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Ernest is a 6-year-old boxer who is very sweet, quiet and relaxed. He is also housetrained and good with children. He would be best as an only pet, as he is not good with cats. He is available for adoption at the San Martin Animal Shelter and would love to find his forever home. For more information, call (408) 686-3900.

He may be small, but never count him out. Staci Linden-Cupp’s dachshund, Wally, is poised to take the “Top Dog” crown at the 17th annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals dog race Dec. 26 in San Diego.

The contractor hired by the city to design and build a three-story downtown parking garage plans to do so with a heavy emphasis on public art, turning the facility into a canvas depicting some of Morgan Hill’s unique natural features.The Morgan Hill City Council voted unanimously Dec. 17 to hire F&H Construction to build the 271-stall parking garage, which will be built on the former “Sunsweet” property between East Third and Fourth streets.The construction contract will cost the city about $8.6 million, and includes the services of Napa artist Gordon Huether. The council also approved support contracts for the project with Biggs-Cardosa for structural plan review and inspection ($128,000), and with Watry Design for technical support during construction ($35,000).Huether gave a brief presentation to the council prior to their vote at Wednesday’s meeting, in which he proposed artistic concepts that include a giant metal tarantula spider attached to the Fourth Street side of the concrete parking structure, just above where vehicles would enter the garage. If approved in the final designs, the spider would be lit with low-voltage lighting and would “create a sense of wonder and excitement” for motorists entering the garage, Huether explained.The artist also suggested adorning the northwest corner of the parking garage—facing the intersection of Third Street and Monterey Road—with glass slabs decorated with a three-story Poppy Jasper pattern. That mineral, which is found only in Morgan Hill, features brightly colored orbs against darker veins and patches.“I think the community is going to instantly embrace it, and love having it,” Huether said.Huether shared with the council some of his background, which includes frequent use of glass and steel in large-scale public art projects around the world. Some of his pieces include a 125-foot-long glass mural of Lady Bird Johnson at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Tex.; a 22-foot-tall depiction of a yucca plant composed of recycled aircraft fuel tanks welcoming visitors to Albuquerque, New Mexico; and a 9/11 memorial in Napa made of glass and 30 tons of steel from the wreckage of the World Trade Center in New York.“The art is not about me—it’s about the community, the people I’m working with,” Huether said. “It’s relevant to the people who use it and view it and enjoy it everyday.”The council approved the construction contract after city staff conducted a competitive bid process that drew six design-build teams. F&H Construction was chosen for submitting the lowest proposed cost, a “significant public art component and their architectural design that most closely matched the criteria” set forth in the city’s requests.The downtown parking garage has been in the pre-planning stages for several years, and has been part of the city’s Downtown Specific Plan since 2008. It will be funded by leftover Redevelopment bond proceeds acquired by the city’s RDA, also in 2008.The city purchased the .98-acre property for the garage in June, from developer Rocke Garcia. The property cost $2.1 million, also paid for with leftover RDA funds.The facility is intended to serve visitors to downtown Morgan Hill, as well as future residents and commuters who will increasingly rely on nearby public transportation services as downtown revitalization efforts continue at nearby properties, according to city staff.The structure will include electric vehicle charging stations and bicycle lockers, according to conceptual designs.Furthermore, the project also includes a 4,000-square-foot commercial space, for retail or dining, on the East Third Street side of the property. That space would be next-door to Huntington Station restaurant. An existing oak tree would ideally be preserved between the two establishments, city staff said.The construction proposal endorsed thus far by the council is not without its detractors. Garcia, who still owns the eastern portion of the same block touching Depot Street, said the proposed two-story retail space is in violation of an agreement the city made with him before purchasing the garage site.Specifically, he noted the city’s proposal shows the retail space would be the height of a two-story building, but would house only a single floor.“We specifically asked for two stories and 4,000 square feet,” Garcia said. “But what city staff has proposed is a single story building.”His attorney sent the council a letter just before the Dec. 17 meeting letting them know about the perceived breach.Garcia plans to build a mixed-use residential and retail structure on the remaining portion of his property between Third and Fourth streets, extending from the parking site to Depot Street. He has not yet submitted plans to the city for that project.City Attorney Renee Gurza told the council that as part of a memorandum of understanding with Garcia signed before the property purchase, the city agreed to “consult” with Garcia on the retail and garage project. “We didn’t say he had to approve our design,” Gurza said.Construction on the parking garage and retail project is expected to begin in March, after designs are reviewed by the Library, Culture and Arts and Planning commissions, city staff said.

San Jose police arrested a Morgan Hill man on suspicion of sexually assaulting two women Dec. 17, according to authorities.Sometime on Dec. 17, San Jose officers responded to the 1600 block of Stokes Street in San Jose on a call reporting a sexual assault in progress, reads a press release from SJPD.Upon arrival, officers determined Kenneth Bridges, 26, sexually assaulted two female adult victims, police said. The victims are 54 and 63 years old.Bridges was arrested at the scene and booked at Santa Clara County Jail, police said. Bridges was on active parole for robbery at the time of the incident.Anyone with information about this incident can contact San Jose police at (408) 277-4102, or the anonymous Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (408) 947-7867.

At first glance, he appears just your average four-legged, golden-colored canine. But this dog, known as Booker, is no ordinary pup.

Miss Kitty is a 2-year-old calico who enjoys sunny patios and the view from the tops of cat trees at Pet Friends. She can be shy with new visitors, but loves being brushed, is affectionate and sweet. Miss Kitty invites the company of other cats and will charm her way into your heart as well. To meet her, call Pet Friends at (831)-634-1191 or visit petfriends.org.

Artist Christine Hwang was born and raised in northern California and studied business economics at UCLA before switching her major to art history. She spends much of her time studying different art fields at a local community college.

The winter holidays are a time of festivity, cheer and, for many partygoers, alcohol consumption. That’s why police are warning Santa Clara County residents that if you’re celebrating with alcohol this holiday season, they’ll be keeping an eye out for you on the roads.The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office warns motorists to “Drive sober or get pulled over.” From Dec. 12 to Jan. 1, law enforcement agencies throughout the county are increasing their impaired driving enforcement due to the increase in drunk-driving accidents and fatalities at this time of year, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.The first weekend of the holiday campaign, Dec. 12-13, saw 60 motorists arrested countywide on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to Sheriff’s Sgt. Kurtis Stenderup. In 2013, law enforcement agencies arrested 87 people countywide for the initial holiday crackdown weekend.Increased efforts, organized by the Avoid the 13 Task Force, include DUI/drivers license checkpoints, 38 “roving saturation patrols” and a DUI warrant and probation sweep, authorities said.These efforts include the following in Morgan Hill in Gilroy:—Dec. 19 saturation patrols by Morgan Hill and Gilroy police;—Dec. 20 saturation patrols by sheriff and Gilroy police;—Dec. 26 saturation patrols by Gilroy police;—Dec. 27 DUI/drivers license checkpoint by sheriff;—Dec. 31 saturation patrols by Gilroy police.The facts are grim, according to the sheriff. On average, nearly one-third (31 percent) of all crash fatalities in America involve drunk driving. In December 2012, 830 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving at least one driver with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit of .08.On Christmas day 2012, the number of accidents involving at least one drunken driver jumps to 36 percent, the press release continued. Twenty-six people died in DUI-related accidents that day. For the entire year, more than 10,000 people died nationwide in DUI accidents in 2012, with 802 of those in California alone.As part of the national “Drive sober or get pulled over campaign,” law enforcement will increase their number of patrols and enforcement operations, and use local and social media to reach all drivers, the sheriff’s press release said.Authorities recommend finding ways other than driving to get home safely if you have been drinking. These include designating a sober driver ahead of time, calling a friend or family member, using public transportation or calling a taxi.If you see a vehicle on the roads that appears to be driven by an impaired motorist, call 911, authorities suggest.Avoid the 13 Task Force funding is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Office of Traffic Safety offers a free mobile app – DDVIP – aimed at thanking the sober designated driver with perks and free offers at area bars and restaurants.