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Residents, motorists and businesses in Morgan Hill have experienced “significant impacts” due to the current and ongoing storm that has blanketed the South Bay this weekend.

With heavy rains and possible flooding forecast for the coming weekend, City of Morgan Hill staff wanted to remind residents there are a few simple things they can do to prepare for potentially disastrous weather.Atop the list is making sure your family has a “family emergency plan” and everyone in the household is aware of it, and clearing debris from grates and drains, according to an email sent out by city staff Jan. 6.Residents and business owners who are concerned about possible flooding on their property can acquire sandbags from three locations in Morgan Hill: 100 Edes Court, next to the city corporation yard; Old Monterey Road, next to the El Toro Fire Station; and the southeast corner of the Depot Street parking lot.The locations are open 24/7 and have sand, empty bags and shovels available.Residents are also encouraged to have their flashlights handy in the event of a power outage, city staff cautioned.When on the roads, drivers should avoid any paved surfaces where standing or running water is present, according to city staff. Drivers should use extra caution in general when driving in the rain.For more information about flood resources, visit the Santa Clara Valley Water District website, valleywater.org.For more information about the weather, visit the National Weather Service website at forecast.weather.gov.The NWS is predicting 3 to 5 inches of rain throughout the weekend, as heavy rains are forecast starting late Friday night through early Monday morning.

The Environmental Impact Report for the San Martin Cordoba Center Islamic mosque project is underway, and interested parties are asked to submit comments on the “scope and content” of the study to county planners by Jan. 23.The EIR itself, being conducted by Santa Clara County as the lead agency, will not be complete for public review for several more months. Comments and questions currently sought by county staff relate to the EIR’s “Notice of Preparation,” which was posted Dec. 9, 2016.The South Valley Islamic Community, based in San Martin, applied for the project early last year. The project, proposed at a 16-acre undeveloped parcel near the intersection of Monterey Road and California Avenue, would consist of a two-story, 9,000-square-foot mosque; a two-story, 14,500-square-foot multipurpose building; a four-acre Islamic cemetery; a one-third-acre campground; and additional support and ancillary structures, according to the county’s NOP document.The Cordoba Center “is intended to provide a central religious and cultural center for the multi-ethnic Muslim population in Southern Santa Clara County,” the county’s notice states.The purpose of an EIR is to analyze all potential impacts of a project to its surrounding environment and community, according to county staff. These include potential impacts to groundwater, traffic, wildlife, air quality, noise and other categories. The EIR will also make suggestions on how to mitigate any potentially significant impacts, and consider alternatives to the project.There are about 400 members of the SVIC, according to the county’s notice. “Based on this estimate, maximum attendance at weekly religious and cultural events, such as Friday Prayers, to be held at the Cordoba Center is generally anticipated to be 300 individuals per event,” the NOP continues. Occasionally, for larger annual events such as the Eid holiday prayers and community picnics, attendance at the Cordoba Center could reach up to 500 individuals per event.Events and regularly scheduled activities would occur between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., primarily on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The site would be open to SVIC members to worship at all times, the county’s notice reads.The Cordoba Center has generated ongoing skepticism from South County residents who fear the project will be significantly larger than typical existing commercial or religious uses in the rural, unincorporated town of San Martin.Next door to the Cordoba Center is proposed the Patel RV Park, also on an undeveloped parcel. This project would add a 124-stall RV park to the property. This project is also working its way through the county’s planning process, and a community meeting on the proposal is scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 6 at the South County Office building, 80 W. Highland Ave.Some San Martin residents are concerned that having the Cordoba Center and Patel RV Park operating simultaneously right next to each other will impact the area more than the roads and infrastructure can handle.County staff have said the EIR and planning reviews of these projects will determine if that is the case, and recommend solutions to the impacts if necessary.Comments on the Cordoba Center NOP must be submitted to the county by 5 p.m. Jan. 23. Comments can be sent, emailed or telephoned to County of Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development, Attention: Jim Reilly, County Government Center, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose, CA 95110; phone at (408) 299-5799; or email [email protected]. 

Reckless vehiclePolice cited a teen driver for speed contest when a witness reported his Subaru and another vehicle speeding in the area of Main Avenue and Monterey Road. The recklessness was reported 8:17 p.m. Dec. 30.RobberyTwo suspects, described as black males, ran up to two female victims in front of Starbucks, 1041 Cochrane Road, grabbed their purses and fled the scene. The suspects fled into a gray sedan and left the area. The contents of the purses, stolen by the thieves, included a cell phone, credit cards, cash and about $500 worth of gift cards. The crime was reported 9:23 p.m. Dec. 30.Domestic violencePolice arrested a woman who was fighting with a man outside the Chevron gas station, 825 E. Dunne Ave. A witness called police to report the couple physically fighting about 10:55 p.m. Dec. 30.Petty theftSomeone stole a roll of scratcher lottery tickets from the 7-Eleven store, 295 W. Main Ave. The suspect grabbed the book of about 60 scratchers, worth $5 each, from the counter and ran out the door. The crime was reported 1:16 p.m. Dec. 31.FraudA male victim said his credit card was stolen the night he was arrested at a Morgan Hill hotel in September 2016. The man said someone charged about $730 to his Target Mastercard without his authorization. The crime was reported 1:38 p.m. Dec. 29.Auto burglaryA thief or thieves broke the door handle on a Ford Ranger and entered the vehicle before stealing about $5,000 worth of tools and clothing from inside. The vehicle was parked at a business on Butterfield Boulevard. The crime was reported 8:25 a.m. Jan. 2.DUI accidentOne driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI after causing a three-car collision at the intersection of Butterfield Boulevard and Tennant Avenue. The allegedly impaired driver of a Toyota pickup rear-ended a convertible Ford Mustang, which in turn rear-ended a Honda SUV. No significant injuries were reported. The accident was reported 9:17 a.m. Jan. 2.All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. Information is compiled from public records.

The transformation of downtown Morgan Hill is not even close to complete, but recent additions and changes in ownership of longtime establishments are giving patrons a taste of what’s in store for the neighborhood.

Attorneys’ opening statements in the trial for the suspected murderer of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar are scheduled for Jan. 18, according to authorities from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.Antolin Garcia Torres, 23 of Morgan Hill, faces a charge of murder in relation to the disappearance of Sierra, who was 15 when she disappeared from her home the morning of March 16, 2012. Garcia Torres has been in custody at the county jail since his arrest in May 2012.He faces a possible death penalty if convicted of murdering Sierra.Jury selection began in October 2016, and is scheduled to continue Jan. 3 as the defendant and attorneys are scheduled to be in court. Jury selection and the trial will take place at the Hall of Justice in San Jose.Sierra disappeared from her north Morgan Hill home while she was walking to her school bus stop near the intersection of Palm and Dougherty avenues, according to investigators. She was a sophomore at Sobrato High School at the time of her disappearance.Authorities have not found Sierra’s remains, but located some of her belongings—including her cell phone and her handbag containing some of her clothing—in the days after her disappearance was reported. These items were found off the roadsides in neighborhoods near Sierra’s home.Investigators have said they found DNA evidence connecting Garcia Torres to Sierra and her disappearance.In the same trial, Garcia Torres also faces three charges of attempted kidnapping in relation to three incidents in 2009 in two Morgan Hill Safeway parking lots. These charges are unrelated to the Sierra LaMar case.  

As the year winds down, I find myself in a reflective mood. Maybe it is due to hearing renditions of “Auld Lang Syne” everywhere I go. Here at Live Oak Adult Day Services, we welcomed many new seniors this year and we, sadly, have mourned the loss of others. The staff here is often asked how we cope with such loss. Basically, we focus on making each day special for the seniors here, and when they are no longer with us we know that we helped them to feel appreciated while they were part of the program. Those thoughts console us.

Half way up the Wine Trail on Watsonville Road, is Aver Family Vineyards, a hill-top winery with 180-degree views of the Uvas Valley and surrounding vineyards below.