Opinion

Continue reporting on mosque concernsJudging from the "editor's picks,” you are in support of the Cordoba Center project.There has been a mosque in San Martin for many years. I live across the street from it. I've never seen 400 families there simultaneously. If there were, it would likely be in violation since this area is zoned rural residential.It is interesting that people who do not live in San Martin have free rein in your paper to tell us how we should live. Please stop making this about religion and provide equal comment on what a lot of San Martin residents care about: water, land use, encroachment and the paving over of this rural community.San Martin residents have genuine concerns, having been through water contamination at least twice in recent history. Zoning violations are rampant in this unincorporated town, and the county doesn't have the manpower to deal with the problem.I suggest you read the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance’s document addressing the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Cordoba Center. It came out yesterday, and I'd be happy to forward it to you.Thank you,Dawn PeruSan Martin

Aug. 26 has been designated as National Women’s Equality Day to honor the women who fought tirelessly for the commissioning of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. The day also stands as a strong reminder that we need to continue to advocate for equality for all women.

Farmers’ markets represent a unique bridge between urban and rural communities that provide an opportunity to support the local economy, as well as access to fresh, nutritious foods. Aug. 5-11 is National Farmers’ Market Week. This designation seeks to increase the public’s awareness of the role local farmers’ markets play in creating healthy communities and in building prosperity among farmers and small businesses.Farmers’ markets support California’s small and diversified farms, and return money to our local economies. At a farmers’ market, 100 percent of your food dollar goes to your local farmer, while a farmer only receives 15 cents of every food dollar that consumers spend at traditional food outlets. Studies have shown that all farms, regardless of scale, are significantly more likely to survive if they have local food sales as a part of their marketing portfolio.Local markets also provide low-barrier entry points for new farmers, ranchers and food entrepreneurs, allowing them to start small and test new products.In 2017, 7,377 markets and direct-marketing farmers accepted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) electronic benefit transfers, resulting in $22 million in SNAP spent at farmers markets. This provides access to fresh, local produce and enables SNAP recipients to purchase the nutritious foods their families need to stay healthy.  A growing number of farmers’ markets also offer incentive programs to low-income seniors and WIC (Women, Infants and Children Program) customers.Unlike many supermarkets, farmers markets put fruits and vegetables front and center and create a shopping environment where nutritious foods are not only affordable, they are celebrated.Visit your local farmers’ market this week and enjoy the bountiful crops that are grown close to you.Sen. 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. The weekly Morgan Hill Farmers Market takes place year-round 9am to 1pm Saturday, at the Caltrain parking lot on Depot Street in the city’s downtown.

Welcome to my last column—at least for a while. I started writing this column five years and one month ago. I figure that’s gotta be over 100 columns where I had a chance to highlight the people, businesses, organizations, events and the beautiful place we live that makes up our community.

Welcome Cordoba Center to San MartinIt is my dream to live in a community where fears are lessened and differences are embraced.I recall learning in grade school that the pilgrims came from England to America seeking freedom of religion. The Muslim faith has deep roots and longevity. It is an authentic religion honoring the same God Christians and Jews honor, as there is only one God. I know exemplary people who embrace and practice the Muslim religion.I have seen the plans for the Cordoba Center proposal. They have been made with the utmost of care so as not to be intrusive to the neighbors. The cemetery is situated so that it has a natural barrier to mitigate any health concerns. The proposed buildings are compatible in size with the surrounding developments. Since all buildings in the Cordoba plans are grouped in one area, there are many open spaces between it and the neighbors."To know one, is to love one.” It is my prayer that the opposition to the Cordoba is not being based on the negative press about Islam. True Christians know that we are all children of God and that He has given us free will to express His love differently.My family of migrant workers settled in Morgan Hill in 1946. We were warmly welcomed. I wish the same acceptance for all who wish to live and visit our community and whose ethical values contribute to the harmony and well-being of our beloved community.I urge our community to support this worthwhile project as it not only would meet the needs of a significant segment of our community, but also enrich us all.Rose HernandezMorgan HillProject larger than othersSan Martin Neighborhood Alliance welcomes all religious institutions to our community.The Cordoba Center project, as proposed is:• Four times the size of the largest religious/communal/social facility currently in San Martin.• Three times the limit that requires "enhanced scrutiny" under the recently revised Santa Clara County Planning and Land Use regulations.• Twice the size that the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) concludes would reasonably accommodate the needs identified by the proposers.There are numerous inaccuracies in the DEIR, as well as important issues which are not addressed. The SMNA Board will formally address those issues in written DEIR comments to the county, which at that time will become public record.The proposed cemetery is of particular concern, as it would be sited immediately adjacent to homes dependent on well water for household consumption. We believe, based on the references we have found, that this aspect of the proposal requires further study by cognizant technical experts before it can safely be approved. Further, we believe that suitable alternatives to meet this need exist and have not been explored.San Martin faces tremendous development pressure from its neighbors to the north and south.  If we are to host large developments that our urban neighbors can't or won't accommodate, we hope and expect that the county will honor its General Plan commitment to protect our rural/agricultural community.We would be pleased to engage with the proposers, regarding a more modest project that would meet their needs with substantially less impact, but regretfully cannot support this project as proposed.Sincerely,SMNA Board of DirectorsTrina Hineser, President

No concrete vaults in Cordoba cemetery

I am writing to express my disappointment after reading news reports of a student being victimized by an employee of the Morgan Hill Unified School District back in 2014. It is outrageous that the district failed to follow state law requiring a report of this incident to the police. Because of this, even more students may have been involved.

I write in support of the Cordoba Center project initiated by the South Valley Islamic Community (SVIC) to provide a mosque for worship and related spiritual services, a cemetery, a separate community building for social and educational activities, a caretaker’s dwelling and a maintenance building.

When the early settlers came out West, the first thing they did was build a church with an adjacent cemetery. That was their commitment to their new abode, then as well as in the Hereafter. Those quaint churches and cemeteries now dot our countryside, each with its own rich history and interesting stories to tell.

As part of a nationwide protest through Families Belong Together, we, the members of SURJ South County (Showing Up for Racial Justice) are hosting a rally, march and day of action on Saturday, June 30, 9 to 11am along with local civic leaders, community organizers, activists and concerned citizens, at the Community and Cultural Center (17000 Monterey Road) in Morgan Hill.This movement is to let the Trump administration know that we do not agree with their policies and efforts to separate families at our borders. We also want to let immigrant members of our community know that we stand behind them and will do whatever we can to support them.This president believes that our country can inflict the trauma of separation on children without recourse. We need him to know that we stand with all families in America. Our members are rallying and marching until we no longer have a President Trump because we believe every child is a gift to this world with limitless possibilities.We are appalled by the actions taken by our government. These families have been through so much to reach our borders. They deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion. As a country we need to do better than this.Our members intend to speak up as much as possible about what we see as the unraveling of America right now. Among our group are immigrants who came to this country and were welcomed and made to feel at home. We want that hand extended to others, especially those in need of a safe harbor. Isolating children from adults who care for them is the worst torture we can imagine.We feel it’s important that voices from communities both small and large—rural and urban—will be joining with those across the United States who are also protesting the federal government’s atrocities against families along our borders.We will also be registering voters, because we want to remind people that America is supposed to be a democracy and we all need to use our voting voice.Many of us are parents of children as young as those being ripped apart at our borders. We can’t and won’t stop thinking of the more than 2,000 children separated from their families by the Trump administration. We are horrified at the lack of plans in place to reunite the children with their parents. This all happened on our watch. History has its eyes on all of us.Our rally is a start to ask: What are we going to do to correct this injustice? What can we as a community do to fight against centuries of injustice and to prevent further injustices from occurring? Our families will stand together with the families affected to say “¡Ya basta!. Enough!'Join us.This guest view was written by SURJ members Katie McGinty Ruiz, Gemma Abels and Jenny Kirchoff. For more information about the June 30 rally, visit facebook.com/events/445428659203124