01 gmhtoday 2015 march

G M H T O D A Y M A G A Z I N E MARCH / APRIL 2015 gmhtoday.com4

Larry & J. Chris Mickartz, Publishers

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FROM THE EDITOR

J. Chris

A special thanks to Heather Pacheco, Shag Beauty Bar and Michael Hawk Photography for making us look good.

A lot has happened in the past few months. The combining of Gilroy Today and Morgan Hill Today into this new larger publication has been challenging and fun at the same time. My partner in life and publishing,

Larry, and I are so excited to bring you The Lifestyle Magazine Of The South Santa Clara Valley — gmh TODAY. We hope you enjoy it and we look forward to your comments. We want you to remember that the magazine is for and about you. So, please let us know if there’s a person, event or place that you feel we should include in its pages.

Another exciting addition for us is having Jackie Starkovich join our team. Jackie is our new Advertising Representative. She has lived in Gilroy since 2006 and most recently was the wine club director for San Martin Ranch Winery. She is involved in the community and is active in the Morgan Hill Rotary.

I’m an avid reader, always looking for the next GOOD book. I must admit that I haven’t considered joining a book club, mostly because it takes me forever to get through a book; just not enough hours in the day. But, I am very happy to welcome our new column “The Book Club Beat” by Sherry Hemingway. Sherry belongs to a couple book clubs and has agreed to help us answer the question: “What should I read next?” She’ll also keep us up on the visits of authors to our local libraries and book clubs.

I want to thank both Gilroy Mayor Don Gage and Morgan Hill Mayor Steve Tate for their kind words and introductory remarks for our individual sections on each community. We wanted to start our new format with overviews of each community we serve. I think Larry did an excellent job of condensing a multitude of informa-tion into nice informative economic briefs of all three communities: Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill. Although different in many ways, all three make-up the South Santa Clara Valley.

We’re starting this first issue by featuring our areas love affair with horses. Here in South Santa Clara Valley, we have a thriving community of horse owners, lovers, businesses and even artists that paint and photograph them. Our back roads are alive with horse ranches and corrals. Our writer, Robin Shepherd, did an excellent job of putting together their story. (See pages 14-21).

We’ve known Dennis Kennedy for a couple decades but I must admit that I didn’t really get how involved he’s been on a regional level. In this time of “water crisis,” it’s nice to know that he’s there looking out for South Santa Clara Valley. (See pages 72-76.

I’ll let you get to reading. Enjoy!

Beautifully photographed and smartly written, Gilroy Today & Morgan Hill Today are must reads for South County residents and visitors alike. The cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill distinguish themselves from each other in many ways, but they share the same strong sense of community which comes alive on the pages of these engaging publications. I keep the latest copy in my County office for visitors to read and enjoy. Congratulations to J. Chris and Larry Mickartz for publishing nearly 50 issues and best wishes for the next 50 issues of their GMH Today publication!

Mike WassermanSanta Clara County Supervisor

5G M H T O D A Y M A G A Z I N E MARCH / APRIL 2015 gmhtoday.com

SHERRY HEMINGWAY spent her childhood after lights out with a book and flashlight under the covers. With degrees from Kent State University and Harvard University, her lifelong career was in journalism and public relations. Her hobbies are travel in (very) remote countries, volunteering, and two book clubs.

LAURA WREDE is a Gilroy freelance writer, artist, and photographer. Her award winning art and photography are shown at various online venues, galleries, and exhibits and held in private collections throughout the USA, Canada, and the UK. Her book, My Ocean, was released in 2013.

KELLY BARBAZETTE is a 15-year resident of Gilroy. She, her husband Chris and their two daughters love calling Gilroy their hometown. Kelly is the development coordinator at St. Mary School. She enjoys reading, cooking, travel, and spending time with family and friends.

SAM BOZZO is a past president of the Gilroy Garlic Festival and a demonstration chef. He cooks, and published a book Any Bozzo Can Cook with Gene Sakahara — together they are known as the “SakaBozzo” twins — separated at birth. He and his wife of 47 years, Judy, have two sons and three grandchildren who also live in Gilroy.

Professional writer ELIZABETH BARRETT’s columns and feature articles have appeared regularly in the Central Coast publications for the past 30 years. A fourth generation Gilroyan, she is descended from the pioneer Chesbro family. Her volume, Images of America: Carmel Valley was published by Arcadia Press in January 2010.

MIKE MONROE has lived and worked in this area for over 30 years. He is active in the Morgan Hill Historical Society, a local businessman, volunteer at local parks, and the sponsor of a natural history program in Morgan Hill.

EMMA BARBAZETTE is 11 years old and in 6th

grade. She was born and raised in Gilroy. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys drawing, reading, and crafting fun projects.

CRYSTAL HAN is a freelance writer and artist. She graduated from San Jose State University with a BFA in Animation/Illustration. She aspires to become a novelist and is currently working on two books. Crystal enjoys baking, exercising, analyzing films with friends, and reading. She is also an avid cat lover.

Published By IPC PUBLISHING A Division of InfoPOWER Communications

EDITOR J. Chris Mickartz

ASSISTANT EDITORRobin Shepherd

PHOTOGRAPHY/WEBSITELarry J. Mickartz

Meet Our Writers

THE LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTH SANTA CLARA VALLEY

PROOFERSSusan Patereau / Kelly Barbazette

SOCIAL MEDIA Susan Patereau

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Edgar Zaldana

ADVERTISING Jackie Starkovich

COMMUNITY EVENTS & INFORMATIONSubmit for free inclusion, space permitting.

© Copyright 2006-15. All rights reserved. No part, either editorial or display advertising, may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher and author.

CONTRIBUTORSAging Dorie U. SugayFinance Jeffrey M. Orth / Daniel NewquistInsurance David Villar / Carl SchindlerReal Estate Marta Dinsmore / Teri NelsonGardening Erin GilDentistry Jernell Escobar DDSHome Financing Jayson Stebbins Interior Decorating Carol Spence CarrRemodeling David DomenichiniTourism Jane Howard

ROBIN SHEPHERD is a journalist and marketing executive. Robin’s career has included corporate executive, creative agency director and consulting roles, and work in marketing, advertising, PR and social media. She also advocates for non-profits dedicated to social justice and environmental conservation. Robin is a resident of Morgan Hill.



south santa clara valley community organization

Martha McNiel loved horses even as a child. Her father had no problem with her taking horseback riding lessons, attending horse camp and going for trail rides.

Buying a horse, however, was out of the question. Like the old saying goes, the best things in life are worth waiting for.

And so it was that when McNiel turned 40, she got her first horse.

“At the time, I was well along in my career as a psychotherapist employed by the City and County of San Francisco to work with youth in the foster care system.

“I kept my horse at a ranch in Marin County because it was close to the office, and I found myself looking forward eagerly to riding my horse after work.”

McNiel began to recognize the calming and peaceful effect horses had on her and others at the horse ranch.

“I kept thinking how good it would be to bring the foster kids to the ranch to spend time with horses as part of their therapy.”

McNiel was in the midst of pursuing a PhD, and she decided to focus her doctoral dissertation on equine-assisted therapy, which was somewhat uncharted territory at the time.

“Back in the mid 1990s, the field was still new and my fellow faculty members didn’t take it seriously.”

The World ofDreamPower Horsemanship

Then a series of events caused McNiel to change her plans. One by one, her trainer, veterinarian, and the horse ranch owner left Marin saying it was too expensive to maintain operations there. Then came the tragedy of 9/11, and like many people, McNiel paused to take stock of her priorities in life.

“What I really wanted to do was to start a therapeutic riding program. I thought to myself, ‘Can I stand before God when my time comes and tell him why I didn’t do what was in my heart?’ It was one of those now or never moments for me,” McNiel said.

McNiel jumped into action. In 2002, she moved to San Martin and founded DreamPower Horsemanship as a non-profit organization. She took lessons from Dennis Bright at Bright Ranch to expand her horsemanship and riding skills further. “At first it was just me, my Arabian horse, and a miniature horse.”

Over the next eight years, McNiel commuted between her South County home and her San Francisco office while building DreamPower into the multi-faceted program that it is today.

By 2010, DreamPower had grown big enough that McNiel needed to devote her full attention to it. She retired from her job in San Francisco but still maintained a private practice so she could continue to work with foster youth.

“I began to work with foster youth in South County. Advent

Written By Robin Shepherd

DreamPower offers:

• Equine-facilitated psychotherapy• Therapeutic horsemanship lessons• Horses for Warriors (veterans’ programs)• Equine Journey Wilderness Group (horse camping)• Ponies and Preschoolers• Horses and Hearts (couples workshop)• Horse Power: Living Strong with MS• Therapist/Instructor Training Program

…and more.


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Group Ministries and other organizations sent kids to DreamPower for four-week programs using equine-assisted therapy.

“Our first foster client came from a local children’s residential program. A smart nine-year-old girl who had been running away from school, refusing to do homework. Our rules are simple – you can’t hurt others, yourself or the animals. For her, we added another rule. You can’t be absent without permission.

“That young girl had been diagnosed and was on medication for bi-polar disorder. She wanted to ride so badly that she stopped running away. She was the first one to learn how to canter and she rode with us for more than three years, making tremendous prog-ress emotionally and in her behaviors. After leaving our program she was adopted. She graduated from high school with straight As, went on to college, and got off her meds. We’ve stayed in touch over the years.”

Students who continue to live in the local area, are welcomed to stay in the DreamPower program after they “age out” of the foster care system at age 18.

In 2010, DreamPower also began to work with the Palo Alto Veteran’s Administration and the Santa Cruz and San Jose Veteran’s Centers.

“The first group included veterans who had done tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. At one point in the program we hosted a family fun day, so the veterans’ families could see what they had been doing at the ranch.”

“I had matched one vet with a horse named Red that was strong-willed just like he was. The vet told his wife, ‘There was a time when frustration in a riding lesson would’ve made me want to get off and shoot that horse, but I learned to work through my anger and keep going.’ The wife came up to me with a big smile and said, ‘Thanks for giving me my husband back; I thought I’d lost him. He’d done multiple tours. He used to shut down and isolate himself. Now, when he comes back from the ranch, he talks non-stop.’ I have heard similar stories from many wives and husbands since then.”

DreamPower also offers clinics to help clients overcome fear when they run into problems handling their own backyard horses.

“We cover the psychological aspects of fear as well as riding skills. A horse is a big and powerful animal. They can be dangerous if they are not trained, ridden and cared for properly. We urge people to get a horse that’s a good fit for their interests, skills, and temperament. Unlike any other sport, with horseback riding, it’s all about the relationship between rider and horse. If it’s not fun, don’t do it.”

In 2012, McNiel moved DreamPower to WoodMyst. “It’s an excellent facility and we are very happy there, as are my staff and clients.”

Today, DreamPower offers 16 programs, spanning three categories of equine-facilitated psychotherapy, equine-facilitated learning and therapeutic horsemanship. The organization is also designated as a Premier Accredited Center by PATH International, the acknowledged industyry authority when it comes to therapeutic riding.

DreamPower is a 100 percent volunteer organization. Hundreds of volunteers are involved in helping McNiel and her staff run the various programs. This year, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce honored DreamPower as Non-Profit Organization of the Year.

“Last year we served more than 450 clients. We could not accomplish all that we do without our volunteers. Some come for the learning; some come because they have the know-how and want to give back. Some arrive with no previous experience around horses, and we train them in horsemanship basics.

“It’s great to have high school and even college students participate as community service volunteers. We also work with students who are learning equine-assisted therapy as part of an undergrad or graduate degree program.

DreamPower Horsemanship partners with a number of community organizations including Advent Group Ministries, Community Solutions, and the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Therapeutic riding programs qualify under the requirements of the county’s Adaptive Physical Education program. DreamPower’s Equine Journey Wilderness Program provides students with opportunities to go horse camping.

Martha McNiel talking to Volunteer, Rob Hoffmann. 2014 Recognized by PATH International, Region 11: Pete, Horse of the Year, Terri Stinson, Volunteer of the Year, and Garry Stauber, Therapeutic Riding Instructor of the Year.

south santa clara valley living


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A Heritage of Horses H Written By Robin Shepherd

We owe a lot to the horse. The South County’s history and heritage of ranching and farming was literally fueled by horse power. These big, beautiful and graceful animals

have been generous to us for centuries. Horses have tremendous ability to learn from and work for us, but it’s their ability to teach and even heal us that may be their greatest gift of all.

Early settlers spent a lot of time in the saddle, herding cattle, plowing fields, clearing and hauling lumber, and just plain getting around. Horses were used to pull heavy wagons of apricots and prunes from the orchards to the depot to be shipped out for sale. They transported families into town to pick up their mail, visit the doctor’s office and attend local gatherings. The livery stable was an integral part of the downtown, and there was always work for skilled cowboys.

In the 1800s, having high-quality horses was a status symbol. Historical records say that a Missouri man named Hiram Morgan Hill swept ranch heiress Diana Murphy off her feet with his charm as well as his skillful handling of a fine horse-drawn carriage at top speed.

It wasn’t until assembly-line mass manufacturing of automobiles took hold in the early to mid 1900s that life began to change for the horses of South County.

Horse Country Heroes HFast-forward to the new millennium. Our relationship with horses has evolved…and they are giving to us in new ways, as companions, healers, teachers and teammates.

People from all walks of life have made our South County the Horse Country hub of Northern California. They have unique backgrounds, experiences and sources of inspiration – but all have built their lives around a love of horses.

Dennis Bright got hooked on horses the moment he entered the gates of the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, and by the age of nine, he was involved in the local 4-H and Pony Clubs.

Bright was eleven years old when he got his first horse, a Palomino mare that turned out to be a package deal with a two-month old filly in tow. It was the perfect opportunity for Bright to train that filly from the ground up.

“I named her Bocobonita Babe,” Bright said. “She was talented. A year later we were winning every class at the 4-H Club events.”

As a teenager, Bright joined the junior rodeo circuit where he met a cast of colorful characters like Chauncey Forte, a descendant of the Sioux Indian tribe, who taught Bright how to ride broncs and rope calves. He took a break from horses during school and then built a successful career in broadcast media and advertising. However, by the late ‘80s, he longed to return to life on the ranch.

“I always knew one day I’d go back to horses,” Bright said. In 1991, he established Bright Ranch in San Martin with his

wife Kristin, and they raised their three daughters in the ranching lifestyle. Rather than leaving his media expertise behind, Bright integrated it into the ranching business.

Today, Bright Ranch provides educational horsemanship programs for novice riders to experienced riders who want to get a taste of the Western ranching lifestyle, including roping and cow herding. Video cameras installed around the ranch capture the staff as they provide riding instruction, which clients can view online as live streams or recorded sessions.

Bright has led executive development seminars and team-building workshops for high tech, financial and retail companies. He has also provided riding instruction to police departments and emergency rescue teams. He and his daughters run summer youth camps in partnership with the YMCA Leader in Training (LIT) program. “It’s a balance of education, encouragement and entertainment,” Bright said. “The best learning is self-paced, and a good riding program can empower people to do more than they thought they were capable of.”

Justin Fields is a fifth-generation rancher, President of the Santa Clara County Cattlemen’s Association, and an advocate for the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority. Fields, his wife Arleah and the couple’s school-aged daughters all ride, and Arleah is also involved in the family’s ranch operations.

“Using a horse to work cattle is a gentler, more relaxed way of managing them,” Fields said. “They grow accustomed to the presence of horses as a sign of normalcy when you are out inspecting a herd or moving them through pasture lands. Using a four-wheeler can make them nervous or stressed which will cause them to drop weight.”


Justin and Arleah support California’s efforts to keep the vaquero tradition alive – a trend that is catching on in other states as well. Their efforts have included speaking and providing demonstrations at the Vaquero Heritage Days in San Juan Bautista and other events in Northern California.

As Fields explained it, part of the vaquero style of riding focuses on proper use of equipment that is specially-made to fit the horse and the task at each stage of learning. The goal is to teach the horse to respond readily and accurately to subtle cues given by the rider using a halter, a bridle, a bit and reins. A skilled rider gains the horse’s trust by giving the horse time to learn and adapt. This in turn gives the rider more precise control and the horse is able to perform more sophisticated tasks. The vaquero tradition extends to proper ways of rounding up and roping cattle on horseback using a riata rope, which is hand-made of rawhide.

“Good things come to those who wait,” Fields said. “In the vaquero tradition you take the time that’s needed, which might be a year or two, to bring a horse along in its training. We don’t push the horses.”

At Home with Horses HJanis McDonald moved to a ranch in San Martin 30 years ago so she could raise her children in the country and have horses.“Living here, there is something for everyone who wants to enjoy horses,” McDonald explained. “So many children learn about horses through the 4H; not many cities can claim that, and it was a big part

of childhood for my daughters. We have raised horses and taken our horses to compete at shows up and down the state.”

“I tell my friends that I don’t feel the need to go away on vacation. I am happy here, sitting on my back porch and watching the horses or taking them to shows. It’s a lifestyle that is good for the soul.”

Like the McDonalds, Michelle Bright moved to the South County with her family in 2000 after discovering the many options the area provided to horse owners.

“I grew up with horses and got back into riding when my daughter Hillary was five years old,” Bright said. “We found a wonderful horse property, a great veterinarian, high-quality equestrian training programs and a horse-friendly community. My daughter and I trailer our horses to take lessons, go to shows, and do trail riding. Everything we want is nearby, but having the horses at home gives me peace of mind.”

A Gift to Our Youth HTime and again, parents say their children have learned discipline, responsibility, confidence and compassion from horseback riding programs. Those who compete develop athleticism and a competitive spirit while gaining recognition for their achievements. And it’s a great bonding experience at a time when youth are often self-conscious and unsure of themselves. Many colleges offer schol-arships to attract riders to their equestrian teams.


Horses grazing on Redwood Retreat Road.

Dennis Bright, Bright Ranch

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Another benefit is the experience of volunteerism. Most South County equestrian programs welcome high school students who want to volunteer their time to meet their community service requirements.

Something for Everyone HAlong with 4H and Pony Clubs, South County boasts high-quality equestrian centers and some of California’s most respected professional trainers who offer horsemanship and riding instruction to people of all levels of skill, interest and economic means.

Donna Russo was in the midst of pursuing a graduate degree in Fine Arts when she decided to take her life in a different direction. In 1997, she purchased WoodMyst, a 30-acre horse property in Gilroy. Today, WoodMyst is a base of operations for respected horse professionals including Bob and Lori McBride, who special-ize in Western disciplines; Dressage expert Tracey Lert; and Russo’s husband Ephrain Guzman, who starts and trains performance horses.

“I wanted to have a place where clients could choose from a range of Western as well as English riding disciplines,” Russo said. “Ephrain has advised me along the way and we’ve continually added upgrades to the ranch over time.”

Along with horsemanship and riding instruction, WoodMyst offers boarding and horse care services. Equine-assisted therapy programs are provided by DreamPower Horsemanship, a non-profit organization.

“We want our clients to be with horses for a long time and have a wonderful experience, so we advise them to lease a horse before buying one and take the time to establish what type of riding they enjoy and are comfortable with.”

For parents who want to introduce their children to riding, Russo advises, “Safety has to be the top priority and the horses must be well cared for. There’s a lot to learn about riding and handling horses. A good trainer works to build a connection between rider and horse that builds trust and confidence in both.”

As a teenager, Susan Crenshaw earned money babysitting to buy her first horse. During her late teens and 20s she improved her riding skills and competed at horse shows. Other riders often asked her for tips and help with their riding, and she realized she had a talent for teaching. Eventually she gave up an office job and her amateur riding status to become one of the best-known


Gary Striker, Woodmist FarmsInset: Susan Crenshaw and daugher, Kaitlin, Ligara Farms

timing,” Topping joked, “but the weather here is unbeatable and it makes year-round programs possible. What attracted me to South County was the openness, the presence of horse properties and the access to parks with equestrian trails.”

Topping operates Sonrisa Stables out of Red Fox Farms in Gilroy. The Sonrisa Equestrian Team is made up of students from 8-18 years old. Her program offers a mix of English and Western riding instruction. Students compete at local horse shows, and do a bit of trail riding and horse camping at Harvey Bear, Rancho del Oso and other locations.

In 2009, Topping launched a program in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Each year, her students select five or six wild Mustangs at a BLM ranch, and they work together on what Topping calls the “extreme Mustang makeover.” Students introduce the horse to human touch, wearing a halter, being led by a rope, accepting a saddle, and responding to a rider – basically getting the horse ready for adoption into a good home.

“My students do an amazing job in this program,” Topping said. “They’ve prepared 30 horses in the five years since I started the program, with a 100 percent adoption rate.”

Serving People with Special Needs HLanda and Mark Keirstead put aside their professional careers in dentistry and high tech in order to launch One Step Closer Therapeutic Riding in 2006. Landa had felt a passion for horses since she was a girl, the couple had entered the “empty nest”

professional equestrian trainers in the Bay Area.“I moved from Los Gatos to Morgan Hill because my business

was growing and I needed more space,” Crenshaw said. “I also wanted to be able to take my top riders to A-circuit shows while maintaining the congenial atmosphere of a small barn for all of my clients.”

Ligara Farms focuses on the English Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation riding disciplines and competitive development for novice to advanced riders. Trainers coach their riders at home and at horse shows in California as well as some Western U.S. regional events. Horsemanship education is part of the program at every level of riding.

“Having a good understanding of one’s horse makes for a better competitive rider,” Crenshaw said. “That’s what matters, whether a student competes at one show or a dozen.”

Crenshaw is joined by another professional trainer, Gary Striker, from Spokane, Washington; and her daughter Caitlin who helps manage day-to-day operations.

“There’s always been a real spirit of camaraderie at Ligara,” Crenshaw said. “Many of my clients come here as kids and continue riding with us through high school. Then they come back after starting a career and getting married, and we end up teaching their kids too.”

Karen Topping is a native New Yorker who moved to California in 1999 to pursue a professional career in the equestrian field.

“I arrived during the year of El Nino, which was not the best


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Gary Striker, Woodmist FarmsInset: Susan Crenshaw and daugher, Kaitlin, Ligara Farms

Lori McIntosh on photo shoot

Patti Ansuini Rocking A Ranch

Donna Russo of Woodmist Farms with trainer Gail Hoff-Carmonafrom Ohai, CA

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stage of their lives, and they decided it was time to make horses a higher priority.

Meanwhile, they’d heard about an equine-assisted therapy program called Giant Steps and were inspired to start a similar program in South County. Landa spent time in Texas where she received training and certification to provide equine-assisted therapy. In the meantime, Mark tackled the business arrangements for setting up the non-profit organization.

Today, One Step Closer Therapeutic Riding operates as a center member of PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) and Landa Keirstead is a certified PATH instructor. The Keirsteads have a stable of horses they’ve trained specifically for therapy work.

“PATH has high standards for safety and a wealth of experience as an international organization that has been dedicated to therapeutic riding for many years,” Mark Keirstead explained.

Every month, One Step Closer provides dozens of clients with guided therapeutic riding programs for youths with physical, mental or emotional challenges or disorders. They also have a program in partnership with the U.S. Veteran’s Administration that serves our military veterans. Some of the veterans complete the program and then return to help other veterans who are just getting started.

“We have served clients of all ages who have come to us with autism, blindness, traumatic brain injury, Down syndrome, paraplegia, PTSD and other challenges,” Landa Keirstead said.

“We use natural horsemanship techniques to teach our clients the language of the horse. Learning how to communicate with a horse is empowering to people and can build their self-esteem as well as physical strength, balance and coordination.”

A Close-Knit Community HAlong with horse professionals, their clients, and folks with horse property, veterinarians like Dr. Rich McCormick at Valley Equine, farriers like Mike Hayward in San Martin, and leaders of rescue organizations like Laura Hensley of Perfect Fit, are all part of the South County horse community.

People in the horse world know and help each other much the way they’ve done in the ranching and farming worlds for many years. They understand what it takes to be successful with an equestrian-oriented operation in a horse-friendly community.

A Heritage to Celebrate and Cherish HFrom time to time, local horse enthusiasts also share their love of horses through the arts.

Lori McIntosh inherited her father’s talent for photography, but it was horses that ignited her desire to become a professional photographer. McIntosh and her husband Nigel chose to live on a horse property in Morgan Hill so they could keep their two Arabian horses at home and be close to equestrian trails and horse camping sites.

As an accomplished portrait photographer, McIntosh works with clients from all over Northern California who seek her out to photograph their families and their horses.

“My clients think of their horses as part of the family,” McIntosh said. “Many have raised their horses, along with their kids, from newborns to adults. There’s a lot of love in those

Youth SportsMT. MADONNA YMCA

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At the Mt. Madonna YMCA, we offer a variety of youth sports opportunities. In our youth sports program, we focus on the following:

› Providing an extraordinary experience for all youth, regardless of skill and experience.

› Fundamental skill building in a non-competitive, encouraging environment.

› Incorporating the values of the Y: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.

mtmadonnaymca.org • 408 762 6000

SIGN UP TODAY.Financial Assistance Available

SOCCER (Co-ed) Month Offered: March

T-BALL (Co-ed) Month Offered: August

BASKETBALL (Girls Team Month Offered: October

BASKETBALL (Co-ed) Month Offered: January

All our YMCA Youth Sports programs are 7-weeks per season. With one-week dedicated to getting to know the coach, your team members and learning sports drills.

Volunteer Coaches: To volunteer as a coach, contact Leo Khooshabeh 408 762 6021 for details.


Bright Ranch11695 Turlock Avenue, San Martin • brightranch.comWorking Horse Ranch• Western lifestyle, riding and horsemanship programs• Youth summer camp program with YMCA Silicon Valley • Adult Horsemanship Program• Leadership Program for corporate executives and managers• Opportunity to learn to work cattle on horseback • Live and recorded video supplements hands-on learning

DreamPower Horsemanship7460 Crews Road, Gilroy • dreampowerhorsemanship.com• Equine-facilitated therapy programs and activities• Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) accredited organization• Sixteen programs led by licensed professionals and pre-licensed interns• For children, teens and adults with special needs• Opportunities for community service for student volunteers

Ligara Farms 1690 San Pedro Avenue,Morgan Hill • ligarafarms.comEquestrian Training Center • Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation Riding Disciplines• Year-round school and competitive training programs for riders and their horses • For novice to advanced youth and adult riders • A-circuit competitive events• Onsite boarding and care of horses in training

One Step Closer Therapeutic Riding15770 Foothill Avenue, Morgan Hill • osctr.org• Therapeutic riding programs for special needs clients• Guided riding and horsemanship instruction• Serves clients disabilities• Partnership with Veterans Affairs to serve veterans • Member of PATH International

Sonrisa Stables9380 New Avenue (Red Fox Farms), Gilroy sonrisastables.com• Equestrian Camp and Training Program• English and Western Riding Disciplines• Youth equestrian team for 8-18 year old riders• Riding and horsemanship instruction• Opportunities to compete at local horse shows• Horse camping and trail riding• Annual Mustang adoption project

WoodMyst Farms7460 Crews Road, Gilroy • woodmystfarms.com• Equestrian Training and Boarding Facility• Hunters, Jumpers, Dressage, Eventing, Western Pleasure and Reining Disciplines• Performance horse training (cross-training)• Year-round school and competitive training programs for riders and their horses• For novice to advanced youth and adult riders • Hosts riding clinics with professional equestrian trainers

Horse Country Services H

http://www.brightranch.com

http://www.dreampowerhorsemanship.com

http://www.ligarafarms.com

http://www.osctr.org

http://www.sonrisastables.com

http://www.woodmystfarms.com

O ne of the most frequently asked questions by parents in my practice

is, “When should I take my child to the dentist?” In this article, we will address when to initiate dental care for your child and discuss milestones in your child’s treatment.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that a child’s first trip to the dentist should occur shortly after the appearance of their first tooth and no later than their first birthday. Often, the follow up question is, “why would I take my child to the dentist at such a young age?” The first visit to the dental office does not involve cleaning the child’s teeth. It is important to introduce your child to their new “dental home” to familiarize them with the environment. The appointment begins with a brief check of the oral cavity. This exam can tell the dentist a lot about a child’s development and health. It is possible to observe chromosomal abnormalities and health problems that can manifest themselves in the teeth and gums. Second, it is especially important for first-time parents to become educated about how to take care of the teeth of the newest members of their family. The dentist can give guidelines as well as cleaning demonstrations so that you can provide the best home care for your child. In addition, the dentist can give some practical advice that could potentially prevent costly and painful dental procedures. One example of this is the prevention of “baby bottle rot.” Many parents find that a great way to pacify a child is to send them to bed with a bottle of milk. Over time, this graduates to juice and in some circumstances soda. The constant contact of sweet liquid on the teeth can lead to rampant tooth decay. During the first visit, the dentist will also make a recommendation as to how frequent subsequent dental visits should occur.

Pediatric dental visits are also an important time to talk about other topics such as fluoridation. Fluoride can be a touchy subject for some. However, if it is your intention to give your child fluoride, then the time frame as well as the dosage is important. Frequently, the pediatrician prescribes oral fluoride in conjunction with a multivitamin. However, there are things to consider that the pediatrician may or may not take into account. It is important to determine whether or not your child is receiving any fluoride from their municipal water source and if so how much. Once this determination is made, the correct dosage can be prescribed. This is very important because too much fluoride can be deleterious to teeth.

The next milestone in your child’s dental care will be their first dental cleaning. This should occur between two and three years of age. At this visit, the child is introduced to the variety of instruments and equipment at the dental office. The instrumentation is referred to by clever names and the children are encouraged to play with them to see how they work. The oral exam conducted at the cleaning will be a time to review how well the home care is progressing and to point out areas that could use improvement.

Around the age of five, the dentist will recommend that your child have their first set of dental radiographs. The purpose of the radiographs is twofold. First, the dentist is screening for cavities and infection that may be developing that are not visible during an examination. This is especially true of cavities that originate in between teeth. Second, the dentist is checking for the presence and to monitor the develop-ment of the incoming adult teeth. It is important to identify congenital problems, such as missing teeth, so that you and your dentist can be proactive about how to plan appropriately to repair or replace these teeth. If your child has required radiographs prior to this time frame, they likely have suffered some kind of dental trauma or infection.

Between the ages of six and eight, your child has likely lost some of their baby teeth and the adult teeth are beginning to make an appearance. This is a crucial time to evaluate the incoming position of the adult teeth and to do a comprehensive orthodontic evaluation. It is important because if the child is found to be deficient, early orthodontic intervention can mean avoiding costly procedures to correct a severe malocclusion. Also, around this time, the first adult molars have come in to view. At this point, your dentist may talk to you about sealing the top and side surfaces of the molars. This is done to protect the pits and fissures that are part of normal tooth anatomy and to prevent them from accumulating food and plaque. This should help to prevent the onset of cavities in those teeth.

In conclusion, it is crucial that your child’s first dental experiences be positive as well as instructive. It is important that your child develops a trusting relationship with your family dentist so that routine care is straightforward and lessens the likelihood that your child will develop dental anxiety in the future.

Dr. Escobar has been practicing dentistry in the Bay Area since 2006. She took over Dr. Palmerlee’s practice when he retired in 2012. She is passionate about providing exceptional oral health care in a patient centered environment. Dr. Escobar participates in continuing education seminars with other leading clinicians in exploring new and innovative methods and materials for restoring smiles.

Your Child’s Teeth

By Dr. Jernell Escobar

It’s Your Smile


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Don’t Let Aging “AutoCorrect” Your Life

Dorie Sugay is the Executive Director of Visiting Angels, a company that provides living-assistance services to seniors and adults-in-need who wish to stay in their own home or receive one-on-one care within a facility.

By Dorie U. Sugay

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It was written independent of Visiting Angels.

“A utoCorrect” is a feature on many electronic communication gadgets.

When you text and you misspell a word, for example, AutoCorrect steps right in and corrects it. The problem is, sometimes it has a mind of its own! The other day, I texted, “you need to bond” and my friend got, “you need to blonde.” Her response was, “really? You think I should dye my hair blonde? You think he will like me more?” That was a “huh?” moment. I was not suggesting she dye her hair (I am not yet convinced blondes have more fun)! I was talking about the need for her and her man to create an emotional connection! AutoCorrect can be an asset, we just need to make sure we supervise it. AutoCorrect can be an asset or become your worst enema. You could end up posting some thong you didn’t Nintendo. Ha Ha – you get my point.

But what do I mean when I say, “Don’t let age AutoCorrect your life.” If you are having a “duh” moment, don’t. Let me explain. Age can correct some things much like AutoCorrect can replace a mis-spelled word. Our priorities and our level of maturity could improve with age. (I know, it doesn’t happen to everyone). Inasmuch as women hate it, many men look better with age. Age AutoCorrects their physique—the dork becomes a hunk, the zits are replaced with a manly beard and the streaks of grey are better than store-bought highlights. But what we do many times is allow age to AutoCorrect our life and we shouldn’t.

Some people, for example, think that when you reach a certain age, you need to change the way you look. OK, so some people need to abandon the big bright colored ribbons in their hair, or the dog collar look after 40 — but abandon the long-hair look—that’s AutoCorrecting in my books, especially if you have healthy hair and have the youthful face to go with it. Being petite, and liking the elongated look high heels give my feet, I still wear and enjoy them. I’ve been told to stop wearing high heels. Is that any of their beeswax?? (this AutoCorrect, I tell you). OK—maybe high heels should not be worn constantly because of bunions but who in the heel (arrgh, this AutoCorrect)

are they to tell me not to wear stilettos! No one should let age dictate how they will present themselves to the world really. (Besides, heels are for safety—in a world with crime, I don’t need a license to wear these lethal weapons, so there).

I know a woman in her 70s whose bucket list includes going on a hot air balloon ride and experiencing the thrill of a zip line. My staff and I were tickled to hear that she was going for it. But why? Because she is in her 70s? A good friend of mine in his early 60s was diagnosed with cancer and the doctor recommends he be careful of his shoulder bones. He announced at lunch that he is going to jump our of an airplane. Already worried about his cancer, the thought of him jumping off a plane and possibly getting hurled like a ragdoll, made me tear up and beg him to please do something else. But that is AutoCorrecting thinking, folks! They have the umph to be adventurous – because they are not letting age AutoCorrect their lives. Our age should not necessarily limit the activities we engage in or the challenges we take on!

Even at that moment when we are ready to bid this world adieu – we have control. It may be limited but we do. I overheard a woman in her 50s at the grocery store tell her friend that she can-not lose weight any more, she is too old. She is using age to AutoCorrect her life. It is harder to lose weight as we age, but not impossible. Someone once said, “if you want it bad enough, you will do what it takes to achieve it.” Using age as an excuse is really an insult to life. Just go to NetFitness in Gilroy on a day when Jack Peters is there. In his glory days, Jack was known as the man of steel. In his 80s, he still bench presses to keep himself fit. Now, there’s a man who respects life too much to allow age to AutoCorrect it!

We can laugh about the AutoCorrecting feature of our electronic gadgets. But the next time AutoCorrect twists your words, ask yourself how many times you made limiting decisions that were influenced by age. And decide to make a change. Be in control of all the features of your life…don’t let age AutoCorrect your life.

It’s all about…”Aging with an Attitude!”

AGING with an Attitude{ }



GIL

ROY

Gilroy is a regional center providing shopping and recreational activities to the broader Bay Area, Central Coast and Central Valley. Each year thousands travel to Gilroy to work, shop and play - and we are proud of that fact.

From humble beginnings as an agricultural center, Gilroy has grown over the years into a full service, self-sustaining community that offers the region plenty of reasons to visit and stay. Whether it is Gilroy Gardens, our famously beautiful horticultural masterpiece that provides both education and amusement rides to kids, or the value of shopping at California’s original outlet mall, or an entertaining weekend of celebrating our namesake crop – Garlic - at the Gilroy Garlic Festival the last full weekend of July, Gilroy has much to offer in the realm of fun and play.

What’s more, we are a family friendly community, an original hometown. Family values and volunteerism are a hallmark trait of the people of Gilroy and we like to keep it that way. Though we offer all the modern conveniences of regional shopping centers, we also have a thriving downtown that offers great values, great food and great merchants who help make our community center tick with enjoyable celebrations and cultural events.

So, as gmh TODAY kicks off its inaugural issue, we extend hearty congratulations and look forward to many issues to come that highlight our region’s many talents and offerings for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Don Gage, Mayor of Gilroy


gilroy demographics

The City of Gilroy was incorporated in 1870. Gilroy is a charter city with a seven member City Council and a

separately elected mayor. Council members are elected at large and along with the mayor serve four-year terms. The City, in fiscal year 2015, operates on a total budget of $122,412,270 of which $43,037,274 is in the General Fund. 72.7 percent of General Fund revenues come from taxes and, of that, $14.3 (46.6%) million comes from sales taxes. Gilroy draws sales tax income from a regional market much larger than the community. This is a contemporary tie to the “crossroads” history of Gilroy.

Gilroy is the largest city in South County with a 2013-estimated population of 49,767. The official 2010 census population was 48,821.

According to American Fact Finder, which is based on US Census data, Gilroy has a median age of 32.6. There are 15,024 households with a median household income of $78,360. There are 33,122 (56.8%) people identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Gilroy has several unique attributes. It is the home to one of the largest and longest running food festivals in United States, the Gilroy Garlic Festival. The Garlic Festival has three employees and a small army of volunteers, about 1,300 each day of the Festival. Garlic Festival volunteers dedicate their hours to a specific non-profit. After all the bills are paid, the remaining profits are distributed to the non-profits according to the number of volunteer hours. In 2014, $300,000 was given to 149 different groups. The 36-year total distributions to non-profit groups is now $10,673,725. This spirit of volunteering for community projects has become a hallmark characteristic of Gilroy.

Gilroy is also home to Gilroy Gardens, an amusement park with a horticulture themed educational mission. The park is owned by the City but is operated as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit with a board of directors. Michael Bonfante, former owner of Nob Hill Supermarkets, built and directed the early operation of the park. After several twists and turns it was purchased by the City of Gilroy in 2007. Today, the Park is operating in the black and continues to grow with new attractions like the “Water Oasis” which

Most Common Occupations (%)

Population Census 2010 Total 48,821 2013 Estimate (7/1/13) 51,701 2013 ACS 5-Year Estimate 49,767

Median Age 32.6Number of Companies 3,580 Education — HS Grad or Higher 75.7%Total Housing Units 15,024Median Household Income $78,360Foreign Born Population 13,113Individuals Below Poverty Level 15.5%

Fast Facts

Ethnicity

(Source: US Census Bureau, American Fact Finder, January 2015)


(Source: City-Data.com)

Gilroy Market Overview

Current (Dec 2014) $606,100

Projected End of 2015 $639,000

Median Listing Price $585,000

Median Sale Price $575,750


opened in the summer of 2014. The park attracts about 400,000 people a year. Over 10,000 students attend science camps annually.

Gilroy Unified School District has experienced improvements and honors over the last few years. The growth in API (Academic Performance Index) scores has been significant. In 2002, the district API was 643; in 2013 it was 804. The District is home to GECA (DR. TJ Owens, Gilroy Early College Academy), which was identified by US News & World Report as the 161st Best High School in the United States or the 25th best high school in California! There are over 26,000 high schools in the US, 2,000 in California. The District has also received recent awards for its AP (Advanced Placement) and bilingual/dual emersion programs. There are sixteen schools in Gilroy Unified including one charter school. There are five private schools in Gilroy serving K-12. The main campus of Gavilan Community College is also located in Gilroy.

Gilroy is also home to the 145-store Premium Outlets as well as several other regional shopping centers. These centers attract visitors and shoppers from California and even other countries. It is not unusual on weekends to see several tourist busses loaded with foreign visitors at the Outlets. The Gilroy Welcome Center, located in the Outlets, promotes local attractions and contributes to branding Gilroy as “A Community with a Spice for Life.”

Gilroy has been an official “Tree City” for 35 years. The City has an expansive public parks system, which has won more park design awards from the California Park and Recreation Society than any other city in California. There is an active public and private recreation program with activities for all ages. There are three golf courses in and around Gilroy. Fourteen wineries claim a Gilroy address. There are 26 churches in Gilroy.

Housing in Gilroy is diversified. There are hundred-year-old Victorians in the Downtown area and rural ranches and estates on the outskirts. There are large, medium and small suburban homes. Urban townhomes, condos and compact neighborhoods are becoming more common. Rental units are at a premium. History and growth seem to have found a balance in this community that mixes rural and suburban lifestyles.

City Limits

Home Values

Most Common Industries (%)



(Source: Zillow.com, January 2015)

Report available at gilroy2040.com.


gilroy economic development

The recent recession hurt everyone. Gilroy and the local construction industry took an especially hard hit.

However, things are looking up according to Tammy Brownlow, President/CEO of the Gilroy Economic Development Corporation (EDC). At the annual EDC luncheon, she noted that several economic indicators are favorable (see chart above).

The Gilroy Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is a 501(c)(3) established in 1996. The City of Gilroy, the Gilroy Chamber and multiple business partners fund the EDC. The EDC is in the middle of a three-year plan with these priorities:

• Business Attraction – Target Industries• Business Retention & Expansion –

Outreach• Partner Development – Goal to

double in FY 2013/14

Along this line, the EDC is experiencing success with the expansion of food-related industries to Gilroy, specifically:

• Epic Wines & Spirits (distribution center, based in Capitola, CA)• Monterey Gourmet Foods

(Production and distribution, based in Fullerton, CA

• United Natural Foods, Inc. (400,000 square foot to open in summer 2015, with about 400 jobs; eventually 800,000 square foot facility).

In 2014, the EDC and the Silicon Valley Business Journal hosted a workshop on the “Business of Food and Beverage.” Plans are underway to host a 2015 repeat.

New businesses are coming in; there are multiple inquiries regarding space and

business prospects; the downtown is about to relaunch; the economy is doing better. Tammy Brownlow paints an optimistic picture for the near future of Gilroy.

Parallel to the efforts of the EDC, the City of Gilroy has multiple activities ongoing that will enhance the economy of Gilroy. Lee Butler, Development Center Manager, City of Gilroy, notes that there are a number of new business permits in progress, including a 105-room hotel, a new music venue, a new restaurant, and a yoga studio. Also, 16 of the 18 URM (unrein-forced masonry) buildings downtown are on the way to being available for lease. On the east side of Gilroy, a new self-storage facility, several food related businesses opening on 152, and numerous residential construction permits are in the works. And on the west side, parallel to Hecker Pass, on Santa Teresa Boulevard, a cluster of new homes are being built — the beginning of the large Glen Loma housing project.

In February of 2014 the City of Gilroy completed Gilroy Economic Development Strategic Plan. This plan analyses economic date and lays out ideas for economic growth. More importantly it is an integral part of the planning background for the Gilroy General Plan Advisory Committee. The City is in the process of revising its General Plan, which among other things will determine future direction for the City.

In the next few months, a major decision in the General Plan will be made relative to future land use. This issue will have a major impact on future economic develop-ment. Public review of the General Pan, Draft should begin in the spring of 2015. Final adoption will happen in the Spring/Summer of 2016.

Some related economic issues are the location, makeup and schedule of the High Speed Train. There is no new information on the proposed train to the Monterey area.

One of the issues identified by EDC and City studies is that there is a largely untapped pool of qualified residents who commute out of Gilroy. An estimated 14,000 vehicles leave the area every day heading north. Imagine if an employer or startup could attract some of this local talent… more employment in town, less commuting and more time with family… a great combination with an economic, environmental and societal win-win-win.

In Gilroy the economic present is good and the future is looking better. Gilroy will have a new General Plan. The City is solvent. The downtown is on the verge of a revival. Over all, the economic mood is very optimistic.

An Economic SnapShotWritten By Larry J. Mickartz

Two of the larger housing develop-ment projects, Glen Loma Ranch and The Heartland, are bringing

close to 1,900 new residential units to the southwest area of the City by 2020. Both projects are well underway, with both aiming to move families in by the end of this year.

The Glen Loma Ranch project was approved for up to 1,693 total homes,

which will be divided into

17 distinct neighbor-hoods. The project area consists of 359 acres, and is bound by Uvas Creek to the north and Santa Teresa Boulevard to the south. This area includes 145 acres of parks and open space, with an extensive trail system linking

the neighborhoods and a town center component. Phase 1A is being carried out by Standard Pacific Homes & Brookfield Homes, which encompasses four neighbor-hoods consisting of 274 homes. Standard Pacific has assumed the responsibility of “master developer” of Phase 1A, and will complete the public park and trails within Glen Loma Ranch, as well as the improve-ment of the Santa Teresa Boulevard/Miller Avenue intersection. Standard Pacific has stated that the intersection will be changed to a roundabout intersection, similar to the Thomas Road/Luchessa Avenue intersection that was recently completed.

Standard Pacific will build 146 of the initial 274 homes, in two neighbor-hoods identified as “Vista Bella” and “Zinfandel.” The typical lot sizes of the 94-lot “Vista Bella” neighborhood are 45 ’x 90’ and conceptual home sizes may range from 2500-3100 ft2. Typical lot sizes for the 52-lot “Zinfandel” neighbor-hood are slightly larger at 55’ x 100’, with conceptual home sizes of 3300-3800 ft2. Site production for Standard Pacific has already begun, with infrastructure, park and trail improvements continuing throughout the year.

Brookfield’s “Mataro” neighborhood includes 51 lots averaging 7000 ft2, with homes ranging from 3200-3700 ft2. The “Ambrosia” neighborhood contains the remaining 77 lots, which will have homes in the range of 2100-2500 ft2 on 4000 ft2 lots. Brookfield plans to have homes available for sale in the third quarter of this year, with models opening at that time.

The Heartland Project, by Meritage Homes, will consist of 186 homes adjacent to the Uvas Creek Preserve, in the area west of Santa Teresa Boulevard and south of Hecker Pass Hwy. Meritage will be building nine floor plans in this gated community, which is roughly 45 acres worth of housing sites and will include walking trails and a park. Construction of the first phase, encompassing 30 homes, will begin in January 2015, with the first models opening in early March. Home sizes range from roughly 1900-3000 ft2, with a price range of $565,990-$703,990.

Gilroy IsGrowing!

August 1, 2014 thru October 31, 2014 November 1, 2014 thru January 31, 2015

Total Listings 59 42 Short Sale 2 0 Average List Price $874K $949K Average days on market 57 42

Closed Sales 131 129 Short Sale 5 5 Average Sales Price $655K $677K Average List Price $663K $677K

Average Days on Market 49 50

Article & Stats Provided By: Marta Dinsmore, RealtorIntero Real Estate ServicesMartaDinsmore.com408.840.7420DRE #01352339 Sean Dinsmore, RealtorIntero Real Estate ServicesDinsmoreThePowerOfTwo.com408.840.7327DRE #01966405


The 62nd Spice of Life Awards NightA special thanks to the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to recognize the individuals in our community that “give back.” The Spice of Life Awards Night was held in February at San Juan Oaks. A sold out crowd of over 300 people joined in the celebration of the love and respect that the recipients feel for the community of Gilroy.

LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

OLAMINTERNATIONAL Chamber Chairperson, Lisa Faria with Peter Katavich, Rosie Dworak, Rosemary Torres, Mike Thomas, John Schoenthaler, Cathy Katavich, Rosie Ortiz, Sharon Johnson, and Sherry Venegas.

THE 2015 CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS (l-r): David Jewell, Pam Garcia, Jason Raby, Gina Lopez, Jay Menchaca, Terry Newman, Eric Gebhardt, Cheryl Elemberg, David Mutaszak, Terry Feinberg, Debbi Sanchez and incoming chairperson, Lisa Faria.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

FIRST STREET COFFEE (l-r) Justine Alexander, Stevie Britton, Chris Llauber, Vanessa Tellez., Simone Oneto, Stephanie Toves, Kyle Thomas, Yvonne Barry, Kassi Swalboski & Jason Lewis, Konni & John Thomas, Kevin & Georgia Church.


gilroy happenings

TEACHER OF THE YEAR, ELIA SCETTRINI with her husband, Larry, Emery Rogers and Lynda Trelut, Dan & Natalie Scettrini, Susie & Ken Feinberg, Kristen Erbst and Chris Scettrini.

SUSAN VALENTA YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD BRIDGET BROWN with her father, Randy, Susan Valenta, and her mother, Stephanie.

MAN OF THE YEAR

GREGG GIUSIANA with his wife Chris, Paul Mendez, Rachele Giusiana, Luann & Tony Giusiana, Ann (Giusiana) & Matt Ragle and Gennifer Giusiana.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

PAULA GOLDSMITH with her husband Joel and family: Courtney Bay, Martin Phillips, Kristyn Bay, Jolene Goldsmith, Mitch Goldsmith and Margaret Cleveland.

FIRMAN B. VOORHIES VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

GENE SAKAHARA with his wife Kathy and family: Tim Sakahara, Shea Sakahara, Kaiden Gonzales, Makena Sakahara, Bode Gonzales, Fortune & Gena Gonzales, and Bill Sakahara.


Jayson & Lisa Stebbins with Rod & Marian Pintello Mike Sellers, Denise Turner and Kristina Wyatt.Jacquelyn & Charles Richburg

Chamber Staff: Chris Bevilacqua, Mark Turner, Sue Thurman and Michelle Garcia.

Dinner Sponsor Pinnacle Bank (l-r): Jeff Payne, Tony & Vania Marandos, Al & Anne Brittner, Aris Angelopoulos, Susan Black, Mary Pat & Kurt Michielssen.

Video Sponsor, CMAP’s Becca King Reed and Ian Slattery with Pam & Richard Garcia

Kim Matt & Walt Glines Marie & Steve Blankley

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

DREAMPOWER HORSEMANSHIP Standing (l-r): Dennis Lalor, Leslie Kish, Jack Whelan, Julie Whelan, Juergen Ahaus, Lori McIntosh, JJ & Dr. Cherie Page, Dyan Adinamis, Lisa Nabb, and Garry Stauber. Sitting (l-r) Valerie Hoffman, Pabla, Catherine Ahaus, Martha McNeil, and Teri Stinson.


gilroy happenings

by Jeffrey M. Orth, ChFC, CASLInvestment AdvisorRepresentative of HTK

1% Solutions

Jeffrey M. Orth is a Chartered Financial Consultant, a Certified Advisor in Senior Living, and an Investment Advisor Representative, with over 10 years experience as a business and personal planning, insurance, and wealth manage-ment specialist Jeff is available for group lectures and private consultations. Visitifitfinancial.com or call 408.842.2716.

A5CM-0122-12E2

FINANCIALLYSpeaking

Sometimes seemingly little things can make a really big difference in life. In this issue of “Financially Speaking” we are going to

take a look at some strategies that can involve some ‘little steps” and may help you insure a financially sound retirement plan.

When you run a business that focuses on helping people prepare for, and live successfully through, their retirement years, I often hear “the question”: “Will I have enough of money for my retirement years?” Effectively, they are asking if they are going to run out of money before they run out of life! Achieving financial freedom is a goal that all should strive for, but it is a goal that is hard to quantify. Fortunately, at Integrated Financial Benefits Network, we have some rather sophisticated software designed for both effective Social Security planning and retirement cash flow forecasting.

For our purposes, “financial freedom” means that you will have enough money accumulated to stop working if and when you want. To do that, you need to set a dollar amount for your goal and develop a plan to reach it.

When it comes to retirement planning, time can be either your friend or you enemy. With that in mind, here are a couple of “1% solutions” strategies…one with time as your friend because you’re in your 20s to early 30s, and second with time as the enemy, as you are much closer to the “finish line.”

The “time is on my side strategy” is to save 1% of your retirement goal every year for 30 years with a 7% annual rate of return. So if you are 35 and your goal is one million dollars at age 65 you would want to save $833 per month ($10,000/year). This is a far less painful strategy if you start earlier and save longer. The more you delay setting money aside, the more daunting the task becomes. For example, if you start later

in life and only save and invest your money for twenty years, you will then need to set aside 2% of your retirement goal, in this case $20,000 per year, and you would need an earn an 8% annual return. The lesson here is to start saving as much as you can as soon as possible.

If saving was easy, everyone would have enough money for retirement. Sometimes people just need a little help to find the money. A while back, I met with a woman looking for help with her retirement planning. She said she had no money in her budget to put into savings each month. I noticed that she had walked into our first meeting with a Starbucks cup, and after talking with her, I found out she was going to Starbucks twice a day, ordering a “fancy coffee” and sometimes also buying a cup for a friend. That habit added up to about $5,000 per year FOR COFFEE! My point is that you are going to spend your retirement money now or you will spend it later – it’s your choice.

In the example above, what would happen if you couldn’t make your retirement contribution because of your death or disability? The other 1% solution involves the purchase of life insurance, designed to build cash value, even if you are disabled, and the death benefit makes your retire-ment plan self-completing for your loved ones, if you were to die. That is why a small part of the money you set aside each year should be used to protect your most valuable asset…your potential earning power. Your income makes everything else in life possible, so you need to protect it.

Life can be hard. Life can be unfair. But life is easier to deal with when you break it down into smaller parts. 1% solutions help bring these big challenges into perspective and make them more manageable. Sometimes, the hardest part is getting started. It’s a new year – why not resolve to take the first step towards reaching your retirement goals?

The author’s opinions, comments information, etc. are those solely of the speaker and are independent of, and do not represent, HTK, and should not be considered as specific investment or planning advice. Please consider your options based on your individual circumstances. GMH Today and other listed entities are independent of and un-affiliated with, HTK and Integrated Financial Benefits Network (IFit). Registered Representative of, and Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Hornor, Townsend & Kent, Inc. (HTK). Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC, 16845 Von Karman Ave, Ste. 225 Irvine, CA 92606 (949)754-1700. I Fit is independent of HTK. CA Lic #0C49291 (Not an offer or solicitation in any state where representative is not properly licensed or registered.) Loans and other policy withdrawals will reduce the death benefit amount and may be subject to surrender charges and income taxes. All guarantees are based upon the claim-paying ability of the insurer.


Jayson Stebbins is a 21-year veteran of the Mortgage Banking industry and an Accredited Mortgage Professional through the Mortgage Bankers Association. He grew up in Morgan Hill and currently lives in Gilroy. He is the local Branch Manager of Guild Mortgage, a 53-year-old Mortgage Banking firm. His office is in Morgan Hill and serves all of Santa Clara, San Benito, and Monterey coun-ties. You can reach Jayson and his Team at 408-782-8800 or at www.stebbinsmortgageteam.com .

Turn to Local Professionals

By Jayson StebbinsMortgage Professional

When you are buying or selling or getting a

home loan, be cautious on how you shop and

who you use. I had a client recently who decid-

ed to use an out of area Realtor affiliated with

a low commission marketing campaign. He

wanted to save money on the sale of his home.

The problem was that the Realtor didn’t know

the market, was not able to hold open houses,

and didn’t sell the home quickly. He switched

to a local Realtor who knew the market, and

the house sold quickly.

On the loan side, choose a local Mortgage

Professional who can work with you closely,

meet with you face to face, and commit to on-

time closing dates. Don’t ignore rates and fees;

we have to make sure we get a competitive loan

for our family. But is a quarter point higher in

rate or a couple hundred dollars more in fees

worth an on-time closing? When things go

wrong, it certainly seems a low price to pay.

Buying a home and getting a loan are prob-

ably the biggest financial decision you will

make. There is value in finding a local Realtor

or Mortgage Professional to help you through

the process. Chances are you will find yourself

with a partner in Real Estate and Finance that

will serve you well for years and years to come.

All of us have heard the cry from

our local vendors to shop local,

to spend where we live, and to

support small business. Well, if you hadn’t

heard it before, there you go.

In the Real Estate world of buying and

selling and financing, shopping local is a

good rule of thumb as well. I know that the

Internet has its place in all things, but there

is something comforting about working with

someone who knows the town you want to

buy in, who understands the micro-econ-

omies of the South Bay Area, and who has

lived and worked in the market place.

The argument about using a larger firm,

or an Internet based firm certainly can be

made; usually using the price counterpoint.

Lower rates or cut commissions can be

attractive, and can appeal to all of us who are

savvy consumers. But cutting fees, cutting

commissions, or marketing to the low rate

point is not all there is to buying a home or

closing a loan. Usually low cost vendors are

able to be low cost by cutting expenses, and

as consumers we can suffer with poor service,

slow delivery times, or even missing our

closing dates.


http://www.stebbinsmortgageteam.com

http://www.stebbinsmortgageteam.com

Hey, everybody! It’s me, Emma. Welcome to Kid’s Corner. This issue, we have an interview with Jake Oetinger. If you want to be interviewed, or have a great idea for this page, email us at [email protected].

Winter is over! Honestly, I want to have a springtime party or something. Although this winter has brought lots of rain for our dry state, it’s nice to be moving out of the cold and into spring.

This spring I’ll be doing some really fun things through the City of Gilroy Recreation Department. I’m going to be in the city’s upcoming children’s play, Peter Pan, and par-ticipating in the safe sitter class.

Spring is also a great time for new books. If you haven’t noticed, I love to read! For junior high kids my age, I suggest Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea. For younger kids, about third and fourth grade, some great books are The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff and the Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. But you know the place that has thousands of books? Our public library of course! It’s super easy to get a library card, too, just ask the next time you go. I love to explore their suggestions for my grade level, because I’m always looking for new books. If you have a book suggestion or review, please email us at the address above.

The new year has also brought me to new places. Over the weekend I went to Vancouver with my dad. We had a ton of fun. Vancouver is in Canada, right next to the ocean. From our hotel room we had a view of a water inlet. It was beautiful, though rather cloudy and cold. The hardest thing about being in a different country for me was that the temperature and the measurements are different. It made things very confusing. One day when my dad and I were walking outside our hotel, this man was saying, “It’s warm, like 10 or 11 degrees.” That comment made a lot more sense once I figured out that he was talking about 10 or 11 degrees Celsius.

I also just turned twelve! It’s been difficult remembering to tell people I’m twelve not eleven, as I’m sure many of you can relate to.

For art this season, I contributed a few pieces that I did last year. I hope you enjoy. We encourage you to email us your art, too. I always love seeing other kids’ work and seeing what interests them.

I’m sure 2015 will be filled with several challenges, but also happy times, too. I can’t wait to experience it all here in Gilroy.

Emma Barbazette is 12 years old and in 6th grade. She was born and raised in Gilroy. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys drawing, reading, and crafting fun projects.

Meet Jake Oetinger

Age: 11

Grade in school and school: 5th grade at Las Animas Elementary School

Hobbies/interests: Soccer

I hear that you’re on the Barcelona Bay Area Team. Tell me about that. Well, we just joined a week ago. The coach is Mark, he’s from Scotland. We get to go to a lot of places, like Vegas and Modesto. There’s apremier league team and gold league team

Favorite color: Green

What is your favorite subject in school and why?I’m gonna go with history because I like learning about historical figures in our past.

Where have you gone this past winter to ski and what’s your favorite place?Tahoe, Squaw Valley I’ve been there 6 times. Been skiing since I was 3.

You like to make movies, right? Why?I like using imovie because I like to make my friends into actors and make funny videos to post on YouTube.

Anything else you’d like to tell us?I’d suggest the “Narnia Chronicles.” I find them very fascinating.

Kid’sCorner With Emma



gilroy historically speaking

Among the hundreds of buildings designed by eminent architect William Weeks during his prolific career, Gilroy enjoyed

the distinction of fifteen notable structures. Neighboring communities enjoyed even more of his talents. Weeks designed twenty-seven buildings for Hollister, twenty-eight for Monterey, and Salinas boasted thirty-six of his timeless and beautiful buildings. In Santa Cruz, even today, the most famous building on the Boardwalk remains his elegant 1907 Casino building.

Watsonville came out far ahead when it came to Weeks-designed buildings, because for a long time he made the community his home base. He designed forty public and commercial buildings, including two high schools, a hospital and the Apple Annual Hall, which could seat 3,000.

Weeks was born in Canada to a designer-builder father. When he was young, the family moved to the United States, living in Colorado, Kansas, Washington State, and finally settling in Oakland.

Weeks had developed affection for Watsonville after living there during construction of his earliest work, the 1892 First Christian Church. He established an architectural firm, and lived in Watsonville for 18 years before returning to the Bay Area. Many of the city’s large, stately Queen Anne style homes in the city’s older residential areas are Weeks-designed.

When word of Weeks’s design talent spread, he was sought out by other cities. He drew up plans for banks, hotels, the-aters, schools, factories, hospitals and even jails, focusing mostly on cities in California’s central and Coastal regions.

At the height of his productive career, Weeks had offices in five cities, including

San Francisco, and employed a staff of 30, which included a brother. His son, Harold Weeks, joined the firm in 1924.

Following the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Weeks was a major force in helping the city to rebuild. But whether he designed large structures, such as the brick Spreckels Sugar Refinery, academic buildings at Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo, or San Jose’s DeAnza Hotel and Medico-Dental buildings, or smaller edifices such as those typically found in towns like Gilroy, Weeks was best known as the architect of the ordinary citizen. He sought practicality in his work, and chose materials to fit within the abilities of local builders and craftsmen.

In Gilroy, after receiving funds from millionaire Andrew Carnegie for the establishment of a local public library, Weeks became the project’s most prominent architect. The present Gilroy Museum on Fifth Street began as a Weeks-designed Carnegie library, completed in 1914.

A stroll through Gilroy’s historic neighborhoods and along portions of Monterey Street reveals some Weeks structures of timeless artistic attraction and durability. Weeks favored the Queen Anne house style, and designed four prominent examples in Gilroy: the Willson House at 7341 Alexander Street, the Dunlap House at 7320 Forest Street, (an older farm-style home remodeled by Weeks into a Queen Anne,) the stately Holloway House at 7539 Eigleberry Street, and the Dr. Clarence Weaver House at 60 Fifth Street.

His other noteworthy styles were Classic Greek Revival, Gothic and Spanish-Mission styles. Along Fifth Street besides the Gilroy Museum (Classical Greek Revival style), is the 1929 Wheeler Hospital building at 650

Fifth Street, an example of Spanish Eclectic or Mediterranean Revival style.

Mediterranean Revival buildings in Gilroy’s downtown are the Milias Apartments (former Milias Hotel) at Sixth and Monterey Streets, the former Ellis Garage building opposite the Milias Apartments (now a furniture store,) and the Habing Family Funeral Home at Fourth and Eigleberry Streets. The Rebekah Children’s Services building (former IOOF Children’s Home) on IOOF Avenue is also an example of Mediterranean Revival.

The durability of Weeks-built structures was evident in 1957, when workers tried to tear down the original, brick and reinforced concrete Gilroy High building, located on IOOF Avenue, which Weeks had designed in 1912. For days, the ball swung against the two-story school building, before it finally began to give. Demolished because it was not up to current “seismic standards,” the Weeks-built school was one of other such structures, which refused to budge. In 1953, wreckers had the same problem trying to take down the 1916 San Luis Obispo High School. And in 1925, the year-old Weeks-built Santa Barbara

Written By Elizabeth Barrett

The Legacy of Architect William Weeks

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High School came through unscathed from an earthquake that devastated the city.

Like the nearly indestructible 1912 Gilroy High School, another of Week’s structures, the 1902 Masonic Temple, no longer exists. Until destroyed by fire, it sat on the corner of Monterey and Lewis Streets next to the Strand Theater building.

Scheduled walking tours that point out and discuss the Weeks structures in Gilroy are offered via the Gilroy Museum. For information on times and meeting place, call the Museum at 408.846.0446.

Weeks’s well-built structures, designed for practicality as well as appeal, not only suited their era, but also continue to serve today. Many of his homes and public buildings still stand, both occupied and appreciated, over a century after they were built.

TODAY:Holloway House (7539 Eigleberry Street) is a mixed use office/residential building.Carnegie Library (195 Fifth Street), completed in 1914, is the Gilroy Museum.Wheeler Hospital (650 Fifth Street), completed in 1929, is an assisted living facility.Pixley House (60 West Fifth Street) is an office building. IOOF Children’s Home (290 IOOF Avenue) is now home to Rebekah Children’s Services.

Holloway House Gilroy Museum

Wheeler Hospital Pixly House

Rebekah Children’s Services

The new year brings with it new challenges and changes for Americans interacting with the

Affordable Care Act. Both individuals and business will see changes in 2015 to ACA regulations and penalties. Earlier this month Covered California announced it is stepping up messaging about the rising penalties for not having health insurance, encouraging Californians without coverage to sign up for coverage and avoid the tax penalties. In 2015, the “Shared Responsibility Penalty,” the penalty for not having health insurance has increased signifi-cantly from 2014. In 2015, a family of four earning $70,000 per year could pay up to $1,000 in penal-ties if they remain uninsured in 2015, a dramatic increase from last year. The same family of four will likely see that penalty rise to $2,085 if they continue to remain uninsured into the end of next year. Unlike in years past, the purchase of Individual Health Coverage is limited to a specific time frame know as Open Enrollment. This year, Open Enrollment ended March 1st and many insurers including Covered California closed the application process on February 15th. Peter Lee, the Executive Director of Covered California, issued a state-ment last month regarding this Open Enrollment Season. “We continue to see strong interest in enrolling in cover-age as Open Enrollment continues, but there are still hundreds of thousands of Californians who need to sign up. Consumers must enroll soon to insure they don’t miss the window of opportunity for buying subsidized health coverage this year and to avoid steep penalties taking effect for not having coverage in 2015.”

“Consumers must enroll soon to insure they don’t miss the

window of opportunity for buying subsidized health coverage this

year and to avoid steep penalties taking effect for not having

coverage in 2015”

Dave Villar is the President of Pacific Coast Benefits LLC. He was a founder and partner of PDI Insurance Services. Dave is an active mem-ber of the National Association of Health Underwriters and a member of the Anthem Blue Cross Agent Advisory Council. He has specialized in Employee Benefit Planning for businesses since 1987. To find out more about Pacific Coast Benefits and upcoming Healthcare Reform Seminars, visit pacbenins.com or call (408) 847-1000.

Dave Villar, President Pacific Coast Benefits LLC,

Affordable Health Care Act … Avoiding Penaltiesin 2015

In 2015, employers will also need to navigate new regulations and penalties as well. As of January 1, 2015, employers with more than 100 full-time employees must offer qualified health insurance to 70% of their employees or face a penalty. In 2016, the threshold drops to 50 employ-ees and 95%. Most large employers have been planning for this event and already have a qualified plan in place, however many have not and will face a potential Shared Responsibility Penalty. The penalty for not offering qualified, affordable health insurance

is $2,000 per employee after the 80th employ-ee in 2015 and after the 30th employee in 2016. In addi-tion to the pen-alty, new report-ing requirements begin this year

that must be filed by February of 2016. To prepare for this, larger employers are encouraged to “clean up” their record keeping and documentation practices. Large employers will be required to report names, addresses, and tax identification numbers for all participating and non-participating employees. A draft release of this requirement and the tax forms them-selves (1094-C and 1095-C) can be found on the IRS website. These two forms will be used to report data to the IRS regarding offers of insurance to eligible employees and the costs associated with the offer.

Now more than ever good advice and direction from a qualified insurance professional is invaluable. If you have questions regarding the Affordable Care Act and its impact on your family or business, please feel free to contact us. Pacific Coast Benefits is here to help navigate the Affordable Care Act.


Medicare Health PlansIndividual Health Plans

Life InsuranceFinal Expense



gilroy downtown

Written By Larry J. Mickartz

Downtown Gilroy has seen its ups and downs. Today, it is on the verge of a major revitalization. There are

new businesses coming in, a yoga studio, a restaurant, and a music venue. More businesses are calling about availability. Of the 18 URM (unreinforced masonry building) 16 are on their way to being available of lease or purchase. The 5th to 6th streets paseo is built and is moving towards its final fashionable look. The garlic mural on the Gardner building and the train mural on the Fifth Street Coffee have been refurbished. Eigleberry Street is being redone with new paving, curbs, sidewalks and lights. Some would say the raid on the furniture store pot grow was a blow to downtown; others say thanks for the cleanup!

Many have already discovered the shopping, food, music and entertainment offerings downtown and have become regulars! Downtown events like Fifth Street Live, The Wine Stroll, the Car Show, the Beer Crawl and the Christmas Parade are big hits.

The GDBA (Gilroy Downtown Business Association) was looking for a way to capitalize on this momentum and get to the Downtown we all want. They selected the Main Street program.

The Main Street program began in 1977 as a three-year pilot for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The goal was to preserve the downtown’s heritage while sparking reinvestment. The three target cities were Galesburg, Illinois, Hot Springs, South Dakota and Madison, Indiana. The results were astonishing: 30 new businesses, 25% sales tax increase, $11 gain in private investing for every program management dollar. From this pilot the National Trust developed a replicable model, The Main Street Program.

Today, there are 1,200 Main Street programs… many with remarkable success stories. In 2014, three members of the GDBA attended the California Main Street conference in Hanford. Armed with new knowledge the GDBA is taking on the challenge.

Success is based on the Main Street Four-Point Approach:

• ORGANIZATION establishes con-sensus and cooperation by building partnerships among various groups that have a stake in the commercial district. Organization brings together downtown’s nonprofits, volunteers and stakeholders.

• PROMOTION takes many forms, but the goal is to create a positive image that will rekindle community pride and improve consumer and investor confidence in the downtown district. The main focus of promotion is events, promotions and image devel-opment.

• DESIGN means getting Main Street into top physical shape and creating a safe, inviting environment for shoppers, workers and visitors. The major focus here is on buildings, streetscape and planning.

• ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING strengthens the community’s existing economic assets while diversifying its economic base. Market analysis, real estate and business development are the major elements of economic restructuring.

Behind the Four-Point Approach are eight principals:

Comprehensive: No single focus but a multi level approach.

Incremental: Small steps lead to downtown revitalization.

The Main Street Approach

The Main Street Four Point Approachfor revitalization of traditional historic commercial districts

CIVIC SOCIAL ECONOMIC PHYSICAL

Organization Promotion Econ/Restructuring Design

Bring the communitytogether to reach

consensus, lead efforts, and add partnerships

and resources

Market the District’s unique characteristics, fosters positive image

and position as a center of activity

Diversify the District’s economic base through

business retention, recruitment, and

strategic use of space

Enhance the District’s physical appearance while preserving its

historic built environment


Self-Help: Local leadership is necessary.

Partnerships: Many public and private entities will get it done.

Identify & Capitalize On Existing Assets: Existing unique assets get it done.

Quality: All elements of the program must strive for top quality.

Change: This comes slowly with planning and engagement.

Implementation: Frequent visible results are essential.

The road ahead for Gilroy Main Street is full of challenges and opportunities. Businesses and property owners are encouraged to work on Main Street committees. The organiza-tions, however, are set-up so that anyone interested in the downtown can volunteer. Interested community member, property owner or business owner contact: Gary Walton — [email protected] or Melanie Corona — [email protected].

Watch for announcements for information and planning gatherings.

mailto:[email protected]


For Toddlers:

Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. SeussJoin Sam-I-Am in this interactive eBook as he offers his friend green eggs and ham here, there, and everywhere! As the narrator reads the story,

the words are highlighted for your child to follow along. Touching the objects featured on each brightly colored page brings up their associated word. Your young reader will learn new vocabulary as they interact with the story. Kids can even personalize the eBook by recording their own voice narrating the story. This rich and immersive book is a great way to get young readers excited about reading.

ABCmouse.com Visit the Zoo Interactive SeriesThis zoo app is an amazing new way for kids to learn about animals and their habitats. Toddlers can explore realistic

animal exhibits with photorealistic animals that make sounds true to life. This app features illustrated facts about animals, read by the app’s animated zoo guide. After each session, children can test their knowledge on the set of animals they just learned about with a multiple choice quiz feature. There are also a variety of Easter eggs hidden throughout the app that your child can discover. When your children have learned everything in this app, they can advance to the next set in the ABCmouse.com series.

AnimatchWith its super-cute animal graphics and funny animal sounds, Animatch is perfect for kids of all ages. This simple

electronic matching game featuring 30 farm and safari animal cards will keep your kids educationally entertained, all while developing their concentration, memory, and cognitive skills. When kids succeed at a match, they’re rewarded with happy animal sounds and the animal does a cute jiggle. Its simple and engaging design works for children as young as 11 months old. Even adults love playing Animatch and parents will have fun taking turns playing the game with their kids.

For Preschoolers:

Magic School Bus: Oceans by Scholastic

Go on a wild ride with Ms. Frizzle and her class to explore ocean life on the iPad! Based on the book The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean

Floor, this interactive storybook app is teeming with science facts, videos, photos, and games. Your kids will be encouraged to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy as they discover plant and animal life, coral reefs, and the ocean floor. The book takes more advanced facts and brings them to life so that kids can see cause and effect in action. It’s an interactive and exciting reading adventure that any kid will love!

TeachMe: Kindergarten Teaches kids age appropriate sight words, addition, subtraction, spelling, and writing letters and numbers. An animated teacher, Mimi Mouse,

guides your child with verbal instructions and feedback. Kids stay engaged as they earn a coin for every three correct answers. They can use their coins to buy virtual stickers to place onto fun backdrops or to buy fish for a virtual aquarium. The sticker scenes can be saved as wallpapers or emailed to family and friends so that everyone can enjoy the fun. To encourage your child’s progress, you can select what subjects you want and set the difficulty levels to best suit your child.

The Monster at the End of This BookSesame Street fans will love this interactive 12 page rendition of the best-selling classic storybook from the 1970s. Join Grover as he tries his very hardest

to tie down pages and build brick walls to keep readers away from the monster at the end of this book. As the book’s words appear on each page, various characters say them out loud and reveal hints that help kids interact with the book. This story is a humorous way to open up a dialogue between parents and children about emotional expression and any fears they may have. While they learn early reading skills, they’ll be laughing and having a great time.

With the dizzying amount of apps out there, it can be hard to find ones that are both fun and educational for your child. Here are a few guilt free iPhone and iPad apps that keep children’s minds active and prepared for the classroom:

Fun, Education, And Apps

Sources: Parenting.com • iTunes • Amazon.com

Information Brought To You By:



PHOTOS:

1) Member Kathy Laursen, Loretta Ventura 2) Board members; Rita Quintero, Joyce Kludt and Denise Turner 3) Guests browsing the raffle items. 4) Jane Howard enjoying the prime rib carving station. 5) Members Debbie Shrull, Evelia Rosso and Lori Head-Hawk with Pete Fleming and Al Pinheiro, 6) Members Barbara Boggs, Tony Marandos and Lily Kawafuchi.

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Gilroy Exchange Club Raises Funds For CommunityThe Exchange Club was founded

in Detroit in 1911, making it the oldest National Club in the United

States. The name was derived from the desire to “Exchange” ideas on how to better their communities. Exchange is “America’s Service Club”. From the organization’s earliest days, Exchange Clubs have been unselfishly serving their communities and improving the quality of life. The diverse array of Exchange-sponsored programs and projects has made a considerable impact on America, enhancing the lives of countless men, women and children across the nation.

Fast forward to 1990 when the Gilroy charter was formulated. The mission of the Gilroy Exchange Club has always been to support local needy causes. The Gilroy Exchange Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The 2014 Exchange Dinner & Auction, a sold out event, focused on:

• School clothes for children in need

• Classroom supplies

• Teddy bears for children in crisis

• Blue & Gold Luncheon honoring Public Safety Officers

• Christmas shopping for families in need

• Senior citizens social event

• Local veterans events

The 2015 Annual Exchange Club Dinner & Auction is scheduled for November 14, 2015 at the IFDES Hall. For more information or sponsorship opportunities contact Denise Turner at [email protected] or 408.510.9327.


The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce is a great resource for the business community and the community at large. We have recently upgraded our membership management software allowing us to post job

listings, enhance business listings and provide a community calendar. Member businesses can post job listings on the Chamber website

allowing job seekers to see what career opportunities exist right here in Gilroy and South County. This opens the door for employers to find local talent more easily as well. Businesses can also enhance their business listing on the Chamber website by adding their logo, photos, links to various social media sites such as their Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram to name a few. Businesses can stand out more with enhanced listings. The community calendar will allow organizations, non-profits and other community groups to list their upcoming events for all to see. This feature will allow others to know what’s going on as they plan their community events.

The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce will be partnering with the monthly After-Hours business sponsors to help raise money for local non-profits. Each month a Chamber member hosts a networking event where others gather for appetizers, networking and socializing. All the money raised from the monthly Mixer will be donated to the business sponsor’s non-profit of choice.

The Chamber’s Business and Education Committee continues to work on the mock interview workshops which will be held at Gilroy and Christopher High Schools at the end of March. “Rock the Mock,” as it is referred to, will help juniors and seniors from GHS, CHS, Gilroy Early College Academy and Mt. Madonna High School sharpen their interviewing skills. At the same time, the Chamber is preparing for its 2nd Annual Legislative Summit with our local city, county and state elected officials participating along with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and Congressman Sam Farr.

The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce is and will continue to be a strong voice for the business community and the community at large.

Notes From ThePresident

By Mark Turner, President /CEO, Gilroy Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce

Rock the MockThe Gilroy Chamber of Commerce’s Business and Education Committee is planning two interview work-shops, one each at Gilroy High School (GHS) and Christopher High School (CHS). The work-shops, referred to as, “Rock the Mock,” are designed to assist juniors and seniors develop the necessary skills when interviewing for jobs. Students from Gilroy Early College Academy (GECA), will join students at GHS, Thursday, March 26 while students from Mt. Madonna High School will travel to the CHS campus on Friday, March 27. The work-shops will run from 9:00 am to noon both days and will consist of 4 modules. Each module will run for approximately 20 minutes and include, “How to Prepare For an Interview,” “Dress for Success,” “What’s in a Handshake?” and “The Interview.”

Those interested in assisting with the workshops may contact the Chamber of Commerce at 408-842-6437.


BUSINESS NEWS

Alpine Landscapes is a well-known, locally owned, full service, commercial

landscape management company. Located in Gilroy, Alpine Land-scapes services Santa Clara County. Most of their work is focused in Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Originally founded in 1983, they have served the local area continuously for 27 years. Their business philosophy is simple;

develop long-standing client relationships based on trust, hard work and commitment. Their mission is to serve the commercial landscape market with the best quality landscape maintenance services available, while creating long-term value for their customers.

Their services include Landscape Maintenance, Annual Color Programs, Water Management and Irrigation, Pest and Rodent Control, Tree Care, Landscape Renovation and Enhancement. Alpine Landscapes is located at 8595 Murray Avenue in Gilroy.

Alpine Landscapes

Everyone knew that in the weeks before Christmas, the place to find Alene DeBrito was in the kitchen. She’d be making her

chocolate-dipped, dried apricot candies for the friends, employees and custom-ers of her husband Arnold’s business. It didn’t take too long before things got out of hand. Demand exceeded Alene’s ability to supply. So as not to disappoint those recipients who year after year had come to anticipate the heady taste of chocolate and apricot, and so as not put Alene and the family in a tizzy every November, there was only one thing to do - build the Chocolate Factory.

The end result of that decision is; quality chocolate, California dried fruit, fresh nuts-combinations that can make you feel good about indulging. They know you will enjoy their fine chocolates just as much as if you snitched one fresh from Alene’s kitchen table.

DeBrito’s newest store is located at 8300 Arroyo Circle, Suite B330 in the Gilroy Premium Outlets (next to Adidas, behind Applebee’s). Their hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Stop by for their Gourmet Caramel Apples, Boxed Chocolates and Gourmet Salted Caramels.

Architectural Facades UnlimitedThe 2009 APA Award Winner for Excellence in Architectural GFRC Precast Stone, and with more than 23 years of experience, Architectural Facades Unlimited has become one of the most highly respected companies in the

field of Architectural Ornamental Precast Stone

AFU provides a variety of products for custom commercial, residential and restoration projects. They also provide architectural pre-cast consulting services as well. Their products are made of Lightweight LCS Stone™: Exclusive extra light-weight Cast Stone Mix Design Developed by Architectural Facades, GFRC: Glass Fiber

Reinforced Cement, GRG: Glass Fiber Reinforced Gypsum and standard PreCast Stone.

LCS Stone™ is AFU’s exciting new product. Frank Bracken has developed a super lightweight cast-stone material. Unlike the existing cast stone extruded foam products — those comprised of a layer of foam, mesh, and a thin skin of cement, known to separate due to climate changes — AFU has developed a light weight mix design that is integrated with a cast stone face coat. As a result, AFU provides a higher quality lightweight Cast Stone product that not only competes with the lightness of the foam; it also has a much stronger surface area and can be used in impact zones whereas their competitors cannot withstand impact.



gilroy everyone has a story

Written By Crystal Han

Meet Ella Rodriguez, a bright and outgoing 11-year-old girl. She loves sports and her typical week is packed

with dance class, golf practice, and drum lessons. Looking at her, you would never guess that she is a below the knee amputee. She makes the challenges of being an amputee look easy.

Ella was born with clubfoot and Fibular Hemimelia, a condition that causes a shortening of the fibula. Her parents, Susan and Michael, were faced with the incredibly difficult decision of whether they should try to save Ella’s foot or amputate it. When she was nine months old, after noninvasive attempts to correct Ella’s foot failed, they decided amputation was the best course of action. To this day, Susan and Michael feel that it was the best choice that they’ve made for their daughter. Ella would have undergone 15 surgeries in order to correct her foot and lengthen her leg. The majority of her childhood would have been spent in and out of hospitals. Instead, Ella has been able to enjoy life the way a kid should. With the help of a prosthetic leg, she can move around

freely and her life has been mostly hospital free. Although Ella never let her disability stop her

from participating in sports, it did keep her from improving as much as she’d like. At times, she became frustrated that she couldn’t run as fast or balance as well as her teammates. “It really limits me sometimes because I can’t do very much,” she explains. Ella wished that she could have some-one that understood exactly what she was going through. In December 2013, she wrote a letter to Santa expressing her wish to have an amputee friend just like her. For Susan, who had been searching for a friend for Ella for months, it was heartbreaking to read. She posted Ella’s letter on Facebook, hoping it might help.

To their delight, Santa fulfilled Ella’s request. Ella’s letter received a huge out-pouring of support and caught the attention of O & P magazine, a magazine that specializes in Orthotics and Prosthetics. An anonymous donor from O & P paid for Ella to attend Camp No Limits, an event where young people with limb loss can meet and engage in fun activities. For the first

With the help of a

prosthetic leg, she can

move around freely and

her life has been mostly

hospital free.

Santa grants wish for precocious little girl


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time, Ella was in the company of many people who understood the trials faced by amputees and she made fast friends with a girl named Katelyn. Another organization, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, set Ella up with a mentor who had the same condition as Ella. They also brought Ella and her family to their fundraiser event in San Diego, where they presented Ella with a new running leg. It was there that Ella learned about the Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program (BORP) in Berkley, a place that has changed her life.

BORP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people with physical disabilities through sports and recreation programs. They have the only youth sports program in Northern California, which provides the same competitive opportunities as regular sports.

From her very first visit, Ella was hooked. She joined their wheelchair basketball team and has been dedicated to the sport ever since. Every Saturday she travels to Berkeley, where she plays for 6 hours straight. She has formed strong

bonds with her teammates and loves practicing and competing with them. “She’s a great team-mate,” says her coach, Trooper Johnson. “She shows up with a great smile and sense of energy. She comes in and works her butt off.” And her hard work certainly shows! Ella is already playing in BORP’s varsity team as their youngest member. Not only has BORP given her new friends and a larger network of support, but it has also boosted Ella’s confidence. “She’s proud of being an amputee now,” her father says.

BORP’s wheelchair basketball team competes both locally and out of state. To help offset the cost of travel, they host the Roll ’n’ Shoot, a fundraising event where able bodied people compete against BORP’s team. It’s a fun way to raise funds and those who participate gain a better understanding of the BORP kids’ everyday lives. On March 28th, BORP will be hosting a Roll ‘n’ Shoot at Christopher High School from 9 am to 4 pm. Ella and her family hope everyone in the community will come and participate.

Thanks to her parents,

BORP, and everyone

who has shown their

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bright future ahead of

her. Who knows what

amazing things this

year will bring!



Cozy

PeacefulSPACIOUS

Written By Kelly BarbazettePhotographed By Larry J. Mickartz


Chris & Christi Beccera

Set back on peaceful Reynolds Road in the western foothills of South County, Chris and Christi Becerra’s beautiful yellow home trimmed in green beckons guests inside. Down a path flanked by lawns, the 4,900-square

foot home opens into a spacious foyer with a view of the staircase and a welcoming sitting room.

Christi enjoys recounting the history of her home, which was built in 1997. Their home, which rests on 1.8 acres, was previously owned by a family with 12 children whom were homeschooled. It once had six bedrooms, but two of the rooms have since been converted into a dining room and a walk-in closet for the master bedroom. It also includes 5 ½ bathrooms.

The dining room has a China hutch and seating for 8. A sitting room to the right features antiques passed down from the home-owner’s aunt and uncle, and a gas fireplace with a travertine tile surround.

Oak floors flow down a hallway with a half bath and closet into the eat-in kitchen featuring a granite-topped island with seating for five. The kitchen boasts white cabinetry, a separate full-sized Subzero freezer and refrigerator, a Wolf six-burner range with a

griddle and double oven, and a deep walk-in pantry, built-in desk and dining table overlooking the backyard. A set of white built-ins that stores platters, dishes and other kitchen items lines the adjacent wall.

Christi points out the cutting board, which the previous home-owners’ installed, that pulls out below the sink and designed for small children to stand on to reach the faucet.

A French door leads to the backyard, which is designed for entertaining. A bar with seating for four faces an outdoor kitchen complete with a built-in barbecue, dishwasher, icemaker, warming drawer, sink, and refrigerator. Steps away, a covered brick patio



houses a comfortable seating area and dining area that offer a view to a large-screen TV where the homeowners enjoy watching Giants games.

An expansive lawn and orchard with apple, cherry, plum, lemon and peach trees surround an oversized pool. The garden is peppered with a large variety of rose bushes. An adjacent area offers seating around a cozy fire pit and a second casual dining spot. A potting house is to the left. A trail beyond the lawn and trees connects the trampoline, tree house and play structure for the homeowners’ daughters.

To the left of the kitchen is a generous sized mudroom, which also serves as the laundry room. It contains a second built-in desk that affords a view to the gorgeous backyard.

The kitchen leads to the serene family room that features a generous gas fireplace, a piano that Christi enjoys playing, a TV, and white built-ins bookending a built-in window seat. The home-owners’ dog, Jackal, can often be found here lying in the sun. A set of French doors leads to the backyard. Family photos dot the built-ins and one wall.

The home has two sets of stairs leading to a landing with built-ins and French doors leading to a patio with views of the front yard. Upstairs, the homeowners’ oldest daughter’s bedroom has an

attached bathroom and walk-in closet. Frosted French doors open into the master bedroom, which has a bank of windows overlooking the backyard, a walk-in closet, and attached master bathroom with a separate tub and shower. The hallway leads to their other daughter’s bedroom, a bathroom with double sinks, and a bonus room where the homeowners exercise and watch Giants games. This room features photos taken of Chris, who ran track in college.


This amazing home is on the 11th Annual Impressions Home and Garden Tour, presented by the GALs (Gilroy Assistance League) on May 8-9, 2015 — featuring four homes and a garden in South County’s western foothills. The perfect gift for mom this Mother’s Day. Tickets can be obtained online at gilroyassistanceleague.org.

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According to the 2000 United States Census Bureau, unincorporated San Martin is 5.5 square miles, all of it land, with a population of 4,230 residents. An unsubstantiated rumor claims that this tiny

hamlet has more horses than people. It is host to a luxury resort and world class golf course juxtaposed with fruit stands, hay barns, and family-owned businesses. San Martin has an amazing past, present and future.

Donna BrodskyExcerpt From Book: San Martin, Then & Now 2010

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Congratulations on the launching of GMH Today, a bi-monthly regional publication covering all of southern Santa Clara County. The quarterly Morgan Hill Today magazine was very high quality in design, content

and presentation, I will save and treasure my collection - especially the photos of Jennifer and me featuring our “best side.” That quality portends great things for the new publication, I am anxious to see the first issue!

It is so fitting that it has a regional orientation as we are finding so many of the issues we face have regional implications. Public transportation, gang prevention, homelessness, habitat preservation and environmental sustainability are just some examples of issues that lend themselves to regional approaches. And of course our geographical proximity presents many opportunities for collaboration and mutual support.

Best wishes for the new GMH Today launching, I am sure that if you maintain the quality of the previous publications, you will be very successful!

Steve Tate, Mayor of Morgan Hill


morgan hill demographics

The town of Morgan Hill incorporated in 1906, on a vote of 65 to 36! Today, it is the first city south of the

continuous cities to the north. Its open spaces, hills and lakes are a welcome break from the northern congestion. Today Morgan Hill is a thriving city of 40,836 (American Fact Finder, 2013 estimate.) The 2010 census had the population at 37,882. The City Council has four members (four-year terms) and a mayor (two-year terms.) The City has an operating budget of $140.2 million with a General Fund budget of $31.9 million.

According to American Fact Finder, which is based on US Census data, Morgan Hill has a median age of 37.5. There are 13,133 households with a median household income of $85,531. There are 15,178 (32.9%) people identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Several key issues seem to characterize and identify Morgan Hill. There is a connection to activity, fitness and open spaces. The City through RDA (Redevelopment Agency) funding was able to develop the Outdoor Sports Center, the Aquatics Center and the Centennial Recreation Center. Specialized Bike is located in Morgan Hill. Surrounding Morgan Hill are parks, county roads and open spaces that invite outdoor activity. The mammoth Henry Coe Park is just east of Morgan Hill; Calera and Uvas are east and north. On the outskirts of Morgan Hill are numerous horse related facilities. Good weather and the abundance of opportunities bring locals and many out of town visitors to the Morgan Hill recreation areas.

Downtown Morgan Hill is the city hub. A combination of restaurant entrepreneurs, RDA funding, community events and potential have created a downtown that is the envy of many nearby cities. According to Meet Morgan Hill, a City produced insert in the Silicon Valley Business Journal, there are 123,000 square feet of retail space, 30 plus restaurants, 300 multi-family housing units, 1,502 parking spaces, five development opportunity sites and $25 million in downtown improvements coming soon.

The Morgan Hill Community Cultural Center, another RDA project, is the southern end of the Downtown. The Cultural Center is another major location for activity and events.

Most Common Occupations (%)

Population Census 2010 Total 37,882 2013 Estimate (7/1/13) 40,836 2013 ACS 5-Year Estimate 38,832

Median Age 37.5Number of Companies 3,964Education — HS Grad or Higher 87.1%Total Housing Units 13,133Median Household Income $85,531Foreign Born Population 7,343Individuals Below Poverty Level 9.9%

Fast Facts

Ethnicity



(Source: CityData.com)


One of the truly unique features of Morgan Hill is the Freedom Fest, a family-oriented celebration of all things “Fourth of July.” In 2015, the Fest will include the Patriotic Sing, Family Music Fest, the Walk/Run, the Car Cruise ‘n Show, the Parade and Fireworks on the Green. The Fest is a patriotic town party. The parade in Morgan Hill dates back to 1876 and is the official Fourth of July Parade for the County of Santa Clara. It is also the biggest Fourth of July parade in Northern California.

The Morgan Hill School District serves the educational needs of K-12 students in the Morgan Hill and San Martin area. The district has 16 schools including an active Home School Program, Adult School and the Charter School of Morgan Hill. The District API scores improved from 756 in 2007 to 795 in 2013. There are two private K-12 schools in Morgan Hill. Gavilan Community College has a large extension facility at the Community Cultural Center.

The price of housing in Morgan Hill can be high. Recently, Morgan Hill was identified as the 17th most expensive housing market in the US and the 12th in California (Coldwell Banker’s Home Listing Report 2014.) This is not the whole story. There are options of every sort available in Morgan Hill. Recently, a number of residential condos, apartments and townhouses have been built in or near the downtown. More are on the way. Around town there are single-family suburban units to sprawl-ing estates. The Anderson Lake area offers views while Paradise Valley offers a rural setting.

The City of Morgan Hill has a significant industrial base in the northern end of the city boundaries along the Cochrane and Butterfield corridors. Some employers are Anritsu, Hospiara, Paramit, Infincon Technologies and TenCate. Closer to the downtown area is Specialized Bike Components.

There are fourteen Christian churches, two Buddhist Centers, Congregation Emeth and the South Valley Islamic Center in Morgan Hill. There are eight wineries with a Morgan Hill address, another 20 in close proximity. There are 21 farms or argil-tourism endeavors in or around the area. Morgan Hill has found a good balance between the stressors of life and the rejuvenation from the good things in life.

City Limits

Home Values

Most Common Industries (%)

(Source: Cit-yData.com)

(Source: Zillow.com, January 2015)

Morgan Hill Market Overview

Current $747,400

Projected End of 2015 $779,900

Median Listing Price $779,900 Median

Sale Price $694,750

(Source: Cit-yData.com)


morgan hill economic development

Much of Morgan Hill’s economic efforts are tied to the now defunct RDA (Redevelopment

Authority, started in 1981). After building the Community Cultural Center, the Centennial Recreation Center, the Outdoor Sports Park the Aquatics Center and other projects the City was well on its way to further redevelopment. However, the California budget crisis and the State’s takeover of RDA funding in 2011 put a halt to future Morgan Hill RDA funding and plans. In 2012 the City Council as the Successor Agency took over for the shut down RDA and is responsible for the remaining funds.

Edith Ramirez, Principal Planner for Economic Development, City of Morgan Hill, delights in the potential for Morgan Hill Downtown…It’s Happening, to make a major difference in the Downtown, specifically, and Morgan Hill, in general. This project under the supervision of the Successor Agency has four major components:

• Downtown Parking Structure• Street Improvement• Monterey Road• Parks & Trails

The goal of the project is simple, “Make Downtown the most…walkable, bike-friendly, urban, family-oriented, and transit oriented neighborhood in Morgan Hill.”

The Downtown Parking Structure is a three-story 275 space parking structure between Third and Fourth Streets down-town. The structure will include some retail space and improvements to the roadways around the structure. The price tag for this is $17.3 million. Currently the City Council, acting as the Successor Agency,

is considering art options for the design. Construction is scheduled for April-November 2015.

The Street Improvement component has a $3.15 million budget and will include utility under grounding, street lights for First and Second Streets between Del Monte and Depot. Third Street west of Monterey will also have utility under grounding and various road and sidewalk improvements.

Monterey Road will have improved lighting, pedestrian safety, median repair, and landscaping. There is $1.67 million for this component.

Parks & Trails will include new parks on Third Street, west of Ladera Grill and on Depot Street, and a new trail on “Hilltop” around the water tower with a connection to the existing trail at West Dunne Avenue. The Third Street trail will wander east towards Butterfield. Protected crosswalks are also proposed on DelMonte at Dunne and Main. Funding is $1.15 million.

These four projects are under the umbrella of a Placemaking Strategy: “Creatimg a unique, fun, and social environment is accomplished by creating spaces that offer people many things to do like offering places to eat, shop, sit, play, experience history, art, interesting design and offering entertainment and places for families, children and pets.”

Parallel to these efforts, the City Council, as the Successor Authority, is currently seeking proposals (RFP’s) on four downtown development sites and one retail site. The four development sites were assets of the former RDA and are now held in trust by the Successor Agency. The retail site is a 4,000 square foot space in the Downtown Parking Structure. The

proposals were due in December 2014. The schedule calls for Compensation Agreements by August 2015.

Another piece of this Placemaking Strategy will begin in February with the Monterey Road Complete Street Project. This consists of a six-month project to test the future permanent configuration of Monterey Road from Main Avenue to Dunne Avenue. The new configuration essentially consists of eliminating one lane of vehicle traffic in each direction, adding a Class II bike lane with a 3-3.5 foot buffer on the vehicle side. The goal for this pilot is to reduce vehicle speed, discourage truck traffic, provide more safety for bicyclists, and maintain emergency vehicle flexibility. The downside will be longer vehicle travel time along this corridor. The project had multiple evaluation timelines and criteria. The pilot is scheduled from February to July 2015.

Even with all this going on, the City of Morgan Hill forges ahead with a new general plan, Morgan Hill 2035, to help guide development and conservation in the city over the next 20 years.

Housing development is limited to 255 units per year except for certain infill and downtown projects.

In Morgan Hill there is a tremendous economic energy focused on the down-town…already a great place to be and one that has a great future for a walkable, bike friendly, livable downtown…the heart of a very desirable city.

Sources:mhdowntown.comDowntown Morgan Hill, Planning Incentive Strategy (morgan-hill.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12597)

An Economic SnapShotWritten By Larry J. Mickartz

Local Trends Single Family Residential in Morgan Hill

408.425.5200BRE#00858151

Quick Stats

Teri Nelson, RealtorIntero Real Estate Services

Morgan Hill Is Growing 2015

2014 NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY 2015

Active 85 59 27

Homes Sold 39 47 42

Days On Market 85 59 56

Sale To List Ratio 102% 101.6% 101.5%

This new housing activity is a good indicator that the economy is recovering. New housing start-ups and home sales, both new and resale, are very brisk and the inventory is way down. This makes for a market that will see home prices continue to rise. This, coupled with the current very low interest rates, makes this a good time to jump in and find your dream home.

If you are planning on selling, now is also the best time —when inventory is so low. We are seeing a steady stream of prospective buyers without homes available for them to select. Multiple offers are happening and as we move to spring, which is usually the busy time of year, we will probably see the prices rise. Now is the time to spruce up your home and call your Realtor and request a market analysis. You may be very surprised at the price and terms you receive on your sale and how quickly it may sell.

Here in Morgan Hill, new housing starts are popping up all over. I have listed some of the homes in the area that are currently selling or are in the beginning stages of presale. I apologize if I have missed any communities but this will give you an idea of what is available or coming soon to the market in Morgan Hill. Morgan Hill is such a wonderful community to live, work and play and enjoy the serenity of the hills, our agriculture and gorgeous weather for all your outside activities.

Be sure to call your Realtor before going to the new homes. If they accompany you on your first visit they can help you with the process and investigation before you purchase.

Torreon in Morgan Hill- Taylor Morrison Homes - 130 Cochrane BoulevardMadrone Plaza - Taylor Morrison Homes - 130 Cochrane BoulevardTerra Mia At Mission Ranch - Dividend Homes Near Peat Road and CochraneConemara - Dividend Homes - Watsonville RoadAmadora - Dividend Homes - Peebles Avenue at ClaytonSilverwings - Dividend Homes - Malaguerra and SilverwingsLone Oak Farms - Dividend Homes - 689 Barrett AvenueVintage Estates - Ryder Homes - East Dunne and MurphyBrighton Oaks - William Lyon - East Main and Butterfield AvenueStonebridge - Meritage Homes - 191 Peppermint Drive (North Morgan Hill)Loden Place - City Ventures - 18130 Hale AvenueSan Sebastian Estate Homes - 2280 Cochrane

is promising to be a very active year for the Real Estate market. Multiple new homes, ranging from small to very large, are springing up throughout the city. This is a refreshing change from the stagnant new home market of the past few years when builders were in a holding pattern waiting for a change in the economy. Allotments that had completed the approval process with the city were held until builders felt the economy was back.

CHOCOLATE & WINE FOR VALENTINEPresented by the Teacher’s Aid Coatliton

Attendees spent a sweet Saturday, February 7 afternoon at the Down-town Community Center sampling wonderful chocolates and fine wines, and enjoying fabulous finger food. Many took home something fun from the silent auction and /or beautiful works of art made locally. The Teacher’s Aid Coalition (TAC), is a non-profit group founded in 1999 by Dr. Jon Hatakeyama and Bob Davis. It is an umbrella organization of the Morgan Hill Community Foundation and is run by volunteers with educational and professional backgrounds. Monies raised from this event, and supplies donated to TAC, go directly into teachers’ classrooms.

Seven wineries and five chocolatiers joined four restaurants and may artists/vendors at the event. Pictured above are Clos La Chance, and Castillo’s Hillside Shire.

Ann Sabrato High School teachers Demetra Messorloras Hanson and Jim McDonald presented artwork by their students.

Artist Jackie Starkovich shows her cut glass paper weights to David de la Cuesta.

ABOVE: (l-r) Jona Denz-Hamilton (DJ, 94.5 KBAY), Mike Tatarakis (Sound Technician), Mario Banuelos (TAC Board), Steve Betando (MHUSD Superintendent), Cecelia Ponzini (Woman of the Year), Peter Anderson (President MH Rotary Club), Mayor Steve Tate, Jon Hatakeyama (Co-founder, TAC), John Horner (President/CEO MH Chamber), Ron Woolf (VP, MHUSD), and Don Nguyen (Vice President, TAC).


morgan hill community happenings

Cheryl Hassan, Yvette Castanon, Ava Serna, and Jon Hatakeyama

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DICTIONARY GIVE-A-WAYPresented by the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill

Approximately 900 third graders in public, private, and home schools in the Morgan Hill area received hardcover dictionaries during the week of January 26-30. This is the fourth year of the proj-ect which began in 2012.

The Dictionaries were distribut-ed at each of the Morgan Hill public and private schools, as well as to home-schooled third graders.

The dictionaries are given to 3rd grade students to encourage and support literacy in our community. The process of looking up a definition in a hard bound dictionary teaches alphabetical organization, how to use guide words, spelling patterns, words meanings and parts of speech. A children’s dictionary teaches a child far more than just how to spell a word.

CITYWIDE LUNCH RIDEPresented by Specialized BikesCity of Morgan Hill and Concept Cyclery

Join the growing number of cyclists that ride along Chesbro Reservoir on Oak Glen Avenue in Morgan Hill as part of the citywide Lunch Ride happening the first Monday of each month starting at 12:15 p.m. at the Community and Cultural Center.



morgan hill has pros

The Storied Career of Dennis Kennedy



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On a quiet morning in September of 2014, Dennis Kennedy rose early, donned a

Speedo and a wet suit, and dove into the bone-chilling waters of the San Francisco Bay. He was joined by dozens of other adventurous souls in the annual Alcatraz Invitational Swim. Together, they defied choppy waves and a gnarly cross-current to finish the grueling 1.25 mile swim.

Afterward, Kennedy stood alongside five other top finishers in the winner’s circle, exhausted yet elated. But why would he put himself through such an ordeal? For start-ers, he’s a lifelong athlete with a passion for water sports. He is a septuagenarian…so maybe Alcatraz was on his bucket list. But on a deeper level, the Alcatraz swim is a kind of metaphor for his life.

Those who know the former IBM engineer turned mayor, board-level executive and community leader say he is a man of vision, ready to tackle big challenges for the greater good of the community.

It will take more than a magazine article to do justice to the storied career of Dennis Kennedy and his contribution to the South County, but it’s a place to start.

Young LifeKennedy was born in 1938 in Omaha, Nebraska. His family moved to San Jose’s Willow Glen area while Kennedy was a young boy and his father worked for Union Pacific Railroad. He recalls his father’s optimism about the wealth of opportunities to build a good life in California.

“My dad showed us around Santa Clara Valley, including a tour of the Stanford and Santa Clara University campuses,” Kennedy said. “He and my mother clearly wanted my brothers Jack, Jim and me to get a good education. I still marvel at how well my dad provided for us on his modest salary.”

Kennedy earned a partial scholarship to attend Bellarmine College Prep, a school he applauds for emphasizing a balance of academics, sports and community service. From there he went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Santa Clara University.

“By the mid to late 1950s, space exploration was headline news. The

Russians had put a man in space and the U.S. was hot on their heels. I enjoyed studying subjects related to aircraft and rocket technologies, which served me well throughout my career.”

While at Santa Clara University, Kennedy joined the ROTC, which provided his introduction to military service and a scholarship to help with tuition. He spent his summers working in San Jose’s canneries lugging produce-laden crates between conveyors and box cars.

“My brother Jack sold me on the job.” Laughing at the memory, Kennedy added, “I was a little on the skinny side. Jack assured me that all the heavy lifting would help me beef up for football season.” The strategy worked. Playing football provided the perfect outlet for Kennedy’s competitive nature.

Recalling his school years, Kennedy said he naturally gravitated to leadership roles and drew inspiration from being in the company of some rather impressive fellow students.

“I went to school with John Sobrato, Leon Panetta, Tom Hastings, Jerry Brown and many others who went on to distinguished careers in business and public service.”

From Aerospace to Army and BackAs an early 1960s college grad with an engineering degree, Kennedy quickly landed a job at Aerojet General in Sacramento. He served as an aerospace test engineer and worked on a team supporting one of the first manned space vehicles in the Gemini space program, which laid important groundwork for the Apollo mission.

“It was incredibly exciting being in the bunker, waiting through the countdown and witnessing the successful testing of those rocket engines.”

Eight months into his career, Kennedy was called by the Army into active duty at bases in Texas, California and Germany. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in the Air Defense division in less than two years. When the Army offered Kennedy a promotion to Captain, he opted instead to return to civilian life and his engineering career.

As fate would have it, his return coin-cided with an industry shift away from

space exploration that resulted in layoffs at Aerojet. Undaunted, Kennedy returned to San Jose and parlayed his engineering know-how into a job with IBM in the late 1960s.

The IBM YearsHe found a perfect fit for his engineering background in IBM’s Facilities Engineering and Management Division. It wasn’t long before he was appointed to chair a special committee focused on advancing “clean room” design, a hot button in electronics manufacturing at that time.

“IBM was constantly innovating, pushing the envelope to support bar code recognition, disk storage and other technologies. But the clean room processes to manufacture these technologies are heavily dependent on the use of ultra-pure water, which is very expensive. My job was to help IBM develop a sustainable system of clean water to serve this purpose.”

Kennedy married his high school sweetheart, Therese, in 1967 and their son Matthew was born in 1971. Therese suffered from multiple sclerosis, but she battled the crippling disease, defying medical prognoses before she passed away more than 30 years later.

During those years, Kennedy and his son grew closer, working together to comfort and support Therese in managing her disease. Today, father and son carve out time to travel together, whether it’s a day trip by train to Sacramento, or a visit to Mizuho, Japan, which is a Sister City of Morgan Hill.

For Matthew the qualities that stand out the most in his dad are “his sense of altruism, his perseverance through tough times, and the strength of his faith.”

Reaching a Turning PointKennedy gained a breadth of engineering expertise at IBM, but after 25 years there, he was restless, so he decided to explore new career opportunities where he could affect change. He also took his boss’s advice and added new skills to his professional toolbox.

“I realized that I had to ‘up my game’ so I joined Toastmasters, learned Roberts Rules of Order, and basically took every opportunity to better equip myself to lead.”

In the early 1980s, Kennedy became an engineering consultant with Parsons Corporation. Over the next seven years he managed large-scale industrial, transportation, facilities engineering and construction projects including in the design and engineering of water supply systems for the City of San Jose and Carmel’s 17-mile Drive.

His technical background and accomplishments began opening doors to board-level positions. He served as Chairman of South County Regional WasteWater Authority, an organization he commended for its early advances in water recycling that won industry acclaim.

During several terms on the Board of Directors of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Kennedy helped drive three vital projects: the creation of CalTrain service to South County, the widening of Highway 101 between Morgan Hill and San Jose, and the expedited

installation of a median barrier along a dangerous section of the 101 corridor from Morgan Hill to south of Gilroy – a project that was completed in record time.

“About a year after the median barrier was installed, a young man called to tell me he had been driving on Highway 101 when a driver in the oncoming traffic had lost control of his car. The young man said that if the barrier hadn’t been there, he and his family would have been victims of a head-on collision. I cried when I heard his story.”

A Memorable MayorKennedy came to Morgan Hill in 1976. His love for the city sparked concern for balanced growth and development, which soon led to his involvement in civic and community organizations.

He served three terms on the Morgan Hill Planning Commission, two terms on the General Plan Update Committee, and was elected to the City Council in

1990. Two years later he was appointed by the City Council to his first term as Mayor of Morgan Hill. Back then, the city and the community were at loggerheads on key issues. Kennedy’s propensity for getting to the heart of an issue, striking a balance and building consensus came at an auspicious time.

He became Morgan Hill’s first directly-elected mayor, and was re-elected in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004; serving nearly twelve years before retiring from that role in December 2006. Under his leadership, the City of Morgan Hill became a model for smart growth and balanced community development.

The city’s current Mayor, Steve Tate, served on the City Council during several of Kennedy’s terms as mayor. He called Kennedy “a visionary” who inspired community members to make their voices heard in an open process that led to a new direction for the city. This included development of a new community and cultural center, an aquatics center, and an indoor recreation center. Mayor Tate said that Kennedy also helped secure an extension of the RDA, which not only paid for those projects but also partially financed Morgan Hill’s new library and other capital projects such as the construction of Butterfield Boulevard.

As Mayor Tate tells it, “Dennis has been a champion of the careful, controlled residential growth that provides Morgan Hill with outstanding, high quality neigh-borhoods while preserving the spirit of our community – the ‘small town feel’. His cautious approach to issues, making sure all options are explored before finalizing direction, has served Morgan Hill well.”

Looking back on his time as Mayor, Kennedy recalled how his second wife, Eileen, was by his side for the many social engagements that come with city leadership. Eileen had grown up in Morgan Hill and was working as a registered nurse when she met Kennedy. Although the couple parted ways in 2007, Kennedy has fond memories of their married life and Eileen’s role as Morgan Hill’s First Lady. “She was my coach and confidante, and she had a fantastic sense of humor,” Kennedy said.


A Champion of Water ConservationAs for the current chapter in Dennis Kennedy’s career, it’s all about WATER.

Kennedy was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) in 2013. The following year he was re-elected to serve until 2018, and he was named Vice Chair of the Board in 2015. The Water District manages water supply, flood protection and environmental stewardship for the county, which spans 1,300 square miles and supports 15 cities, nearly 1.8 million residents, and more than 200,000 commuters to Silicon Valley.

As SCVWD Director for District 1, Kennedy focuses on Morgan Hill, Gilroy and San Martin; the Evergreen and Silver Creek neighborhoods of San Jose; parts of south San Jose; and the hills east of San Jose

and Milpitas. It’s a big territory with big challenges to solve.

Despite winter rains, the Northern Sierra snowpack and local reservoirs remain at below-average levels. The drought is dragging on, and even with above-average rainfall this winter and spring, it will take time to recover.

Kennedy is a tireless advocate of water conservation, taking every opportunity to educate the community about challenges that run the gamut from drought response to flood control.

According to water district CEO, Beau Goldie, Director Kennedy understands the issues of his district:

• He engages with state and federal partners and protects our interests in water from the Sierras.

• As Morgan Hill’s former mayor he understands the local community’s perspective. He is working to make sure

we deliver on major projects for the South County, from the Anderson

Dam Seismic Retrofit to Flood Control at Upper Llagas Creek.

• He is a champion for agriculture, working to keep ag water rates low and preserve open space lands.

• He is also a champion of water recycling, having been intimately involved with the South County Regional WasteWater Authority.

Along with his leadership role on the water district board, Kennedy continues to provide consulting services in facilities and site planning, project entitlement, engineering and construction project approval and development to clients throughout the state of California.

A Community-Minded ManKennedy also served as a member of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce


ABOVE: Dennis Kennedy and other members of the Morgan Hill Sister Cities Delegation meet with the Mayor of Seferihisar, Turkey, to present him with the key to the City of Morgan Hill. (Holding the key is delegate Bernie Mulligan of Morgan Hill.)

TOP RIGHT: Dennis Kennedy and the mayor of Morgan Hill’s first Sister City, San Cansciano, Italy, at an historic city landmark.

RIGHT: Dennis Kennedy receives a gift from the mayor of Morgan Hill’s Sister City in Mizuho, Japan.

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and past President of the Downtown Association, and was a founding member/past President of the Morgan Hill chapter of Sister Cities International. He was a past president of the Santa Clara County Cities Association, a member of the Silicon Valley American Leadership Forum, and a member of Morgan Hill Rotary Club. Leadership Morgan Hill presented him with its Leadership Excellence Award in 2007 in honor of his distinguished record of community service.

“Sister Cities was a pet project of mine,” Kennedy said. “It takes strong advocates in both cities to get things going. Gene Guglielmo had a connection with the Mayor of San Casciano, Italy, and helped established our first official sister city relationship. Jess Ambriz introduced us to the Mayor of San Martin de Hidalgo, Mexico, which became our second sister city. When Judy and Murv Little joined, they helped us establish Mizuho, Japan as a sister city. And it was Bernie Mulligan, another dedicated goodwill ambassador, who facilitated our adoption of Headford, Ireland, as well as Seferihizar, Turkey.”

Kennedy has also helped to elevate cultural diversity in the local community. When Claudia Rossi ran for and won a seat on the Morgan Hill Unified School District board in 2010, she said Kennedy was a great encouragement.

“He was on the Morgan Hill Times editorial board at the time, and the paper was looking for a candidate to endorse,” Rossi said. “While the board grilled us on some contentious issues, Dennis listened, acknowledged and engaged each candidate in a dialogue. He wanted to understand what was behind the views of others and to get people collaborating.

“Dennis is not uncomfortable with people’s differences and always promotes open dialogue to find common ground.”

Morgan Hill Community Foundation board member Mario Banuelos described Dennis Kennedy as a man with a strong sense of social justice. “In the late 1990s, local day laborers were having trouble finding work. Dennis was Mayor of

Morgan Hill at the time, and shared the community’s concern that a solution be found. He met with a group of us and threw his support behind the formation of the South Valley Dayworkers Committee, and we started matching workers with jobs.”

Dennis was also instrumental in founding the Morgan Hill Community Foundation, along with Gene Guglielmo, Greg Sellers and others,” Banuelos said. “Over the years he has brought a lot of integrity to community leadership in Morgan Hill. He really has the heart of a public servant.

“I can remember working alongside him on City Beautification Day one year. One of the volunteers said ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if the city politicians were here helping out?’ when someone pointed out that the guy pulling weeds right next to her was Mayor Kennedy.”

Kennedy’s love of swimming inspires his ongoing involvement with the Morgan Hill Aquatics Foundation and their support of the City’s Aquatics Center – a first-class facility that he helped get off the ground before retiring as mayor.

“Whenever I go there on a hot summer day and see folks enjoying a cool swim in the pool, I smile all over again because the people of Morgan Hill threw their support behind it, and it will be enjoyed for

generations to come.” Kennedy is also a big believer in

supporting the arts. In recent years, the South Valley Symphony was looking to build community awareness and they turned to Kennedy for help.

According to Claudia Rossi, “We have a very accomplished symphony orchestra, so it was frustrating for supporters to see empty seats at the performances due to lack of awareness. Dennis lent a helping hand with everything from planning a fundraiser and securing sponsorships to handing out flyers. He’s a big picture guy who doesn’t mind rolling up his shirtsleeves for a good cause. He always talks up the merits of the work of others, often recognizing their talent even before they see it in themselves.”

Kennedy’s long-time friend Bert Berson told of a trip they took to Africa in 2012. “We were on a safari in the Serengeti, spending a day with a tribe of Bushmen. Our guide spotted wild game and set off on a run, gesturing for us to follow. Dennis was the only one who could keep up! But Dennis’s eyes really lit up when we visited the local schools. He wanted to know how the students were doing and what they needed to succeed. He’s a very kind man who sees a worthwhile cause, rallies people behind it, and gets the ball rolling.”

“The public needs to know the hard facts about our limited water resources and the vulnerabilities of our existing water infrastructure. I want people to know the many ways that they can be part of the solution.”

Dennis Kennedy

Local officials join Dennis Kennedy at presentation of Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan.

Carl Schindler is a 41-year State Farm Insurance agent in Morgan Hill. His agency has been voted #1 in Morgan Hill for the past 5 consecutive years. He specializes in Auto, Homeowner’s, Life & Disability Insurance. Visit StateFarm.com/CarlSchindler or call (408) 779-6969.

Carl Schindler, LUTCF, CSAAgent, State Farm Insurance

Life Insurance after Divorce?

Most people buy life insurance to help family members stay financially secure after the policyholder’s death. Yet, when a marriage ends, the topic of life insurance is too often overlooked. These five tips can help you and your soon-to-be-ex discuss important changes to your policies before you sign the papers:

Read the divorce agreement carefully. “Life insurance policies are often used to secure alimony and child support payments,” says Steven Weisbart, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief economist at the Insurance Information Institute. Before you sign any documents, make sure they meet your needs and that you’ll be able to comply with them. Divorce agreements are legally binding and can be difficult to alter.

Discuss duration of coverage. The time frame for any obligatory life insurance coverage varies, often depending on the length of alimony and the ages of the children. If you’re purchasing insurance to protect a child financially, look into affordable term life or decreasing term life plans with coverage that expires when the child support obligation ends.

Decide who will pay the premiums. Having your ex-spouse pay the insurance company may be convenient, but if you’re concerned about the possibility of default, ask your ex to pay you and then pay the premium yourself. Or, have your ex add you to the policy record so that you may receive duplicate copies of billing and lapse notices. “The consequences of your ex not paying you are less than if he or she doesn’t pay the insurance company,” Weisbart says. “Failing to pay the insurance company could cost you the policy.”

Re-designate beneficiaries. Depending on the divorce settlement, many couples will rename their beneficiaries from each other to their children. In some states, probate laws automatically disqualify a former spouse from receiving life insurance proceeds unless the insured re-designates their ex-spouse after the divorce. If the children are minors, consider appointing an adult custodian to receive and handle the benefits on their behalf. Be sure to specify when the money will be transferred to the children and the percentage each child is to receive, Weisbart says. And keep in mind that beneficiaries cannot be re-designated after the insured’s death, so it’s critical to keep the policy up to date.

Determine how much coverage you’ll need. Examine what your ex-spouse’s financial situation would be like if alimony and/or child support payments ended. Talk with your State Farm® agent and divorce attorney to arrive at a specific amount. The Insurance Information Institute offers more information on reviewing insurance coverages during a separation or divorce.

Are You Financially Prepared For The Death Of Your Spouse?When developing financial plans, couples need to consider what will happen when one of them passes away. The Census Department reports that in 2009, 2.4 percent of all men were widowed and 9.3 percent of all women were. After age 65, 41.3 percent of women were widows. The death of a spouse isn’t a theoretical number: It’s something that could very well affect your family.

As part of your financial plan, you should consider what will happen to your family’s income and expenses when one spouse passes away. If the spouse was working, that income will be lost; if the spouse was retired, the pension could be. Social Security benefits may make up some of the lost income, especially if there are minor children in the household.

Expenses may go down, but don’t depend on it. If there are minor children, then childcare expenses are likely to increase with only one parent in the household. If the family received its health insurance from the deceased spouse’s job, then those costs may rise. On the other hand, some of the deceased’s expenses will be eliminated. With retired couples, research by the Department of Health and Human Services on widows shows that household costs decreased about 20 percent when the husband passed away; in some cases, her income decreased by 50 percent or more when her spouse’s income was gone.

Careful planning for savings, pension elections, and life insurance may help your family avoid a financial crisis on top of personal sorrow. The proper option will be different for each couple, but the first step should be a discussion about what would happen should tragedy hit tomorrow.


http://www.iii.org/press_releases/heading-for-separation-or-divorce-protect-your-assets-and-dont-leave-insurance-out-of-the-equation.html


morgan hill historically speaking

has enjoyed many place names over the years including Chitactac, Pleasant Valley, Val Celico, Old Gilroy, Rancho Las Animas, and Burnett Township just to mention a few of the designations. We certainly live in an especially beautiful area with a vibrant community surrounding us. Our diverse heritage and natural landscapes are certainly worth getting to know, and I am sure that we all consider ourselves fortunate to call the Valley of Heart’s Delight our home.

In 1770, the first Spanish explorers entered into our valley traveling from Monterey with the goal of understanding what San Francisco Bay was all about. Captain Pedro Fages, the acting lieutenant governor of Alta California, put together a small exploratory party bound for the Bay Area and set out in November.

The Fages expedition continued

northward to the Bay and decided upon a heading that led them up the eastshore arriving near Berkeley to see the opening of San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. The party returned to Monterey following the same general corridor always on the watch for water availability and passageways that avoided difficult stream crossings, swampy conditions and mountainous terrain. This first exploration was the beginning of the El Camino Real or The King’s Way connecting future mission, pueblo and presidio locations.

The El Camino follows the original trail blazed by Pedro Fages basically following the alignment of today’s Highway 101 through San Benito and Santa Clara Counties.

The Viceroy in Mexico instructed Captain Fages to undertake a second

expedition in 1772. This group also camped near today’s San Juan Bautista by the San Benito River after traversing the Gabilans on March 21st – the feast day of St. Benedict. Fr. Crespi, a Franciscan Priest accompanying Fages, called the San Juan Valley “San Pascual Bailon” and as they traveled he noted that “much of the valley was of good arable land, very level, covered with grass and oaks.” The crossing of the Pajaro River watershed must have been daunting as the springtime creek flows and marshes would have made the going difficult. Fr. Crespi entered in his diary that they came upon several native villages, some very populous. And that the landscape had plenty of water upon it with thousands of cranes, geese and all kinds of waterfowl present. “As this broad valley seemed to me very suitable for a good mission, I named

Blazing El Camino Real

Southern Santa Clara County …

Written By Mike Monroe

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it San Bernardino de Sena, so that this saint may intercede for the conversion of these” natives. Typically, the Spanish and Mexican explorers always referred to the native peoples as ‘heathens’, a prejudice or inherent bias because of how radically different the Amah Mutsun people viewed their lives in the natural world.

From the expedition journal of Fr. Crespi, with Captain Fages in the lead, the party camped just below Llagas Creek near Old Gilroy on March 22nd and then cut west along the valley floor, through San Martin, watchful for an easy crossing point of Llagas Creek “ascending a pass through some low hills which jut across the valley” (Silveira Hills). This pass is where Santa Teresa Boulevard crosses Llagas Creek and because of an ever-present spring fed pool of water came to be known as Las Llagas. Subsequent Spanish expeditions, including the Anza party in 1776, always stopped at Las Llagas because of water availability and the ease of fording the stream at this location. Fages and Crespi made camp on March 23rd near Coyote and Laguna Seca. They crossed Coyote Creek the next day at Coyote Narrows calling the expansive oak covered plain to the north “Llanos de los Robles” and stopped the next day near Milpitas.

There have always been variations to exact route of the El Camino as travelers always had trouble crossing the Pajaro River and early bridges were often washed away. The location of Old Gilroy or San Ysidro had a lot to do with its proximity to Pacheco Pass and its slightly higher elevation above the marshy San Felipe or Soap Lake. John Gilroy settled in the area in 1813, marrying into the Ortega family. Yet when heavy rains caused Llagas Creek to flood, Old Gilroy would usually suffer as well. James Houck was the first resident of what is today downtown Gilroy when he built a small split redwood inn and stable close to the intersection of Lewis Street and Monterey Road. There is a sculpture of Mr.

Houck on Monterey at 4th Street with a plaque that reads “ Travelling north by foot, horse or cart along the El Camino Real was several days journey from southern Santa Clara Valley to the nearest town. James Houck began a stage service and by nailing an empty cigar box to the porch railing fashioned a mail drop and became the first postmaster.”

It was not until the 1860s when the Butterfield Stage line used the current Monterey Road followed by the railroad extension pushing through to Sargent Station that the new section of Gilroy and the El Camino really came to life. Henry Miller, Mr. Rea and other early Gilroy settlers began the task of building drainage canals in an effort to dry out the land in South County as historically it was often-times waterlogged. As a side note, in 1868 John Muir walked from Oakland following the old El Camino south from San Jose on his way to Yosemite, and camped near Old Gilroy singing praises about the landscape and starting his climb of Pacheco Pass.

The railroad corridor had a significant impact on the placement of the El Camino Real and the development of small towns that were train stops. At Coyote Narrows, near the Metcalf Energy Plant, high water from Coyote Creek would always challenge travelers along the current Monterey Road. It was the construction and uplifting of the railroad bed that helped our current Monterey Road become the major thoroughfare of the El Camino. Prior to the railroad, people often utilized a trail through a low pass in the Santa Teresa Hills for travel between San Jose and South County.

Before the railroad, when the only non-Californios families residing in Morgan Hill and San Martin were the Fishers, the Murphys and the Tennants in the early 1850’s. They employed ranch hands of Indian and/or Mexican descent who had previously worked the large land grant ranchos after the collapse of the Mission

system. With the advent of the Gold Rush, the saying goes that the world rushed in and it has seldom slowed. There are so many stories that have involved the El Camino in some manner – the cattle drives of Henry Miller to San Francisco markets, the bandits such as Tribuco Vasquez lying in wait for a robbery attempt, and the planting of black walnut trees all along the route from south San Jose to Gilroy.

What I found particularly interesting is a description of the El Camino Real running through Morgan Hill as related by Mildred Brooke Hoover in the “Historic Spots in California.” The El Camino was not only known as Monterey Road if you were traveling south but also was called the San Jose Road if you were heading north.

“On southward, the original trail ran through the oak scattered valley, a half-mile, on average, to the west of the current highway and railroad, but the way was straightened somewhat in the middle 1850s, the old road and the stage road coming together again at the Hernandez adobe in the mouth of Hernandez Valley on the north side of Morgan Hill (where the Martin Murphy Sr. family first resided in 1845). Continuing past the Oreja del Oso (Bears Ear) or Murphy’s Peak (El Toro) the road to Monterey reached a slight bend where Tennant’s 21 Mile House long stood. Here, what was originally a branch road, bore left as it approached Llagas Creek (the end of the Llagas or Silveira Hills) and continued diagonally across the valley to Old Gilroy passing the ranches of Martin Murphy and his sons (at one time called Martinsville and today the east end of San Martin Ave.). The original road ran straight ahead from Tennant’s to a gap in the low Llagas (Silveira) Hills a mile and a half west of San Martin. Here, the pathfinder Pedro Fages camped on his return trip in 1770 to Monterey and again in 1772, and Captains Rivera and Anza camped in the following years.”

A healthy Chamber of Commerce is all about building, sustaining and strengthening appropriate connections throughout the many facets of a community. Much of what the broad community sees

are large public events like the Friday Night Music Series and September’s Taste of Morgan Hill Festival. While these are vital and fun events which both create economic vitality and provide terrific recreational experiences for participant, they are only one small piece of what we are all about.

In this issue we are focusing on the youth engagement aspect of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s body of work. When viewed from a long term perspective, the educational experiences of our youth are the future’s critical foundation. When the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce Education Committee first rebooted a little over four years ago there were a few local businesses which asked “why is the Chamber working on those projects”? The answer is that connecting the busi-ness community to the local professional educators community around a common commitment to doing everything possible to support and motivate young people is essential to the local quality of life, economic vitality and future prosperity. Plus, it is a fun and deeply satisfying. There are perspectives and experiences business people can provide our students which are not readily available through traditional educational textbooks, classrooms and tests.

So far we have developed and implemented three major ongoing youth projects: “Rock the Mock”(an interview skills training program for high school students), Middle School Career Days (a half-day of career options exposure for students) and the All Morgan Hill Science Fair (originally developed by the Pauchon Foundation). Implementing the larger projects has resulted in development of a number of relation-ships between our volunteers and the local schools which in turn have developed into ongoing programs like Britton Middle School’s Robotics Club under the leadership of volunteer Frank Orlando and a terrific gardening program at Sobrato High School led by Sue Villanueva. Our volunteers have also become involved in student reading programs, anti-bullying initiatives, the bond oversight board and numerous other areas of engagement.

We are thrilled with the difference we have been able to make so far, and look forward to taking it up another notch by partnering with our schools to implement a full Linked Learning methodology. Please learn more about that by spending some time at ConnectEdCalifornia.org.

Youth Engagement Takes Center Stage By John Horner, President /CEOMorgan Hill Chamber of Commerce

Edith Ramirez, Speaker

Dress To Impress

Career Days - Firefighting


BUSINESS NEWS

Edith Ramirez, Speaker

Dress To Impress

Career Days - Nursing

Science Fair

Sam Benedict, Specialized Bikes

“Rock the Mock” is a series of three annual Morgan Hill events which give local high school students a “real world” experience in interview preparation. Interviewers are volunteer professionals from the local business community across a wide variety of fields who are all familiar with the interview process. Students learn everything from how to dress for an interview, how to do preparatory research, how to properly shake hands and to how best to ask, and answer, questions. They receive feedback so that when they go to apply for jobs or compete for scholarships they know what to expect and how to excel. The program started as an off-site event serving 150-200 students per year and has grown to an in-school experience which will reach nearly 600 students in the 2014-15 school year.

Annual Citywide Science Fairis an opportunity for students from ALL Morgan Hill schools (public, charter, and private) to show off their scientific prowess. They gather together to show off their projects at one big event, fostering communication & involvement between the different Morgan Hill Schools. Middle School and High School students are judged separately by a panel of scientifically-minded judges. Student projects vary widely and are always on interesting subjects, from botany to chemistry and more. Students can compete alone or in teams of 2-3, and always come up with amazing projects! Career Days are hosted annually at both of our local middle schools, Britton and Martin Murphy. A variety of businesspeople from many different industries commit their time to setting up a booth and telling students about how they got where they are. Participants have included major companies like Google, as well as small local businesses like Thinker Toys and Sonrisa Stables. Students go in groups from booth to booth to listen to each person talk about how they became the successful businessperson they are today. It’s very important that these students start to get an understanding of all the types of careers they could potentially have. We typically have twenty or more professions represented to give students food for thought as they consider high school, college and beyond.

Business And Education Youth Programs


Judy Little is a diminutive woman with a big heart and boundless energy. For the past eight years, she and her

husband Murv have been helping to build a lasting legacy for Morgan Hill – a bridge that connects us to distant lands and different cultures.

The bridge-building saga of the Little’s began when they joined Morgan Hill Sister Cities, the local chapter of Sister Cities International. The non-profit organization was inspired by Dwight Eisenhower when he encouraged the citizens of post World War II America to reach out to cities around the globe and foster cultural under-standing for the sake of world peace.

“Morgan Hill took up the mission of Sister Cities when it joined the international organization in 2003,” Judy said. “Over a period of time, five sister cities were carefully chosen and formally adopted through a proclamation between the City of Morgan Hill and the local governments of each city.

“Our chapter volunteers, city officials, local students and members of the community have been working together to create strong bonds with those cities ever since. We all serve as ambassadors of good will, and relationships are formed person-to-person, one city at a time.”

When Judy and Murv joined in 2006, they offered to coordinate activities supporting Morgan Hill’s brand new sister city relationship with Mizuho, Japan. Today, they continue to fulfill this role. The cultural and educational exchange between the two cities has flourished as a result.

Finding Common Ground“Mizuho was chosen for three reasons,” Judy said.“First was its similarity to Morgan Hill in geographical area, population size, climate and agricultural heritage. It is located about 35 miles from Tokyo and produces rice, vegetables, fruits and flowering plants. “Second, both cities expressed a sincere desire to have a close, lasting relationship that would benefit its citizens for years to come.

“And third but equally important was the fact that Morgan Hill has a strong and historic Japanese community dating back to the immigrant farmers of the early 1900s who contributed to our agricultural tradition.”

Judy Little Accomplishes Big Things


morgan hill sister cities program


Connecting Youth across the PacificThe Little’s built the Morgan Hill Sister Cities student exchange program from the ground up with a focus on local middle schools.

“We work with the schools to identify students who, along with their families, are interested in participating in the student exchange program,” Judy said.

The Little’s have managed all of the 10-day student exchange trips, which typically include six to eight students. It’s a serious commitment on the part of every-one involved.

“In the six months leading up to a trip, we meet regularly with the students and mentor them in preparation for their time in Japan. Murv makes a video of each stu-dent speaking on why they want to go to Japan.

“Our students learn basic Japanese language terms and study the culture, customs and current events. They create a Powerpoint presentation about Morgan Hill and what they’d like to learn about Mizuho during their visit. And they work on solo and group performances that showcase American cultural arts. Students cover the cost of their exchange program travel and activities through fundraising presentations to non-profit organizations and selling See’s Candies around various holidays.

“In Mizuho, they accompany their Japanese host students to school, community events, local tours and special outings.

“Last year, our students performed line dancing to country music and did poetry readings as part of their formal presentations. On a previous trip, they performed ‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’ and handed out boxes of Cracker Jack. Each year, we try something different and guide all of the students to participate based on their individual skills and interests.

“Young people are like sponges,” Judy said. “They love new things and pick up elements of the language and customs of other cultures very quickly.”

Judy and Murv also coordinate Morgan Hill host families and local activities for Japanese students visiting from Mizuho, which runs the gamut from attending the Freedom Fest to touring Google headquarters in Mountain View.

“Our visiting students get to meet with city and school board officials and non-profits like the Lions and Kiwanis Clubs,” Judy said. “We help them prepare questions and encourage them to speak up, and believe me, they do!”

Celebrating the ArtsThe Little’s also oversee a cultural arts exchange with Mizuho. In January, they sent a number of large quilts, hand-crafted by members of South Valley Quilt Association. These will be displayed by the Mizuho Quilt Guild in a brand new gallery during their city’s annual cherry blossom festival. In September, Japanese quilts and textile arts from Mizuho will be featured at the annual Harvest Quilt & Fiber Arts Show during Taste of Morgan Hill.

Mary Ann Bruegmann, a member of the South Valley Quilt Association, has come to know Judy after eight years of collaborating on the quilt and fiber arts exchange.

“It was Judy who first suggested the quilt exchange,” Mary Ann said. “One year she invited us to a Sister Cities meeting so we could make a personal connection with visiting guests from Mizuho. Judy is smart, efficient, and has a great sense of humor. She’s very thoughtful about making the arts exchange meaningful and enjoyable for everyone.”

Connecting Community LeadersMorgan Hill Sister Cities and the City of Morgan Hill plan to invite Mizuho Mayor Ishizuka to visit our community during Freedom Fest week in July of 2016. Judy is playing an instrumental role in making this happen.

Morgan Hill Mayor Steve Tate expressed his appreciation for Judy’s monitoring of the communications between the two cities to ensure things are followed up on as needed for success. He described Judy as both “a tenacious go-getter who has played a huge and vital role in the success of our Sister City relationship with Mizuho” and “a jewel” who he believes is “under-appreciated for all that she does”.

Along with the mayors and other members of local government, connections are also encouraged between leaders of business and community organizations in each city so they can exchange ideas, discuss common concerns, and explore possible avenues for collaboration.

Giving Back in so Many WaysBeyond her involvement in the Sister Cities movement, Judy volunteers at the Friends of the Morgan Hill Library book store, while Murv has served on the Morgan Hill Library, Culture and Arts Commission. Both are active members of Morgan Hill


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TOP: Morgan Hill high school students visit Mizuho in 2012.

ABOVE: Middle school students prepare for their July 2014 visit to Mizuho, let by Judy Little, standing.


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Presbyterian Church where they serve dinner and spend time with kindergartners every Friday night. They also volunteer at the Buddhist Community Center in Morgan Hill where they spend time with senior citizens. Judy noted that the Buddhist Community Center has hosted an annual Japanese cultural event for more than 50 years.

“It’s probably the longest-running cultural event in the South County,” Judy said. “There are Taiko drums and martial arts demonstrations, traditional Asian foods and a farmers’ market. The event also honors local WWII Japanese-American veterans with an exhibit of photos, letters and artifacts on loan from the Morgan Hill Historical Museum.”

In the aftermath of the 2011 earth-quake and tsunami that devastated Japan, Judy launched a fundraiser. “The people of Mizuho had learned about the spirit of volunteerism from their Sister Cities connection with us. Before that, volunteering and fundraising to help others outside of one’s family was not part of their culture. Some of the money we raised paid for gas so the people of Mizuho could make the 7-hour trip to Fukushima to help the survivors. They even ‘adopted’ a kindergarten class there to help them during the recovery.”

The Littles were nominated by their peers and honored for their philanthropy and volunteer work by the Morgan Hill Community Foundation at its Philanthropist of the Year awards event in 2012.

Judy and Murv met and married in Idaho in the 1960s and moved to Morgan Hill in 1988. Last year they celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary. While Judy carved out a professional career as a paralegal and Murv worked as a nuclear engineering consultant after serving in the Navy, the two are now enjoying retirement. But when it comes to serving the community, they aren’t showing signs of slowing down any time soon. We are fortunate to have them in our midst.

Morgan Hill’s Sister CitiesHeadford, IrelandMizuho, JapanSan Casciano, ItalySan Martín de Hidalgo, MexicoSeferihisar, Turkey

Building a Bridge from Morgan Hill to Mizuho2003 The Morgan Hill chapter of Sister Cities International is established.

2006 The Little’s join the chapter. Morgan Hill and Mizuho become sister cities. A quilt exchange is established.

2007 Preparations are completed for the student exchange program.

2008 Mizuho students make their first visit to Morgan Hill.

2009 The Little’s and Chaperone Cindy van Rhijn take their first group of Morgan Hill students to Mizuho.

2010 Judy Little is named an Honorary Citizen of Mizuho.

2011-15 The Morgan Hill relationship with Mizuho continues to flourish and grow.

2016 The Little’s are laying the groundwork to host Mizuho’s Mayor during the week of Freedom Fest.

“This is a once-in-a-

lifetime opportunity for

our youth to connect on

a personal level and gain

a true understanding of

youth in other cultures.”

Judy Little


Terroir by Sheila Scobba Banning

Rating:

Gilroy’s own Martin Ranch Winery on Redwood Retreat Road was the inspiration for the locale of Terroir, a novel about a winemaker dealing with her own extraordinary pinot noir and her equally complicated life. The local setting and the ode to superb wine make this a delicious read.

While it is interesting to read familiar local names in the Acknowledgements section, author Sheila Banning of Sunnyvale makes it perfectly clear that, “This is a work of fiction. That means I made it all up.”

In her book and during her recent visit to the Morgan Hill book club “Unbound,” she said of herself, “The infusion of authentic detail helps breathe life into fiction, but don’t confuse that with autobiography. If you insist on looking for something in the book that really happened, pick the sex scenes.”

Terroir is the story of Suzanne Mathews, a respected winemaker in the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, on the verge of producing a pinot noir destined to become a legend. The possibility of fame and fortune for the boutique winery also has the attention of her soon-to-be ex-husband and a circling venture capital shark. If that weren’t enough, Suzanne’s sister in Iowa has ousted her hospice worker and chosen to face death on her own terms.

The book’s finest attribute is deep detail about the winemaking process, which is well blended into the story. Each chapter starts with the definition of a wine term, such as brix, inoculation, cold soak, malolactic fermentation or racking, and then the chapter includes Suzanne working with that aspect of the process. The book will have you rummaging for pinot in your wine storage.

In addition, there’s the snarky dialogue of two maverick sisters, an old flame and an uncommon solution for divorce.

The book club gave it an all thumbs-up, a rare occurrence in any book club.

SILICON VALLEY READS – Author VisitBook of Unknown Americans, a novel about Panama, by Cristina Henriquez is a 2015 Silicon Valley Reads selection. The author will speak March 24 at the Morgan Hill Library and March 28 at the Gilroy Public Library.

WHAT OTHER BOOK CLUBS ARE READING:• BookSmart Book Lovers Club, Morgan Hill –

The Martian by Andy Weir

• Books with Dessert, Morgan Hill Library – Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

• Gilroy Library Book Club – Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez

• Eagle Ridge #1, Gilroy – Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

• Eagle Ridge #3, Gilroy – Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

• Unbound, Morgan Hill – Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman

The Unbound Book Club of Morgan Hill meets monthly for dinner and books. Surrounding visiting Terrior author Sheila Banning (seated, center) are mem-bers Laura Lundy (left) and Theresa Kiernan (right). Back row, (l-r): Laurie Dineen, Carol Carr, Sherry Hemingway, Nancy Neyer-Kinoshita, Aimee Ledwith and Lisa DeSilva. Missing: Deborah Morton-Padilla and Janet Thompson.

HANGING PICTURES, MIRRORS AND CHANDELIERSThe center of your piece should be “at eye level” or approximately 5’ from the floor and spaced generally in the center of the space. The 5 footrule exists because most of us will be able to view the piece without straining our necks looking up or down. If you’re doing a collage, you would think of it as a single piece and use the above guidelines.

Proportion is very important here, too. I’m talking about the size of your wall space verses the size of the piece you’re going to hang. In other words, don’t hang a piece that measures 12” square on a 6 foot wall, if you think it looks too small, it probably is.

One exception to this rule is when you’re hanging a mirror above your fireplace. It will depend on the size of the mirror and the height of your mantel. When standing in front of your mirror, you should be able to see yourself in the mirror. Remember, don’t buy a mirror that’s proportionately too small for above your fireplace, and err on the side of bigness.

When hanging sconces near your fireplace, you will want to consider the width of the mantel. If you have a wide fireplace, the sconces should be hung over both ends of the mantel. If your fireplace is narrow, you should hang the sconces about 8” on each side of the fireplace. If you hang sconces too far apart, it will look disjointed and hung too close together, it will look cramped. Generally indoor sconces should be hung 68” from the floor to the electrical box.

When hanging a picture over your sofa, the guideline varies. Don’t hang pictures or mirrors any lower than 10” above the top of your sofa. You’ll want to protect the frame from being jolted or discoloring over time.

Carol Carr has been an interior designer since 1981, as ‘Carol Spence Interior Design’, ASID, CID. Carol specializes in making your home comfortable, an extension of your personality and lifestyle. Her design philosophy is “Every room should be usable and comfortable — a balance between visual response and physical comfort.” Carol can be reached at 408.779.4189.

Dining room chandeliers should always be centered over the middle of the table and hung 30” to 36” from the table to the bottom of the chandelier.

Swing arm lamps are very useful for reading by your bed. Hang them about 42” from the floor.

THE MAGIC OF MIRRORSOr as the old saying goes “It’s all done with mirrors!” Mirrors can make a room feel and look larger. They can brighten and create a multi-dimensional effect to say nothing of the dramatic impact. In a space that you’d like to double in size, use a mirror, floor to ceiling on one wall.

In a room where you would like more natural light, install mirrors on the sides and top of the window reveals if they’re wide enough. This is a very dramatic and oh so beautiful effect. If this doesn’t work for you, strategically place a mirror so that the light bounces off it and into your room.

Another way to create drama and enlarge a space is to mirror all alcoves, preferably with custom cut mirror pieces rather than just a framed mirror.

If you have a built-in book case or curio cabinet, have a mirror custom cut for the back of the case and install a recessed light above.

If you can find or have a tall mirrored screen, place it in a corner of a room, say behind a sofa or loveseat. DIY, you could buy one that can be mirrored, preferably with custom cut mirrors, not mirror tiles.

Etched or patterned mirrors have a beauty all their own and would fit in almost any room.

Mirrors light up a room just as glass top tables do and plants bring the room alive.

By Carol Carr

Good design suggests

many things. Here are

some of my suggestions

or as I like to call them,

design guidelines for

your home or office.

Accessorizing Your Home


We should always

remain guarded and

vigilant with our personal

and financial information.


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south santa clara valley everyone has a story

Written & Photographed By Laura Wrede

The Little Red Note Book

Bob & Astrid Senior … bringing old world spices to America


In 1875

in Gadenstedt, Germany, Wilhelm von Cramm, opened a small village butcher shop. It was here in this unassuming town about 150 miles from Berlin, that Wilhelm’s love of cooking would unknowingly impact the next four generations of his family: from a POW son during WWII, to an immigrant entrepreneur great-granddaughter in Morgan Hill, California, 140 years later.

It all began behind the walls of a local butcher shop where Wilhelm von Cramm served a variety of meats to nearby German villagers. Here he crafted an array of unique spice blends incorporated into savory sausages, pates, and ham recipes. When the First World War broke out, duty called and his wife continued to run the shop.

When Wilhelm returned home, he brought with him a suitcase filled with fresh dried herbs and spices from far off lands. He began to experiment and to integrate the new found blends into his meats much to the delight of his customers. His fame began to spread around the village as his customers grew to enjoy the unfamiliar flavors. Wilhelm diligently recorded each creation in a small red notebook.

Wilhelm’s only son, Hermann worked alongside his father as soon as his hand could reach the counter. He too gained a love of cooking. Unfortunately, just like his father, as a young man he was also called to serve in a war.

During World War II, he was captured by the French army and became a POW. It’s been said that he was assigned to the kitchens as a cook where he used his father’s unique spice blends to make the severely limited war rations taste good; so much so, that he caught the attention of the Commandant. He soon gained his favor

and was made the head chef of the kitchens.Five years later Hermann was released

and finally returned home. When Wilhelm died in 1952 Hermann took over the business. He also inherited the little red notebook of spice recipes and blends that the customers had come to love.

Hermann eventually married and had a son, Helmut. He also became a master butcher and over time grew the business into a modern day shop thriving well passed Hermann’s death in 1978.

In 2006 Helmut was ready to retire. His only heir and daughter, Astrid Senior a marketing executive, had married and later immigrated to the Untied States. She had no interest in the butcher business.

Then something happened in 2012. Six years after closing the 130 year-old family business, he rediscovered the little red notebook that chronicled his grandfather’s seasoning blends. He had recently had a brush with a serious illness and felt that it was only right to pass the book on to Astrid who at the time just happened to be making transitions in her marketing career.

When Astrid read the writings of her great grandfather, she began mixing and concocting his recipes. She gave the blends away as gifts. “My first spice making experience was pleasing friends and family for Christmas with those homemade goodies. My friends wanted more and they wanted to pay for it! So my husband Bob said ‘Why don’t you make a business out of it? You can do it!”

With her business and marketing

knowledge and Bob’s encouragement, Astrid decided to consider the idea.

“I love to cook and to help people learn how to cook and how to make healthy eating decisions,” said Astrid. With her family history and love of cooking it was a natural fit. As she opened that little red notebook and saw her great-grandfather’s writing something came alive in her; some-thing she shared with generations past.

That little red notebook helped Astrid find her passion in life and connected her to all those who came before her.

In 2012, after Helmut handed Astrid the red notebook, she started Opa Helmut’s Pure Organic Seasonings. Opa Helmut (German for Grandfather Helmut) is named after him—to carry the tradition of the family business as Helmut is grandfather to Astrid’s son Simon. She hopes someday he will treasure the little red notebook as well.

Today Astrid, with Bob’s help, spends days meeting with buyers, distributors, holds cooking demonstrations, and samplings, and creates new products to add to her line. It’s similar to what her great grandfather did all those years ago. In fact, this year she is adding an entire selection of sausages. It seems that the von Cramm tradition has now come full circle and the little red notebook’s secrets continue to live on.

You can enjoy 140 years of unique blended tastes of countries such as Germany, Poland, France, and Russia by going to opahelmuts.com.


New Associate Degrees for Transfer Approved!

Gavilan College students now have nine more options in pursuing an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT).

According to Kathleen Rose, Chief Instructional Officer, “It’s a remarkable list, offering a lot of opportunities for our students.”

ADT degrees were created several years ago through action by the California State Legislature, with the goal of taking the guess-work out of transfer. Students who earn an ADT degree and meet the California State University (CSU) minimum eligibility require-ments are guaranteed admission to a CSU (but not necessarily to a particular campus or major.)

In addition, once at the CSU, if you are admitted and enrolled in a designated degree program you will be able to complete your bachelor’s degree with as little as 60 semester units or (90 quarter units) of upper division coursework.

The new degrees, in Business Administration, Political Science, Spanish, and other subjects, join the nine ADT degrees that had previously been developed. In all, Gavilan College now offers 18 ADT degrees.

To find out more go to gavilan.edu/AssociateDegrees ForTransfer.html or speak with a counselor.

ADT Degrees Available:

Administration of Justice (AS-T)Art History (AA-T)Business Administration (AS-T)Communications Studies (AA-T)Early Childhood Education (AS-T)Economics (AA-T)English (AA-T)Journalism (AA-T)Kinesiology (AA-T)Mathematics (AS-T)Music (AA-T)Philosophy (AA-T)Physics (AS-T)Political Science (AA-T)Psychology (AA-T)Spanish (AA-T)Studio Arts (AA-T)Theater Arts (AA-T)

Gavilan graduates often decorate their mortarboards to reflect their majors or the colleges to which they are transferring.

Start Your University Degree at Gavilan College

SAVE THE DATEApril 24, 2015

Food, Wine, And Silent Auction To Benefit Gavilan College Students

http://www.gavilan.edu/AssociateDegreesForTransfer.html

http://www.gavilan.edu/AssociateDegreesForTransfer.html


south santa clara valley world of art

Written & Photographed By Laura Wrede

Morgan Hill artists Jeff and Wendy Sprague share the all-American romance story of boy meets girl and

they fall in love. At the age of fourteen, these two neighbor kids met. They dated through high school, and then parted ways for a few years. They reunited, married and raised a family. Today Jeff and Wendy—now empty nesters—are on the verge of an exciting new chapter in their lives. Here is where that part of their story begins.

She picks up her brush. Water slowly drips from the tip. Then she swirls it as bits of blue pigment sweep across soft nubby cotton paper. She pauses, thinking for a moment. An image begins to appear as each stroke is pulled over and over. More colors are added, dabbled on—red, magenta, yellow—but more importantly, it’s what isn’t placed on the paper that gains importance. It’s the white blank spaces—either by accident or intent that lend to

watercolor’s unique characteristics. You have to allow the paint to dance

around in little puddles until it settles into distinct rings often ending in happy surprises. You then add more translucent colors that look like tiny stained glass windows. These complex thin layers give depth to images that can’t be replicated with opaque paints.

This is something that draws Wendy to watercolors. She was an artist long before she and Jeff met, but she hasn’t always pursued her love of painting. In fact at a very early age she almost gave up due to a negative experience with a teacher in the fourth grade who criticized her work.

“I pretty much left art behind for years and would just occasionally pick up a drawing book and start sketching. When my son was in seventh grade I decided to take a watercolor class—my first. I thought watercolor looked so fresh and lovely and would be easier than another medium,”

said Wendy. She soon discovered how difficult it was to master the craft.

“I studied every Monday at University Art under Oneida Hammond for about nine months while my child was in school. The following year I decided to start art classes at West Valley College in hopes of studying watercolor.” She went on to earn an art degree and also taught art lessons, but ironically never did take another water-color class.

As a busy stay-at-home-mom, life seemed to always get in the way of her art in one way or the other. While she always pursued it in some manner, she never really did so on a professional level. That is changing in this new chapter of her life.

Wendy started exhibiting and selling her work a few years back when her only son left for college. She placed her work in local venues around Morgan Hill and Gilroy and attended local street fairs. Her last display was at First Street Coffee in Gilroy. Jeff, a

The Next Chapter


“I began writing the day my Mom brought home that first typewriter when I was about seven years old in the early ‘70s. I’d write Star Trek episodes, poems, and short sci-fi stories.” Jeff ’s first published book, Slow Children at Play, was released in 2012 by Wild Lizard Ranch Press.

Jeff continues to write stories and other works and create fine art photography including showing his art with Wendy at various local shows.

“Mostly I was encouraged by my wife Wendy, to get more involved with my art so I could join her in her artistic endeavors. Really, I think she just wanted me to help carry the display stands to the art shows,” Jeff jokes.

Their new dream is to create collaborative works. They are discussing writing and illustrating different sets of children’s books. Among the themes, one idea is a series designed around therapy dogs, something Wendy’s involved in

locally with their rescue dog Mollie. She and Mollie are a certified therapy dog team through Furry Friends Pet Assisted Therapy.

Wendy and Jeff discussed creating books using Mollie as the main character. Since they have more time now (and they have the talent) there is little to stop this creative couple from making this dream a reality. And staying creative can only continue to keep the marriage strong according to Jeff.

Jeff believes that being an artistic couple has played a part in the success of their twenty-seven years of marriage. “Art can bring you closer together, both because you can share ideas and opinions, but also because it provides a peaceful solitude where each can spend time pursuing interests without feeling guilty.” It will be fun to see what inspirational works come from this all-American love story as the next chapter continues to unfold.

To see more of Jeff and Wendy Sprague’s works visit wildlizardranch.com.

Jeff & Wendy Sprague

tech wiz by profession, has also begun to sell his art as well.

Jeff is an author and die-hard photographer. Using the words die-hard may not be too far from the truth if you ask Jeff. He admits that he may die of hypothermia one day due to the fact that when he’s taking photos he’s so engrossed in his art that he’s completely unaware of anything else, including the temperature, maybe even cliffs, bears, and other potential hazards. Such is the nature of the true photographer with a lens to their eye. His love of art and writing started young just as Wendy’s did.

His photography interest began in the early ‘70s. “As a teen I worked at the old photo drive-up chain where I developed (no pun intended) an enthusiasm for photography, and I bought an SLR, but I didn’t get really serious until Canon released the first digital Rebel DSLR in 2004,” said Jeff. His writing also started early on.

Watercolors by Wendy and Photo Art by Jeff Sprague.


An educational partnership between Gilroy Unified School District and

Gavilan College, the Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy or GECA is a college preparatory high school where students receive both high school and college credits.

In four years, students graduate from the Academy with not only a high school degree, but also transferable college units.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to get ahead and get to their career goals sooner,” said Sonia Flores, principal of GECA.

GECA’s namesake, Dr. TJ Owens, was the former Dean of Students at Gavilan College and president of the Gilroy Unified School District. A champion of civil rights, he was a key figure in GECA’s inception, but died of a stroke two years before it was established in 2011.

GECA received start-up money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and now is fully funded with state tax dollars.

GECA provides students not only with high school and college credits, but also a rigorous college preparatory curriculum that includes honors and Advanced Placement classes.

Flores said she thoroughly enjoys working with the students and the teachers, and being a part of an innovative approach to education that helps students set them-selves apart from others while getting a jumpstart on their goals.

With a student body of about 240 students from 9th through 12 grades, students come from Gilroy, Hollister, San Benito County, Salinas, and Morgan Hill, Flores said.

GECA’s graduation rate is 98 percent, she said. The high school will witness their fifth class graduating this spring.

All students before graduating must complete a senior project, which entails researching a question related to a professional field they are interested in entering and working with a mentor to learn about that profession.

“That has determined what they decide

to go on to study,” Flores said. “Some students have changed their minds about what kind of degrees they are pursuing.”

Flores said many GECA graduates begin college with between 40 to 60 college credits, while others have earned their Associate’s degree. By already having many college credits under their belt, most students are able to graduate from college in three years, alleviating the financial burden of college and making it less likely that they will drop out of college before graduating.

GECA has tracked their students’ college acceptance rates as well, Flores said. Since 2011, 77 percent of graduates have gone on to study at a four-year university, she said.

“From our first graduating class (in 2011), some are working on their Master’s degree, and others have graduated from four-year schools,” Flores said.

Flores points to alumni who have gone on to attend Santa Clara University, as well as University of California schools at Davis, Los Angeles and Berkeley. One graduate received a full scholarship to Duke University. Other students continued at Gavilan College or have entered the workforce.

Alum Taylor Hadnot, who graduated from GECA in 2011, now teaches English in Thailand after graduating college from California State University at Stanislaus and working as a substitute teacher in Gilroy and a kindergarten teacher at Mountain View Elementary School.

A daughter of Polish immigrants, Flores knows firsthand the transformative power of education.

Flores grew up watching her parents

navigate the educational system to ensure she received the best education. She went onto to graduate from the University of California at Berkeley.

Born in Sonoma, Flores moved with her family to Antioch at age 5. Upon graduating from UC Berkeley, Flores was chosen by Teach for America, a non-profit group that enlists recent college graduates to teach for two years in low-income communities. After completing her teacher training in South Central Los Angeles, she was selected to teach 9th and 10th grade English at Gilroy High School in 2007.

She taught there for two years before she was hired in 2009 to teach Advanced Placement (AP) English at GECA to the school’s first junior class.

“When I came to the school and saw what it was all about I was immediately excited,” Flores said.

Besides AP English, Flores also taught a college preparation study skills class, and a senior project where students are asked to find mentors in the community and solve a big research question, which is aligned with their future career goals. They are also given help with college applications.

Three years later, Flores mentored first and second-year teachers in the Gilroy Unified School District. She left for a couple of months for Teach for America last year, but returned last year to the school she loves dearly. When principal MaryAnn Boylan retired at the end of last school year, the GUSD Superintendent appointed her to the position. Flores earned her admin-istrative credential from teachers college at Columbia University in New York.

Flores said Gavilan College is very supportive of GECA’s mission and said she is very appreciative of their partnership as well as her staff, who she said is wonderful and caring.

“I’m honored and grateful to have the opportunity to serve as the principal of this school,” Flores said. “I wholeheartedly believe in the design of the school. I look forward to hopefully being in this position for a long time with the help of my staff of course, and the district, and Gavilan.”

GECA provides students not only with high school and college credits, but also a rigorous college preparatory curriculum that includes honors and Advanced Placement classes.

For information, call Affordable Solar Roofs at (408) 779-3333, or visit affordablesolarroofs.com. Serving the community since 1995.

Is there a right way or a wrong way to approach

solar? In speaking with many solar advocates,

customers, fellow solar consultants and installers

I hear a common thread that tends to be along

the lines of “size the system for the energy demand of the

house.” This makes sense, but does it really make cents as

in dollars and cents?

There are very few companies out there that don’t follow

the status quo when approaching a solar project. Those are

the companies that look deeper into the energy demand

scenario and ask the most important question after seeing

the energy bill. This question is critical to what the chosen

few of my astute colleagues consider is the key to “doing

solar the way it should be done.” Rather than asking the

“how” much is your energy bill question, one should be

asking the “why” question. Why is the energy bill so high?

To design a system for the current electric bill can in

many cases be the “wrong way to do solar” and also an

injustice to the homeowner. This approach can result in

a larger and more expensive system than what may be

necessary.

To do solar the right way, assess the entire home to see

if there are energy leaks causing these higher electric bills,

such as: unsealed air ducts, lack of proper insulation, older

inefficient heaters and air conditioners, older water heaters

Doing Solar The Way It Should Be Doneor pool pumps draining energy. Once these potential

energy vultures are identified and eliminated, the solar

consultant can factor in the amount of energy savings

per month and design the solar system accordingly.

This approach can save homeowners thousands

of dollars on solar as they will now require a smaller

solar system. The money saved on solar can be used to

pay for some of those energy upgrades in the home or

building. Doing solar the right way is a whole home or

entire building envelope approach, which we call “reduce

before you produce.” Reduce energy consumption before

producing clean energy with solar. This makes sense and

saves lots of dollars and cents.


Kim Mercer_March2015_fol.pdf 1 2/9/15 12:40 PM

01 gmhtoday 2015 march

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