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Rosés are the perfect hot-weather sippers and a nice alternative to chardonnay. They range from sweet-tart to bone dry, with the acidity of a white wine and the fruit flavors of a red—it’s a happy medium between the two.Looking like summer in a glass, rosé wines come in gorgeous hues such as salmon, coral and hot pink. Grapes are lightly crushed and left to soak in their red skins for a limited number of hours—depending on how dark the winemaker wants the color of the finished wine to be. Rosé wine can be made from any grape varietal.Guglielmo Winery chooses grignolino, a red Italian grape, to make their dry rosé. The 2015 Grignolino Rosé ($18) has cranberry flavors and a crisp, green apple finish.This rosé will stand up to the big flavors of a pasta marinara dinner.Pietra Santa makes their 2012 Rosato ($15) from cabernet grapes. It’s a crisp, dry rosé fermented in stainless steel with fresh flavors of pomegranate and wild strawberries. I would pair this wine with a blackened salmon salad or roast chicken.Made from sangiovese grapes, Vino Roseo di Sangiovese 2015 ($25) from Solis Winery is a lightly sweet rosé with well-balanced acidity. It’s a brilliant pink with flavors of strawberry and mango—ideal with spicy cuisine such as Thai or Mexican food.These wines pair well with most summer fare such as chicken salad or a charcuterie board filled with salami, cheeses and olives.

In talking about property inspections, many homebuyers are familiar with inspections related to the appraisal of a home. That is for valuation and marketability purposes, and to validate your purchase price to the lender. But as buyers of a home, there are other inspection events that are important and critical.

Authorities are investigating a structure fire that spread to nearby vegetation in northeast Morgan Hill early in the morning Oct. 14.Firefighters responded to the blaze 2:27 a.m. on East Main Avenue near the intersection of Hill Road, according to Morgan Hill Fire Marshal Dwight Good. A vacant home was “fully involved” in flames by the time firefighters arrived.The flames also charred some trees, grass and other vegetation surrounding the building.The fire is “under investigation, but we think it started at or in the structure,” Good said.Electricity breaker switches and the gas valve to the property were turned off before the fire department arrived, and there were “no appliances, furniture (or) garbage” inside the burning structure, Good said.Overhead power lines leading to the property were down after crews extinguished the blaze and left the scene. Good said PG&E cut the wires during the firefighting effort. The downed power lines were “not the cause” of the fire, he noted.A previous fire occurred on the same property Aug. 19, when a barn just west of the vacant home burned, Good said.

Beer, the libation that has fueled civilization for nearly 5,000 years, will be poured at participating businesses to goblins and witches alike at the 2016 Halloween Beer Crawl in downtown Gilroy. It’s all about the beer but costumes are encouraged to add to the fun. Food trucks, a wine and beer garden and dancing in the street will complete the night at the after party on Fifth Street, featuring Isaiah Pickett and Take 2. Must be 21 and over with valid ID. Come crawl on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 for the beer crawl and $10 for the after party. For tickets go to: http://bit.ly/2d8ZwWi.ANCESTRAL ALTARSThe Gilroy Center for the Arts presents their 5th Annual Exhibit and Altars dedicated to Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos). A Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places. The multi-day holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey. The exhibit will run from Oct. 15 to Nov. 6. For more information go to gilroycenterforthearts.comHOLLISTERElks Lodge charity car showHollister Elks Lodge presents a Charity Benefit Car and Motorcycle Show. All street rod, custom and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles are welcome. Clubs come together to show off their classic investments such as the Mission Trail Mustangs, which meet for camaraderie and for the love of the ‘Blue Oval’ breed. Start your morning with coffee and a breakfast burrito, then stroll the show and vendor row while you listen to music. The afternoon will include a raffle with great prizes a beer garden and sausage sandwiches. Free admission for all spectators on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 351 Astro Dr. Visit missiontrailmustangs.org.Pet Friends fundraiserBring home a new treasure or a tasty goodie at the Pet Friends Fall Yard and Bake Sale. This annual fundraiser benefits homeless companion animals of San Benito County by providing funds to assist with low-cost Spay and Neutering, retrieving, fostering and adoption services for adoptable companion animals from Hollister Animal Control. Pet Friends also provides relief for displaced animals during emergencies. Come support a great cause on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at San Benito High School, 1220 Monterey St, Hollister.MORGAN HILLAnnual Wildlife FestIf ever there was a good cause the annual WERC Wildlife Fest and Barbeque is unquestionably one of the best reasons to spread the love. The proceeds go toward services for orphaned and sick native wildlife like the Red-Tailed Hawk named Henry Hawk. Henry was found with an injured wing and given medical assistance. Enjoy a day of fun activities and a barbeque with all the trimmings as well as a grand auction on Saturday, Oct. 15 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center, 16450 Murphy Ave, Morgan Hill. Advance tickets are required and can be found at werc-ca.org.Morgan Hill GET FITGet the kids excited because this 1.5 mile run/walk features fun obstacles for children age 13 and under at the Morgan Hill GET FIT obstacle course challenge. The course includes a tire run, balance beam, bouncy obstacles and lots of color. Parents are encouraged to participate and everyone receives a race shirt and medal. Put on your favorite pair of running shoes and come out on Saturday, Oct. 15. Register in person at the CRC on 171 West Edmundson or on the morning of at 8 a.m. For more information go to morgan-hill.ca.gov or call (408) 782-2128.THE VALLEY‘Goddesses and…’Season opening program from sjDANCEco will feature four world premiers including Goddesses and …  Experience a choreographic collaboration where each choreographer will create movement motifs and thematic material that is shared with the other choreographers to create a fusion of three techniques while maintaining the integrity of each dance. The production will include live music from San Jose Chamber Orchestra on Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. at the California Theater, 345 S First St, San Jose. Get tickets at sjdanceco.org.Steinway Society ConcertThe second Steinway Society performance of the season brings Chinese pianist Fei-Fei Dong, an award-winning artist praised for her passionate style. She charms audiences with her poetic interpretations from composers such as Baldassare Galuppi to Franz Liszt. Fei-Fei was born in China and began piano lessons at age 5, then moved to New York to study at The Juilliard School, earning Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. Enjoy this magical evening at the Trianon Theater on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at 72 N Fifth St, San Jose. For program information and tickets go to steinwaysociety.com.WATSONVILLEBurrito BashThe Rotary Club of Freedom and Watsonville invite you to taste the best burrito on the Central Coast at their Second Annual Burrito Bash. Restaurants will be competing for the Best Burrito title, with awards for first, second and third place. The history of the burrito and where it got its name is a bit sketchy, but one thing is for sure, the burrito has quickly evolved into a full-blown meal with rice, beans, meat, cheese, vegetables and sauces. A variety of food vendors will also be available along with craft beers and fun activities for the whole family. Newly added this year is a car show. Entry is $5 and parking is free on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E Lake Ave. Find out more at burritobash.com.

Thanks to a longstanding tradition of direct democracy, every California voter becomes a lawmaker at the ballot box. But this year more than ever, citizen legislators of the electorate better do their homework. Seventeen state initiatives have made their way onto the fall ballot, including some of the most complex laws ever put to a popular vote.Among the raft of statewide measures are proposals to legalize recreational cannabis, end the death penalty or speed it up, ban plastic bags and cap prescription drug costs. Not since 2000 have Californians been asked to wade through so many propositions. That’s not even counting a slew of local initiatives, which stand to make the Nov. 8 voter guide a record-setting 224 pages.Prop. 51: School bondsOriginally pitched by the state lawmakers as a way to help local schools, Prop. 51 would authorize $9 billion in bond debt to modernize K-12 and community college campuses. But the proposal bankrolled by the construction industry has drawn fierce criticism from public school advocates. Opponents of the measure say it would bolster a status quo—a school-bond industrial complex that enriches developers on the taxpayer dime. Gov. Jerry Brown called it “a blunderbuss effort” that would allow wealthy districts to cut in line before low-income communities.Prop. 52: Medi-Cal fundingShould it pass, Prop. 52—arguably one of the most complicated initiatives on the ballot—would protect the state’s ability to fund Medi-Cal. California has long failed to put up enough money to trigger the max amount of federal matching funds for indigent health care. That forces the 400 or so hospitals that accept Medi-Cal patients to operate at a huge loss. When the Great Recession hit in 2009, hospitals offered to pay the state fees to use as matching dollars. But when the economic crisis morphed into a state budget crisis in 2011, lawmakers spent $500 million from those fees on services that had nothing to do with Medi-Cal. Prop. 52 would protect those fees by keeping them in place and requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to spend them on anything but they’re intended purpose: health care for people can’t otherwise afford it.Prop. 53: Revenue bondsGeneral obligation bonds, which are paid back by taxing the public, need approval from the electorate to pass. Prop. 53 would simply extend that requirement to revenue bonds, which are paid for with money generated by the project. The initiative would require statewide voter approval for government construction funded by more than $2 billion in revenue bonds. Wealthy Central Valley farmer Dean “Dino” Cortopassi penned the prop as a way to reign in state debt by making it harder for bureaucrats to run up a tab on pet projects. Opponents—including Gov. Jerry Brown, whose proposed bullet train and Delta tunnels comprise two of the biggest public works projects in state history—say it would prevent much-needed infrastructure from getting built.Prop. 54: Public reviewTwo influential Republicans—former state Senator Sam Blakeslee and Palo Alto-based GOP donor Charles Munger Jr.—penned Prop. 54 to prevent lawmakers from making last-minute changes to bills headed for the governor’s desk. The initiative would force the Legislature to post bills online for public review at least three days before a final vote. The measure would also expand access to live video of legislative action and allow people to later use that footage in political campaigns.Prop. 55: Tax on the wealthyVoters will be asked to add another 12 years to the life of a tax on incomes over $250,000 a year. Prop. 55 would allow the 1 to 3 percent surtax to sunset in 2030, with proceeds spent on public schools and healthcare programs.Prop. 56: Cigarette taxFour years after a similar measure was rejected at the ballot, voters will have yet another chance to raise the tax on tobacco. This time, with Prop. 56, the tax would amount to $2 a pack and apply to both traditional smokes and their newfangled electronic counterparts.Prop. 57: Prison parolePart of Gov. Jerry Brown’s broader effort to undo some of the tough-on-crime laws he helped usher in decades ago, Prop. 57 would qualify more nonviolent prisoners for early release based on credits for good behavior and taking classes during incarceration. It would also prevent juvenile offenders from getting shunted right away to an adult court hearing.Prop. 58: Bilingual educationThis would end a ban on bilingual education passed by California voters as part of a public backlash against multiculturalism in 1998. Prop. 58 would give county education offices far greater freedom to teach bilingual students in English and in their native tongue.Prop. 59: Citizens UnitedAs an advisory measure, this proposition asks voters whether they want state policymakers to work toward repealing the U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial Citizens United decision on money in politics. The 2010 ruling held that corporations have a First Amendment right to spend unlimited amounts of cash on national campaigns. But overturning the decision would require the radical step of amending the U.S. Constitution. Because there’s such a high bar for revoking Citizens United, state legislators took to the ballot to ask for the blessing of California’s electorate. Prop. 60: Condoms in adult filmsAdult film performers would have no choice but to use condoms in explicit sex scenes under the proposed initiative. Violations would result in fines, but only movie producers would be on the hook.Prop. 61: Prescription drug pricingBig Pharma dropped tens of millions of dollars into a campaign opposing this measure, which would ban state agencies from paying more than the lowest price the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs spends on the same drug. The “price ceiling,” however, would apply to only one buyer: the state. Prop. 62: Repeal death penaltyTwo rival death penalty measures will appear on the November ballot (see Prop. 66), making for a historic showdown over the future of state-sanctioned executions. Prop. 62 would overturn the 1978 law that necessitates capital punishment for the worst crimes. It would also direct more money made from prison work to restitution for victims.  Prop. 63: Gun controlDrafted during the intense public debate about gun laws and mass shootings, this initiative would ban the sale and possession of high-capacity ammunition magazines in California. It would also require background checks for buying ammo and create new felony charges for gun thefts.Prop. 64: MarijuanaOne of the most talked-about measures on the fall ballot, this initiative would legalize marijuana and hemp under state law. Though it would remain illegal by federal standards, marijuana would become taxable by state and local governments and sellable to anyone over the age of 21.Prop. 65: Carry-out bagsThe plastic bag lobby is backing this measure, which would require fees charged for paper or reusable bags to fund environmental programs. Under the existing law banning single-use plastic bags, retailers can pocket those fees.Prop. 66: Speed up death penaltyThis initiative is backed by former NFL player Kermit Alexander, whose mom, sister and two nephews were murdered in their own home in 1984. Their killer remains on death row. Alexander wants the measure to pass because it would accelerate capital punishment by imposing new time limits. It would also curtail the appeal process, which is worrisome for people who have been wrongly convicted.Prop. 67: Plastic bag referendumVoters will decide whether to uphold or repeal a statewide plastic bag ban. The ban passed through the Legislature earlier this year, and now requires approval from a majority of Californians before it becomes law. Most cities in Santa Clara County have already 86ed single-use plastic bags.

Officers uncovered hundreds of pounds of illegal narcotics, more than $135,000 in cash and several firearms after conducting raids at three Morgan Hill properties in recent weeks, according to authorities.

Early voting is underway in the Nov. 8 Presidential General Election, which features a full ballot of national, statewide, regional and local candidates, as well as a host of state propositions and local measures.

Amid an election season that has catapulted Morgan Hill’s residential growth as the top issue among many voters and candidates, the latest financial disclosures show that the campaigns of the incumbents—and one challenger—are funded partially by developers. Meanwhile, most of those attempting to unseat the incumbents haven’t accepted any money from such sources.

A man suspected of burglary kicked Morgan Hill Police Department’s K-9 dog Bosco in the head several times in the attic of a local home during a Sunday evening incident, according to authorities. Despite the suspect’s resistance, Bosco helped apprehend him by clamping down on his ankle.Officers arrested three adult suspects—two men and one woman—who were found in the process of burglarizing a home on the 700 block of Mendocino Way Oct. 9, according to a MHPD press release.Police were called to the home about 9:15 p.m. and met with a woman who reported she saw a man enter her home, according to authorities. Officers approached the residence to investigate, calling into the home ordering anyone inside to exit.After a few minutes, a man and a woman came to the door, police said. They were identified as Gilbert Pimental, 33 of Milpitas, and Rachel Delgadillo, 35 of Morgan Hill. They were questioned and later arrested on suspicion of burglary.After these suspects told police there was a third still hiding inside the home, MHPD’s K-9 unit was called to the scene to assist with the search, police said. As officers entered the home, they repeatedly announced who they were and ordered anyone who was hiding to come out. No one responded, and the search eventually led to the attic, where K-9 Bosco and his handler then conducted a further search.After entering the attic, the officer and dog located Teofilo Ponce, 39 of Santa Clara, hiding in the corner, according to the MHPD release.Ponce resisted arrest and kicked Bosco in the head three times in an attempt to get away, according to police. After being struck, Bosco was able to latch his teeth onto Ponce’s ankle. He was arrested with minor injuries, including lesions on his face.All three suspects were booked at Santa Clara County Jail, police said.Anyone with information about this incident can call MHPD at (669) 253-4964 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867.

Just a few portions of the walls are all that stood of the Downtown Mall in Morgan Hill the morning of Oct. 7.Crews were busy operating cranes and other heavy machinery, demolishing the structure after owner Frank Leal spent the last several weeks saving what materials he could from the interior and facade. Leal, the owner of Leal Vineyards in Hollister and Willow Heights Mansion in Morgan Hill—among other hospitality service properties—plans to reuse some of the old building’s materials in the new Granada Hotel that he plans to build on the Downtown Mall site, and other properties he is currently in the process of renovating or rebuilding.The four-story Granada Hotel—to be built where the vacant Downtown Mall currently sits—will consist of a steakhouse, floral shop, market hall and lobby with a wine bar on the first floor. The second floor will house conference and banquet space, a pool and spa. The third and fourth floor will each house 30 guest rooms.Shops on the first floor will also complement Leal’s existing hospitality enterprises. These include his first venture, Leal Vineyards in Hollister, as well as Willow Heights Mansion in west Morgan Hill. These sites are popular event venues, especially for weddings and nonprofit events.Leal is also in the process of renovating the Granada Theater, just next door to the Downtown Mall, as a versatile event venue.The demolition and construction are a major part of the city’s and the development community’s effort to revitalize downtown Morgan Hill with new destinations for visitors and residents, as well as improved infrastructure.