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The slogan of Operation Freedom Paws—”Four paws, two feet, one team”—rings true for veteran Chris Ramirez, a local Marine Corps sergeant who  is now currently suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The nonprofit organization matched him with his service dog, Bobby, last June and provided training support for his four-legged companion.

SAN MARTIN—Once a week, people on supervised probation or state parole can receive a free services designed to help get their lives back on track, thanks to a new pilot program that opened this week in San Martin.

Responding to several calls of a man passed out at the wheel April 11, Morgan Hill police officers were dispatched to East Dunne Avenue at Butterfield Boulevard, where they found and subsequently arrested a 45-year-old male for misdemeanor DUI.

With the driver accused of killing a Gilroy father of five on Easter Sunday behind bars and charged with murder, the victim’s co-workers are raising money to help pay for funeral expenses.Nearly $10,000 was collected by Wednesday afternoon for services for Alberto Sanchez, 37, who leaves behind a widow and five young children, according to Cindy Hamilton, his employer of 14 years. Friends and co-workers who set up the site estimated Sanchez’s funeral expenses would be about $8,000.Hamilton is president of Morgan Hill-based New Directions Sign Service, where Sanchez worked as production lead.“We keep having moments of tears in our office,” Hamilton said. “We’ve lost a member of our family, and I know his family lost a husband and a father.”Just before 6:50 p.m. April 5, Sanchez was standing to the rear of his parked car along Tennant Avenue when a pickup truck smashed into him, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.The truck’s driver, Edgar Benitez Martinez of Morgan Hill, continued down Tennant Avenue toward his home, according to a statement from the Morgan Hill Police Department. An off-duty MHPD officer witnessed the collision, followed Martinez and arrested him for driving under the influence, according to the MHPD.Martinez has been charged with murder and additional charges are under consideration, Steve Lowney, Supervising District Attorney with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, said last week.In the wake of Sanchez’s death, Hamilton offered to help with the funeral and created an online fundraiser.Hamilton described the Gilroy father and husband as a humble person, dedicated to his family and job.“I admired him because he took care of everyone else first,” she said. “He loved his family. He had his kids in soccer and as tired as he was from work, he had a smile on his face when took them to their games.”Sanchez’s sudden loss has hit his coworkers hard, and his family even harder, Hamilton said.But the outpouring of support has left the family touched, she added.Complete strangers have come into the Morgan Hill-based business, presenting Sanchez’s coworkers with flowers, money or other donations to help offset the unexpected funeral costs.“The kindness of the people, some who we don’t even know; it brings tears to our eyes every time,” she said.

A 20-year-old man suspected of carrying a concealed weapon was arrested by Morgan Hill police officers in the late afternoon April 9 after a foot pursuit that ended on the baseball field at Live Oak High School.

A local business woman found an innovative way to repurpose an accessory now used by many people and to give back to nonprofit organizations at the same time.Lanyards - thin pieces of cord usually found draped around the necks of students and attached to their school IDs - are  common sights on school and business campuses around the world. An easy way to keep ID cards from being lost, they serve a simple purpose.Gilroy resident Jamie Hernandez had the idea to put them to another good use by creating a lanyard that can serve as a safety tool in emergency situations. In return, the lanyards helped Hernandez in her own time of need when she was recovering from a debilitating illness.“I get migraines and I became paralyzed,” she said. “I was in a wheelchair for two and a half years. Then I got better and I wanted to do something that kept me busy.”Hernandez, who is originally from Morgan Hill, taught herself how to knot and tie paracord to create colorful lanyards, key chains, jewelry and other accessories.Paracord - or parachute cord - is a thin rope made of nylon or polyester most commonly used as suspension lines for parachutes, according to www.paracordplanet.com. For each lanyard, Hernandez uses about 30 feet of paracord 550, which can hold up to 550 pounds. The cord never mildews, according to Hernandez.As a former athlete, she knew the safety value of the lanyards.I did a lot of rock climbing before, but then I got sick,” Hernandez said. “A few years ago in 2007 I broke my hand, so I feel fortunate to be able to do this.”Starting as a hobby, Hernandez’ lanyard creations eventually became a business when her daughter, Jasmine Yanez, was on the Gilroy High School wrestling team. The school lost its funding for buses, Hernandez said, so she sold her lanyards at the Mid-California Wrestling Championship Tournament to raise funds for team transportation. She also made all the first place lanyards for each of the 14 weight classes in the two-day tournament.“It’s rewarding because if (the wrestlers) win first place, they get the lanyard and I’ve seen them around town,” Hernandez said. “We put a dog tag on it with their (place) and their class. To see the kids still wearing it, and using it and coming back for more is good.”Hernandez’ new business endeavor, InkBlossom Designs, became a big hit when her daughter left home to pursue her business management degree at Menlo College in Atherton. Yanez took the paracord lanyards to sell to fellow students. By then, Hernandez had added another safety feature: whistles to use to attract attention in case of emergency.The rest of her family also became involved in the business. Hernandez’ son, Solar, helps his mom by measuring and cutting the paracord before she begins knotting the cords for lanyards. And her husband, Steven Hernandez, is charge of sales and marketing.“My husband is my biggest cheerleader,” she said.  “He saw something I like to do and I’ve made it my own.”As her business grows, Hernandez continues to donate 40 percent of her profits to community organizations. To date, InkBlossom Designs has donated a total of more than $3,000 to the Fallen Hero Memorial Scholarship Fund, South Valley Middle School wrestling and cross-country teams, Santa Clara Valley Wrestling Association, Los Gatos Rugby Club, Pop Warner football leagues and Christopher High School sports.“If I can help bring a smile to someone’s face and help an organization, that’s the best thing for me to do,” she said.But Hernandez’ community outreach doesn’t end with InkBlossom Designs. She also volunteers as an assistant coach at South Valley Middle School and created the school’s annual Sumo Feast Fundraiser with dinner, live music and inflatable sumo suits for wrestling.Her contributions are greatly appreciated by the South Valley Middle School staff.“Ms. Hernandez is always around to lend a hand and is a valuable team player,” Athletic Director Jami Reynolds said.A handy way to keep track of those important items, lanyards serve a simple purpose..But Gilroy resident Jamie Hernandez cm to put them to another good use by creating a lanyard that can serve as a safety tool in emergency situations. In return, the lanyards helped Hernandez in her own time of need when she was recovering from a debilitating illness.“I get migraines and I became paralyzed,” she said. “I was in a wheelchair for two and a half years. Then I got better and I wanted to do something that kept me busy.”Hernandez, who is originally from Morgan Hill, taught herself how to knot and tie paracord to create colorful lanyards, key chains, jewelry and other accessories.Paracord - or parachute cord - is a thin rope made of nylon or polyester most commonly used as suspension lines for parachutes, according to www.paracordplanet.com. For each lanyard, Hernandez uses about 30 feet of paracord 550, which can hold up to 550 pounds. The cord never mildews, according to Hernandez.As a former athlete, she knew the safety value of the lanyards.I did a lot of rock climbing before, but then I got sick,” Hernandez said. “A few years ago in 2007 I broke my hand, so I feel fortunate to be able to do this.”Starting as a hobby, Hernandez’ lanyard creations eventually became a business when her daughter, Jasmine Yanez, was on the Gilroy High School wrestling team. The school lost its funding for buses, Hernandez said, so she sold her lanyards at the Mid-California Wrestling Championship Tournament to raise funds for team transportation. She also made all the first place lanyards for each of the 14 weight classes in the two-day tournament.“It’s rewarding because if (the wrestlers) win first place, they get the lanyard and I’ve seen them around town,” Hernandez said. “We put a dog tag on it with their (place) and their class. To see the kids still wearing it, and using it and coming back for more is good.”Hernandez’ new business endeavor, InkBlossom Designs, became a big hit when her daughter left home to pursue her business management degree at Menlo College in Atherton. Yanez took the paracord lanyards to sell to fellow students. By then, Hernandez had added another safety feature: whistles to use to attract attention in case of emergency.The rest of her family also became involved in the business. Hernandez’ son, Solar, helps his mom by measuring and cutting the paracord before she begins knotting the cords for lanyards. And her husband, Steven Hernandez, is charge of sales and marketing.“My husband is my biggest cheerleader,” she said.  “He saw something I like to do and I’ve made it my own.”As her business grows, Hernandez continues to donate 40 percent of her profits to community organizations. To date, InkBlossom Designs has donated a total of more than $3,000 to the Fallen Hero Memorial Scholarship Fund, South Valley Middle School wrestling and cross-country teams, Santa Clara Valley Wrestling Association, Los Gatos Rugby Club, Pop Warner football leagues and Christopher High School sports.“If I can help bring a smile to someone’s face and help an organization, that’s the best thing for me to do,” she said.But Hernandez’ community outreach doesn’t end with InkBlossom Designs. She also volunteers as an assistant coach at South Valley Middle School and created the school’s annual Sumo Feast Fundraiser with dinner, live music and inflatable sumo suits for wrestling.Her contributions are greatly appreciated by the South Valley Middle School staff.“Ms. Hernandez is always around to lend a hand and is a valuable team player,” Athletic Director Jami Reynolds said.

The Morgan Hill Police Department is asking for the community's help to identify a female suspect caught on tape stealing mail and packages from at least two houses on Peak Avenue at approximately 3 p.m. April 8.

The motorist accused of driving impaired when he struck and killed a Gilroy man at a Morgan Hill intersection Easter Sunday was arraigned on a murder charge at the South County Courthouse April 8, according to Santa Clara County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Steve Lowney.Results of the hearing for Edgar Benitez Martinez, a Morgan Hill resident, were not yet available as of the afternoon of April 8. Authorities arrested Martinez moments after the accident when he tried to flee the scene, according to police.The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as 37-year-old Gilroy resident Alberto Sanchez. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.About 6:50 p.m. April 5, Morgan Hill police responded to a traffic collision on Tennant Avenue near the intersection of Juan Hernandez Drive, according to a press release from MHPD.During the initial investigation, officers learned an off-duty MHPD officer witnessed the collision and followed the suspect’s vehicle, driven by Martinez, as it failed to stop at the scene of the accident, police said. The off-duty officer followed the suspect and detained him near his home in Morgan Hill. After contacting him, police suspected Martinez was driving under the influence of alcohol.While at the scene of the collision, officers learned the suspect’s vehicle was traveling westbound on Tennant Avenue from U.S. 101 when it drifted to the right shoulder of the roadway near the intersection of Juan Hernandez Drive.At that tie, Martinez’ vehicle collided into the rear of the victim’s vehicle which was parked on the shoulder, according to police. At the time of the impact, the driver of the parked vehicle was standing to the rear of his car while his juvenile passenger was inside the car. After the collision, Martinez continued traveling westbound on Tennant Avenue, then northbound on Juan Hernandez Drive where he was later detained.The victim’s juvenile passenger was transported to a local trauma center by paramedics and later released to a family member, authorities said.Martinez was booked at Santa Clara County Jail, according to police.Anyone who witnessed this collision can contact MHPD Sgt. Bill Norman at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867.

The City of Morgan Hill will provide up to $1 million to help 11 downtown businesses with moving and relocation expenses as they expect to be displaced by upcoming demolition and construction activities.While the city has not yet finalized deals with the future developers of these sites, they are under a tight deadline to dispose of properties formerly owned by the Redevelopment Agency which house established, family-owned businesses that attract thousands of visitors to the neighborhood.These businesses include Jesus Restaurant on Third Street, Cherisse’s Hair Salon on Second Street and United Academy of Martial Arts on Depot Street—all of which are part of the BookSmart shopping center.Business owners are concerned about the cost of finding a new location somewhere in the downtown, let alone whether or not such new digs even exist.Evelyn Gomez, whose parents own Jesus Restaurant, cried while telling the city council April 1 how stressful the impending move to an unknown place has been for her family.“We tried to get a loan (and) refinance,” Gomez said as she broke down into tears. “My mom is going to have to sell her home because we won’t be able to afford that mortgage and get the loan. It’s very painful to see (my parents) going through this stress.”The council voted unanimously to approve the $1 million “economic development reimbursement” program for downtown tenants to be displaced. The program, funded by leftover RDA bond proceeds, will provide up to $35,000 per full-time equivalent employee to each business that qualifies for assistance, according to Assistant City Manager Leslie Little.The funds will not go to the employees, but rather to specific types of moving expenses, including rental trucks, equipment purchases for new space, construction of tenant improvements, carpeting, shelving, real estate commissions and impact fees. Because the funds are former RDA assets, there are strict limitations on what they can be used for, Little explained.Cherisse White, owner of Cherisse’s Hair Salon a couple doors down from BookSmart, also addressed the council. White and other business owners wondered if $1 million will be enough to cover moving expenses for all 11 tenants.“I have a thriving business that wants to stay downtown, and I’m concerned about the low inventory (of vacant space) to move into,” added White, whose salon has been located at the shopping center for six years.The 11 businesses—plus seven others that are not eligible for the city’s program—will likely have to move before the end of this year because they are located on property that has to be sold and developed for the purposes originally intended by the RDA. These purposes include mixed-use, multi-story retail, dining and residential projects, in order to complement the city’s vision for a pedestrian-, visitor- and public transit-friendly downtown.In February, the council directed city staff to begin negotiating with City Ventures on the BookSmart site. City Ventures wants to purchase an option on the property (for $100,000), which the RDA purchased in 2010, and then complete the purchase from owner Llagas Valley Investments for another $2 million. The developer plans to build 24 townhomes upstairs with ground-floor retail facing Depot and Third streets.The city and developer have 60 days to negotiate a deal on that property, according to city staff.While BookSmart and all nine tenants on that property will have to move after such a deal is reached, the bookstore is not eligible for relocation assistance. As a former partial owner of the option, the store opted out of future relocation assistance when the RDA purchased the option for $1.7 million.But BookSmart co-owner Brad Jones also addressed the council April 1 to emphasize how crucial it is that the tenants remain downtown where they have become permanently woven into the fabric of the overall scene.“When development starts at the properties, family businesses are going to be exiled to some other part of Morgan Hill other than downtown,” Jones said.He added these shops, hair salons and restaurants have collectively spent “over 150 years paying rents and providing jobs in the downtown, (and they) account for at least 100 jobs.”“Much of what makes downtown great is the family businesses,” Jones added. “They would likely not return.”Also eligible for city assistance are two tenants on the Granada Theater/Downtown Mall site—Berriez Parlor and Shear Heaven Hair Salon, according to city staff. City Ventures is working on a deal with the city on that property as well, to build 50-plus condominiums and 40,000 square feet of retail space.And the third property soon to change hands from a public trust controlled by post-RDA regulators to a private owner is the Royal Clothiers/Tryst building at the corner of Monterey Road and Second Street. The city plans to sell that property to Lone Star Development for $881,280. Lone Star plans to make only “modest cosmetic” improvements to the site.Tenants have a “soft deadline” of June 1 to notify the city if they plan to take advantage of the reimbursement program, according to city staff.Other tenants on these properties who are ineligible for the city’s relocation reimbursement program are The Music Tree, Tryst, Morgan Hill Cigar Company, EcoSparc, Acevedo’s House of Poppy Jasper and other small shops. These companies are ineligible because they have previously received RDA, or they signed short-term leases waiving any future assistance.The city has until Dec. 31 to dispose of the properties and use former RDA bond proceeds, in accordance with strict timelines set by the IRS and the state’s Department of Finance. The DOF has the final say over the use of all former RDA assets.