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Petty theftSomeone stole a ladder from a commercial business on the 200 block of West Main Avenue. The theft was reported 3:28 p.m. Sept. 26.A thief or thieves stole the tags from a license plate on a vehicle parked on Barrett Avenue. The theft was reported 1:33 p.m. Sept. 25.A teenager stole beer and vodka from Safeway, 235 Tennant Station. The theft was reported 12:43 p.m. Sept. 20.Someone stole a license plate from a vehicle parked on the 200 block of West Main Avenue. The plate was later found in Milpitas. The theft was reported 2:24 p.m. Sept. 19.DisturbanceTwo customers at Rosy’s At The Beach restaurant, 17320 Monterey Road, became upset because their table was not ready, and threw a plastic water bottle at another customer. The disturbance was reported 7:42 p.m. Sept. 26.A witness picked up a juvenile male who was being chased and threatened by a group of teens who were throwing rocks at him in the area of Hale and West Main avenues. The witness drove the victim a few blocks away, when the child got out of the vehicle and went home with his brother. The disturbance was reported 9:31 p.m. Sept. 15.Accident, DUIA male driver crashed a vehicle into a tree and a fire hydrant on Madrone Parkway, but no one was in the vehicle when witnesses and police checked the scene. Police searched the area and later located a man on foot in the nearby business park, who officers determined was the driver who crashed into the tree and hydrant. The man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. The accident was reported 1:07 a.m. Sept. 24. Stolen vehicleSomeone stole a Penske truck from Executive Inn & Suites on Condit Road. The theft was reported 8:23 a.m. Sept. 24.A white GMC Sierra pickup stolen out of San Jose was recovered on Longview Drive in Morgan Hill. The vehicle was reported recovered 9:13 a.m. Sept. 24.Patrol checkA witness called to report three middle aged men on bicycles hanging out on LaCrosse Drive—one asleep against a tree, one lying on a picnic bench and one standing next to the bench. The witness heard one of the men say, “Man, that was some good dope.” The incident was reported 10:45 a.m. Sept. 24.Drunk in publicA man in his 40s was passed out in the elevator in the downtown parking garage, 50 East Third Street. The man was transported to Saint Louise Regional Hospital and later released with a citation for public drunkenness. The incident was reported 9:47 a.m. Sept. 25.Auto burglarySomeone broke into a white Dodge Charger on the 16500 block of Monterey Road and stole a wallet, checkbook and credit cards. The break-in was reported 7:33 a.m. Sept. 22, and the victim thinks the crime occurred overnight the previous night.BurglaryA thief or thieves broke into a storage shed behind Forbes Grill restaurant, 18599 Sutter Blvd. The crime was reported 11:17 a.m. Sept. 22.Someone smashed the window of Las Delicias Ice Cream & Botanitas, 16999 Monterey Road, and stole a cash register box that contained an unknown amount of cash. The crime was reported 11:10 a.m. Sept. 16.Municipal code violationSomeone repeatedly dumped trash outside the Masonic Lodge located at 380 West Dunne Ave. The crime was reported 1:08 p.m. Sept. 22.Grand theftA thief or thieves stole the tires and rims off two vehicles parked on Laurel Road. The crime was reported 9:49 a.m. Sept. 20.TheftSomeone stole a pet cat from a residence on La Selva Drive. The theft was reported 6:46 p.m. Sept. 16.All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. Information is compiled from public records.

Their records are on the wall. Championships they helped to win hang from the rafters of the gym. Their photos sit in display cases reserved for the past greats. Some are even immortalized in a hall of fame.

Despite some recent delays, downtown Morgan Hill continues to proceed toward city officials’ long-term vision as the most visitor-friendly, pedestrian-safe, transit oriented neighborhood in town.At least five new restaurants, three high-density residential projects, a boutique hotel and a handful of retail establishments are projected to be complete at various times within the next two years, according to city staff and developers. On top of that, three new public parks—sponsored by city funds—are nearing completion that will provide more casual recreational choices.At the intersection of Third Street and Monterey Road—considered by many city officials as the center of downtown—last winter’s rains significantly delayed the construction of four new restaurants, according to Morgan Hill Economic Development Manager Edith Ramirez. The restaurants are now projected to be complete by January 2018.Developers Ken Rodrigues and Don Imwalle acquired the property, formerly the site of Simple Beverages, from the city in 2016, through the Redevelopment Agency liquidation process that started in 2012. The developer struck a deal with the Opa! Group of restaurants to bring its four signature joints into two new structures on the property: Opa, a Greek restaurant; Mo’s…the Breakfast & Burger Joint; Willard Hicks (steaks and American food); and Tac-Oh!, the group’s fledgling “designer Mexican food.”The exterior of the two new buildings—about 5,600 and 6,425 square feet, respectively—currently looms over the busy intersection of Monterey Road and Third Street.Up the street on Monterey Road is the former site of the Downtown Mall, which was demolished by hospitality development guru Frank Leal in late 2016. Leal, who developed the next-door Granada Theater and remodeled it into a happening dinner theater and events venue last year, hopes to have the hotel complete by the fall of 2019, he said earlier this week.“Just waiting on some final kitchen design and elevator design,” Leal replied to an email from the Times.The four-story Granada Hotel—a “boutique” lodging accommodation—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.Leal acquired these properties from the city, also through the RDA wind-down process.Back on the other side of Monterey Road, at Second Street, the Edes Gallery project proposed by restaurateur Dan McCranie—owner of Ladera Grill just a block away—has also been delayed, but the developer is determined to wait until things are just right before beginning construction.“There’s a couple issues—I think they’re solvable, but they’re important to me,” McCranie said of his back-and-forth approval process with city staff. “It’s a small footprint, and there’s a lot of things going on, and I need to have it as efficient as possible.”McCranie declined to say exactly what was holding up the project, but he doesn’t expect it to affect his vision for the site. The three-story project will include a ground-floor art gallery and wine bar, with more gallery space on the second floor and a restaurant with rooftop dining on the third floor. He is now hoping to start construction before this coming winter.On the east side of downtown, the Sunsweet project with frontage on Third, Depot and Fourth streets is undergoing a “second construction plan check” by city staff, Ramirez said. This four-story development includes 83 residential units, with an outdoor plaza and office and retail components. Morgan Hill residents Rocke and Glenda Garcia are the developers of that site.Another former RDA property—previously the site of the BookSmart shopping center—is also under development on Depot Street, between Second and Third streets. The developer, City Ventures, is planning to build a 29-unit housing project with 8,500 square feet of condominium/retail space facing Third Street.Earth moving crews have been active at the site recently, and Ramirez said the project is currently “under construction.”New parks under constructionResidents and visitors should be able to enjoy three new downtown parks by the end of November, Ramirez said. Construction crews have also been active at these sites throughout the summer.The parks are located on Depot Street, just across from the Third Street intersection with a wide variety of play equipment scattered throughout the site that sits along the Union Pacific Railroad tracks; The Hilltop Park and Trail, at the top of the hill at the end of West Third Street; and the Creek Park, located on a small, quiet stretch of West Little Llagas Creek on the west side of downtown, between Second and Third streets.All of the downtown projects are part of the city’s $25-million-plus plan to revitalize the neighborhood, funded largely by leftover RDA monies. Previous projects include the downtown garage, various street resurfacing efforts on Monterey Road and side streets, utility undergrounding and other improvements.

As he had quite a bit during the game, Jonathan Singleton was scrambling for his life.

A wave of emotions washed over Wednesday’s city council meeting as the elected officials along with a packed house of city staff, representatives of numerous community organizations and Morgan Hill residents welcomed the new city manager, and said goodbye to her predecessor.The Sept. 27 council meeting was Christina Turner’s first as City Hall’s top staff person, and Steve Rymer’s last in Morgan Hill after serving the city for the last 11 years.Before the five-member council unanimously appointed Turner to the city manager post with a contract that includes a $230,000 salary, Rymer bid a tearful goodbye and many thank you’s to the council, city staff and the Morgan Hill community.Rymer, who is headed to Rochester, Minn. to begin a new job as city administrator there, thanked the council—including former councilmembers Gordon Siebert and Marilyn Librers—for their “confidence and support” in him as city manager since he was appointed in 2013. He thanked the community that “has come together to make Morgan Hill what it is, and to make it even better.”Rymer choked up as he reserved a special nod for the 188 members of city staff, who he has frequently referred to as his “teammates” over the last four-plus years.“This truly is a team that is motivated to serve, dedicated to this community, to this council and even to me,” Rymer said. “I’m going to miss you guys. It is an exceptional team that’s here.”He concluded his remarks by congratulating Turner, formerly the city’s assistant city manager for administrative services who Rymer has worked with for the last 18 months. “I have the utmost confidence she is going to carry the community forward,” he said.Councilmembers then gave their own thanks to Rymer and reflected on his legacy in Morgan Hill.“So much of what is great about our city is going to be your legacy, and that is the collaborative nature of City Hall…and also our culture of sustainability,” said Councilwoman Caitlin Jachimowicz, who was appointed to her council seat in February. “I won’t forget that you were the driving force behind that. We’re going to see the effects of those values for a long time to come.”Mayor Pro Tem Larry Carr recalled first getting to know Rymer when he joined Morgan Hill’s recreation and community services department in 2006. When the council promoted him in 2013, to replace outgoing City Manager Ed Tewes, Rymer was “the absolute right city manager at the right time for Morgan Hill.”“You really challenged us as a council, and as a team, and as a community,” Carr said. “I’m a better person for having worked with you…in understanding what it means to build a community.”Welcoming applauseTurner received several standing ovations and sustained applause from the crowded audience at the Sept. 27 as the council approved her appointment to her new position on a 5-0 vote, when City Clerk Irma Torrez administered the oath of office and when the new city manager gave her thanks and acknowledgments.The contract provides Turner a base salary of $230,000, with an annual cost of living salary increase. She will pay the employee’s contribution to the CalPERS retirement system, and pay for half of any future increases in the city’s share of her retirement contributions.The city will also offer her a housing loan of up to $1.3 million to purchase a residence and property within the city limits, as well as up to $15,000 in relocation expenses.Rymer’s salary in 2016 was $248,000, and the council awarded him with numerous annual raises prior to that based on positive performance evaluations. He also received a housing loan, as well as a home improvement loan from the city.Turner has worked for the City of Morgan Hill as assistant city manager since March 2016. Before that, she worked as the City of Gilroy’s Finance Director. Many of those in the Morgan Hill audience Sept. 27 were her former colleagues, friends and neighbors from Gilroy.“I am truly honored and pleased to be serving as Morgan Hill’s next city manager,” Turner said after Torrez swore her in. “You have heard throughout the night what an amazing city we have. I am extremely blessed to serve the city.”Gender not a factorWith comments that seemed to be pointed at recent remarks by a fellow councilmember—but without mentioning that councilmember by name—Jachimowicz told Turner that her gender had nothing to do with her appointment as city manager.“You did not win this position because you are a woman,” Jachimowicz said. “I hope you don’t let anybody diminish your accomplishments by making you thinking otherwise. However, it’s important for us to celebrate the fact that you are a woman.”She continued by noting that as of 2015, only 19 percent of city managers in California are women, and females are vastly underrepresented in public and private sector management.“Thank you for being a role model for our daughters and our sons in Morgan Hill,” Jachimowicz said.Before administering the oath of office, Torrez noted that Turner is the second female city manager in Morgan Hill during the city clerk’s 36 years with the city.Councilman Rich Constantine said shortly after the council voted in closed session Sept. 6 to negotiate with Turner for the city manager post, that the majority of the council was leaning toward her “because she was a woman.” He said he voted against the motion to negotiate with Turner because he doesn’t think it’s fair to hire someone based on their gender or race.After Rymer put in his notice this summer, the council was determined to recruit a new city manager from within City Hall. On Sept. 6, they interviewed Turner and three other seasoned city staff members who applied for the job: Economic Development Manager Edith Ramirez, Police Chief David Swing and Community Services Director Chris Ghione.

A former employee with the Santa Clara County Probation Department was arrested today for sexual misconduct involving two juvenile inmates previously in the county’s care, according to a Sept. 28 press release.

Live Oak’s defense played well enough to win at Westmont on Friday.

A pair of tough losses to the Santa Teresa Division front runners has put the Sobrato girls volleyball team looking up at the division for the first time in a couple of years.