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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.

David Wolfsmith, a former downtown Morgan Hill training facility owner who is accused of sexually assaulting seven female victims, has gained permission to operate another business in the City of San Jose.Wolfsmith, 49, is out of custody in lieu of $325,000 bail, awaiting his next hearing Oct. 27 on charges that he inappropriately touched the victims while serving as their personal trainer, according to authorities. His former gym, known as Wolfpak Training Center, was located at the corner of Monterey Road and East Third Street for several years before Morgan Hill police arrested him April 11. Wolfpak was co-owned by David and his wife Julia Wolfsmith, but the private training center has closed since he was arrested.On Aug. 1, the Wolfsmiths gained a “business tax certificate” from the City of San Jose to open a business called Wolfsmith Training on Turtle Creek Court, according to the city’s searchable online database of such licenses. The certificate lists “personal training” as the nature of the business. The document lists both David and Julia Wolfsmith as the business owners.MHPD officers arrested David Wolfsmith April 11 on suspicion that he sexually assaulted five female victims who were clients at Wolfpak, according to police. In the ensuing investigation, two more female victims came forward to police to report similar offenses. Two of the alleged victims were minors at the time of the suspected abuse.He is charged with 13 counts, including multiple felony counts of sexual battery by fraud and one count of lewd and lascivious act on a child younger than 14, according to authorities.The initial police investigation started in February, according to police.His next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 27 at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Tim McInerny.City of San Jose Revenue Division Manager Wendy Sollazzi clarified that a business tax certificate such as that acquired by the Wolfsmiths is similar to what other cities refer to as a business license, but it alone doesn’t provide a regulatory structure. The certificate itself simply documents that “you’re a registered business” that is conducting business in the City of San Jose, Sollazzi explained.  Certain other industries in San Jose—such as medical marijuana, massage parlors and card rooms—require additional permissions and are subject to further regulations specific to those businesses, Sollazzi added. These regulations are enforced by the city’s police or code enforcement departments.But personal training is not one of those industries, Sollazzi clarified. In order to acquire a business tax certificate, business owners like the Wolfsmiths must pay the city’s tax and provide essential personal and company information.“Personal training is not a regulatory environment at this time,” Sollazzi said.McInerny responded to the news of Wolfsmith’s possible new business, “We are doing everything in our power to protect the community and unwary customers/clients of (the defendant).”He added that if Wolfsmith had required a license to do business, the “licensing board” would likely consider the accusations against him. But because Wolfsmith doesn’t require a license to be a personal trainer, it falls on the DA’s office to ensure the safety of the community, McInerny said.Wolfsmith’s attorney Sam Polverino said he is unaware of any effort by Wolfsmith to open another business. He is only handling the criminal case against him, which he says is unfounded.“The investigation in this case was predetermined,” Polverino said. “This is not an objective investigation. It was subjective, and I think it was biased, and I am shocked this is the way they do things in Morgan Hill.”He added that the MHPD investigating detective tainted the case by telling victims or witnesses what other accusers had said during interviews. He said the detective “formulated an opinion (on Wolfsmith) within 48 hours” of the beginning of the investigation.If convicted as charged, Wolfsmith faces up to 40 years in prison, according to authorities.

For six matches, Sobrato found ways to win. Live Oak, meanwhile, found ways to keep going despite lack of numbers.

Candidates for elected city and school board positions squared off in recent days at two forums sponsored by local organizations.

One of the Morgan Hill City Council’s first major decisions after the Nov. 8 election could be how to go about replacing one of their colleagues who is likely to resign in early 2017.Councilman Gordon Siebert, who was first elected to the five-member body in 2010, has sold his home in the Jackson Oaks neighborhood. He and his wife Esther are planning to move to Nashville, Tenn., where they have family including a young grandson.Siebert said they expect to move out of state after the end of 2016, but they don’t have a specific, determined timeline. The couple has spent several weeks agonizing over their future plans, and at one point contemplated staying in the Bay Area after they move out of their Morgan Hill home. There is even a “slight chance” they could stay local, but “roughly in the last month” they have set their sights on Nashville.“The house has sold, but…we don’t know when it’s going to close,” Siebert said. “I’ve made arrangements to stay in town after that (before moving out of state) so that I can continue to serve” on the council until the relocation.Factoring in the Sieberts’ decision is Esther’s health, which has been complicated “for many years” by a chronic illness, Gordon Siebert said. She has “excellent” doctors in the Bay Area, and that’s why the couple considered moving up the Peninsula.“Her health is very important to me,” Siebert said.Siebert told his colleagues on the council over the last month or so that he was selling his home, where he and his family have lived for nine years, but his plans after that were undetermined.If Siebert resigns from the council, the remaining four councilmembers—including the mayor—will have 60 days to appoint a replacement or call a special election, according to Morgan Hill City Clerk Irma Torrez. If the council calls a special election, it “shall be held on the next regularly established election date not less than 114 days from the call of the special election,” the state government code reads.In either case, the new councilmember would serve the remainder of Siebert’s four-year term, which ends in 2018. At that point the seat would be subject to a regular election.A special, standalone election for a candidate to finish Siebert’s current term would cost the city about $351,000, Torrez said.The other councilmembers confirmed Siebert has told them in private that he has been planning to sell his home and is likely to move out of Morgan Hill. Three of these officials—Mayor Steve Tate, as well as Councilmembers Larry Carr and Marilyn Librers—are up for re-election Nov. 8 and might not be seated on the dais when it’s time to decide how to replace Siebert.Tate said with the timing of Siebert’s plans coming within the last month or so, there “was never any kind of possibility” the city could have added his seat to the ballot for the Nov. 8 election.“I think we’ve got to see what the results of this (Nov. 8) election are, and what the options are, formally, at the time he announces to the council and the city he is leaving,” Tate said.Joseph Carrillo and Kirk Bertolet are running against Tate in the Nov. 8 election. The elected mayor serves a two-year term.One possibility if the council decides to appoint a replacement without a popular vote of the citizens, suggested by Siebert, would be to appoint the candidate who finishes third in the Nov. 8 council election. The top two vote recipients will win the two available seats on the council in that race.The appointment process could also include a call for applications from interested candidates, who would then be interviewed in a future public council meeting. This is what the Morgan Hill Unified School District Board of Trustees tried to do when former Trustee Amy Porter Jensen resigned from that board in November 2015. The remaining six trustees interviewed seven candidates, but couldn’t reach a majority decision on a finalist. They ended up ordering a special election in June 2016, which Tom Arnett won.The Santa Clara Valley Water District appointed John Varela to replace former Director Dennis Kennedy, who resigned from that board due to health complications in November 2015. The remaining board members interviewed five applicants before deciding on Varela, who is reaching the end of Kennedy’s former term with the Nov. 8 election. Varela is running against Tom Cruz in that race.“I would hate for the city to have to go to the expense of having a special election,” Siebert added.Morgan Hill resident John Mattes, who has been a supporter of Siebert’s in the past, said he doesn’t think it’s fair for the councilman to leave Morgan Hill halfway through his term. He said the voters should be allowed to elect his replacement.“Why is he going to wait less than two months (after the Nov. 8 election) and then resign?” Mattes wondered.Carr and Librers, the two incumbents up for re-election Nov. 8, agreed the council needs to get through the upcoming balloting before focusing on replacing Siebert when and if he announces his resignation.“If he leaves, it’s a huge loss to the council because he is a wealth of knowledge,” Librers said, pointing to Siebert’s former employment—decades ago—in Morgan Hill’s public works and finance departments.Carr said he supports the Siebert family’s efforts to stay happy and healthy, even if that takes the councilmember away from Morgan Hill. He added he doesn’t think there is a “dire need” for the council to decide how to replace Siebert yet, because he hasn’t formally announced or even settled on his potential resignation.Running against Carr and Librers in the Nov. 8 election are Mario Banuelos, Armando Benavides and Rene Spring.  Mayor Pro Temp Rich Constantine, who is not up for re-election until 2018, said Siebert told him at the Sept. 21 council meeting that he was “97 percent sure he is moving” out of Morgan Hill.“It’s hard to make plans when he’s not completely sure,” Constantine said. “I would hope he could finish out his term—that would be fair for everyone—but he also has to think about his family and do what’s best for him.”