Opinion

Despite shooting, resident enjoys community

This guest view is the first in a periodic series of upcoming op-eds on tips to prepare for wildfire season, which officially starts May 1 in Santa Clara County.Most people believe that wildfires ignite homes through direct contact with flames, but it is rare to have a home ignite this way. Thanks to effective defensible space campaigns, very few homes are in direct contact with traditional wildland fuel models (e.g., uninterrupted fields of seasonal grass, flammable brush or tree canopies). The collective experience of our wildland firefighters suggests that homes most commonly ignite from airborne flaming brands and embers.Flaming brands and embers can travel a mile or more ahead of the active front of a wildfire. Scientific research finds that up to 60 percent of wildland/urban interface home ignitions result from embers landing on flammable materials such as roofing or landscaping materials, or ember penetration into concealed spaces through vents and other structural openings.Most of the activity that makes a home less vulnerable to ignition focuses on the home and its immediately surroundings. Defensible space preparations are part of the equation, but they do not address the ember threat. Our Ember Aware campaign is intended to educate people on the risks of ember cast and the actions they can take to reduce those risks, to encourage residents to harden their homes against embers and/or to maintain those ember-resistant features, and to practice ember-safe housekeeping and landscaping. You can learn more at emberaware.com.In the coming weeks, we will provide a series of articles and tips on the topic. Make changes now to reduce the ember threat to your home. Tip number one: Stop shaking.• The most reliable way to predict which houses will survive a wildfire and which will be destroyed is by looking at the roof.• Houses with wood shake or shingle roofs are many times more likely to be destroyed during a wildfire. Using wood shakes or shingles for roofs in high fire hazard areas is like stacking hundreds of pounds of kindling on top of your home. During the hot summer months, the shakes or shingles can be nearly bone dry and easily ignited by embers. The embers come from pieces of burning material that can be lofted high into the air during a wildfire and travel a mile or more from the actual fire.• Unfortunately, there is no effective, inexpensive long-term solution to the ember threat to wood roofs. We recommend replacing wood shake or shingle roofs with a rated, fire-resistant roofing material, such as asphalt composition shingles, metal, or concrete or clay tile. Although this can be expensive, it may well be the one thing that saves your home when the embers arrive.Fire Marshal Dwight Good serves the Morgan Hill Fire Department and South Santa Clara County Fire Protection District and the CalFire Santa Clara Unit. He has 24 years of fire service experience. He can be contacted at [email protected].

On Sunday, March 26, residents gathered at St. Catherine Church in Morgan Hill to receive educational information about immigrant rights. Morgan Hill Unified School District Superintendent Steve Betando was asked to speak about the district’s stance on the national immigration discussion and what MHUSD is doing to help students and families. Here is a portion of that speech, which can be read in its entirety on mhusd.org.

I’m writing this from my makeshift office, located on the lower level of our home where we’re holed up during a remodel project.About every 10 years or so I steel myself and plunge headlong into a project that holds the potential to make me very happy or very frustrated. Twenty years ago we remodeled the kitchen in our first home. It was a fixer upper in a pleasant neighborhood that would become more desirable by the time we finished.That first kitchen put the finishing touch on a home that would become the springboard to a home in Morgan Hill. The draw to move to Morgan Hill was so strong that we never lived in that home when it was truly complete. Some form of construction was underway until we moved out and it went on the market.That remodel, laden with sweat equity and increased neighborhood desirability, made us very happy as it not only resulted in a great yield on investment but it got us here.The second remodel was actually one I did for my parents in their home in Mountain View 10 years later. We used a contractor that I had known for many years and had done most of the work on that first kitchen remodel which went reasonably well. But my mother’s remodel was fraught with strain from the beginning and it went very badly. We had to enlist an attorney to get the project finished after it was abandoned.Thinking back, there were signs that this relationship wasn’t going right even before we started. It was a reminder that if things aren’t going well while trying to get the job under contract, it probably isn’t going to get any better once you’re on the hook.So we found another house that was a borderline fixer-upper about three years back. We knew we would have to replace the kitchen and the extensive decking at the time. We finally made the commitment to do it now, another 10 years after that last miserable project.A huge part of any construction project is the team you put together; this was reinforced by my parent’s remodel. For some this is the hardest part of a project, but it is key to success.I recently retired from commercial construction. Even with that background, I find it tough to find a good contractor. Good news is that we have a few right here in Morgan Hill and the surrounding area.We knew one local contractor who we felt very good about and our beliefs were verified by checking the online reviews and talking to others.It took some time to get it all the details just right but we are now happily sequestered on our lower level listening to the sounds of progress above. We are still picking out the stuff like tile and faucets and sinks and such and we are happy knowing that we have a plan that we are really enthusiastic about.There is no moral to the story except spend the time to get the details worked out before you start, pick the right contractor and, of course, use a local contractor.John McKay is a Morgan Hill resident, city planning commissioner and president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association. He can be reached at [email protected].

April 22 marks the 47th Earth Day—a day created to celebrate our planet, environment and wildlife. Every Californian has a story to tell about how nature has made their lives richer. For some, it is regional food, lakes and rivers, or a beloved local park. For others, it is the ties to ranches, working farms, forests or our magnificent public lands. The ecosystem is one of California’s greatest assets. We have a unique and diverse climate and geography, and some of the most extraordinary plants and wildlife in the world.Today, the fight for a clean environment continues with increasing urgency, as the effects of climate change become more and more apparent. Earth Day 2017 provides an opportunity for all of us to do something meaningful for our planet by giving back in our communities. Thousands of volunteers will be needed throughout California to assist with projects such as campfire center improvements, habitat restoration, native garden conservation, fence building, trail maintenance and beach cleanup.The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after he took a trip to Santa Barbara following a devastating oil spill off California’s central coast. Upon returning to Washington, D.C., Nelson introduced a bill designating April 22 as a national day to celebrate the Earth. The date was chosen to help commemorate the birth of California naturalist and conservationist John Muir, who was born April 21, 1838.In 1970, the first Earth Day celebrations took place in hundreds of communities across the United States, bringing together millions of Americans who supported environmental reform.  By the end of that year, Earth Day had led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.  By 2000, formal events celebrating Earth Day were being observed in 184 countries, and more than 500 million people participated in those events. It now is considered the largest secular observance in the world, celebrated by more than one billion people every year.Earth Day is a day of action designed to change human behavior and provoke science-based policy changes, and serves as a reminder to us that our planet’s future is in jeopardy. The science is clear: climate change continues to harm our planet and has led to rising sea levels, warmer oceans, rising global temperatures and increased incidences of extreme weather events. I encourage everyone to attend local Earth Day events, which are planned throughout the month of April in communities throughout California. Help do your part to restore and care for the places where we live, work and play…for this and future generations. Seize the opportunity to ensure that nature continues to sustain us in the 21st century.Monning represents the 17th Senate District, which includes all of San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz counties, and portions of Monterey and Santa Clara counties.

Why do I Relay? My biggest reason is this amazing woman who left us all too soon. Jennifer Pavicich-Murphy was by far one of the greatest people I have ever had the privilege of knowing and calling my friend. For her I Relay!This time last year she and I were lucky enough to be placed in the same corral for the Disneyland Star Wars 10K. Funnily enough, we'd chosen to go as Anna and Elsa. This would be both of our first 10Ks. I was very nervous at first since I had not even run a 5k straight before, but running with Jen pushed me to do it. We spent the first three miles just chatting and catching up when suddenly I realized we'd hit the 5K mark. We both got excited and did a little shout out.We were feeling the Disney magic! She then asked if I was okay to keep going. I felt great, so we did. This was Jen. The girl had been through hell and back battling cancer, was running a 10K, laughing and goofing around, and making sure that I was okay.We slowed around mile 5 to make sure we'd take some pictures and could meet up with the other girls in our group. Thankfully were able to finish with most of them. It was the best feeling in the world to have accomplished that race with my mama tribe and with Jen at my side. We spent the rest of the weekend tearing up Disneyland and having the best weekend ever! Those are memories I will cherish always.We'd make a lot more memories over the following months, especially during special events like her 80s themed birthday and Relay for Life. At Relay we'd all planned to really go all out the following year and make the event one for the books.Sadly, we would lose our beautiful Jen much sooner than anyone expected. Our sweet girl went up to be our forever angel this past August. It still hurts that she can't be with us, but I know deep down inside that she is watching over us all, smiling, just waiting to catch up on all of our adventures one day.This beautiful friend, mother, wife, daughter, sister, niece—she is why I Relay. I will participate in her memory and in memory of all of those we've loved and lost to cancer. I will continue the fight because we all deserve to live in a world without cancer.Last year Jen shared why she relayed: "I RELAY because I want my boys to live in a world where cancer is a disease of the past. Where adults and children of all ages no longer have to endure this fight. And where technology and medicine can provide us with a CURE for every type of cancer. Every step we take brings us closer to these goals."   People like Jen and their families deserve a cure. We shouldn't need to share our warriors stories anymore. We should be able to celebrate that cancer has been cured and that our children get to grow up without knowing the pain of this ugly disease.  The American Cancer Society strives to improve the lives of all those touched by cancer. By creating Relay for Life, they gave us an event to focus all of our energy on, to help raise those funds that are so desperately needed to end this disease.I really hope that after reading this, you'll consider attending our Relay for Life event here in Morgan Hill May 20. Teams, sponsors, attendees, each and every one of you has some way, whether it be large or small, to help make this event great. Let's end this fight for Jen, and for all of those who have been touched by cancer!Amanda Banta, a Morgan Hill resident, is the social media lead for the local Relay for Life.

Spring’s growth position not ‘sensible’South Valley Magazine’s otherwise excellent article about Councilmember Rene Spring contained one glaring error. Then-candidate Spring opposed measure S, a sensible growth control measure, and supported more restrictive measures that would not have allowed enough new housing for the natural growth of Morgan Hill and also immigrants working in Silicon Valley.  Had those measures been in place since the 1970s, it is unlikely Spring or others would be living in Morgan Hill. Councilmember Spring may change his tune when his grandchildren grow up and need a place of their own.   Tom ScottMorgan Hill List of thanks for Passport WeekendThis past weekend, the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley hosted our Annual Spring Passport, beginning with Friday evening at the Morgan Hill Community Center where 17 of our member wineries poured their fabulous wines alongside 12 of our local restaurants offering a taste from their delectable menus.The weekend continued with more than 25 participating member wineries hosting guests from throughout the Bay Area and offering an array of food, music and a variety of entertainment.  The pictures tell the stories of folks new to the area realizing that there is a selection of remarkable wines right here in their backyards, and our recurrent visitors enjoying the beauty of the area, the diversity of the wineries and the wines they pour—not to mention the friendships they have made by becoming frequent guests.We realize how fortunate we are to have strong partners who give their time, energy and support to the wineries. We extend a very sincere “thank you” to John McKay, President of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association for arranging these restaurants for Friday evening:  Bubbles Wine Bar, GVA Café, Ladera Grill, Mama Mia's, Milias, Noah's Bar & Bistro, Odeum, Old City Hall, Prova, Rosy's at the Beach, La Nina Perdida and Trail Dust. It goes to show that we are really one community—Morgan Hill, San Martin, and Gilroy—working together.Of course, it’s impossible to name everyone who helps with our success, but I would like to mention a couple of special partners.We extend our thanks to Jane Howard, Executive Director of the Gilroy Welcome Center and her staff. They support us in reaching out to the public on a daily basis, and we appreciate their hard work and continuing efforts.And finally, wine journalist Bev Stenehjem, who leads the way in promoting our wineries through her excellent articles and her own knowledge of the wine industry. A huge “thank you,” Bev!We know it’s hard to visit all of our great wineries in the valley in a short weekend.  Take one look at our new map (santaclarawines.com/images/WSCV-map-2017.pdf) and you will see the expansive area we occupy.We will host our Annual Fall Passport Oct. 13-15 later this year. So even if you missed out this past weekend or if you simply want more fun, food and wine, you will have the opportunity to join in the festivities at that time!Thank you again to all who helped and visited. I look forward to a year of connecting.Karen SeekerCo-Owner Seeker VineyardPresident, Wineries of Santa Clara Valley Flight paths kill peace and quietOne of the great things about Morgan Hill was the peacefulness and tranquility of a small town, while it’s close enough to the larger metropolitan areas to the north.Indeed, I moved to Morgan Hill five years ago to escape the chaotic lifestyle of the Bay Area while still being able to commute to Santa Clara. But for those of us who live on the western or northern parts of the city, things have been changing rapidly.Over the last couple years, there has been an increasing volume of air traffic at very low altitudes routed over our city. This has had a dramatic negative impact on the noise levels and environment.A little research uncovers that a whole new system of flight plans has been put in place that has focused all flights into San Jose through a low altitude, pencil thin corridor right over Morgan Hill. It’s as if the San Jose airport suddenly moved to the northern part of Morgan Hill. The constant drone from the air traffic is intolerable at many times during the day, and getting worse.This is also not a problem unique to us. The new flight paths have created similar issues in places like Palo Alto, where residents expressed enough concern that the City of Palo Alto has issued a lawsuit against the airport authorities.As residents of a beautiful and once peaceful city, we need to let the airport authorities know that this is not acceptable. I would urge everyone who is affected by the noise to respond by registering your dissatisfaction.There are many ways to do this, such as, voice your concern to our congresswoman (lofgren.house.gov), send an email complaint to [email protected], or use the flight webtracker (webtrak5.bksv.com/sjc3) to enter specific complaints.Robin PeatfieldMorgan Hill

The Morgan Hill Unified School District might have saved $8.25 million and prevented the lifelong traumatization of at least three young girls if district leadership had enforced its own training procedures on how to identify and report child molesters like John Loyd, who showed a clear pattern of “grooming” some of his fifth grade students for abuse.The signs of Loyd’s favoritism toward his victims—a common trait of sexual abuse predators—were clear, and spanned years before the Paradise Valley Elementary School teacher was busted by police in 2015.An investigation by attorneys for the families of three girls—who recently settled with the district just before their lawsuit went before a jury—found that Loyd routinely played favorites with female students. He would offer them candy in exchange for hugs, and slipped them candy bars under their desks.At least two students who, luckily, did not become victims of Loyd, complained to their parents that their teacher gave this special treatment only to girls. The parents in turn complained of this behavior to both Loyd and the school principal. There is no record of these complaints in Loyd’s personnel file. No action was taken against the teacher.These and similar complaints go as far back as 2009, or three principals ago at Paradise Valley, according to the initial lawsuit.The disregard for common-sense precautions intended to keep kids safe on campus was apparently systemic while Loyd was molesting his victims. Shortly after his arrest, he told police that he was instructed by his supervisor at Paradise Elementary to work on his class’ student newspaper—the Room Nine Times—during recess and lunchtime, according to the lawsuit. This allowed him to be in his room alone with individual children on a regular basis. Somehow, he was even permitted to cover his windows with paper copies of the Room Nine Times, preventing anyone from being able to see inside.Even back in 2004, when Loyd was teaching at Nordstrom Elementary, he made inappropriate sexual remarks and contact with a girl in his class toward whom he allegedly showed so much favoritism that other students called her a “teacher’s pet.”If the district had followed its own Child Abuse Reporting Procedures—first approved by trustees in 2004 and updated in 2012—perhaps these patterns of abuse would not have continued in Loyd’s classroom for so long. This policy requires the district leadership to enact an “age-appropriate and culturally sensitive child abuse prevention curriculum” for students.No such programs seems to have been implemented, despite the district’s claims to the contrary.The abuse cited in the criminal charges against Loyd—for which he is now serving a 40-year prison term—occurred from 2012 to 2014. This was during a transition in the district’s top staff position and changes in the elected seven-member board of trustees. Wes Smith left MHUSD as superintendent in 2013. The board of trustees immediately named Betando his interim replacement, then hired him full-time in 2014 with a $225,000 annual salary.Before that, Betando served as MHUSD’s Human Resources director starting in 2012, about the time the board updated its child abuse reporting procedures.The district is not admitting it is at fault by settling with three of Loyd’s victims.But the fact that the district agreed to pay the victims $8.25 million just as the lawsuit was scheduled to be argued in front of a jury “speaks volumes,” as attorney Robert Allard told Times reporter Scott Forstner.The girls’ parents have said an even more important aspect of the settlement is MHUSD agreed to implement a predator identification training program for all staff members and students.Hopefully, MHUSD will take this requirement seriously as well as launch an independent investigation into the lapses. The superintendent should have implemented the board’s policy, and the board, as overseers responsible for the safety of the community’s children, should have been diligent about holding the superintendent responsible at annual reviews.

Columnist exaggerates civility crisis

Regulations issued by President Donald Trump to Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices are chilling.All undocumented people working and living in the U.S. are now legally deportable. This includes not only “the bad guys” with criminal records but millions of hard-working, taxpaying undocumented immigrants who have contributed greatly to the economy of this country.All people in this country have constitutional rights. Trump’s goal is to take away the right to a hearing in preparation for mass deportations. He has increased the budget for Homeland Security to $3 billion from our taxes. He has expanded the number of ICE agents to 25,000 on the border. Thirty percent of these are veterans of the war in Iraq who were trained to kill, not to arrest and deport.“Expedited removal” is the law allowing ICE to pick up and deport without giving access to a hearing or a lawyer. Under former President Barack Obama, expedited removals were limited to those caught within two miles of the Mexican border. Now, there are no limits. All can be deported wherever they are found, and if they cannot prove they have been here for eight years (on the spot), they can be deported with no legal hearing.  Two-thirds of those detained are not able to access lawyers. Those who can afford a lawyer or have access to legal aid have seven times the opportunity to be released from detention.The movement by city police chiefs to disassociate from any cooperation with ICE is admirable. In a raid several weeks ago in Santa Cruz, ICE agents lied to local police when they promised they had warrants. During the raid, they emptied an entire apartment building and detained law abiding, innocent people who were there. The mayor and police chief apologized to the community and said it would not happen again.ICE has also misrepresented themselves as “police officers,” and thus gained access to homes where they could not enter without a warrant. They question people who do not know their rights and get them to sign them away.The state of California is asking for regular reports on their raids and the daily publication of people detained, which ICE has refused to do. These refusals by ICE are illegal.What can we do to help the terrified undocumented in our area? Having the police pledge not to cooperate with ICE is one step. Educating the people who are frightened about their rights is a priority. We can arrange for public Know Your Rights workshops through Siren and the Asian Law Center. We can educate ourselves to educate all the undocumented we know or meet.   Can we organize to form groups that will intercept these ICE raids? Nothing works better than bad publicity from newspapers and radio stations.Which churches and homes in our areas will be willing to be sanctuary places for a family? Have we educated our teachers and principals about ICE coming to schools?If we work together in true community we can bring back constitutional rights to all.Natasha Wist is a former school psychologist and family therapist with 31 years experience. Since retiring, she has volunteered teaching immigrant women in Morgan Hill. For many years, she has been active in peace and justice movements in Morgan Hill and San Jose.