Guest View

With a lack of societal and government support during the pandemic, women are having to make some tough decisions. In the U.S., more than 2.3 million women have left the labor force since the start of the pandemic as shown in research done by...

High Speed Rail is moving ahead much more quickly than anyone anticipated. The decision on the preferred option through or around Morgan Hillis going to be made this fall by the HSR Authority, within the next month and a half.The California HSRA has currently identified four different options.Option 1: The “at grade” option adjacent to the Union Pacific line Monterey Road corridor.It is important to understand that the “at grade” proposal is not what you imagine based on the name.The tracks through Morgan Hill would be located on a berm with a retaining wall on both sides, up to 14 feet tall.That would place a 14 foot wall that divides the community. In areas where there is a concern about additional noise (i.e., adjacent to residential structures or other locations) there could be an additional 12 foot high sound wall.In addition, the wall may be located at up to 102 feet from the existing Union Pacific tracks, eliminating hundreds of homes and businesses on the east side of the UP tracks.  If you can imagine a three-story building with no windows, activity, ornamentation, or life extending all the way through the community, from north of Cochrane to south of Tennant Avenue, you can visualize how the potential divide will impact the community.Option 2: The aerial approach adjacent to the Union Pacific line Monterey Road corridor.The aerial approach is a monorail-like structure with two tracks up to 50 feet wide. This would be substantially higher than Option 1, at a minimum of 30 feet and up to 60 feet above the area to the east of the tracks through the city. There may also be a 102-foot setback from the UP lines.This option would impact hundreds of new residential units, existing housing and businesses, and create a huge visual and sound division.  Option 3: Along the east side of 101.The focus of option 3 is to shift the entire HSR to the east side of 101. The impact on the homes and businesses on that side is clear, especially considering the HSRA would need to cross the freeway twice, at minimum.Option 4: Along the west side of 101.The most recent option, and the one that seems to make the most sense, calls for an aerial approach that would come down Monterey Highway and then, to the north of Sobrato High School, angle off toward 101. HSR would then parallel 101 through Morgan Hill and, after passing Tennant Avenue, would return to connect again with the UP alignment and continue south to Gilroy. This option disrupts the least number of businesses and residents and co-locates noisy activities, freeway and train.We need to tell the HSRA our preferred option now! If we don’t weigh in, we will be completely disregarded by the HSRA.  According to the HSRA timeline, by fall of 2016 (yes that's this year), their intent is to have selected two options to take through the environmental review process.It is important as a community that we immediately come together in a way that clearly identifies our preference. Option 4 may not be perfect, but it avoids channeling the HSR through the main part of town, and clusters like functions together.Use the High Speed Rail Comments form on the city website morganhill.ca.gov/forms.aspx?FID=212 to tell the HSRA your preference for the HSR route through Morgan Hill.Lesley Miles is co-owner of Weston Miles Architects in downtown Morgan Hill.

February is nationally recognized as Spay and Neuter Awareness Month to educate and bring awareness to the benefits of spaying or neutering your pet.In the United States, there are more than 6 million homeless animals brought to animal shelters annually. Often, these healthy, well-behaved animals are euthanized due to shelter overpopulation. By making the choice to spay or neuter your pet, you will help to reduce the homeless animal population and increase the longevity of your pet’s health.While not widely discussed, spaying and neutering has been shown to increase your pet’s lifespan because it decreases the risk of certain types of cancers. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, spaying females prior to their first heat cycle decreases the risk of uterine and breast cancer, and also prevent uterine infections. Neutering males prevents testicular cancer and the enlargement of the prostate glands. By fixing your pets at an early age, you can provide them with a long, healthy life.Additionally, spaying and neutering pets can curb bad behavior. Unneutered dogs can be more assertive and aggressive than neutered males, and unneutered cats are much more prevalent to spray than fixed cats.   It is a common misconception that sterilizing your pet is expensive. There are many veterinarian clinics and local shelters that provide these services at an affordable price. Additionally, many communities provide financial assistance to help offset the cost to spay or neuter your pet.  For more information about financial assistance programs in your area, contact your local Humane Society or local animal shelter.To ensure your animal family member has a healthy, long life, and to help save millions of unnecessary homeless animals each year, please remember to spay or neuter your pet.For more information or to find a spay/neuter clinic in your area, use the spay/neuter locator here: petsmartcharities.org/adopt-a-pet/find-a-spayneuter-clinicSen. Bill Monning represents the 17th State Senate District, which includes all of San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz counties, and portions of Monterey and Santa Clara counties.   

Reservations for the July 16 Leadership Excellence Award Dinner celebrating farmer, community supporter, philanthropist and good guy Joe Aiello are available. Please go to leadershipmorganhill.org to reserve your seats now.More than 200 community leaders, supporters of Leadership Morgan Hill (LMH) and friends of the honoree are expected to attend this community celebration to honor Joe and his family and to benefit the local nonprofit LMH educational organization.This year’s event will be held at Guglielmo Winery, a beautiful, tranquil outdoor venue set in the winery’s vineyards at 1460 East Main Ave., Morgan Hill—just a short distance from where Joe started his farming career.The theme for this year’s event is “Italian Farm to Table,” embracing our honoree’s heritage and his vocation. The menu reflects the theme, and delicious Italian-oriented food will be freshly delivered from farm to table for your enjoyment.Dinner is only part of the evening’s program. You’ll want to browse the silent auction before and during dinner; it will have unique and enticing items. After dinner we will celebrate Joe and his family in a brief award program, which will be followed by music featuring the local band Bad Monkey and dancing. Joe wants all attendees to come and have fun doing whatever makes it a memorable event for them. In keeping with the outdoor setting, dress for the event is casual, upscale summer fun.Aiello is an icon in the agricultural community. His Uesugi Farms is a very well-known producer of many crops including peppers, melons and strawberries. Their Pumpkin Patch in Morgan Hill is extremely popular, especially right around Halloween. Joe’s support of the Future Farmers of America programs in all our local high schools is extensive and truly inspires participants to put farming in their future. Some who do that also reap the award of a Uesugi- sponsored scholarship due to Joe and the family’s philanthropy.Joe is a leader who truly reflects the ideals of the LMH organization. Please come help us celebrate with this great guy and his family.Reservations and more information are available at leadershipmorganhill.org.Tate is the mayor of the City of Morgan Hill.