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As of April 1, outdoor irrigation is restricted to two days per week through the end of October, but other year-round water use limitations remain in effect, according to City of Morgan Hill staff.The restrictions are part of the city’s “Level 2” declaration of a water supply shortage, which the council approved in April 2015. The state of California is in an historic drought, prompting the governor and local municipalities to implement restrictions to reduce water consumption by at least 20 percent from 2013 levels.Under Morgan Hill’s spring-through-summertime restrictions, which take effect April 1 and continue until Oct. 31, outdoor residential plant and landscape irrigation can take place only at certain addresses on certain days of the week (but no more than two days per residence). The specific regulations are as follows:•  Watering on Mondays and Thursdays for odd numbered addresses•  Tuesdays and Fridays for even numbered addresses•  No watering on weekends•  Irrigation is allowed before 9 a.m. or after 7 p.m.Watering is limited to no more than 15 minutes per stationThe Level 2 restrictions during the fall and winter months only allowed residents to water their lawns and plants one day per week, according to city staff.Year-round restrictions that remain in effect include:• All leaks, breaks or other malfunctions must be repaired within 48 hours• No washing down hard of paved surfaces• Limits on filling ornamental lakes or ponds• Limits on washing vehicles: Using potable water to wash any vehicle is prohibited except at a commercial car washing facility. The use of potable water to clean the windshield, windows or mirrors of a vehicle with the use of a hand held bucket or similar receptacle is permittedCity staff commended Morgan Hill residents for heeding the call to cut their water usage by 20 percent citywide. In 2015, residents saved more than 968 million gallons of water, according to city spokeswoman Maureen Tobin.Water waste can be reported in Morgan Hill by calling (408) 310-4195, or by visiting the city’s website at morganhill.ca.gov.For more information on the city’s water restrictions, visit mhdrought.com.For water saving tips and information on rebates from the Santa Clara Valley Water District, visit save20gallons.org.

Live Oak rallied for four runs in the seventh inning, but ultimately came up short to Westmont, falling 6-4 on Wednesday.

With the longer days of spring people begin looking forward to spending more time outdoors. While the cool nighttime temps mean it’s still too soon for many to consider camping, it’s not too early to start planning your seasonal camping trips.

A former Morgan Hill man who admitted to his involvement in the 2011 shooting death of 14-year-old Tara Romero and a young woman who survived the drive-by attack testified recently in the ongoing trial for two of the five murder suspects at the Hall of Justice in San Jose.Rosa Castaneda, a friend and classmate of Romero’s who knew the slain teen since the two attended Martin Murphy Middle School, cried on the witness stand March 22 while describing the chaotic scene Nov. 4, 2011 near the intersection of Cosmo and Del Monte avenues.“A lady was screaming ‘She’s dead!’” said Castaneda, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, in which five suspected Sureno gang members slowly drove by the intersection and opened fire at a group of teens. “I just saw a lot of people moving around. I was losing so much blood, and was trying to fall asleep.”Castaneda was shot in the stomach and spent the next few weeks in and out of a medically induced coma in the hospital. She woke up to learn that her mother had died from liver failure. She further suffered continuing infections from the gunshot wound, and testified that just a couple days before her testimony a “bullet fragment was trying to push itself out” from her abdomen.Romero and Castaneda—freshmen at Sobrato High School at the time—had been out that evening with a group of friends celebrating a birthday at the Morgan Hill Community Park. Two other friends of theirs were wounded by the gunfire as well.The trial for Primitivo Hernandez, 27 of San Jose, and Fernando Mateo Lopez, 24 of Gilroy, began in early March. They are charged with murder.Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Miguel Valdovinos called numerous eyewitnesses and the three surviving victims of the shooting to testify in recent weeks. Morgan Hill and Gilroy police officers who responded to and investigated the incident have testified, as have those who were familiar with the suspects through previous brushes with the law. Crime lab technicians who processed evidence related to the 2011 shooting, and family members of the suspects also testified for the DA’s office.Valdovinos said as of March 25, the case is “closed to evidence.” Closing arguments by Valdovinos and the two defense attorneys are scheduled for Tuesday, April 5. After that, the jury will begin deliberating and deliver a verdict.Castaneda added March 22 that she and her friends were standing in the grassy area outside the Village Avante apartment complex, talking and waiting for a ride home, when they saw the suspects’ vehicle drive by slowly with the headlights off. She said someone shouted “Sur!” and then a series of gunshots rang out.Police have said the suspects were trying to settle an ongoing feud with the rival Norteno street gang. However, none of the victims targeted were involved in any gang activity at the time.But when Castaneda was asked by Hernandez’ defense attorney Nicole Lambros about her current gang “affiliations,” she hesitated to answer. Lambros specifically asked Castaneda if she had recently posted photos of herself on Facebook wearing red—a color associated with the Norteno gang—and displaying gang signs. “Maybe,” Castaneda replied.Castaneda was compelled by the court to testify, and she appeared wearing a black and gray striped jail jumpsuit, and she was handcuffed. Under cross-examination from Lambros, Castaneda admitted she had been arrested days before her testimony on suspicion of a traffic violation and a warrant. She also admitted she was accused of providing a false name and date of birth to the officer who pulled her over.Driver places all five suspects in carLater in the week, Ricardo Diaz, 23 of Morgan Hill, testified that he was the driver of the Chrysler that the suspects used to carry out the fatal 2011 shooting, according to Romero’s father Joe Romero. The Times was unable to attend court during Diaz’ testimony.Diaz named the other four suspects—including Lopez and Hernandez—as passengers in the vehicle, Romero said. Diaz, who has pleaded guilty for his involvement in the crime, added that the suspects were intent on hurting or killing Norteno gang members that evening. Their anger was driven by an ongoing feud that resulted in vandalism to one of the Surenos’ home and vehicle.Diaz added that Morgan Hill suspect Esmeling Bahena, who will be tried by a jury after the current trial is over, “got the ball rolling on the whole thing,” Romero said. “They were ready to go fight any northerner they found.”He even described how he and Bahena relayed their frustration to the other suspects by phone, and they met up with Lopez and Hernandez in Gilroy to pick up the weapons and ammunition, Romero said.Diaz testified that he could not tell from the driver’s seat who pulled the trigger when they drove by the scene of Tara Romero’s death.Joe Romero added he had difficulty sitting through Diaz’ detailed testimony. “I started thinking these were the last minutes of my daughter’s life,” he said.Morgan Hill police arrested all five suspects at Bahena’s residence on Barnell Avenue hours after the shooting, according to previous testimony and police reports. The fifth suspect, Ramon Gutierrez, who was 17 at the time, remains mentally unfit to stand trial and in custody at a state health facility.The state’s evidence also includes text messages sent among the suspects the day and night of the shooting.Morgan Hill Police Officer Luis Espejo testified March 22 that he translated these messages from Spanish to English for the detectives. He testified that these messages included condemnations of the “chapetas”—a derogatory word for a Norteno—who broke the window at Bahena’s residence. The texts also included an arrangement of a meeting of the suspects in Gilroy Nov. 4 to gather firearms and ammunition, and carry out their revenge.

Beloved former mayor Dennis Kennedy, whose passion for the future of Morgan Hill was as much a hobby as a livelihood, died Monday night after a 10-month battle with brain cancer.Before Kennedy became mayor of Morgan Hill in 1992, he spent several years influencing the city’s growth control measures that continue to determine at what rate the city will grow. Those who knew Kennedy best say he lives on in this work—and in his leadership in recreation services—that make Morgan Hill the unique, tight-knit community that residents enjoy.“He was a great man,” said Morgan Hill resident Bernie Mulligan who has known Kennedy for nearly 40 years. The two met and quickly became friends during early discussions of “Measure E,” the first version of the population-capping ordinance that was ultimately approved by voters in the late 1970s. Numerous subsequent updates of this ordinance have won at the polls in the decades since.“It’s a tremendous loss to his family and friends, and even more so, it’s a tragic loss to our entire community,” Mulligan added. “His imprint is all over this town, no matter where you go. He will long be remembered.”Kennedy, 77, died about 8:15 p.m. March 28 at his home in east Morgan Hill. His son Matthew Kennedy, 45, was by his side.Matthew Kennedy conveyed a statement to the Times through family friend and former Kennedy campaign manager Swanee Edwards: “I know Dad was special to the community, and he was very special to me personally. He was so loving and so gentle, yet at the same time he was so powerful. He treated everyone as an equal. Dad would respect the dignity of all humans regardless of their station in life. I am so proud of him and I loved him so much.”As mayor, Kennedy was a relentless advocate for the use of Redevelopment funds to build public recreation facilities that remain highly popular, and even integral to the character of Morgan Hill.In December 2015, despite his declining health, Kennedy appeared as the honored guest at a ceremony held by current city officials to rename the Morgan Hill Dennis Kennedy Aquatics Center. Kennedy, as mayor in 2003, led the effort to develop the Aquatics Center as a premier swimming facility with the help of the city council and RDA.“It blows me away,” Kennedy told the Times at the Dec. 4 ceremony, as he referred to the outpouring of admiration before him. “I never expected anything like this. There are so many wonderful people in our area. I find it overwhelming.”Today’s generation of South County public officials often describe Kennedy as a “mentor.” Current Mayor Steve Tate, who has known Kennedy since he coached Matthew’s youth soccer team, described the former mayor as the “guiding light” for the construction of the city’s robust recreation facilities program, which includes not only the swim center but also the Community and Cultural Center as well as the Centennial Recreation Center.“People have always loved living in our city, and he’s a huge part of the reason why that’s true,” Tate said. “He’s always a respectful gentleman, and to me he was a great mentor. I’m going to miss him.”Distinguished careerA professional mechanical engineer by trade, Kennedy worked for IBM for 25 years—before embarking on a public service career that would make him a South County legend. He later worked for the construction firm Parsons Corporation for about seven years as a project manager.His resume of volunteer leadership and community service work is exhaustive. Kennedy was an American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley senior fellow, a member of Rotary Club of Morgan Hill, past president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association and the Morgan Hill Sister Cities committee. He was the winner of the 2007 Morgan Hill Leadership Excellence Award. In 2015, he was honored by Gavilan College with the Lifetime Community Spirit Award.Kennedy served as mayor of Morgan Hill from 1992 to 2006. Tate recalls volunteering as his campaign manager for his successful run at a city council seat in the late 1980s. “Neither of us knew what we were doing,” Tate joked. And before he was elected to office, Kennedy served on the city planning commission.After he retired as mayor, Kennedy worked as a consultant and continued volunteering for the community. He was a member of the Morgan Hill Times editorial board for several years.Kennedy re-entered the political stage in 2013, when the board of directors of the Santa Clara Valley Water District appointed him to fill the seventh seat on that governing body. He completed the term of exiting SCVWD Director Don Gage, and won election to the seat in November 2014. On Nov. 4, 2015, Kennedy resigned from the SCVWD board due to health complications related to a brain tumor. He was diagnosed with the tumor in June 2015.Kennedy asked Edwards, a San Martin resident, to be his campaign manager when he decided to run for election to the SCVWD board in 2014. Edwards knew Kennedy for about 15 years, and also led his last campaign for mayor. She said he was not in pain when he died.“He’s gone through a lot of personal tragedies in his life here in Morgan Hill, but he changed the city,” Edwards said. “He was probably one of the best men I have ever met. I’m going to dedicate the rest of my life to following up on his work if I can.”Words of praiseClaudia Rossi, a Santa Clara County Board of Education board member who began her political career as a Morgan Hill Unified trustee, added that Kennedy experienced “such a joyful life.” He had his pilot’s license and completed a competitive swim to Alcatraz in San Francisco a few years ago. Kennedy inspired Rossi to join the Rotary Club, and was selfless in his consideration of others.“He spent more time talking about the qualities and leadership of others, and not about his own. We’re better because he was with us,” Rossi said.Santa Clara County Supervisor Mike Wasserman, who represents the area that includes South County on the board, has long recognized Dennis Kennedy’s leadership and influence. “I am saddened to hear that former Morgan Hill Mayor Dennis Kennedy passed away last night,” Wasserman posted on his Facebook page March 29. “Dennis was a popular and effective leader, who cared deeply about people.”Former City Manager Ed Tewes, who served as City Hall’s top staff person through a portion of Kennedy’s time as mayor, called him a “key figure” in shaping what Morgan Hill is now.“He was a great mayor who served in a transitional period,” Tewes said. “He had started his service as things were getting mixed up and toxic on the city council. He brought calm and progressive policies to Morgan Hill.”Kennedy counted swimming, water skiing and golf among his hobbies. He was often seen on the golf course with his faithful dog Nika, who died December 2015, riding in the cart with him. But Kennedy was just as happy spending his free time talking about and planning for the future of Morgan Hill.“We’d sit here at the bar at my house and talk about whatever we need to do” to ensure Morgan Hill didn’t suffer from the “unbridled” growth that was occurring in nearby cities, Mulligan recalled of the early days of his friendship with Kennedy. Some of these evening discussions lasted into the early morning. “I remember how tenacious he would be in wanting to keep Morgan Hill as a small town. And it has worked for years.”Mulligan and Kennedy also traveled extensively together as colleagues on the Sister Cities board. “He and I are the only two that have been to all five of Morgan Hill’s sister cities,” in Japan, Italy, Ireland, Mexico and Turkey, Mulligan said.Family and friends are planning a public celebration of Kennedy’s life in the coming weeks, Edwards added. Details will be announced.

Two San Jose women were caught in the act of trying to steal mail from a Morgan Hill apartment complex early Tuesday morning, according to police.About 1:20 a.m. March 29, Morgan Hill police responded to Murphy Ranch apartments on the 300 block of East Dunne Avenue to investigate a report of a suspicious person. The manager of the complex told police she could see two women prying open the mailboxes next to the office and stealing mail, according to police.When officers arrived at the complex, they located one of the women standing next to the mailboxes and found another hiding in a nearby bush, police said. The suspects were identified as Fleitcha Johnson, 37, and Myisha Johnson, 36. Both are from San Jose.MHPD noted that Fleitcha Johnson gave a false name of Latasha Judge at the time of her arrest, but her real identity was later determined when she was being booked at the jail.Both women were arrested on suspicion of possession of burglary tools, mail theft, felony vandalism and warrants, police said.All the mail they attempted to steal was returned to its owners.Anyone with information about this incident can contact Morgan Hill Police at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867.

Morgan Hill police arrested a woman who locked herself in the bathroom of Wal-Mart after she allegedly tried to steal merchandise from the store.About 2:30 p.m. March 25, MHPD responded to the store located at 170 Cochrane Plaza to check the welfare of a woman whom store employees said had entered the restroom, locked the door and refused to come out, according to police.A store employee also told police they had seen the woman and a male suspect cutting the tags off Wal-Mart merchandise with a red knife, police said.Based on the information from Wal-Mart employees and the way the woman was acting, Morgan Hill Fire staff unlocked the door to the restroom. Once the door was open, police contacted the woman who had two backpacks full of numerous store items, according to authorities. The woman was also wearing a white Wal-Mart dress that she had not paid for.The man allegedly associated with the woman was contacted outside the restroom, according to police. He initially gave a false name to an MHPD officer because he thought he had warrants out for his arrest.Both the man and woman were arrested. Alexias Wilson, 19 of Modesto, was booked on suspicion of commercial burglary and being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to police. Dangelo Webster, 19 of San Jose, was booked on suspicion of commercial burglary, providing a false name to an officer and violation of probation.Anyone with information about this incident can call MHPD at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867.

Take a drive down any stretch of U.S. 101 south of San Jose and your nose will lead you to Gilroy. Famous for its aromatic allium, the garlic bulb, any Gilroyan will tell you it’s first thing they smell when they open their door. I’m a big fan of this pungent bulb. Aside from its obvious culinary uses, garlic has an abundance of health benefits. And, if you’ve ever forgotten to cut back your curly edible garlic-scapes, they make a beautiful flower.

Before you plant those homegrown seedlings or fragrant plants from the UCCE Master Gardeners’ Spring Garden Market (Saturday, April 16 at History Park in San Jose), do you have what it takes to make your garden successful?