on the Sunday before the Thanksgiving holiday. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for those who live in the southern parts of Santa Clara County...
Donation appeals ramp up for the holidays
As the holiday season approaches, numerous organizations throughout South County are mobilizing donation drives to support families struggling with food insecurity and financial hardship, with many citing increased need following recent uncertainty around federal SNAP benefits.
The Edward Boss Prado Foundation has already distributed 500...
‘Christians in Palestine’ event aims to counter hate with education in South County
Ten community organizations will gather Feb. 4 at the Morgan Hill Community & Cultural Center for an educational program featuring internationally recognized speaker Mother Agapia Stephanopoulos, who will share her lived experiences as a Russian Orthodox Christian in Palestine.
The free event, “Christians in Palestine,...
Religion: The work of Christmas
St. Matthew’s Gospel records a very quiet and subdued version of the birth of Jesus. Joseph and Mary were engaged to be married. The marriage would be consummated when Joseph took Mary to his home. That would happen after about a week of celebrating...
Weather service forecasts a wet holiday for South Valley
The South Valley is expecting and preparing for the strongest storms and heaviest rainfall of the season so far through the Christmas holiday, with wind and thunderstorms forecast through at least Dec. 26.
Valley Water, the water district that serves Santa Clara County, issued an...
Religion: Beloved community: Can we create it?
2026 is trying to be a New Year, but two weeks in, are you feeling hopeful? Where do you find places of solace that bring you hope in the midst of a dark geo-political world? How can all who are here on United States’...
Religion: The City on the Hill
In a recent article in the New York Times (Dec. 12, 2025), the columnist Thomas L. Friedman said this: “If you ask me what’s the most dangerous statistic in the world today …the Gallup Poll that said fewer people than ever are going to church. Because…...
Cat declawing, book censorship among new 2026 laws
Every year, lawmakers in Sacramento introduce a flurry of bills, most of which are eviscerated during the legislative process and end up on the Assembly or Senate trash heap. A select few make it to the governor’s desk, and assuming they dodge the veto...
Gilroy Gardens’ holiday lights events continue through Dec. 31
Hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights have transformed Gilroy Gardens into a winter wonderland, drawing families eager to experience the park’s North Pole Nights celebration through Dec. 31.
The immersive holiday event features dazzling light displays throughout the horticultural theme park, including a 100-foot North...
South Valley theater group brings psycho-thriller to stage
Limelight Theater will present “The Other Place,” a psychological thriller that challenges audiences to distinguish reality from delusion, opening Jan. 16.
The play centers on Juliana Smithton, a 52-year-old neurologist specializing in brain disease research whose life takes a disorienting turn as her brilliant mind...
