Texas Cabin restoration celebrated with ribbon-cutting
Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs celebrated the restoration and dedication of the newly restored Texas Cabin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 18.The Texas Cabin was built in the early 1920s utilizing elements from an earlier building on the same site. Built during the period in which Gilroy Hot Springs was owned and operated by the William J. McDonald family, the cabin provided four separate accommodations with two bathrooms. Later it housed Japanese families recovering from their time in internments camps during World War II.The Texas Cabin is one of the largest remaining cabins at Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs. The restoration was jointly funded by California State Parks and private donations with work completed by Southwest Construction and overseen by state parks staff.Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs can be toured by reservation only by calling (408) 314-7185 or e-mailing [email protected].
County to reduce climate change impact by preserving farmland
Using proceeds from a competitive grant offered by the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act, county officials will develop a comprehensive platform of maps, models and policies to reduce greenhouse gases by preserving at-risk farmland in South County.
Colon Cancer: What It Is, How It’s Diagnosed and How We Treat It
Colon cancer is the catch-all name for cancer of the colon or rectum. The proper name for this disease is colorectal cancer.
Homes Wanted: No-kill shelter cares for cat
What happens if your new baby is allergic to your longtime feline friend? Or the cheapest housing option doesn’t allow pets? How much can you afford to spend if he needs surgery or medication?
SE Quad plan goes to LAFCO
With one of their colleagues doubting they will be able to preserve a vast amount of farmland, the Morgan Hill City Council approved the long simmering Southeast Quadrant annexation, land use and agricultural preservation plan last week.The council voted 3-1 July 15 to send the plan to the Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), which will be tasked with the effort’s ultimate approval. Councilmember Rich Constantine voted against the plan, and Councilmember Marilyn Librers was absent from the meeting.The complicated plan required a series of 10 separate votes by the council. These include:• Amending the city zoning code to include an agricultural mitigation plan and a new “sports/recreation/leisure” land use classification;• Extending the “urban service area” boundary in the SEQ;• Requesting of LAFCO the annexation of 215 acres into the city limits;• Pre-zoning a 38-acre parcel “public facilities” where the San Jose Diocese plans to build the South County Catholic High School;• And applying the new SRL classification to several private properties in the SEQ.Constantine voted “no” to each item in succession at the July 15 meeting. He noted that the many agencies and environmental groups that are likely to be affected by and involved in the plan have repeatedly said the city’s SEQ document falls far short of its stated goals to preserve agriculture and open space. These include LAFCO staff, the county itself, the Santa Clara Open Space Authority and private nonprofits.Constantine stressed after the July 15 meeting that he is not opposed to sustainable, responsible development nor the SEQ plan as a concept.“I don’t want to stop the process,” Constantine said. “We are saying we want to promote agriculture and open space, yet the main groups that are responsible for those entities say we’re going about this in the wrong way. I have a problem with that.”He added that the agricultural mitigation program is unlikely to achieve its goals. This program would require developers to pay a per-acre fee that would go toward the permanent preservation of an equal acreage of farmland on which they plan to build.“To say that you’re going to take acreage in the Southeast Quadrant and mitigate acreage that’s already in the Southeast Quadrant, that doesn’t make any sense,” Constantine added.The SEQ is about a 600-acre patchwork of farmland and large residential lots on the east side of U.S. 101, roughly bound by Maple, Foothill and San Pedro avenues. For the better part of the last decade, the city has been working on the SEQ development and preservation plan that was finally approved July 15.Projects proposed in the SEQ are a large-estate planned development to be built by the Chiala family, which plans to preserve up to a five-to-one ratio of agriculture on their project; the Catholic high school at the northeast corner of Murphy and Tennant avenues; and a city-sponsored baseball/softball facility at Tennant Avenue and the U.S. 101 interchange. Existing sports uses in the SEQ are the Outdoor Sports Center and the Aquatics Center, both owned by the city.The LAFCO board has not yet agendized the city’s requests for an upcoming meeting, but is expected to do so in the coming months.
UNFI delays opening, dozens out of work
United Natural Foods, Inc., the $6 billion-strong natural foods distribution firm set to open in Gilroy within weeks with promises of upwards of 500 jobs will instead delay the start of business until February and lay off dozens of workers, some of whom began work today.
UPDATE: Juvenile inmates staged ‘disturbance’ in effort to escape MH facility
A young criminal detainee was found and taken back into custody shortly after he escaped from the Santa Clara County Boys Ranch in northeast Morgan Hill over the weekend, according to authorities.The 17-year-old inmate, Anthony Ruezga of San Jose, escaped from the facility on the 19000 block of Malaguerra Avenue about 9:15 p.m. July 18, according to a press release from Morgan Hill police. Authorities provided the teen’s description and asked residents in the area to keep an eye out and report any sightings to police.The following morning, July 19, police reported that Ruezga had been found and taken back into custody. MHPD Sgt. Carson Thomas said Ruezga was found on the Boys Ranch property, and he apparently had not left the facility grounds while his presence was unaccounted for.Police also reported that five inmates of the Boys Ranch attempted to escape in the same incident, but Ruezga was the only one who was successful.The inmates tried to escape by staging a “disturbance” on the ranch property, according to Thomas. The inmates tried to flee while the staff was distracted, and all the attempted escapees except Ruezga were were captured “immediately.”The escape attempt and disturbance did not result in any injuries to the facility’s staff, Thomas said. Some of the inmates had to be medically cleared after the incident, but no serious injuries were reported.Ruezga had been incarcerated for his involvement in property crimes, and did not have a violent background, authorities said.
Teacher wins $20K for South Valley school
South Valley Middle School is now $20,000 richer thanks to the all-star efforts of a popular sixth grade math and science teacher.
